Ogden Buddhist Church
Visitor's Guide
Welcome to the Ogden Buddhist Church. This guide will outline some of the basic activities and protocols you may encounter or have questions about as you participate in our services/events.
Our standard service on Sunday afternoon is conducted through the directions provided by the service chair. As you participate you will notice some differences from a general Christian service including the burning of the incense, sutra chanting, gassho and the recitation of the nembutsu.
Prior to the starting of the service, the congregation will burn incense in front of the altar (Onaijin—Oh-Nigh-Gene). Oshoko or burning of the incense is symbolic of cleansing or opening the mind and preparing oneself to listen to the teachings or “dharma”). Along with this ritual, individuals will offer a monetary donation called osaisen (Oh-sigh-sen).
During the sutra chanting the congregation will chant the sutras using the service book. The sutras are chanted to praise the virtues of the Buddha and can be chanted by anyone who reads English or Japanese. Although it is written in classical Chinese as well as English characters, the Chinese pronunciation is not the same as in the Japanese language.
Gassho is what you will see the congregation do as they come before the altar (onaijin) as well as when they recite the nembutsu. It is done by placing the palms together comfortably in front of oneself with an onenju (Oh-Nen-Jew) encircling the hands.
The onenju is a string of beads that holds a number of symbolic meanings within itself. However, when encircling the hands in gassho it represents the joining of the Amida Buddha with oneself. When this occurs, the individual usually will simultaneously recite the nembutsu.
The nembutsu is “Namo Amida Butsu”. The congregation will recite this phrase throughout the service as an expression of appreciation. Literally translated it means to take refuge in the Amida Buddha.
Donations to the temple are always welcome and should be offered as an expression of selfless giving, Dana (dana--dah-nah). It is standard protocol to donate for any occasion that instills a feeling of gratitude for the family or individual.
Members usually offer a donation during special services (Ho-onko, Nirvana Day/Nehane, Ohigan-spring & fall, Hanamatsuri, Gotane, Obon and Bodhi Day). It is also the custom to give for funerals, memorials including Shotsuki Hoyo (Sho-su-key-ho-yo), weddings, birth of a child and whenever the temple provides a service or good to the member.
Generally, members will offer donations with either a check or cash enclosed in a small, plain, white envelope with the occasion written on the front and their name and address in the lower right corner. For convenience, an address label can be used. Donations are often left in the offering bowl or near the incense burner, or they can be mailed to the church.
These contributions are automatically recognized in the church newsletter. If donors do not wish to have their donations publicized, a message accompanying the donation is recommended.
Hopefully, this brief guide will provide answers to your questions regarding basic protocol at the temple. Further question/concerns can be directed to any of our members or our minister, Rev. Jerry Hirano at anytime.
We appreciate your interest in our temple and invite your continued attendance at our services and events.
All About Reverend Jerry Hirano
"I find that as I grow older, I appreciate the fullness of what I am given, from the laughter of my children to the sound of my bones creaking in the morning as I awake. I am still alive! This realm of gratitude is the life of Nembutsu. It is in the impermanence of each moment of life - moving forward - that I am allowed to appreciate this life."
-excerpt from Teriyaki Priest
Rev. Jerry Kyosei Hirano was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 12, 1957, the year of the fire rooster. He attended the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple as a child and is now the resident minister there. He graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Speech Communication, followed by an M.A. in Buddhist Studies at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California. He continued his studies at Chuo Bukkyo Gakuin (Central Buddhist Institute) in Kyoto, Japan from 1983 - 1987. After receiving Kyoshi ordination from Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, he returned to the United States as a Buddhist Churches of America (BCA) Minister. His first assignment was at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin for 6 years before he finally came back to Salt Lake as Kaikyoshi. Currently he is also the minister at the Ogden and Honeyville Buddhist Temples.
He is married to Dr. Carmela Javellana Hirano, an integrative psychiatrist and founder of Sanctuary for Healing and Integration (SHIN) and also his minister's assistant at the temple. At home, where he admittedly does not rule the roost, he is surrounded by hens, as well as Carmela, his two daughters Kacie and Taylor, dogs Ponzu, Peanut and Miso and cat Baby Blue.
Services
Services
Dharma School Services are held every Sunday during the school year. They usually start at 1:30 pm. However, please check the Temple calendar for our current schedule.
Once a month there is a Shotsuki Hoyo service. The Shotsuki Hoyo is a service held in memory of those temple members who have died during that month. For a list of names for the Shotsuki Hoyo please check the newsletter.
Families may schedule other services by contacting Hirano Sensei.
Infant Presentation Ceremony (Hatsumairi)
The raising of a child is one of the most important tasks in your life. It is something that should be done with a great deal of thought. Other than the gift of life, the Dharma is one of the most important gifts you could bestow upon your child.
The Infant Presentation Ceremony gives each family the opportunity to present their child before the Buddha (Truth) and the Sangha. It is held during the Gotan-E service in May. At this ceremony your child will receive a gift of their first Onenju. For the exact date what the GEPPO or contact Sensei.
Weddings (Butsuzen Kokkon shiki)
The Buddhist Wedding ceremony is a relatively recent development here in America, although the Buddhist Wedding has had a long history in Japan. Since the Meiji period (1868-1912), weddings in Japan have largely been associated with Shinto religious rites. However, in recent years, marriages in large Christian churches have also become common. With the westernizing of Japan, some young couples seem to think that the atmosphere of a Christian church is more aesthetically pleasing, regardless of personal or family religion.
Here in America, the Buddhist marriage ritual is a combination of American and Japanese marriage customs added to a newly created Buddhist ritual. The vows for the ceremony are said to have originated with Shakyamuni Buddha. However, because of the legal nature of our present society, the actual legal marriage takes place with the signing of the marriage certificate. Therefore, the wedding ceremony at the Temple is a presentation of the couple, before Buddha (Truth) and all those present. It is before Truth, family and friends, the couple proclaims their love and commitment towards one another.
The proper Japanese name for this ceremony is Butsuzen Kekkon shiki (Before Buddha binding marriage ceremony). The marriage ceremony consists of chanting, reading of vows and the burning of incense. A number of other customs have also become popular, such as the exchanging of sake, called the san san ku do. For more information, please contact Sensei.
Eitaikyo
Eitaikyo literally means "Perpetual Sutra Chanting." Eitaikyo is a Japanese Buddhist observance. The Chinese character, "Ei" contains the ideograph for a river with many tributaries that flow out of it. This represents the continuous flowing of a river, leading to the ocean. It refers to perpetual or continuation. The character "Dai" or in this case pronounced "Tai" refers to a period of time or generation. It is an ideograph with the radicals for person and stake or post. It means a place or period of history. "Kyo" is the character for chanting of sutras. Therefore, I feel that Eitaikyo represents for each of us, the continuing flow of the generations upon generations which have allowed us to hear the teachings via the sutras.
The Eitaikyo list is a compilation of members and their families that have contributed to the Temple's Eitaikyo fund. The Eitaikyo fund is a separate fund from the temple's other funds, set aside for use by the temple in special circumstances or emergencies. It is a fund that is not to be used for the general upkeep and day to day expenses of the temple. The purpose of the fund is to have assets available to the temple in case of extreme circumstances. Many temples also use parts of this fund to help bring in special speakers for their Eitaikyo service.
We have an annual Eitaikyo service held in November. This is a special service, usually with a special speaker, held in memory of those individuals who have made a special donation to the Eitaikyo fund. However, each morning service held at the temple is also in memory of those listed individuals. If you would like someone added to this Eitaikyo list, please contact Sensei.
Funerals
Understanding death is necessary to understand Life. As Rennyo states in his Letter on White Ashes, "The fragile nature of human life underlies both the young and old." When death comes to a family member or someone near to you, it is often a time of confusion. When your family goes through this experience the temple is here to help you in this difficult time.
Here are some documents to help you with your funeral plans:
OBC Funeral and Memorial Service Guidelines
Please contact Reverend Hirano or our 2023 President, Tom Fujikawa for Funeral assistance.
Special Services
In addition to the regular services, the temple observes a number of special Buddhist holidays throughout the calendar year. Please see the GEPPO or the church calendar for specific dates.
These are times to reflect upon and appreciate the intricate bonds that enable us to live. It is also a time to show our gratitude for the teachings and the teachers who serve as guides on our journey toward spiritual understanding. Although we recognize the official dates of these special observances, other than Shusho-E (New Year's Day) and Joya-E (New Year's Eve), the services are held at the Temple usually on the Sunday nearest the actual date. The Shotsuki Hoyo for that particular month is usually held at this time.
BCA History
The Ogden Buddhist Church is one of 63 temples within the Buddhist Churches of America (BCA), with headquarters located in San Francisco, California. BCA is affiliated with Jodo Shinshu Honganji Ha, also known as Nishi Honganji. The main temple (honzan) is located in Kyoto, Japan. BCA was officially founded on September 1, 1899. BCA was originally known as the American Buddhist Organization. The address and phone number for BCA are 1710 Octavia Street, San Francisco, California 94109, phone number (415) 776-5600, fax (415) 771-6293, E-mail: bcahq@pacbell.net.
Nishi Honganji is a Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land Sect) Temple. Within Buddhism, as with Christianity, there are many sects. Jodo Shinshu is one of the largest sects of Buddhism in Japan, with more than 10,000 temples. In addition to the United States and Japan, there are Nishi Honganji Temples in Canada, Brazil, Korea, Singapore, England, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, Taiwan and Africa. The address and phone number for the Honganji International Center are Higashi Nakasuji, Rokujo-sagaru, Gakurin-cho, Shimokyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan 600, phone number (075) 371-5547 fax (075) 371-4070.
The founder of our sect is Shinran Shonin (1173-1263). Shinran was born May 21, 1173 and died on January 16, 1263. Shinran never intended to found a new sect of Buddhism, yet through his life and writings he profoundly influenced many individuals, who wanted to follow his teachings. Some of the innovative matters in which Shinran interpreted the Buddhist doctrine were
Nishi Honganji has followed a patrilineal line as the head of our sect. The title given to this individual is Gomonshu or Abbot. The current Gomonshu is Kosho Otani. He is the 24th descendant in a direct line from Shinran Shonin, the founder of our sect of Buddhism.
Buddhism FAQ's
As Buddhism is a minority religion in Utah, we often find people who have questions about our beliefs. We are fortunate that many groups from high schools, colleges, seminaries and other organizations visit the temple and ask questions about Buddhism and about being Buddhists. Here are a few common questions and corresponding answers. Each of you should also study and find the answers for yourself.
Q: What is Buddha?
A: Buddha is a title meaning "Enlightened one." It is a person who has reached perfect enlightenment. Stated in more modern terms, a Buddha is a completely self-actualized person. A Buddha sees reality without any ego attachment. There are countless Buddhas. The Buddha we hear about most often is Shakyamuni Buddha. Shakyamuni means leader of the Shakya Clan, Shakya being the clan into which Siddartha Gautama was born into. He is a historical personage who began speaking about what he came to understand through his enlightenment.
Q: What do Buddhists believe about the afterlife?
A: Each individual has come to their interpretation. The historical Buddha gave no answer concerning the afterlife. This is known as the thunderous silence. After the Buddha's silence he spoke of the Poisoned arrow parable.
In this parable a man is shot by a poisoned arrow. Rather than allow his servants to pull out the arrow, he wanted them to find out who shot it, why they shot it, what type of poison was on the arrow, what type of arrow it was etc. In the meantime, he died. This tells us that rather than worry so much about the afterlife, we must focus on how we should act in the present life. Each of us will die. It is how we live that is important. The idea of interdependence teaches us the golden rule, do unto others as you would have they do unto you.
In Jodo Shinshu we believe that Amida Buddha will take care of us after we die. We will be embraced in Amida's infinite love and compassion. Since the worries of the afterlife will be taken care of, we should focus on the present and how to live a good and honorable life.
Q: What about reincarnation?
A: Some sects of Buddhism have a very intricate philosophy concerning reincarnation. Much of this comes from the fact that in India where the Historical Buddha was born, most people simply accepted reincarnation as a part of natural law. So there were no questions. As Jodo Shinshu Buddhists, reincarnation is not a very important or emphasized idea. As science can attest, all living things are constantly being remade. The cells of our bodies continuously die and are replaced. From moment to moment we are being reborn. Our psychological states are the same. For example, there is what we call the six realms Rokudo: Jigoku (Hell), Gaki (Hungry Ghosts), Chikusho (Beasts), Ashura (Fighting demons), Ningen (Human Being), Tenjin (Heavenly Being). We constantly move through and are reborn in these realms. We may create a hellish condition for ourselves through greed and desire. At these times we are reborn in Hell and Hungry Ghost realms. It is only in the realm of Human Being where we can appreciate what we have, between the extremes of hell and heavenly beings. As for the afterlife, we believe that in trusting in Amida Buddha, we do not have to worry about the life to come. Within Amida's ultimate wisdom and compassion we do not have to worry.
Q: What is the view of women and men in your religion?
A: There is no difference. Both men and women are equal. Women can become priests just as the men. It is training that determines if a person can be a priest, not sex.
Q: How do you view other religions?
A: As we stated, Buddhism holds that there are 84,000 paths to enlightenment. We believe that individuals must choose for themselves. As for Christianity, it is a great religion and Jesus was a great teacher. However, we do not accept the idea of him being the only Son of God, dying on the cross and then coming back to life. Otherwise, many of the Christian teachings are very similar to what Buddhism teaches. Our major teaching of interdependence is called "The Golden Rule" in Christianity.
Q: Do you believe in God?
A: This actually depends on how one defines "God." If one defines "God" as an anthropomorphic being who intervenes and answers prayers and as the creator, etc., Buddhists do not believe in God. However, Buddhists do believe in a "God" that is pure love, compassion, and wisdom that permeates the universe for the benefit of all sentient beings. In essence, Truth with a capital "T." We call this Amida Buddha.
Q: Who created the world?
A: We believe that we cannot answer that. It is beyond our ability to know that at this time. For if there was a creator, with the concept of cause and effect, we must ask who created the creator. It is not important for us to know that. One of the basic concepts within Buddhism is interdependence. With this teaching, we realize that all of us are interconnected and depend upon one another for our existence. Asking questions such as who created this or that is a way the mind distracts our attention to the more important matter of how I am living this moment. I am grateful to receive and have the life I have now. How do I repay that debt of gratitude? These are the questions we ask.
Q: How do you become a Buddhist?
A: Traditionally all that is necessary to become a Buddhist is to believe and recite what we call The Three Treasures. These three are 1) Taking refuge in Buddha. 2) Taking refuge in Dharma (The Teaching) and 3) Taking refuge in the Sangha ( fellow followers). Read the Three Treasures in the Service Book.
Q: What is the difference between laity and priests?
A: Our founder Shinran Shonin had a unique interpretation he called "Ondogyo, Ondobo," meaning fellow travelers, fellow brothers and sisters. Within this interpretation he expressed the equality of all followers in the face of Universal Truth and Compassion. The priests are ordained after years of training. Their main purpose is that of teacher. Their robes show that they have gone through the proper training to understand the rituals and ceremonies within our tradition.
Q: How does one become a priest?
A: The Buddhist Churches of America and Nishi Honganji of Kyoto have set up certain requirements that are administered and determined by a body of priests (Kaikyoshiyosei committee). The current and most commonly followed criteria are
Q: What does the laity do?
A: Our main purpose is to live a life of gratitude. We should express appreciation for all the causes and conditions in our lives, even those that we may feel are negative. For example, we eventually learn from the death of a loved one, no matter how painful, the experience. Therefore, all things should move us towards a better understanding of who we are. As members of this temple, we try to support and encourage the Buddha's teachings.
Church Membership
Of course the primary benefit of membership in the Ogden Buddhist Church is knowing that you are supporting Jodo Shinshu in America. Your donations and pledges are a means of expressing gratitude for the wisdom and compassion of Amida Buddha.
However, there are additional benefits of membership in the temple:
A. Membership Criteria
Membership in the Ogden Buddhist Church is open to any and all people interested in the Buddhist path. Membership reflects your acceptance of the Nembutsu path as your guiding principle in life. Membership also expresses your commitment to financially support the Temple. The Temple, in turn, supports your spiritual growth by offering fellowship, religious services, classes, retreats, and various other functions.
B. Membership Dues as of January 1, 2020
The membership dues for our temple is one of the lowest in BCA.
Of this membership fee, a portion is given to the BCA for the National organization. A portion is submitted to our Mt. States District. Therefore we have very little left for the running of the temple. As a result we must rely upon our members' donations throughout the year. Envelopes are sent out to the membership for the major services, i.e. Hoonko, Obon, etc. In addition donations are usually given for special events and services. All these donations are used to keep the temple running.
Ogden Buddhist Church Board Members
2023
Presiding Minister ........................................................... Reverend Jerry Hirano
Minister's Assistant ................................................................................. Geoff R.
Minister's Assistant ................................................................................ James A.
Junior Minister's Assistant.................................................................... Charles A.
President ................................................................................................. James A.
Historian ........................................................................... Maya C. & LaVerne K.
President Elect ........................................................................................... Tom F.
1st Vice-President .................................................................................... Geoff R.
2nd Vice-President ............................................................................... Kristina Y.
3rd Vice-President .................................................................................... Toby Y.
Co-4th President ........................................................................................ Kirk Y.
Co-4th President ..................................................................................... Steven K.
Co-4th President.........................................................................................Ernie K.
Treasurer ................................................................................................... Betty Y.
Corresponding Secretary ........................................................................... Ellen K.
Recording Secretary ................................................................................... Ruth S.
Auditor ...................................................................................................... Janice S.
2023 OBC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
James A., Maya C., Christy F., Tom F., Julia F., Fran H., Todd H., Marie H., Robin H., Stan H., Tami H., Justine H., Ellen K., Steve K., Annette K., Brenda K., Mike K., Sharon K., Ernie K., LaVerne K., Tena M., Greg O., Kunie O.,
Shauna R., Geoff R., Linda E., Lorraine S., Ruth S., Janice S., Roland S.,
Harry S., Steve Y., Kirk Y., Toby Y., Blaine Y., Kristin Y., Suzan Y.
2023 BWA OFFICERS
President Tami H.
1st VP Lorraine S.
2nd VP Ruth S.
3rd VP Annette K.
Recording Secretary Kris Y.
Corresponding Secretary Christy F.
Treasurer Ellen K.
Auditor Linda E.
Julia F.
2023 OGDEN YBA OFFICERS
President Kobe H.
Vice-President Colton H.
Secretary Andrew K.
Treasurer Mackenzie H.
Historian Alex H.
2023 OGDEN DHARMA SCHOOL
Superintendent LaVerne K.
Religious Chair Annette K.
Secretary Kris Y.
Treasurer Betty Y.
2023 OGDEN DHARMA SCHOOL BOARD
Justine H., Robyn H., Suzan Y., Stan H., Lorraine S., Ellen K., Geniel S., Tami H., Kirk Y., Sharon K., Maya C., Shauna R., Candace F., Stacie H.
Helpful Links
Here are some links that we hope will be helpful to you:
Shin Buddhist Churches - Jodo Shinshu Honganji-Ha
United States (Buddhist Churches of America)
Europe
Japan
Canada
Australia
Shinshu Ohtani-ha
United States: West Covina Buddhist Temple
Japan: Honganji
Shin Buddhist (Jodo Shinshu) Sites
Educational Links
Youth Links
Visitor's Guide
Reverend Hirano
Services
BCA History
Buddhism FAQ's
Church Membership
Church Board
Links
OGDEN BUDDHIST CHURCH
155 North Street
Ogden, UT 84404
P.O. Box 3248
Ogden, UT 84409
Phone: (801) 392-7132
E-Mail: ogdenbuddhisttemple@gmail.com