One of the newest pieces in the Glenbow Museum in Calgary comes from the Raymond Buddhist Church. An ornate shrine has been recast in the role of a museum piece.

The shrine was built in Kyoto, Japan in the early 1930's. It is made of wood, gilt, and gold leaf. Its painted with a lacquer metal paint. The brilliant gold of the shrine and its elaborate decorations reflect Amida Buddha’s radiant compassion and wisdom. The scrolls on either side of the shrine represent Shinran Shonin (1173-1262 A.D.), who founded the school, and the Eighth Abbot, Rennyo Shonin (1411-1499 A.D.), who developed the sect in its present form. The Double Wisteria, representing humility and reverence to Amida Buddha, is the Jodo Shinshu crest.

Raymond Buddhist Church shrine, 1976, Glenbow Archives NA-5720-26

The Raymond Buddhist Church was the first Buddhist temple in southern Alberta. It operated from 1929 until May 21, 2006.

The building originally housed a school and a Mormon church before it was sold to the Buddhist community in 1929 for $5,000.00. The first focus of devotion for the congregation was a locally made shrine and a scroll from Japan. This magnificent shrine was received as a gift in 1946 from the Japanese community in Royston, B.C. The Amida Buddha statue was sent from New Westminster, B.C. The Raymond Buddhist Church was the social, spiritual and cultural centre of the Japanese community in this rural farming area. The Church ran a Japanese food store, and sponsored fun community gatherings, theatre performances, sports, parades, educational activities and spiritual events. The building was designated a Provincial Historic Site in 1984.

A small Japanese community worked in farming and coal-mining in Alberta prior to 1942. During the Second World War, Japanese-Canadians living in British Columbia were uprooted by the Canadian government and forced into internment camps, losing their homes and businesses. Due to a labour shortage, many Japanese-Canadians were sent to Alberta to work on sugar-beet farms where they faced many hardships. Gradually, they settled permanently in Lethbridge, Raymond, Coaldale, Taber, and Picture Butte. A Buddhist Church was founded in each location as a cultural centre of the community.

To celebrate the exhibit, Glenbow is having an afternoon of Japanese culture.
Rev. Leslie Kawamura and Rev. James Martin will lead a blessing ceremony for the beautiful Japanese Buddhist shrine recently donated to Glenbow.
Enjoy a wonderful dance performance by the Kaede Cultural Society and finish the afternoon with some tea and Japanese snacks.

Sunday, May 3, 2:00-4:00pm

Glenbow Museum
Level 2, Art of Asia Gallery
130–9 Avenue S.E. Calgary
403.268.4110

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE GLENBOW MUSEUM WEBSITE...

The Calgary Buddhist Temple has put together a great guide available for downloading. It's called a "Guide to Jodo Shinshu Teaching and Practices."

The Guide was translated from Japanese to English by Kyojo S. Ikuta & Trudy Gahlinger of the Calgary Buddhist Temple.  It was originally developed as an introduction to Jodo Shinshu for the layperson.

Part One describes the life and teachings of the Buddha, and the history and evolution of Jodo Shinshu teachings.

While, Part Two discusses Jodo Shinshu practices, including Jodo Shinshu religious days and services.

It also answers the questions, "What is the Pure Land?" and "Who is an evil person?" The 63 page document (check your printer for ink and paper before downloading) also contains photos and information explaining the meaning and history of the ornaments and artifacts that comprise the Jodo Shinshu tradition.

The document was originally produced by the Renken Tokuhon Study Group in Japan.

The Guide is a great way to ready, study and understand the life of the Nembutsu.


DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE TO JODO SHINSHU TEACHING AND PRACTICES...

Following the March 30 service at the Calgary Buddhist Temple, Dr. Leslie Kawamura of the Living Dharma Centre held a meeting regarding the LDC and Dharma school programs.  He has extended an invitation to all our members (not just parents) willing to help ensure the Dharma school remains interesting and relevant for all of the children and young adults in the Sangha. If you have interest (talent is entirely optional) in helping please step forward.

The LDC intends to gather information that will be utilized to develop and strengthen our Dharma school programs across Canada.

courtesy Calgary Buddhist Temple

Under the sponsorship of the Buddhist Foundation of Canada, the Heart Shine Relic Tour of Buddha-relics was seen by many Calgarians at the Vietnamese Buddhist Temple on October 7, 2007. The tour conducted to raise funds for the Maitreya Project, a project to construct a very large image of Maitreya (the Future Buddha) in India, contained relics of many great Buddhist masters as well as those of the historical Siddhartha.

Joe Tomiyama during the walking meditation



Lloyd Tsukushima inspects the relics

IASBS group in Banff, Alberta

In August, the World Conference of the International Association of Shin Buddhist Studies (IASBS) took place at the University of Calgary. The theme of the conference was "Neither monk nor layperson - The Spirit of Jodo Shinshu." While other Buddhist organizations are importing other forms of practice - Zen-style meditations, Hindu Yoga, Western Psychology, European Japanization - and seem to be doing better. There has become a slow fragmentation of Jodo Shinshu within the international scene. Delegates were asked to address this concern.

Over 100 participants attended the conference from all over the world. Twenty-five presentations were delivered from attending Shin Buddhist scholars. The guest was Professor Naito from Ryukoku University in Kyoto. The University of Calgary, Asian Studies Group, sponsored the visit of Professor Naito.

Sensei Rinban Matsubayashi (former BCC Bishop)


Sensei Grant Ikuta with Sensei Seikiya from Hongwanji, Kyoto (center two)


Sensei Kikuchi, Prof. Hoyu Ishida, Socho Fujikawa, Sensei Rinban Matsubayashi, Mrs. Matsubayashi, Tabitha Kobata


Lucy Yoshioka, Rocky Oishi, Lori North, Sensei Ulrich