講こう

noun, noun, used as a suffix

Buddhist lecture meeting; dharma talk

Specifically a Buddhist gathering for listening to a sermon or lecture. Often used in temple contexts.

• 来らい月げつ、お寺てらで講こうが開ひらかれる。

  Next month, a Buddhist lecture meeting will be held at the temple.

noun, noun, used as a suffix

religious association; confraternity

A group formed around a shared religious devotion, often Buddhist. Historically common for pilgrimage or sutra-copying groups.

• この講こうは毎まい年とし、伊い勢せ神じん宮ぐうへ参さん拝ぱいに行いく。

  This religious association makes a pilgrimage to Ise Shrine every year.

noun, noun, used as a suffix

mutual assistance association; financial cooperative

A traditional mutual-aid group where members contribute money and take turns receiving the pooled funds. Similar to a rotating savings and credit association (ROSCA).

• 村むらでは講こうを組くんで、お金かねを融ゆう通ずうし合あっていた。

  In the village, they formed a mutual assistance association to lend money to each other.