Buddhism Today
Buddhism is one of the world’s oldest religions, and yet its tenets
remain fresh and new. Those discovering Buddhism for the first time are
finding that its essential truths hold much hope to people coping with
modern life. Our own branch of Buddhism, Jodo Shinshu, is one of the
largest Buddhist denominations. It is also known as Shin Buddhism or
Pure Land Buddhism. There are Jodo Shinshu temples in Japan, North
America, South America and throughout Europe, as well as fellowships
in Africa and Australia.
To better understand Buddhism today, we will look briefly at how
Buddhism was founded.
The Founder of Buddhism
Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born over 2,500 years ago near
present-day Nepal. And yet the essential conditions of life then were no
different from what they are today. Like many of us, Siddhartha was
blessed with great material comfort. In fact, as prince of a tiny
kingdom, Siddhartha could have lived a life of untroubled luxury.
Instead, he recognized that his existence was spiritually empty. He
wanted more than to be distracted from the problems of suffering and
death. He wanted to find an answer.
At the age of 29, Siddhartha renounced his kingdom to devote
himself entirely to a search for the truth. It must have been a painful
decision, because he also had to leave his wife and his family.
Many of the spiritual traditions of the time demanded utter
renunciation of the world, and they often required the most severe
ascetic practices. So great was Siddhartha’s desire to find the truth
that he accepted these sacrifices. For year after year, he sought out
spiritual leaders and underwent severe hardships.
Finally, six years after he began, Siddhartha was meditating on the
nature of things and experienced a deep spiritual insight. He realized
that it was possible to escape the chain of birth and death. He
became the Buddha, the Enlightened One, the Awakened One.
The Teachings
The teachings of Buddhism are called the Buddha Dharma.. The truth of
the Buddha Dharma carries a welcome message: that wisdom and
compassion can transcend the suffering caused by greed and
ignorance. Buddha Dharma further tells us that through the
development of inner peace and calm, and through compassionate
concern for our fellow beings, we may all attain enlightenment. There
are positive messages, and the freshness and accessibility of what
Buddhism teaches help account for its current appeal.
The Buddha’s spiritual insight is not as mystical and abstract as it
may sound at first. His great awakening was based on the realization
of four concrete truths about life—The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.
The first is that life, because of its fleeting nature, is painful. The second
is that this pain is caused by our desires and our attachment to worldly
phenomena. The third truth is that it is possible to eliminate the
suffering of existence. The fourth truth is that there is a path that leads
to the elimination of suffering: The Eightfold Noble Path. The path is
composed of Right Views, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right
Conduct, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right
Meditation.
The Buddha Dharma thus asks us to know and regard life as it is, to
accept life’s ebb and flow, and to live our lives naturally,
spontaneously, and freely.
The Path of Shin Buddhism
The Buddhist Temple of San Diego belongs to the Shin sect of
Buddhism (or Jodo Shinshu in Japanese), part of the Mahayana
Buddhist tradition. Jodo Shinshu translates as the True Pure Land
Teachings. It focuses on the vow of Amida Buddha, which is to
enlighten all beings, regardless of their backgrounds or past actions.
This is a vow of sweeping power, one that promises hope and life’s
fulfillment to all.
Although Shinran Shonin (1173-1262) is often called the founder of
Jodo Shinshu, Shinran never claimed that he was founding a new
religion. Rather, Shinran merely emphasized concepts that had always
existed in Buddhism. He taught that the purpose of Gautama Buddha’s
advent on earth was to awaken people to the wisdom and
compassion of Amida Buddha.
Shinran formulated the teachings after two decades of study in the
Buddhist monasteries of Mt. Hiei. He came to the realization that if a
person has to rely on self-generated effort, then enlightenment is
impossible. He reasoned that human life is finite, human knowledge is
incomplete, and human capa-city for perfect goodness is limited. He
renounced the monastery and left Mt. Hiei. Shortly thereafter, he met
Honen, a kindly priest who taught a simple faith in Amida Buddha and
the recitation of the Nembutsu as an expression of faith. Shinran
embraced the teaching of Honen and built upon them.
Faith is an important element in Shin Buddhism. The Nembutsu
(“Namu Amida Butsu”) means literally, “I put my faith in Amida
Buddha.” It is the core of Amida’s vow, for Amida Buddha
communicates with us through His name. As we recite the Nembutsu,
Amida’s voice calls to us, and at the same time, we respond to his
call. When we hear Amida’s voice in our innermost being, faith is
awakened. Faith completes our oneness with Amida and is the true
cause of our Enlightenment.
Buddhism in San Diego
The path of Shinran bridged the Pacific Ocean in 1899 when two
missionaries from the Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto arrived in San Francisco
to serve the needs of the early Japanese pioneers. In San Diego,
Buddhism began some years thereafter as Japanese immigrants would
meet periodically in small groups. The meetings became more frequent
and more organized. Although there was no minister, for special
ceremonies a minister would travel from Los Angeles.
A tragic event marks the birth of the temple in San Diego. On
January 27, 1916, after two weeks of rain, the Otay Dam broke. A
torrent of water flooded the Otay Valley where a colony of Japanese
farmers lived in a camp. Eleven people died. Following the funeral,
Buddhists discussed the possibility of organizing a church. The
discussions proved fruitful as ten years later, on May 26, 1926, the first
Buddhist church was formed, and services were held on the second
floor of a building at Sixth Avenue and Market Street. In 1928, a
growing membership decided to build a permanent temple at Market
and 29th Streets—our current location.
The outbreak of World War II saw the entire local Japanese-American
community of approximately 2,000 individuals evacuated, first to the
Santa Anita Assembly Center, and later to various relocation camps in
isolated areas. During the war, the temple grounds were used as
dormitories for defense workers. In 1943, vandals broke into the temple
and set it on fire, causing extensive damage to the altar section and
the second floor. At war’s end, San Diegans returned to reestablish
themselves and to restore the temple. The life of the temple resumed.
Today the Buddhist Temple again serves as a meeting place for its
members as an affiliate of the Buddhist Churches of America, which is
our link to the Nishi Hongwanji, the main temple of the Hongwanji
School of Jodo Shinshu in Japan. We are proud of our roots in Japan
and in America.
The Main Temple Hall
San Diego’s main temple hall is called the Hondo. Here, followers
of the Nembutsu gather on Sundays for the Family Service or special
observances to listen to the teachings and to share their lives with
others. Weddings, funerals and memorial services are conducted here,
too.
Certainly the most striking feature of the Hondo is the beautiful
and ornate altar. Much of the main shrine is made of wood and has
traveled to San Diego from Japan. At the central altar is a small shrine
with a gold-leafed statue of Amida Buddha inside. Amida is depicted
as an active Buddha in a standing position, hands held up in a gesture
of bestowing blessings on all beings and leaning forward slightly—
symbolizing the eternal activity of wisdom and compassion. Amida
Buddha—and not the statue—is our true object of worship.
Flowers are offered to symbolize the beauty and impermanence of
life. The incense purifies the air and creates the proper atmosphere for
meditation. Candles symbolize the infinite light of the Buddha.