Monday, December 5, 2011

Morning Service

In Japan, the Hongwanji Temple does a service every morning at 6am (6:30am during the winter0. It is generally a format that was prescribed by the 8th monshu - Rennyo.
You begin in the Amida-do (Amida Hall) for a chanting of "Sanbutsuge" then everyone walks into the Goei-do (Founder's Hall) for a chanting of "Shoshinge" then a reading from the Gobunsho (Letters of Rennyo). Usually there is a Dharma Talk.

During our recent visit to Kyoto in October, we were able to attend to this service for four mornings. We barely made the end of this service at Tsukji Hongwanji - our walk through the fish market didn't allow us to make it in time.



The Amida-do
The central image in the altar is Amida Buddha.





The walk to the Goei-do from the Amida-do in the corridor connecting the two halls. (One carries one own shoes in a bag, unless you want to return to the first hall when the services end.



On the 16th of every month - the format changes slightly with the Go-Monshu doing a special ritual to honor his ancestor, Shinran, on the anniversary day of his death.



The central image in the Goei-do (Founder's Hall) is the seated image of Shinran.

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