Audio Files: 38 Gathas by Hongwanji Hawaii Composers — New to Praises of the Buddha 5th Edition (2024)

For non-commercial use only.

The recording and sharing of these gathas is a project of the statewide Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii Music Committee, with funding from an HHMH Propagation Program Grant. More information follows the gatha list.

You may play the files here in your web browser, or you can download them to play from your computer or device. The latter is recommended for playing at a service or event. That way even if the Internet is temporarily unavailable, you would still be able to play the song.

More About These Recordings

October 2026

Thirty-eight English gathas, written by Hawaii Hongwanji members and never before published in Hawaii’s gatha book, Praises of the Buddha, are now included in the 5th edition (2024) and may be heard on recordings now available.

A generous Propagation Project Grant of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii for the biennium 2025-2026 enabled the Hawaii Kyodan Music Committee to commission soprano Laurie Rubin and keyboardist Jennifer Taira to complete recording the set of 38 gathas.

Available to all temples, these recordings are intended as sing-along aids to congregational singing, particularly in the absence of organist or choir. They also have multiple uses, including gatha familiarization and listening enjoyment.