Renew Your Life – Grace, Gratitude, and Generosity
Registration is open until October 2, 2024
Limited Enrollment (register early to ensure your place)
This 3-month Intro to Shin Buddhism Course offers a practical, comprehensive, and non-academic exploration of Shin Buddhism, also known as Jodo Shinshu, using the easy-to-read and acclaimed introductory primer, Ocean, by the author, scholar and Shin Minister, Kenneth Tanaka. This course provides plenty of discussion and opportunities to better understand and live the Shin teachings in order to discover your purpose and transform your life.
If you are seeking a user or “human” friendly Buddhism, that is family and community centered, or just curious and want to learn about Shin Buddhism, you are invited to participate in this course. This intro course is perfect for the first-timer, beginner to intermediate student.
Course Details
Dates: Sunday mornings, Oct. 6, Nov 3, Dec. 22
Time & Place: The course will meet right after the Practice & Talk Gathering, at the Buddhist Faith Fellowship in Middletown, from 10:35 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Please arrive promptly for attendance.
Book: Ocean: An Introduction to Jodo Shinshu Buddhism by Kenneth Tanaka may be best purchased online via the BCA Book Store, visit: https://www.bcabookstore.org/ or through other booksellers.
Teacher: Rev. D. Senpai, M.A., BFF of CT’s guiding teacher and Shin practicer, and student of the late Dr. Taitetsu Unno, will be the instructor for this course. For details, see bio in Our Teachers web page under the I’M NEW tab.
Requirements: Participants are expected to read the book and complete homework assignments. Homework is sent via e-mail and assignments are due at the beginning of each class. The assignments are non-academic in nature but provide a good outline to understand and later discuss these teachings in class.
Practice: Buddhism should not be approached just on an intellectual basis but must be applied in daily life. To get the most out of the course, students should try to engage with the Shin teachings – practice deep hearing, voice the nembutsu, and most importantly, attend our Practice & Talk gatherings and at least one of our retreats.
Commitment: All participants should strive for a 75% Sunday morning attendance record from the beginning to the end of the course. All participants are allowed just one absence from a class but homework must be delivered via e-mail before the missed class. Attendance will be taken.
Assignments: All assignments must be completed and handed in at the time of the class.
Course Credit: The successful completion of this course will count towards meeting one of the necessary course requirements towards formally becoming a Shin Buddhist, and earning an Affirmation Certificate with a Buddhist name.
Pre-registration is required. No walk-ins.
Donation: $155 to help cover costs. Thank you in advance.
Registration deadline: 11:59 p.m., October 2, 2024
Be sure to read on the ticket the Refund Policy, Disclaimer of Responsibility, Code of Conduct Agreement. By registering to this event, you have confirmed and agreed to these policies, agreements, code of conduct.
What Will Be Studied?
Some of the topics to be learned include the following:
- The basic teachings of Buddhism
- The Shin path
- How to live Shin in our daily lives
- Shinran Shonin and Shin history
- Nembutsu: The Name-that-calls
- Amida Buddha and the Primal Vow
- The meaning and purpose of life
- Interdependence and non-duality
- The afterlife
- The Pure Land
- The teaching of karma
- Shin spirituality
- How to set up an altar
- What is meditation? How to meditate?
- And more