With the immigration of Japanese to America and Hawaii at the onset of the Meiji era 1868 to 1912, these Japanese immigrants who were 99 percent Buddhist, requested their Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji Ha (Nishi Hongwanji) in Kyoto, Japan to send priests. Thus began the migration of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism to America. This request by the Issei (First Generation) Japanese in America was prompted by the need for funerals and memorial services for those who had died here in America. I’m sure these services were very Japanese in language and structure with the presentation of Buddhist names, chanting of sutras and a Dharma talk of some type. Not that different from what we do now, only in Japanese. Our Hongwanji services in general are based on Shantao’s (613-681 CE) five primary practices in Pure Land Buddhism from his commentary on the Contemplation Sutra. Shantao also known as Zendo, is the third Patriarch of Jodo Shinshu. He was the first of the Chinese Patriarchs, preceded by Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu of India. These five primary practices were:
(1) exclusive reading – reading the three Pure Land Sutras only
(2) exclusive observance – observing Amitabha Buddha and his Land of Bliss only
(3) exclusive reverence – bowing to Amitabha Buddha only
(4) exclusive recitation – reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha only
(5) exclusive praising and making offerings – again to Amitabha Buddha only.
As these Japanese immigrants began to have children, the services began to change. Contrary to what many of us think or had imagined, the original Kaikyoshi were coming to America not only to serve the Japanese community already here, but with the intent to propagate Buddhism to non-Japanese. These first Kaikyoshi were the intellectual elite in Japan. In teaching the non-Japanese, the emphasis from the beginning had been on General Buddhist philosophy rather than Jodo Shinshu. The first English periodical was called “Light of Dharma” published by North American Buddhist Mission (original name for Buddhist Churches of America) edited by Rev. Kakuryo Nishijima. This title was in reference to the book by Sir Edwin Arnold “Light of Asia” which was a narrative poem describing the life and teachings of Siddartha Gautama Buddha. As a side note to get more detailed information, please read the books by Rev. Dr. Duncan Williams. Much of the information I am using comes from Rev. Dr. Williams books American Sutra and Issei Buddhism in the Americas.
It was stated that the mission of this English publication “Light of the Dharma” was to make known the dharma as the “Universal Law of Nature”. This work was written in English and for a non-Japanese audience. Most of the Japanese members would not have been able to read it. Rev. Nishijima was fluent in English. In fact, I recently read a series of letters between him and Elder Alma Taylor, the first Mormon missionary to Japan, in 1901. Rev. Koyu Uchida, the fourth Kantoku or Bishop of BMNA/BCA from 1905-1922 had stated that the ideals of propagation in the west were difficult for the ministers because of the struggle between focusing on the non-Japanese sympathizers/converts and the reality of the overwhelming proportion of Japanese speaking members.
In Japan, there was no set day of worship like in the U.S. but I’m sure Sunday was the only day off many of these immigrants had. Sunday was the de-facto religious service day in America. That is why for most of our temples, Sunday is the day we hold our weekly services. It is not because of religious reasons, like Christianity, but convenience. These set services on Sundays were the custom in the United States, however, I’m sure it took some getting used to for the Japanese lay and clergy alike. I’m sure services were conducted in Japanese. The temples that began to have younger English-speaking children, either had a Japanese and separate English language service. Some of the temples would have an English speaker translate or read a sermon from the Kaikyoshi. These would evolve into the Adult and Children services that some temples maintained, with a Japanese language service held either at a later time or date.
I think it is interesting that in 1903, the well-known Buddhist scholar D.T. Suzuki wrote to his sponsor and friend Paul Carus, after he visited the Hongwanji Headquarters in San Francisco, “Unfortunately, they are all very poor and as I understand, the headquarters in Japan advise them to cut short their expenses as low as possible. There are many things that should be done in connection with missionary work, but they are all left undone.” Suzuki also commented that he has heard some complaints among the American (non-Japanese) Buddhists, who he had met with. Suzuki wrote that the Kaikyoshi in regard to their countrymen in San Francisco, “did not interest him much.” Thus D.T. Suzuki is known more in America as a Zen scholar. He also commented, in regard to the Hongwanji Kaikyoshi, their Buddhist missionary work among Euro Americans struck him as a failure, although their work among the Japanese maybe all right. Even from the beginning of Jodo Shinshu in America, there was a problem between “Japanese and Non-Japanese.” I wonder if Suzuki’s observation will be prophetic.
However, the biggest shock to the propagation effort in the U.S. was December 7, 1941, the so called “Day of Infamy”, when Japan attacked the U.S. port at Pearl Harbor, which initiated World War II. All the Japanese Buddhist priests and most of the Japanese leaders had been rounded up by the FBI and placed in special interrogation camps. A few Nisei priests were not rounded up by the FBI but placed in with the other Japanese Americans. Rev. Kenryo Kumata, American born, became the de-facto head of the Buddhist Mission of North America.
It was at the Topaz Concentration camp in 1944 that the name of our organization was officially changed from Buddhist Mission of North America to the Buddhist Churches of America. Amid this feeling of fear and desperation among most of the Japanese Americans in the camps, with the leadership of their organization decimated by being separated and imprisoned in special interrogation camps, these teenage Nisei began to change many things within our temples. Besides the name change, the leadership began shifting from the first-generation Issei to the second-generation Nisei.
Once the Japanese were released in around 1946 and began returning to their homes, they set their temples back up. Weary of the intense discrimination they had experienced during World War 2. They began to make their Buddhist temples as American as possible. Activities, Dharma Talks and services became English speaking. English songs began to proliferate in the services. At some temples, especially those in Hawaii, some of the sutra chanting was attempted in English. One of the first service books in English was edited by Rev. Ernest Hunt an English Buddhist hired by Bishop Yemyo Imamura. The service book did not have any sutra chanting but religious inspired songs. This was the beginning of our English service books. These service books would spread to BCA. Rev. Julius Goldwater created a service book with the hymn “Onward Buddhist soldiers”. Written by his teacher Rev. Ernest Hunt’s wife Rev. Dorothy Hunt, also a Hongwanji minister. It was during this time our songs became Gathas rather than songs.
Although English began to become a large part of our Buddhist Temples, speaking from personal experience, it was not until the 1970s, a good forty years after the closing of the camps, that I first heard an understandable English Language sermon. It was when Bishop Kenryu Tsuji came to visit Salt Lake. It was hoped that our temples would be fortresses for the Japanese and Japanese Americans. Yet by the 70s, many Japanese Americans were married to non-Japanese. Thus, what the Issei had feared; “integration” had happened. Personally, I would agree, as we can see from the beginning of the history of Jodo Shinshu in America, the temple was never meant to be a fortress for Japanese and Japanese American culture. It was a place to learn and teach about the Dharma. As the Japanese families began to integrate and more non-Japanese became interested in Buddhism. The services evolved into the form we see, today.
For many years, the focus of our temple’s religious services was for children or the Dharma Schools. The curriculum and even the music was focused on keeping the attention of these elementary to High School age students. Most of you who grew up going to a BCA temple could sing, “Swim, Swim Little Fish” or “In Lumbini’s Garden,” before chanting a Sutra. It’s not all your fault, the Sutra chanting was as short as possible and the Dharma School focused more on general Buddhist concepts, because that information was much more readily available in English. Like the first publication put out by the BCA, “The Light of Dharma” edited by Rev. Kakuryo Nishijima.
Most of you who have experienced this basic service format over the past 75 years or so, know that Sunday Services are held at approximately 10 or 11 am.
The service has an introduction by an M.C.
A few English readings such as Golden Chain or Threefold refuges
Sutra chanting is predominantly either Juseige, Sanseige, Junirai and once or twice a year possibly Amida Kyo or Shoshinge. When I was younger, the Shoshinge was only chanted a few verses at a time.
There is a dharma talk, usually by the minister, which seldom lasts longer the 10 or fifteen minutes.
This is followed by a few more repeated readings
Closing announcements, which often last as long as the sutra chanting.
Oshoko incense burning is done either before or after the service depending upon the temple.
Over the past twenty years we are in another transition period. Most Temples, now have study classes, meditation services and minister’s assistants. There are many temples with Taiko groups and a few with Gagaku, classical court music. We now have many ministers from Japan that have a zeal like the original Issei Kaikyoshi. These young Kaikyoshi want us to rediscover some of our original Jodo Shinshu religious traditions.
A former member of our Salt Lake Buddhist Temple Dr. Daehyeon Kim has been conducting a research project for BCA. I spoke with him a few weeks ago. He was asked to find out why BCA temples don’t seem to be growing. He said that he has found a big gap with some of the younger Japanese American members wanting the temples to return to the fortress mentality of the 40s to the 70s. However, he is optimistic in seeing many of our temples being very open and accepting of all people. How will we bridge this gap? As Bishop Uchida talked about the difficulty of the Japanese and the American non-Japanese and converts and D.T. Suzuki’s comment about the Missionary work to the Euro Americans being a failure. Most of us Japanese Americans may have more Euro American cultural familiarity than Japanese. What will the next 10 years bring to our temples. I think it is all up to you! Namo Amida Butsu.