BREAK-OUT SESSION 1B: EDUCATION AND OUTREACH


Although this session intended to address questions related to both adult and children’s Buddhist education, as well as outreach-related issues, the majority of the two-hour discussion focused on reaching out to adults, both within the existing sanghas and to others who might be interested in Buddhism but are not necessarily aware of the Jodo Shinshu sect. The session began with participants sharing the paths through which they came to their respective temples, which varied from “heritage” members – those who grew up in Jodo Shinshu Buddhist families and temples, to those who chose Buddhism after being brought up in other faiths.

Participants also discussed why people come to Jodo Shinshu temples – what are they seeking, and what convinces them to stay? The answers, of course, varied. One person commented that they saw a lot of college-age students come to the temple; the students often came initially for research purposes, but some seemed to find something they could relate to in the Shin teachings and would come back, while others seemed turned off by Jodo Shinshu’s lack of an all-powerful deity or dogma. Another person noted that some people came to the temple looking for family-friendlier versions of Buddhism, as compared to sects with more austere practices.

There was some discussion of the difficulty in conveying the subtle nuances of Jodo Shinshu to new temple attendees. Many newcomers are looking for practices they can “do” to actively better themselves, and find little comfort in the seemingly passive and unstructured nature of Shin Buddhism. In order to draw people in long enough to begin to grasp Jodo Shinshu’s nuances, participants noted that making newcomers feel welcome and quickly drawing them into temple activities may do more to encourage recurring visits than attempting to teach Buddhist doctrine from an attendee’s first visit.

With regard to “heritage” members, participants observed that many people who grew up in the temple are not always able to articulate the Buddhist teachings, and often lack the zeal to actively, intellectually explore the teachings like those who came to Buddhism later in life. For example, classes and seminars intended to teach Buddhism basics or explore individual teachings more in-depth are usually populated by “newer” Buddhists rather than their Japanese American “heritage” counterparts. One participant noted a conscious effort in their adult Dharma classes to include “heritage” members by drawing on personal connections and by emphasizing the parallels between Buddhist teachings and daily life occurrences. This method was also applied to general outreach and education efforts – to personalize and customize the Dharma, to show how the teachings apply to your life, rather than just teaching the philosophy by rote and attempting to mold your life to fit the teachings.

One participant also noted that in some ways, Jodo Shinshu requires some life experiences to really understand the teachings. Building on this idea, another person remarked that after the Dharma lesson, their Sangha spends time discussing how it is reflected in their daily lives and experiences; this practice helps to promote cohesion within their Sangha. The session ended by briefly touching upon the topic of interfaith families, and by noting the need to discuss the purpose and methods of Buddhist education for children.