A year ago when I was visiting Kauai, I found that a holiday
celebration was circulating around the island, different Buddhist
churches celebrating it different weekends in July.
A year ago when I was visiting Kauai, I found that a holiday celebration was circulating around the island, different Buddhist churches celebrating it different weekends in July.
It was the annual Obon Festival, a celebration with great religious and cultural meaning for Buddhists, and one which other visitors found both entertaining and educational.
Every year in mid-summer, countries of Asia observe Obon. The official date is July 15 which marked the end of the monsoon season.
(In the Bay Area, as in Hawaii, the actual dates of observances are staggered so that performers can attend more than one celebration.)
A great festivity was held because life could now return to normal: the farmers to working their fields, the merchants to trading, the priests to their wandering missionary work. One of the elements of the celebration was unselfish offering of food and clothing given to the priests by the grateful people.
A famous legend dating from the 5th century BC is connected with this holiday. Mogallana, a disciple of the Buddha, was very devoted to his mother. After her death, he learned that she was suffering in a hell of hungry demons; whenever she was given food, it immediately burst into flames.
In grief, Mogallana sought advice from the Buddha on how to save her. The Buddha explained that she was being punished for the greed and miserliness of her lifetime.
Mogallana could relieve his mother’s sufferings by practicing selfless giving, so on the next Obon (which happened to come a few days later), he gave a huge feast in honor of the priests and their pure deeds. Because of her son’s generosity, Mogallana’s mother was released from her hell and delivered to a place of comfort.
Buddhists find the annual Obon Festival a gathering of great joy to give thanks for and remember those who have passed on, a reminder that their ancestors continue to live on through their actions, and they feel they owe their lives and well-being to those who have passed on before them.
The public is invited on July 10 and 11 to the Obon Festival held on the grounds of the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin at 640 North 5th St., between Jackson and Taylor, four blocks east of the Japantown/Ayer light rail station.
It will begin at noon both days with food booths selling traditional Japanese delicacies as well as other food. Later in the afternoon there will be game booths, bingo, and entertainment featuring Kimono-clad dancers, the music of the Chidori Japanese band and famous Taiko drum performers.
The church grounds include a traditional Japanese Garden with a waterfall, bridge and pond filled with koi. A sign in the garden explains the symbolism of its various features and how it exemplifies Japanese culture. The nearby bookstore will be open both days.
The temple itself will be open to the public for lectures on Buddhism. This beautiful building dates from 1937 when the worshipers sacrificed heavily during the depths of the Depression to finance its construction.
It has been named a “betsuin” because of the leadership and guidance it has provided the community through the years. Ministers travel regularly from the San Jose “mother church” to the branch churches in South County to conduct worship services, funerals and weddings.
Although its origin is a solemn and spiritual Buddhist legend about selfishness and charity, this weekend’s Obon Festival will celebrate joy in dancing, music and sharing of cultural traditions. Call (408) 293-9292 for more information.
