First fire rite at Buddhist temple, Jan.1

Cultural News, December 2007

Bishop Seicho Asahi of Koyasan Temple in Little Tokyo will officiate the first fire rite to cleanse the bad thoughts and actions of people on New Years’s Day 2008.

  The first day of the year is considered one of the most important days in many Asian countries. Visiting a Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine to offer a prayer on New Year’s Day is called Hatsu-Mode (first offering) in Japanese.

  In the Esoteric tradition of Buddhism, Goma (fire offering) is an important rite to cleanse the bad thoughts and actions of people. It would be a worthwhile experience to observe the Hatsu-Goma (first fire offering) at the Koyasan Buddhist Temple in the Little Tokyo district of Downtown Los Angeles as a New Year’s Day ritual of traditional life.

  Bishop Seicho Asahi of the Koyasan Temple will officiate the Hatsu-Goma at 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day (Tuesday, Jan. 1) by chanting mantras and throwing tiny sticks into a fire.

  Just before our modern times, the rise and fall of the tides and the phasing of the moon were important signs utilized by people engaged in agriculture, fishing and marine products. In those days, calendars were based upon the phasing of the moon.

  According to the lunar calendar for 2008, New Year’s Day will be Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008. The Koyasan Temple will hold a 2008 Hoshi Matsuri Prayer Service on Sunday, Feb. 3 at 1:30 p.m.

   On Tuesday, Jan. 1 at Koyasan Temple, the new year’s services will be offered from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. Omikuji (fortune telling slips), hama-ya (good luck arrows), oma-mori (amulets), ema (picture tablets) and consecrated ofuda (charms) will be available during the hours of the service.

  On Wednesday, Jan 2 and Thursday, Jan 3, Koyasan Temple also will be open to the public to accept New Year’s Day visits (hatsu-mode). 

   Koyasan Buddhist Temple is located at 342 E. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 624-1267, www.koyasanbetsuin.org.