Jodo Shinshu Buddhism
© Yeshe Chodon
There is a local Buddhist Church which at first seemed unusual to me, but that is what it is called, and their gatherings are called services. Services are held monthly, with some special events. Until this time I have not attended, but I do receive their newsletter. I emailed the Pastor, Rev. Dr. Daigan Lee Matsunaga and asked him about his lineage. Here is his gracious and informative response:
Dear Patricia Swain:Thank you for your inquiry. The linage of the Reno Buddhist Church is primarily that of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism as our priests are ordained in the 800 years old tradition of the Higashi Honganji Temple in Japan. However, we are trying it to be non-denominational Buddhist church in the US. That does not mean that we do not have a proper traditional linage.
I can give you our tradition of linage starting from the Historical Buddha.
Historical Buddha -> Nagarjuna (he is considered to be the founder of all Mahayana Buddhist traditions including Zen) -> Vasubandhu -> Tan-luan -> Tao-cho -> Shan-tao -> Genshin -> Honen -> -> St. Shinran(1173-1262) -> 25 generations of the Successors -> Current Supreme Primate of the Higashi Honganji Temple is the 26th successor.
Since all our current RBC affiliated priests are ordained by the 25th Supreme Primate (he passed away last December and succeeded by the 26th Primate) in Japan, we are Jodo Shinshu Buddhist priests but I try to be non-denominational here in Reno. After all, varieties of Buddhist traditions we see today have originated from the Enlightenment of the Historical Buddha.
In Gassho,
Dr. D.Lee Matsunaga
Reading further in the Winter Edition, 2001 Reno Buddhist Church newsletter, Dr. Matsunaga informs us that:
Jodo Shinshu Buddhism (Pure Land Buddhism) is the most dominant Buddhism in Japan. It was developed in the 13th century by St. Shinran, a reformer.For although St. Shinran had spent many years as a celibate in a Buddhist monastery, he had witnessed hubris within the monastic life. Fellow monks were clinging to "holiness" or their ability to spend sleepless nights chanting sutras thousands of times or meditating,in the same manner that laymen hoarded gold.He determined that "spiritual greed" was as bad as "material greed."
He concluded that faith is the quality we must develop, faith in Amida Buddha who symbolizes infinite light and life, wisdom and compassion.
Here is a picture of the head temple, called Hompa-Honganji, of the Jodu Shinshu Tradition, which is in Kyoto.
On New Year's Eve, the Buddhist Church will have a midnight service which includes striking the bell 108 times to observe leaving the old year behind and starting a fresh 2001. I plan to attend, and perhaps report on the event in this column, because I have neglected the rich Japanese traditions only because of time constraints, not because of any lack of respect or curiosity.
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