Ekoji is a safe space in which you are welcome to explore your spiritual path. We are a Shin Buddhist Temple, founded in 1981, with a diverse fellowship offering services and education programs in English. The atmosphere here is peaceful, friendly and accepting. We are committed to the inclusion of all people regardless of race, age, gender, ethnicity, disability or national origin. Ekoji is a member temple of the Buddhist Churches of America and we are grateful for the support of our benefactor BDK America. #dharmatalk #buddhistchurch #buddhism
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and lived experiences with us Ann! It was a pleasure to visit with you and we are grateful for your presence at Ekoji!
Thank you being so skillful in representing Buddhism to the inter-faith group. And for telling the truth about homelessness so gently, lovingly, and sincerely. Namo Amida Butsu 🙏🏼❤
Although we are all subject to our fair share of greed, anger, and delusion......the Jodo Shinshu tradition welcomes everybody as they are.....respects all faiths....and does not think of itself as being better than any of the other sects of Buddhism found throughout the world. I really enjoyed watching and listening to these three men talk about their religions as well as the respect and bond that they have made with one another.
(I am a link in Amida Buddha's golden chain of love that stretches around the world. I must keep my link bright and strong. I will try to be kind and gentle to every living thing, and protect all who are weaker than myself. I will try to think pure and beautiful thoughts, to say pure and beautiful words, and to do pure and beautiful deeds, knowing that on what I do now depends my happiness and misery. May every link in Amida Buddha's golden chain of love become bright and strong, and may we all attain Perfect Peace." (Presented by Seattle Buddhist Sunday School...what is today Dharma School....sometime in the late 1950s to the woman who is related to me by marriage.)
What a wonderful introduction to Shin Buddhism and Ekoji in Northern Virginia in particular. Thank you for providing such a peaceful haven for the sangha (people who are a part of Ekoji).
Currently I am a "lurker " to the Ekoji Sangha. Thank you for this wonderful podcast. I live in New Mexico and love the virtual outreach of this Sangha and since finding it, I really am drawn to your openness and welcoming spirit. I have been associated with Shin Buddhism through my relationship with my late brother, who became a Shin Buddhist Minister and served in the Orange County Buddhist Temple. My brother and I actually began attending the southern California Temples together and attended many Obon Festivals there, which was the start of his path and mine in Shin Buddhism. I have been on a lifelong spiritual path and Buddhism is the best fit for me. Since I live nowhere near an actual Temple, I am happy to be able to attend services and here these podcasts from afar. I also do have family in DC and could one day show up in person ;)
Thank you for sharing Jessie! It means a lot to us to know that the virtual arm of Ekoji is reaching people near and far. It would be wonderful if you could visit us in Fairfax Station next time you are in the Washington DC area. Until then, we will look forward to connecting with you via our Wednesday virtual service with Rev. Kurt Rye, Sunday Hybrid services and now this podcast. In gassho, The Echo Ekoji Team
Thank you for the thoughtful reply. Although I am a member of the Seattle Buddhist Temple, a Jodo Shinshu temple, during the pandemic I heard about and then began to read about Ekoji's history and mission. When I learned that they were offering hybrid Sunday services at 11:00 EST (8:00 PST), I started watching their Sunday service before my wife and I watched the Seattle 10:00am service on RU-vid or drove to Seattle once our temple reopened. It didn't take long for me to appreciate Ekoji's uniqueness and openness. I continued watching until I became a Virtual Member. I'm very grateful to have two Jodo Shinshu communities and several others that welcome me for conversations and educational programs, like those offered by the Boise-Ontario Buddhist Temple and the San Mateo Buddhist Temple.....and Reverend Rye, who is in NYC, but offers the Dharma Breeze Wednesday services for Ekoji on Zoom (7:00pm EST/4:00pm PST).
Excellent! This was my first time listening to this Echo podcast. Now I have to binge watch all of season 1. haha I have studied and practiced several Buddhist traditions over the last 3 decades - Zen, Tibetan, Theravada and Nichiren. While I liked and enjoyed aspects of all of these, once I began reading Shinran's Kyogyoshinsho, along with the Pure Land sutras, I knew that I had found my tradition. I have mainly been practicing on my own because I have mainly lived in places with no Pure Land sangha nearby. In addition to the texts Michael suggests here, I also highly recommmend the Kyogyoshinsho by Shinran Shonin, as well as "Shin Buddhism: Bits of Rubble Turn into Gold" by Taitetsu Unno. Are there options at Ekoji for practitioners living out of state to create a connection? Virtual sangha? If so, kindly let me know please. Thanks again. 🙏
So glad you enjoyed the podcast! Yes, we launched a virtual membership in 2020 and are committed to growing a worldwide Sangha: ekojibuddhisttemple.wildapricot.org/join-us We also have a virtual Wednesday evening service with our supervising minister, Rev. Kurt Rye. Visit www.ekoji.org for the links to join that and our hybrid Sunday service. Thanks for sharing your book recommendations too. All excellent!
Andrea and Michael are current board members. I'm a virtual member living south of Seattle and a member of the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple. I was thrilled humbled when Andrea asked me to co-host Ecko Ekoji's relaunch. I believe Ekoji is at the forefront of Americanizing Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.
