Everything changes, including Buddhism itself.There is no such thing as Buddhism in the singular, only many Buddhisms in the plural. In the four sessions of this seminar, we will start by visiting Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism in India, then fly over China and Korea and land in Japan, where we will examine the major Buddhist denominations, all of whom share some similarities but are also wonderfully different. Join us on this tour of the variegated Buddhist landscape in Japan, where we will learn, once again, that everything changes.
Our first session will be hybrid and held at Ekoji Buddhist Temple 6500 Lakehaven Lane, Fairfax Station, Virginia. The temple doors will open at 6:30 pm ET and light refreshments will be served. The remaining classes will be via Zoom only.
August 6 Sakyamuni - In person or Zoom.
August 13 Tendai and Shingon. Zoom only.
August 20 Hōnen and Shinran. Zoom only.
August 27 Dōgen and Nichiren. Zoom only.
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82658877891
Reminders with the Zoom link will be sent to all who RSVP.
LECTURER
George Tanabe is Professor Emeritus of Japanese Religion at the University of Hawaii. His books have been published by university presses at Harvard, Hawaii, Columbia and Princeton. The Japanese government has honored him with the Foreign Minister’s Award (2007) and the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun (2012). In 2025, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii named him as one of the Living Treasures of Hawaii. He has published his first novel, Miki’s Mad(available through Amazon Books), and remains active as President of BDK (Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai) Hawaii and BDK America.
Sponsored by Ekoji Buddhist Temple and BDK America
Ekoji Buddhist Temple is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 6500 Lakehaven Lane, Fairfax Station, Virginia 22039 (703) 239-0500
