Faith
Omamori pop up everywhere
By Reyn Tsuru
I can remember the excitement of staying up late for New Year's, anticipating visiting the various temples around Honolulu with my family. The ritual was capped at each of the temples with the gathering of omamori.
In Japanese, "omamori" literally translates into "protect." The omamori, or amulet, takes many forms — brocaded bags containing prayers, hanging ornaments, pieces of colored paper with characters brushed on.
Meant to bring the user good luck, good health and prosperity, amulets are common to most religions throughout the world. In Hawai'i, the amulets from the various Buddhist sects and Shinto shrines are very much a part of our shared heritage.
Before my time, but not so forgotten, are the protective undershirts that mothers throughout the Islands had neighbors each place a stitch in for their sons who were going off to war. The "thousand stitches" would protect their child from the harms and ills of combat.
Is there anyone who hasn't been volunteered into helping produce a thousand folded cranes for a wedding? Those also are forms of omamori.
In the present day, there are omamori for all sorts of things, all meant to provide some comfort against modern ills. Traffic-safety charms, amulets for airline safety, charms for entrance exams, charms for the lovelorn, and of course, various charms for the home.
When I recently returned from earthquake-ridden
Hiroshima, I wondered: How far away was the tremor-protection amulet? Omamori can even be observed dangling off of the straps of cell phones used by the youth in Japan.
The ubiquitous "power bracelet" seen on all manner of wrist these days are omamori, and have been a part of the Buddhist tradition for more than 2,000 years. To think that an item so fashionable is part of a Buddhist monk's everyday wardrobe is interesting in itself.
Now that I am fully involved in a Buddhist organization, I find myself standing on the opposite side of the temple's New Year's greeting table, and it is fascinating. While standing overnight to wish everyone good tidings, I have made an observation. There are those who would probably disagree with me, but I will say it nonetheless: The omamori in itself is not a total expression of faith in any of the religions.
What truly matters is the faith that parents have in their hearts when they acquire an omamori for their child. The hopes and wishes of every grandparent as they visit a temple or shrine and impart a piece of tradition to their family through the omamori. The dreams and goals of every child as they receive an omamori for study.
Since 1996, Reyn Tsuru has served as president of the Shingon Shu Hawaii Betsuin, a nonsectarian Buddhist organization with 85 years of history in Honolulu.
Expressions of Faith is a column written by pastors, priests, lay workers and other leaders in faith and spirituality. E-mail faith@honoluluadvertiser.com or call 525-8036 to contribute.
