New to the Temple?
Interested in Mililani Hongwanji Buddhist Temple? Great! Here's some info to get you started. Please know everyone and anyone is welcome to our temple, even if it's just for a visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of Buddhism does this temple practice?
We practice Jodo Shinshu (or Shin) Buddhism. More specifically the Hongwanji-ha (or Nishi Hongwanji) sub sect. To learn more, please visit our web page titles "Jodo Shinshu Buddhism"
What does Hongwanji mean?
Hongwanji means “Temple of the Primal Vow", referring to an important aspect of the type of Buddhism we practice: Jodo Shinshu (or Shin) Buddhism.
In Hawaii, most temples of our sub sect (called Hongwanji-ha or Nishi Hongwanji) will have "Hongwanji" in their title/name. Other Jodo Shinshu (or Shin) Buddhist temples of another sub sect also use the term Hongwanji to name their temples.
Do I need to be Buddhist or speak Japanese to attend this temple?
No, absolutely not. We welcome people of all backgrounds to our temple. Our temple community is diverse, just like the melting pot Hawaii is.
While some of our chants are in Japanese due to the origins of this denomination, "...they are not chanted for comprehension. Rather, it is a symbolic gesture of listening to the Dharma and is considered a form of mindfulness." - Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii
What are services like?
Click this text to visit a web page about Jodo Shinshu services.
What do I do if I have more questions?
Please have a look around our website, where we provide some basic info about our temple, community, and religion.
If our website doesn't have the information you are looking for, please feel free to contact or visit us. We'd be happy to help you!
Please join us!
Family services are held at 9am on Sundays
Our variety of organizations and activities are held throughout the week