April 03, 2022 At IOBT, we are getting busy thinking about all the fun conversations and discussions we will be having at our75th NW Buddhist Convention in September. Part of the convention theme is “Looking to the Future,” and one of the things we want to focus on is how our temples can share the Buddha Dharma (Teachings of the Buddha) in the 21st Century.  Here is a photo from our 50th Anniversary 25 years ago!  A lot has changed since then.  What will the next 25 years bring us?       What can we do to help share the Buddhist Teachings with the next...

March 13, 2022 In March we celebrate the Spring Ohigan.  Ohigan is a Japanese Buddhist holiday that marks the equinoxes.  The equinox days--one in spring and one in fall--are the times when the days and nights are of equal length. At the equinox the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west almost exactly 12 hours later. It is a time of balance, of harmony, when it is not too hot or too cold, not too bright or too dark. It is a time of fertility and growth in the spring and of abundance and harvest in the fall.     The Japanese...

March 03, 2022 “All conditioned things are impermanent—when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.”  --Shakyamuni Buddha,  The Dhammapada My mother died in January.  She was 90 years old and had been hospitalized several times over the last year. For the last 3 weeks of her life, we were supported by hospice services, which allowed her to spend Christmas and New Year’s at home.  Many people have asked me how I am doing--how I am coping with my mother’s death.  I tell them that I’m doing pretty well.  I think that one reason...

February 07, 2022 Later this year (Sept 16-18) IOBT will be hosting the 75th Northwest Buddhist Convention and also celebrating our 75th Anniversary of the temple! Because the pandemic has made everything so uncertain, we are holding out hope that things will get back to normal. We HOPE to have the convention in person with guests here from around the Northwest. We HOPE to gather together to have meaningful services, discussions, and workshops. Most importantly, we HOPE to have fun together as fellow Jodo Shinshu Buddhists. You might be wondering what...

January 14, 2022   “In gratitude to Amida, the Buddha-as-words, I dedicate my whole being to realizing Buddha’s intent. In gratitude to the masters of teachings and the countless good Dharma friends among our ancestors, I dedicate my total efforts to spreading the Nenbutsu.”   Translation of the Ondokusan from Shinran Shonin’s Shozomatsu Wasan #59. (Translation by Rev. Kakei Nakagawa, Rinban of Fresno Betsuin based on Bishop Kenryu Tsuji’s writings)   (Shinran Shonin Image from Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple Altar) . January is the month for a major service called...

December 29, 2021 The start of a new year offers us the hope of a new beginning, a fresh start, a clean slate. As we begin the new year, many people make plans to improve their lives through New Year’s resolutions. And it is polite and kind to wish others happiness, prosperity, good health, love, and good fortune in the coming year.  These are great traditions—maintaining hope and offering good will to our neighbors are important. But it’s also important to approach the new year with a sense of humility and realism. Buddhism reminds us that the world of samsara is imperfect and impermanent and...