BERKELEY BUDDHIST TEMPLECommon Japanese terms you may hear in our BCA temples
| BERKELEY BUDDHIST TEMPLE |
| … Common Japanese terms you may hear in our BCA temples |
| GO-HAN (go-hahn): literally means "food" but is usually used as the term for "cooked rice". |
| GO-KUROSAMA DESHITA (go-koo-row-sah-mah-day-she-tah) an expression of gratitude to those who have made extraordinary effort or done something for you. Literally, the term means "suffering-exhaustion". |
| GO-MONSHU (go-moan-shoe): the title of the spiritual head of our denomination, currently the Gomonshu is His Eminence Monshu Koshin Ohtani, the 24th generation descendant of Shinran Shonin to head the Hongwanji. The term means "Gate Chief" as the Gomonshu is responsible for the maintenance of the main Hongwanji temple. |
| GOSEI (goh-say): literally, "fifth generation", or children born to the yonsei. In some temples, the fifth generation BCA member is now starting to emerge. |
| O-HAKA MAIRI (hah-kah-my-rhee): visit to the family gravesite or cemetery. |
| HAPPI (hop-pi): the short buttomless jacket-like top often worn at bazaar and Obon time in the BCA temples. Originally the term "happi" meant "Dharma-Cover" as the original happi was a cover for the chair used by the chief priest of a temple. Later, when a work jacket/coat which somewhat resembled this Dharma-chair cover came into common use by firefighters about three hundred years ago, the same name was given to the work jacket/coat. |
| HOJI (hoe-gee): literally means "Dharma-happening" and today the term means "memorial service". |
| HOMYO (hoe-myoh): means Dharma Name. Those that become priests receive a Homyo at the time of becoming a priest. For lay Shin Buddhists, Buddhist names are presented at a "Kikyoshiki" (key-kyoh-she-key) or confirmation ceremony usually officiated at by the Bishop or his representative on behalf of the Gomonshu, or on special occasions when the Gomonshu visits the USA. If a person does not receive a Homyo during their lifetime, they will be presented one at their funeral. The Shin Dharma name consists of two Chinese characters preceded by the word "Shaku" which is used to infer "disciple of the Buddha". Other sects do not use the term "Shaku" and often time they don't use the term "Homyo" and call Buddhist names "Kaimyo" which means "precept name". Because Shin Buddhists do not take vows to follow precepts, we call the Buddhist name a "Dharma Name". more … |
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