Lao Buddhist Society of Hawaii

REGULAR ACTIVTIES
The present headquarters of the Society in the Kalihi valley is a residential home converted to serve as a Buddhist temple. Due to space limitations many activities of the Society need to be organized outside of this building. Furthermore the temple's location in a residential area naturally restricts some of its activities in order to avoid the possibility of protests by neighbors. As is the practice in southeast Asia in general, and Laos in particular, visits by individuals and families to the temple to pay respect to and request for the blessings from the abbot is a frequent occurrence.

FOOD OFFERINGS

In addition to the abbot, another Laotian Theravadin monk resides at the temple. Their main midday meal is provided by the congregation either by bringing in the food to the temple by a designated family or by the monks being invited out to the home of the family responsible for the day's meal. In both cases, the roles, respectively, of the lay and ordained Sanghas, are replicated as practiced in Laos. The monk's role is to accept the offering (DANA) of the gift of sustenance. Thus the monks provide an opportunity to donor to accumulate positive merit by the Dana. In return, it is the duty of the Theravadin monks to give Buddhist blessings in order to ensure that the concerned act gainsmerit for the donor. This has been a mutually beneficial arrangement that has existed for 2,500 years of the religion.

VISIT TO HOMES

There are several occasions for which the abbot and/or the resident monk are invited to visit the homes of the individual members of the Society. As already mentioned the monks would be invited to partake of their main meal at the homes of the individual members. In Theravada practice, after this main meal the monks are forbidden to take any solid food until breakfast the following morning. Since this meal is offered on a rotating basis, the monks have an opportunity of meeting with the family members of the Society at regular intervals.

BLESSINGS

Another important occasion for the lay members to invite the monks, is for the purpose of blessing a new residence whether it be an apartment or house. In a recent immigrant group like the Laotians, residential changes are fairly frequent and the services of the monks are required with each new movement. Yet another occasion is when a member of the Society opens a shop or a professional business. On all these occasions, the abbot and/or the other monk will chant appropriate with sutras to bless the concerned homes or other places. The Paritta recitation with the spraying of holy water as well as the boundary markings by blessed strings or cords are usually praticed. Such forms of protection from evil and misfortune are commonly practiced in all of the Theravadin countries of Southeast Asia.

The services of the monks are also used to bless such other significant occasions as weddings, birth, and deaths. It is most important that when a death occurs, the departed one receives an appropriate Buddhist send-off. Even in a small, but growing community like the Laotians of Hawaii, such human events keep the two resident-monks, especially the abbot, fully preoccupied.

Similar to the practices of other religions the performance of rites relating to death are held without fall. In addition to individual rites and ceremonial services performed when a person dies, there is a collective institutionalized ceremony for the dead in Laotian Theravadin practice. Thus, one of the major events is the annual performance of the "dead people ceremony" - KHAO PADAPDIN in Laotian. This and other significant religious events are briefly described in the following paragraphs.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Major Events

The Society organizes nine special events annually. For the Laotian community in Hawaii, all these events are held at the Jarrette Intermediate School located on Palolo Avenue. Two of the nine events may, however, be regarded as major, since they area celebrated not only Jarrette,but also at Kunia farm, and open to general public. The first is the Lao new year festival known as SONGKRAN. This events falls in mid - April every year in the Theravadin counties of Southeast Asia according to the lunar calendar used in these nations. The program usually consist of the monks chanting to welcome in the new year, with the lay Laotians taking Sabbath or the five precepts. At the Kunia farm, the Buddhist ceremonies are usually followed by a concert on stage. Indigenous Laotian and other Southeast Asian foods are sold in stalls set up by Laotian and other cateres/restaurants of Oahu. The profit from selling food is donated to the Society's temple.

To the extent possible, traditional practices for the Songkran are being followed in Hawaii despite the differences in the conditions existing from Laos. It is the custom at the beginning of 'Songkran' to wash or bathe the Buddha images with scented water. It is also the practice for lay people to celebrate occasion by pouring water, usually scented, on each other, this action being symbolic of "washing out" the old year and welcoming in the new one with a clean body and mind. At Sand Island, the Society's members would accomplish these practices by building a triangular sand mountain Symbolizing Buddha , Dhamma, and Sangha, after which the people would throw water on each other. Other conventions include the young paying respect to parents, grandparents, and older folks; in return, the elders offer blessings as well as give presents, including money to the young.

The other major event that the Society celebrates annually also takes place at the Kunia farm in Honolulu. It occurs in November, a time of harvest and thanksgiving in Laos, after a month's respite from the end of the Buddhist Lent in October. In Vientiane, the capital of Laos, this joyous festival takes place at the holiest place in that country, the THAT LUANG PAGODA. It is the festival of lights whereby the whole of the capital city is lighted up with all kinds of colorful lights, lanterns, torches, electricity, and oil lamps. In Hawaii, the THAT LUANG festival, celebrated at Kunia farm, provides yet another occasion for the general public to participate and the Society to raise funds. This event follows the same procedures as for Songkran mentioned above, except that these is no pouring water among themselves by the people.

Other Occasions

Annually, there are six other occasions when the Society celebrates Buddhist events. These are held at Jarrette Intermediate School, located on Palolo Avenue. The importance of these affairs lies in the fact that they afford the Laotian community to meet face at regular intervals to practice together traditional religious rites as well as to have a social gathering.

No. Name of Celebration Month Occasion, Significance

Makhapuja March, 2,500 Bhikkhus met fortuitously on the full-moon day, and Sakyamuni expounded the PATIMOKHA, the rules of the order.
SONGKRAN April, Buddhist New Year based on lunar calendar, min-April
Visakha May, Sakyamuni Buddha Birthday,
Khaophansa July, Beginning of Buddhist Lent - Vassa
Khaophadapdin September, Ceremony of remembering dead people.
Salaphatta/khao-Salaka September, Bhikkhus offer homage to Sakyamuni.
Ok Phan Sa October, End of Lent.
THAT LUANG Festival November, festival of the most sacred Pagoda in Laos.
New Year Blessing ceremony December, New year Blessing (Tak Bath)

NAMO TASSA BAGHAVATO, ARAHATO, SAMMA SAMBUDDHADHASA (3 times) (praise be to Him, the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Supremely Enlightend).
(i) BHUDDHAM SARANAM GECCHAMI : I take refuge in the Buddha;
(ii) DHAMMAN SARANAM GECCHAMI : I take refuge in the Dhamma;
(iii) SANGHAM SARANAM GECCHAMI : I take refuge in the Sangha
The Five precepts:
(i) PANNATIPATA VERAMANI SIKKHAM PADHAM SAMADIYAMI:
I vow to myself not to take the lives of other living beings;
(ii) ADAINNA DANA VERAMANI SIKKHAM PADHAM SAMADIYAMI:
I vow to myself not to steal;
(iii) KAMAYSU MESASARA VERAMANI SIKKHAM PADHAM SAMADIYAMI: I vow to myself not to have unlawful sex;
(iv) MUSAVADA VERAMANI SIKKHAM PADHAM SAMADIYAMI: I vow to myself not to tell lies;
(v) SURAMAIRAYA MEIKSAPAMA, DATTHANA, VERAMANI SIKKHA PADHAM ASMADIYAMI: I vow to myself not to indulge in harmful drugs

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