Life of Sakyamuni

Nirvana Day (February 22, 2026)

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Nirvana Day is our observance of Sakyamuni Buddha’s departure from this world and entrance into the lasting tranquility of parinirvana. It is also a precious opportunity to reflect the truth that the impermanence of human life applies to all those who are born into this world.

Guest Speaker: Rev. Kodo Umezu

Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shoshinge Gyofu Chanting (click here for chanting text)
9:00 a.m. Sangha Social Hour
9:30 a.m. Nirvana Day Service
10:30 a.m. Japanese Dharma Talk (Hondo)
10:30 a.m. Dharma Discussion & Social Hour (Dharma Room)

 

 

 

To join us for this hybrid service via Zoom, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.

 

Bodhi Day Service: Life Outside the Palace Gates

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Sunday, December 7, 2025

We warmly welcome you to join us in person at the San Mateo Buddhist Temple for our Bodhi Day Service on Sunday, December 7. For this year’s Bodhi Day Dharma talk, Rev. Henry will revisit the story of Prince Siddhartha’s excursions out of four gates of the palace. The prince’s sheltered life in the palace can be appreciated as an allegory for the comforts and conveniences of modern life, in which we go to great lengths to avoid the experience aging, illness, and death, and yet cannot escape these realities of human existence.

Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shōya Raisan Chanting
9:00 a.m. Sangha Coffee Time
9:30 a.m. Bodhi Day Service
10:30 a.m. Dharma Discussion in the Social Hall

 

To join us via Zoom for this Dharma Service CLICK HERE and sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.

Mahaprajapati: A Courageous Mother (May 11)

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On May 11, we will have our annual Parents’ Day Celebration with a family Dharma Service followed by brunch served by the Junior Young Buddhist Association. Rev. Adams will share a Dharma talk about how the Buddha’s stepmother Mahaprajapati overcame societal resistance to women’s spiritual practice in order to establish the Bhikkuni Sangha for female Dharma seekers.

Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shoshinge Sofu Chanting (click here for chanting text)
9:00 a.m. Sangha Social Hour
9:30 a.m. Dharma Service
10:30 a.m. Parents’ Day Brunch (Social Hall)
10:30 a.m. Dharma Discussion

To join us for this hybrid service via Zoom, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.

Hanamatsuri Buddha’s Birthday Service

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April 13, 2025

Guest Speaker

Rev. Devon Matsumoto

Mountain View Buddhist Temple

Minister’s Assistant

Rev. Devon Matsumoto uses he/him pronouns and grew up attending the Mountain
View Buddhist Temple. He participated in a variety of temple activities like YBA, Dharma
School, basketball, summer school, and judo. Rev. Matsumoto is currently a student at
the Institute of Buddhist Studies, hoping to eventually serve as a Kaikyoshi minister for
the BCA. He received Tokudo ordination in 2023 and participated in the Kyoshi training
session in 2024. He plans to move to Japan in 2026 to attend Chubutsu, a seminary
affiliated with Nishi-Hongwanji, to further his study of Buddhism. In his day job, Rev.
Matsumoto works as a Senior Program Coordinator at the Asian Law Caucus where he
supports victims and survivors of violence identify their goals for healing, accountability,
and safety. His broader work focuses on helping Asian American communities diminish
their reliance on carceral systems in ways that strengthen the low-income and
immigrant AAPI communities we serve.

We warmly welcome you to join us in person at the San Mateo Buddhist Temple or via Zoom Meeting for our Hanamatsuri Service on Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. in celebration of Siddhartha Gautama’s Birthday.

２０２５年４月１３日の９時３０分から灌仏会（花祭）をお勤めします。

オンラインや電話を通しての参拝も可能です。

Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shoshinge Gyōfu Chanting
9:00 a.m. Sangha Social Hour
9:30 a.m. Hanamatsuri Service with Dharma talk by Rev. Devon Matsumoto
10:30 a.m. Japanese Dharma Talk by Rev. Henry Adams アダムス・ヘンリー 先生 (Hondo)
10:30 a.m. Dharma Discussion with Rev. Devon Matsumoto (Dharma Room)

To join us for this online Spring Ohigan Service, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.

ご参拝したい方はここにクリックして、”Live Broadcast of Services”に登録してください。

Buddhist Perspectives on Ignorance

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Notes from Wednesday, December 11 at 7:00 p.m.

This was Part 3 of a three-part series of Dharma conversations on the Three Poisons (greed, anger, and ignorance) that the Buddha identifies as the root cause of suffering.

  • How does ignorance harm ourselves and others?
  • How can we break through our ignorance and delusion?
  • Can we become completely free of ignorance?

Handout

To join us online via Zoom CLICK HERE to sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars.”

After the Buddha’s Departure (February 16)

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We warmly welcome you to join us in person at the San Mateo Buddhist Temple for our Family Dharma Service on Sunday, February 16.  Prior to his departure from this world, the Buddha predicted that virtue and true understanding of the Dharma would gradually decline over the generations following his passing.  Rev. Adams will reflect on the truth of this teaching in light of the upcoming Day of Remembrance marking the anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 that authorized the displacement and mass incarceration of all persons of Japanese Ancestry on the West Coast.

Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shoshinge Sofu Chanting (Click here for chanting text)
9:00 a.m. Sangha Social Hour
9:30 a.m. Dharma Service
10:30 a.m. Dharma Discussion (Dharma Room)

To join us for this hybrid service via Zoom, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.

Buddhist Perspectives on Anger

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Notes from Wednesday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m.

This was Part 2 of a three-part series of Dharma conversations on the Three Poisons (greed, anger, and delusion) that the Buddha identifies as the root cause of suffering.

  • How does anger harm ourselves and others?
  • How can we manage our anger?
  • Should we strive to become completely free of anger?

To join us online via Zoom CLICK HERE to sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars.”

Nirvana Day (February 9)

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Nirvana Day is our observance of Sakyamuni Buddha’s departure from this world and entrance into the lasting tranquility of parinirvana. It is also a precious opportunity to reflect the truth that the impermanence of human life applies to all those who are born into this world.

Schedule
8:30 a.m. Shoshinge Gyofu Chanting (click here for chanting text)
9:00 a.m. Sangha Social Hour
9:30 a.m. Nirvana Day Service
10:30 a.m. Temple & Senior Social Gathering (Social Hall)

To join us for this hybrid service via Zoom, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.

Jodo Shinshu Basics: Obutsudan-The Home Buddha Shrine

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Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.

We welcome you to join us in person at the San Mateo Buddhist Temple for a series of Buddhist Education sessions about how the everyday practices of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism can support mindfulness and insight for newcomers and lifelong Sangha members alike.

  • Why should I have a Buddha shrine in my home?
  • What is proper way to set up my obutsudan?
  • How can my obutsudan be part of my daily life?

To join us online via Zoom CLICK HERE to sign up for “Study Classes and Seminars.”

Words You Can Trust (January 19)

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We warmly welcome you to join us in person at the San Mateo Buddhist Temple for our Family Dharma Service on Sunday, January 19. These days, it is easy to get all our news and information from sources that affirm our own preconceptions. Likewise, shared facts that most people agree upon seem increasingly rare. In this Sunday’s Dharma talk, Rev. Adams will explore how the Buddhist sutras help us see beyond our personal biases and live guided by the timeless wisdom that has sustained followers of the Dharma for generations.

Schedule
Shoshinge chanting will resume on January 26.
9:30 a.m. Dharma Service
10:30 a.m. Dharma Discussion (Dharma Room)

To join us for this hybrid service via Zoom, CLICK HERE to sign up for “Live Broadcast of Services”.