Study Classes and Seminars

Dharma talks and discussion about Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Teachings, History, and and Contemporary Issues

Shōshinge: Hymn of True Shinjin and the Nembutsu (Session 27)

Posted on

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

We welcome you to join us via Zoom Meeting from the comfort and safety of your own home on Wednesday, April 12 for this free Dharma Study Class.

6:00 p.m. Shōshinge Sōfu Chanting

Chanting Shōshinge embodies the heart of daily Nembutsu practice in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.  Join us to experience the settled the mind through focused breathing and meditative listening.

7:00 p.m. Reading and Discussion

Please join us for a conversation about the teachings of the Japanese Pure Land Master Genshin, whose teachings set the stage for the flowering of the Pure Land teaching in Japan.

Genshin, having broadly elucidated the teachings of Sakyamuni’s lifetime,
Wholeheartedly took refuge in the land of peace and urges all to do so;
Ascertaining that minds devoted to single practice are profound, to sundry practice, shallow,
He sets forth truly the difference between the fulfilled land and the transformed land.

Full text of Shōshinge

Handout

Coming Soon!

To join us for this online Dharma Session, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”.

Buddhism and Social Welfare

Posted on

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Rev. Jundo Gregory Gibbs

Resident Minister

Pasadena Buddhist Temple

Supervising Minister

Buddhist Temple of San Diego

Supervising Minister

Arizona Buddhist Temple

Rev. Gibbs will be joining us via Zoom Meeting on Wednesday, April 5 for this Dharma session. We warmly welcome you to come to the San Mateo Buddhist Temple to view and participate in this session with other Sangha members in the Hondo.

To join us via Zoom, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”. To protect the privacy of online participants and encourage free and open discussion, this session will not be recorded.

Shōshinge: Hymn of True Shinjin and the Nembutsu (Session 26)

Posted on

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

We welcome you to join us via Zoom Meeting from the comfort and safety of your own home on Wednesday, March 8 for this free Dharma Study Class.

6:00 p.m. Shōshinge Sōfu Chanting

Chanting Shōshinge embodies the heart of daily Nembutsu practice in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.  Join us to experience the settled the mind through focused breathing and meditative listening.

7:00 p.m. Reading and Discussion

In this month’s session we will further explore the teachings of the Chinese Pure Land Master Shan-tao (Shandao), who illuminates the path to attaining the threefold wisdom realized by Queen Vaidehi.

Shan-tao alone in his time clarified the Buddha’s true intent;
Sorrowing at the plight of meditative and non meditative practicers and people of grave evil,
He reveals that Amida’s light and Name are the causes of birth.
When the practicer enters the great ocean of wisdom, the Primal Vow,

He receives the diamondlike mind
And accords with the one thought-moment of joy; whereupon,
Equally with Vaidehi, he acquires the threefold wisdom
And is immediately brought to attain the eternal bliss of dharma-nature.

Full text of Shōshinge

Handout

To join us for this online Dharma Session, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”.

Sangha Life After Covid: Continuity and Change

Posted on

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Rev. Blayne Higa

Resident Minister

Kona Hongwanji Buddhist Temple

As we begin to view the Covid-19 pandemic in the rearview mirror of our lives, we look forward to welcoming Rev. Blayne Higa via Zoom to share his perspective on the aspects of temple life that remained constant through the pandemic, as well as the lasting changes to temple life that have resulted from our Covid-19 experience. 

Rev. Higa will be joining us via Zoom Meeting on Wednesday, March 1 for this Dharma session. We warmly welcome you to come to the San Mateo Buddhist Temple to view and participate in this session with other Sangha members in the Hondo.

To join us via Zoom, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”. To protect the privacy of online participants and encourage free and open discussion, this session will not be recorded.

Experiencing The Power Beyond Self: How the Buddhist Teachings are Manifested in Our Helping Others

Posted on

26th Annual Nembutsu Seminar

Saturday, February 11, 2023

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Rev. Dr. Yasushi

Kigoshi

Professor

Otani University

Visiting Scholar

University of California Berkeley

In this seminar, Rev. Dr. Kigoshi will talk about the series of weekend trips he and Otani University student volunteers took to the area affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The volunteers went to provide help to the disaster victims – cleaning out damaged properties and organizing gatherings for activities but most importantly, being there to listen and provide moral support without using the occasions for proselytizing. In this way, Prof. Kigoshi and the students learned concrete Dharma lessons about themselves and society.

Continue reading “Experiencing The Power Beyond Self: How the Buddhist Teachings are Manifested in Our Helping Others”

Shōshinge: Hymn of True Shinjin and the Nembutsu (Session 25)

Posted on

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

We welcome you to join us via Zoom Meeting from the comfort and safety of your own home on Wednesday, February 8 for this free Dharma Study Class.

6:00 p.m. Shōshinge Sōfu Chanting

Chanting Shōshinge embodies the heart of daily Nembutsu practice in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.  Join us to experience the settled the mind through focused breathing and meditative listening.

7:00 p.m. Reading and Discussion

In this month’s session we will encounter the teachings of the Chinese Pure Land Master Shan-tao (Shandao), who clarified the meaning of the Contemplation Sutra as an expression of the Buddha’s vast compassion for all beings.

Shan-tao alone in his time clarified the Buddha’s true intent;
Sorrowing at the plight of meditative and non meditative practicers and people of grave evil,
He reveals that Amida’s light and Name are the causes of birth.
When the practicer enters the great ocean of wisdom, the Primal Vow,

He receives the diamondlike mind
And accords with the one thought-moment of joy; whereupon,
Equally with Vaidehi, he acquires the threefold wisdom
And is immediately brought to attain the eternal bliss of dharma-nature.

Full text of Shōshinge

Handout

To join us for this online Dharma Session, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”.

Shōshinge: Hymn of True Shinjin and the Nembutsu (Session 24)

Posted on

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

We welcome you to join us via Zoom Meeting from the comfort and safety of your own home on Wednesday, December 14 for this free Dharma Study Class.

6:00 p.m. Shōshinge Sōfu Chanting

Chanting Shōshinge embodies the heart of daily Nembutsu practice in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.  Join us to experience the settled the mind through focused breathing and meditative listening.

7:00 p.m. Reading and Discussion

In this month’s session we will continue our study of the teachings of the Chinese Pure Land Master Tao-ch’o (Daochuo), whose teachings illuminate how our encounter with the Buddha’s compassionate vow brings about liberation for all of us who struggle to practice goodness in the world of conflict and delusion.

With kind concern he teaches the three characteristics of entrusting and non-entrusting,
Compassionately guiding all identically, whether they live when the dharma survives as but form, when in its last stage, or when it has become extinct.
Though a person has committed evil all his life, when he encounters the Primal Vow,
He will reach the world of peace and realize the perfect fruit of enlightenment.

Full text of Shōshinge

Handout

To join us for this online Dharma Session, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”.

Multi-faith Holiday Celebrations

Posted on

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

7:00 p.m.

Rev. David Fujimoto

Resident Minister

Mililani Hongwanji

Overseeing Minister

‘Ewa Hongwanji

As we enjoy this festive season, can we join our non-Buddhist family and friends in celebration of holidays like Hanukkah, Pancha Ganapati, and Christmas while remaining true to our Buddhist identity? Rev. Fujimoto will join us for a Dharma conversation informed by his own holiday experiences living in a multi-faith family.

Rev. Fujimoto will be joining us via Zoom Meeting on Wednesday, December 7 for this Dharma session. We warmly welcome you to come to the San Mateo Buddhist Temple to view and participate in this session with other Sangha members in the Hondo.

To join us via Zoom, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”. To protect the privacy of online participants and encourage free and open discussion, this session will not be recorded.

Shōshinge: Hymn of True Shinjin and the Nembutsu (Session 23)

Posted on

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

We welcome you to join us via Zoom Meeting from the comfort and safety of your own home on Wednesday, November 9 for this free Dharma Study Class.

6:00 p.m. Shōshinge Sōfu Chanting

Chanting Shōshinge embodies the heart of daily Nembutsu practice in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.  Join us to experience the settled the mind through focused breathing and meditative listening.

7:00 p.m. Reading and Discussion

In this month’s session we will encounter the teachings of the Chinese Pure Land Master Tao-ch’o (Daochuo), whose teachings encourage us to pass through the Pure Land Gate and recite the Name of Amida Buddha (Namo Amida Butsu).

Tao-ch’o determined how difficult it is to fulfill the Path of Sages,
And reveals that only passage through the Pure Land gate is possible for us.
He criticizes self-power endeavor in the myriad good practices,
And encourages us solely to say the fulfilled Name embodying true virtue.

Full text of Shōshinge

Handout

To join us for this online Dharma Session, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”.

Gender Pronouns in the Life of the Sangha

Posted on

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

7:00 p.m.

Rev. CJ Dunford

(they/them)

Institute of Buddhist Studies

Buddhist Temple of Marin

Berkeley Buddhist Temple

Juliet Bost

(they/them)

San Mateo Buddhist Temple

We warmly welcome you to join us for a conversation with Rev. CJ Dunford and Juliet Bost about the importance of using correct gender pronouns in temple life in order to create a welcoming and inclusive Sangha community.

We welcome you to join us in person or via Zoom Meeting on Wednesday, November 2 for this Dharma session.

To join us via Zoom, CLICK HERE and sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars”. To protect the privacy of online participants and encourage free and open discussion, this session will not be recorded.