The 2016 Eastern Buddhist League conference “Come As You Are” was held at the Seabrook Buddhist Temple in New Jersey over Labor Day weekend.
The Buddhist church was formed in the winter of 1945, with about 500 families of Japanese ancestry (more than 2,500 people) who lived and worked at Seabrook Farms, a large food processing corporation, during the U.S. governmenet’s relocation program (between 1944 and 1947). Though Charles F. Seabrook, the founder of Seabrook Farms, had promised a smooth and profitable resettlement to Japanese-Americans, the transition from nearly three years of confinement in concentration camps to yet another new environment was not always easy.
Sensing a need for spiritual uplifting, Revs. Shosetsu Tsufura and Zaishin Mukushina (both of whom had relocated to Seabrook to work in the plant) began holding services that were open to all Buddhist sects.
By 1965, the Seabrook Buddhist Sangha received independent temple status and the 20th anniversary of its founding was observed. In 1968, members saw the groundbreaking for the current temple and, In 1983, the temple was incorporated as a nonprofit facility. A home for the resident sensei was constructed in 1986 and a meditation garden was added in 1988.
For 70 years, the hard-working and dedicated Sangha have developed a welcoming atmosphere for people to gather to hear the Buddha-Dharma (the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha).
The theme of this year’s EBL conference, “Come As You Are,” is a phrase we often use and portrays the ideals of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. The conference—attended by 75 people from the Twin-Cities (MN) Buddhist Association, Midwest Buddhist Temple, Buddhist Temple of Chicago, Cleveland Buddhist Temple, Ekoji Buddhist Temple (VA), New York Buddhist Church, Seabrook Buddhist Temple, Toronto Buddhist Church (Canada) and Hamilton Buddhist Church (Canada)— consisted of thought-provoking sessions with Rev. Dr. Ken Tanaka (author of the book, “Ocean”) and a music program, “Buddha Sings to Me,” with Kimie Tanaka, Ken’s wife who teaches music and linguistics in Japan.
There was also a mindfulness session (nice and relaxing after lunch), a story session that broke into groups where we told about our personal journeys and how Buddhism affected us, and a Dharmathon. A tai chi class in the beautiful meditation garden with its fresh fragrances was invigorating before the Sunday service. The Dharma School sang a rousing rendition of “Buddha Loves Me”—complete with props.
It was pointed out that their obutsudan was given to them by MBT when we purchased the one that is presently on our naijin. We met Rev. Nariaki R. Hayashi, the new minister of Ekoji Buddhist Temple, and his wife, and were able to socialize with Rev. Kodo Umezu, bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America, Rev. Earl Ikeda (the resident minister of New York Buddhist Church) and, of course, our very own Rev. Ron Miyamura.
The conference ended with a casual barbecue dinner outside the Seabrook temple, taking advantage of their spacious land in the country. It was a wonderful experience, especially for those of us who had never been to Seabrook. And seeing our old friends and meeting new people is always very heartwarming.
The members of Seabrook Buddhist Temple did a great job—especially given how small their Sangha is—and we are very grateful to them for all their hard work and for making us feel at home. We look forward to the 2017 EBL Conference, which will take place at MBT.