Most people see the surface of Tendai Buddhist Institute when they attend events in-person or virtually. What occurs beneath the face of TBI is more complex. There is nothing to hide, though some of the work involves pastoral care where people’s privacy is honored. Let’s explore some areas we can discuss.
In March there was the Karuna Tendai Dharma Center (the religious corporate entity to which Tendai Buddhist Institute belongs) annual Executive Board Meeting. The Executive Board is responsible for overseeing and assisting in setting the direction of KTDC.
During this last board meeting two of the members, Ansu Jane Lanning and Chorin Peter Donahoe, stepped down after serving on the board for close to 20 years. They have served us well and we are immensely grateful for their many contributions. Junren Tomie Hahn (long time lay practitioner of TBI) and Kaishin Eric Russell (Assistant Priest, TBI) are now serving in their stead. Also, on the board from the States are Shumon Tamami Naamon (Vice Abbot, TBI), Shingaku Jenny Henderson (Head Priest at Winding Path Buddhist Sangha in Springfield, MA) Koshin Karl Bower (Associate Priest, TBI), and me.
There are two Executive Board Members in Japan. Serving from the beginning of Karuna Tendai Dharma Center is Ichishima Shoshin (Head priest of Sanzen-in Temple in Chiba, Japan, Professor Emeritus of Taisho University and Shumon and my Shisho (Master). The other board member is the Chair of the Jigyodan (Tendai Overseas Charitable Foundation), Okuyama Gensho, Kanshu (abbot of a Daihonzan (regional head temple)) of Chūson-jí Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. That’s a lot of description for an important, but straightforward entity. Now you know the people driving the sangha.
What is the philosophy behind the sangha? This is a good time to remind everyone of the mission and objectives of Tendai Buddhist Institute. They are:
1) Mission Statement
The Tendai Buddhist Institute is dedicated to providing Buddhist teachings, practices and lifestyle in a rural village setting. Guided by Tendai tenets, the basic values are those of wisdom, compassion and skillful means.
2) Specific Objectives and Purposes
The specific objectives and purposes are
(a) To create and maintain a community dedicated to Buddhist philosophy and lifestyle. The Institute is intended to grow organically to meet the changing needs of the Sangha, guided by Tendai Buddhist religious practices and tenets, grounded in wisdom, compassion and skillful means.
(b) To conduct Buddhist religious services, meditations, esoteric practices, blessings, weddings, purifications, funerals, memorial services, and other Buddhist religious functions requested by the sangha, and the public, in accordance with the Tendai School of Buddhism.
(c) To sponsor seminars and other events where concerned members of the public may meet to exchange ideas, suggest solutions, and implement strategies to encourage peaceful change toward a more responsible, meaningful, and spiritually fulfilling society.
(d) To conduct educational, retreat, and training programs for people in various stages of spiritual pursuit. These range from weekly meetings, one-day, weekend spiritual retreats, to long term training programs for laity development and clergy ordination.
(e) To encourage cross-cultural understanding and compassion through lectures, seminars and other activities.
(f) To provide much needed interpersonal pastoral services to a growing Buddhist and non-Buddhist fellowship, with a non-materialist, family-oriented emphasis.
(g) To inform the public concerning non-sectarian Buddhist philosophies and practices, without proselytization. This will be accomplished through contribution in inter-religious activities, membership in interfaith organizations and participation in public and private events.
(h) To publish newsletters, brochures, books, and other materials that focus on issues of social and cross-cultural importance, Buddhism in general, and Tendai Buddhist philosophy and practices in particular.
This was our statement that was developed over thirty years ago. The direction of the Institute has not changed, though there have been developments that were unforeseen at the time, such as becoming a Betsuin (branch of the main temple on Hiei-zan, Enryakuji) and the head temple of Tendai-shu in North America. As a result there are several other branches of TBI that are now under our umbrella.
The underlying intention of the structure and administration is to propagate the dharma. I hope this summary of the administrative engine is useful. There is much more to what we do here than meets the eye.
Gassho with love . . . Monshin