Events
Saturday, October 12, from 1 to 2 pm EST
Poetry Reading
Jerry Bolick
Buddhist poet Jerry Bolick will read his poems and talk about his poetry. Jerry has been writing, teaching, and reading poetry in the San Francisco Bay for many years. He was once the head librarian at the Buddhist Churches of America Bookstore.
This will be an in-person and Zoom event.
Click here to register.
Saturday, October 26, from 8 to 9 pm EST
Samurai and Nembutsu
The Path to the Pure Land
Book discussion with Toshikazu Arai
We will feature a letter from Hōnen to a samurai warrior, Tsunoto-no-Saburō, who engaged in fierce battles in support of the Minamoto clan against their foe, the Tairas, from 1180 to 1185. After the Minamotos won the victory, Tsunoto-no-Saburō met Hōnen in Kyoto and became an ardent nembutsu practitioner. A samurai’s main job is to kill his enemies, and the traditional Buddhist teachings denied the Buddha’s protection and salvation to those who committed killing. Hōnen advises that the working of Amida’s Primal Vow does not discriminate against anyone who says the nembutsu, entrusting themselves to the Vow. Registration for this Zoom event starts next week.