2021 Buddhist Women's Association Memorial / Nirvana Day Service

Through Reverend Laverne Imori’s direction, and the help of many Temple members, the 2021 BWA Memorial/Nirvana Day Service was successfully conducted virtually through Zoom.

It was wonderful to see so many people in attendance honoring their mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers through this yearly tribute. A biography of Takeko Kujo, founder of the BWA, was given followed by a reading of those members who have passed away. We were honored to have Reverend Candace Shibata of the Buddhist Church of Stockton as our guest speaker. She related the Buddha’s last words to Ananda, as a message to his followers. “Make the dharma your lamp and your island”. We now live in the protection of the “island” of the Buddha dharma and the light that continues to shine for us to follow. Reverend Shibata recited Lady Kujo’s poem “Women’s Tears”, and how the meaning of this poem continually guides her to deal with loss and with the hardships of the pandemic.

Women’s tears are beautiful

Divorced from the cool and objective world

They are drops from the limitless fountain of love.

In gassho,

Mani Ryan
Corresponding Secretary