Welcome to the Tendai Buddhist Institute
The Tendai Buddhist Institute / Jiunzan Tendaiji, founded by Ven. Abbot Monshin Paul Naamon and Rev. Shumon Tamami Naamon in 1995. Tendai Buddhist Institute is a branch temple of Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei, the administrative center of the Tendai School and the birthplace of Japanese Buddhism. As an officially recognized branch temple, Tendai Buddhist Institute is also the first fully authorized Tendai Buddhist training center for the education of priests and the establishment new Tendai Buddhist temples, dharma centers, and sanghas in North America and beyond.
Tendai Buddhist Institute is also known as “Jiunzan Tendaiji,” – Mountain Cloud Tendai Temple, which is our village temple’s official Japanese name, and meant to reflect the natural surroundings of the Berkshires. This name was given to our temple by Rev. Shōshin Ichishima, who trained Ven. Abbot Paul Monshin Naamon and Rev. Tamami Shumon Naamon in Japan. For more information, please check out our About Us page.
All events are open to the public.
We also offer services online via Zoom. For security purposes, we do not publish the links for the events online. However, to receive those links and our monthly newsletter to stay up to date with upcoming events, you can add yourself to our mailing list here.
Recent Meanderings
The abbot (jushoku) of the Tendai Buddhist Institute is Monshin Paul Naamon. This section is devoted to his writings. You can find an entire list here.
Jushoku’s Meanderings – June 2023
We perceive human immigration primarily as a political issue today. It has been a social phenomenon as long as there have been people. Immigration has been a feature of hominid life from long before Homo sapien sapiens. Homo erectus immigrated out of Africa to Eurasia...
Jushoku’s Meanderings – May 2023
In discussing behavior in the hondo during a dharma talk recently I mentioned that the genkan (entranceway between the outside to the inner, the sanctuary, is a liminal space. A space between the sacred and the mundane or profane. Stepping across the sill at the door...
Jushoku’s Meanderings – April 2023
‘Symbols; institutional, religious, commercial, are all around us. We respond to them based upon our experiences with the entity that the symbol represents, as well as the visual message conveyed by the graphics and an understood meaning. When an image which has a...
Weekly Meditation Service
Meditation services are held on Wednesday evenings from 6pm. A Dharma talk and discussion are held in the main house. Meditation service is held in the Main Hall, followed by a potluck dinner.
Starting Your Practice
As a comprehensive and holistic Mahayana Buddhist tradition, there are many forms that an individual’s personal practice may take. Different temples and teachers may emphasize particular teachings or practice, but ultimately Tendai Buddhist practice is customizable depending on your needs and inclinations. Therefore, it is important for practice to be guided by an authentically trained teacher.
- For the daily practice manual click here.
- For more information about basic Buddhist practices.
- If you have any questions about starting your practice, please feel free to contact us.
Contact us with any questions or inquiries.
Tendai Buddhist Institute
1525 Rte. 295
East Chatham, NY
12060
