KEN NAKAMURA (Shin Buddhist): Bon as it's pretty much observed around the temples in the United States is a two-day celebration. The Bon dance is usually first, and the Bon service is the next.
The sense of ancestor worship is not carried forth as much here in the United States. We've lost that aspect of ancestor worship that was part of the amalgamation of Buddhism as it is celebrated in Japan.
When we celebrate Bon, we don't think of spirits coming back. We think of it as a memorial service, a time to remember those who have passed on.
GREG NAKAMURA: For me, Obon -- and whether it's the dance or the service -- it's just a reminder that we are here because of our ancestors, because of the way that they chose to live their lives, the way they taught us. It's a reminder that they continue to live on through our actions.Mr. NAKAMURA: We have this board that people can put the memorial plaques or the Buddhist name that's given at the time of the person's death.
MAYA NAKAMURA: When people die that are close to you, you feel the grieving and you feel the pain. But you also remember the Buddhist teachings of impermanence and interdependence.
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