
Bringing together Buddhist Wisdom and Japanese Culture for more than Seventy Years
The ABSC vision is to bring together American and global communities who seek the unconditional wisdom and compassion expressed in Buddhist teachings.
Trailblazers
The American Buddhist Study honors outstanding individuals who have made the Buddha Dharma their lifetime mission to create a better world

The ABSC honors Mary Foster
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Mary Mikahala Robinson Foster was a 19th Century native Hawaiian Buddhist, global philanthropist, and social activist. Mary Foster was a Hawaiian royalty who, in October 1893 at Honolulu, met with Anagarika Dharmapala, the renowned Buddhist missionary from Sri Lanka. Thus was born a friendship and collaboration that endured throughout both their lives and led to the modern transformation of Buddhism as a world religion across three continents.
The British MahaBodhi Society, in collaboration with the American Buddhist Study Center, hosted an in-person and Zoom event on 1 Feb 2025. A panel of global experts spoke about the forgotten story of this pioneering lady, including the remarkable biography "Searching for Mary Foster" by Patricia Lee Masters.​
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ABOUT Us

American Buddhist Study Center was originally founded in 1951 by the late Reverend Hozen Seki. At that time the Study Center’s name was The American Buddhist Academy. Back then Reverend Seki’s wanted to enlighten the spirit and the minds of Americans to the great compassion, wisdom, and teachings of Amida Buddha.
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