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Thursday, May 20, 2021
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Dear readers of the What’s New,

This week brings a few reminders of the impermanence of all things, by turns sad, buoyant and hopeful. 

Earlier this week, Pacific Buddhist Academy received word that Reverend Yoshiaki Fujitani, the 11th Bishop of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, passed away on Monday, May 17, 2021, at the Kuakini Medical Center, Honolulu, HI, at the age of 97.

Rev. Fujitani was a giant in the Shin Buddhist community. PBA honored him at the 2017 Lighting Our Way Banquet. 2017 alumnus Andrew Mori introduced him with this tribute:
Some people naturally shine so others may see. A full life lived, having created a "legacy of peace" for others to be safe in, is an achievement that truly embodies lighting the way.  

During World War II, following his service in the Hawaii Territorial Guard and the Varsity Victory Volunteers, Reverend Yoshiaki Fujitani’s father, a prominent Buddhist minister, was detained and incarcerated in Santa Fe, New Mexico as a “potentially dangerous enemy.” Despite this, Rev. Fujitani accepted an invitation to join the Pacific Military Intelligence Research Section to translate military documents. In the service he was known as “Sharkey.” 

In 1955, Rev. Yoshiaki Fujitani became a Buddhist minister. He served as associate minister at Wailuku Hongwanji Mission on Maui and later became director of the English Department at the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii headquarters in Honolulu. 

In 1975 he was elected and became the second Hawaii-born bishop of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. One accomplishment as bishop he is most grateful for is the establishment of the Living Treasures of Hawaii program in 1976. Reverend Fujitani remains an active and prominent advocate of interfaith harmony and Buddhist education. He is the Founder of the eponymous BDK Fujitani Interfaith Program, which encourages interreligious cohesion in society by means of dialogue and educational opportunities. Reverend Fujitani’s numerous contributions have left a meaningful legacy for generations to come.
For those of you wishing to learn more about Rev. Fujitani, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii will air a one-hour program called “Life and Light: Wisdom of Hawai‘i’s Treasures,” featuring interviews with five past honorees of the Living Treasures program that Rev. Fujitani established, including Rev. Fujitani. The program will air on May 27, 2021 at 7 p.m. on K5, live stream on Facebook and air on May 30, 2021 at 8 p.m. on KHNL. Four previous honorees – Robert Cazimero, Puanani Burgess, Lillian Yajima and Nainoa Thompson – will also be featured on the program.


I have a few significant memories of Rev. Fujitani, but my favorite one is of the lunch I shared with him and dear PBA friend Ko Miyataki the summer before PBA’s 2017 banquet. The lunch was ostensibly an opportunity for me to recruit Rev. Fujitani to be honored for that year’s program, but the truth is I was really only along for the ride. Ko’s father had been friends with Rev. Fujitani, and she knew him from early days, and so I was able to listen along as she and Rev. Fujitani shared memories and stories of good times.

When it was time to close the deal, Ko very simply informed him that he needed to be honored by the school so he could help the school, and Rev. Fujitani relented. He was a very modest man that did not seek out the spotlight, and Ko knew exactly how to put the case to him so that he would agree. It was very special for me to be a part of that lunch. We will miss Rev. Fujitani’s kindness, humor and humility.
This week also marks the end of PBA’s 20-21 school year. What a year it’s been. From the first week, I’ve had the pleasure of greeting students at the front door as part of our health check-in, and today, I was able to celebrate with the students and encourage them to finish the day strong! 

The buzz in the school building is electric. Final exams and projects – I know of a presentation made about the Bordeaux region of France, a medieval morality play performance, moral code designs and ethical dilemma tests, math finals, English papers, Japanese oral exams, review of inputs / outputs to the carbon cycle – there is a lot of learning going on at the school (and also from the home front for our learners who continue to participate virtually), and a sense of excitement and accomplishment for the school year.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, PBA was tasked with ensuring the continued learning of our students, enriching students’ lives with learning about Buddhist values, and nurturing their courage to practice peace. 

We were also tasked, like every other educational community in the country, with keeping our sangha safe. I will not feel like we safely accomplished this goal until a few weeks from now, when any potential hidden exposures to SARS CoV-2 have had time to reveal themselves, but I know the steps the school undertook to protect the community, and I am buoyed by our work. 
The last announcement is to let you know you have a little something more to look forward to from PBA’s efforts this school year!

PBA will air a livestream performance of Hyaku Sen Ki Kai Taiko’s 15th Annual Taiko Festival. This year’s theme is “Metcha Kucha,” a Japanese slang term for “chaos,” and it refers, this year, to the chaotic changes brought about by the disruptions of the last year.

The last year and the present have borne witness to enormous difficulty and loss, and it is important to acknowledge these difficulties so we can learn from them. But it is also important that our acknowledgement of loss leads to a deeper gratitude for things we sometimes take for granted: a memorable lunch with a departed friend, the completion of a school year, and the power arising from the synchronized rhythm of PBA taiko drummers and student performers sharing their talents.

PBA’s 15th Annual Taiko Festival, Metcha Kucha will be livestreamed on PBA’s Facebook Live channel, and it will be open and available to the world free of charge, PBA’s gift to you. A “Donate Now” button will be displayed for those of you so moved.

We hope you will be able to join us!

Warmly,

Josh Hernandez Morse
Head of School
Class of 2013 Alumna Tori-Lynn Takayama Loo Shares on her Career in Neuroscience
Dedicating her career to neurological studies, alumna Tori-Lynn Takayama Loo understands the importance of community involvement and relationship development. After graduating from Chaminade University of Honolulu with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, Tori-Lynn became a registered nurse at The Queen’s Medical Center’s Punchbowl Neuroscience Unit. Reflecting on what has led her to pursue nursing, Tori-Lynn speaks on opportunities from health organizations as well as what it was like growing up in a Buddhist household.
Tori-Lynn explained her responsibilities at work saying, “I provide primary care for patients who have cerebral vascular accidents, seizures, subarachnoid hemorrhages, subdural hematomas, neurovascular and neurosurgical problems.” While she expresses that her day can be challenging at times, particularly when working with combative patients due to neurological changes, she continues to be inspired by her passion for helping others. “One of my favorite parts of work is being able to build a relationship with my patients and make them smile. I also work with an amazing group of colleagues who share the same passions.”

Reflecting on the journey that led to her career, Tori-Lynn credits a variety of opportunities, a volunteer position at the Next Step Homeless Shelter and another in a public health rotation at Adult Protective Services among them. “From these experiences, I learned the importance of developing relationships with people. In my public health rotation, I investigated allegations and uncovered issues related to abuse. This was how we created solutions to protect vulnerable adults from harm,” she said. 
PBA played an important role in developing Tori-Lynn’s value for compassion and peace. “I grew up in a Buddhist household and attended a Buddhist school. This helped me learn about impermanence and the true teachings of the Buddha that I carry with me everywhere I go,” said Tori-Lynn. While attending PBA, Tori-Lynn was a member of the Buddhist Club. “I frequently spoke at Hongwanji temples and during service. It pushed me out my comfort zone because I have always been afraid of speaking in front of people or sometimes even to people. This helped me later in college, interview panels, and eventually when having to speak to multiple members of the care team within the hospital. The values taught and experiences provided through the Buddhist Club definitely played a role in the person I am today.”

Tori-Lynn hopes to continue her education and become a nurse practitioner. In addition to advancing in her career, she is both newly engaged and a recent first-time homeowner! PBA congratulates Tori-Lynn on all of her success and sends best wishes in regard to her future pursuits. 
School Activity Highlights
Students in the Geometry class applied their knowledge of trigonometry by researching and building transit surveyors.
Sophomore Chase S. uses his homemade build transit surveyor to determine the elevation of the PBA building.
Important Dates
May 20, 2021 - Last day of school
May 31, 2021 - Office Closed (Memorial Day)
June 3, 2021 - Live Stream Taiko Festival
June 7, 2021 - First Day of Summer School