Categories
Uncategorized

Cleveland Buddhist Temple

Harper McCreary

Background

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple was one of the first places of worship for Buddhists in Shaker Heights, right outside the city center of Cleveland, Ohio. This temple was founded in 1945, amidst World War II, to serve Japanese Buddhists who practiced the Jodo Shinshu tradition of Buddhism. During World War II, Japanese-American citizens were uprooted from their homes on the West Coast. The U.S. government sent them to internment camps, or “relocation centers,” causing them to lose their livelihood. After the war, many could not return to their homes due to lingering prejudice and economic hardships. Instead, they resettled in Cleveland due to the abundance of job opportunities. These Japanese-American Buddhists wanted to build a community to practice Buddhism together, allowing them to maintain their cultural identity. First, the Cleveland Young Buddhist Association was formed, evolving into  the Cleveland Buddhist Temple. The first service was held on January 7, 1945, by Reverend Fusa Tokumoto. Subsequent services were held in members’ homes until 1955. A Japanese-language school was started in 1960.

During the Hough Riots of 1966, the Cleveland Buddhist Temple was repeatedly vandalized. On the morning of August 20, 1966, the temple was firebombed. This forced the congregation to hold services in members’ homes while formulating a rebuilding plan. In May 1970, the new Buddhist Temple was built, and a Buddhist priest, Reverend Koshin Ogui, came to Cleveland from San Francisco, California. Reverend Koshin Ogui set the scene for inclusivity by reaching out to non-Buddhists interested in Buddhist culture. 

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple was born in challenging times and has endured difficulties, from the Hough Riots to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, it continues to persevere through these challenges. As this temple continues to live on, it spreads Shin Buddhism by welcoming people with open arms. 

Co-Founders

Three co-founders founded the Cleveland Buddhist Temple:

  • Harvey Iwata:
    • Japanese-American Baseball player and community leader
    • Moved from California to Cleveland, Ohio after World War II
  • Tokuo Yamamoto:
    • Information is limited
    • Highlights the challenges of preserving the history of individuals from marginalized communities during events such as World War II
  • Masashi Tazumi:
    • Spent his early years in Japan, returning to the United States at 18
    • Sent to the Poston War Relocation Center, one of the largest Japanese-American internment camps during World War II
    • After the War, he settled in Cleveland, Ohio, and later relocated to Fresno, California, as a gardener
    • Played a pivotal role in establishing the Cleveland Buddhist Temple

Leadership 

Leadership is distributed between the local leader and the head supervisor. The Tokudo minister, Reverend Anita Tokuzen Kazarian, is the local leader. Reverend Ron Miyamura is the head religious instructor and supervisor of the Cleveland Buddhist Temple. In addition to the Cleveland Buddhist Temple, Rev. Miyamura was associated with the Buddhist Churches of America (BCA), the BCA Eastern District Temples, and the Midwest Buddhist Temple. He retired in November 2023 after 50 years of ministerial service. He served as the minister of the Midwest Buddhist Temple from 1973-1981 and 2010-2023. He received his Bachelor’s in American History from the University of California, Berkeley. After his undergraduate studies, he received his Master of Arts in Shin Buddhism from Ryukoku University in Kyoto.

Shin Buddhist Beliefs 

Shin Buddhism, also known as Jodo Shinshu Buddhism or True Pure Land Buddhism, originated in Japan in the 1200s. Shinran Shonin, the founder, was among the first Japanese Buddhist monks to marry and have a family. He referred to himself as “neither a monk nor lay person.” Shin Buddhism is the most widely practiced type of Buddhism in Japan, which is consistent given the origins of Cleveland’s temple. Shin Buddhism is a branch of Pure Land Buddhism established in India by the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. Shin means “heart” or “core.”

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple is a Mahāyāna Shin Buddhist temple. Shin Buddhism is defined as the path of gratitude. The Shin Buddhist way of life is the life of unending gratitude. Rather than seeking enlightenment, the Shin Buddhist path emphasizes listening and opening one’s heart to receiving it. Shin Buddhism advises against trying to achieve enlightenment because it is ever-fleeting. They draw an analogy comparing enlightenment to a snowflake; “Trying to grasp at or attain enlightenment can be like trying to grab a snowflake that falls. Once you grab it, you have crushed it. But if you open your hand and allow the snow to gently fall into your hand, the snowflake becomes yours, without any effort in grasping.” 

Shin Buddhism also emphasizes the importance of “simply listening.” It does not require any particular lifestyle or rules. Instead, they advise practitioners to listen to the Dharma in everyday life. This can mean listening to a Dharma talk or lecture, or just listening and talking to anyone, such as a friend, teacher, etc. The Buddha says our lives are shaped by difficulties we go through-challenges that result from our inability to see things. We are heavily influenced by our preferences and prejudices to the point of creating difficulty for ourselves and others. By simply listening, we enable ourselves to cultivate a mind that sees things as they are and to live a life of gratitude, which is considered to be the true strength of life. 

Relationships with other Western and Asian Buddhist communities

As mentioned, Reverend Ron Miyamura had affiliations with other Buddhist institutions until recently– the BCA Eastern District Temples and the Midwest Buddhist Temple. The Cleveland Buddhist Temple is part of the Buddhist Churches of America. The BCA was founded in 1899. It is a Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha denomination headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. The BCA comprises over 60 Shin Buddhist communities across the United States. This allows the Cleveland Buddhist Temple to form positive relationships with other Buddhist communities nationwide. Although no information is available about the temple’s relationship with Asian Buddhist communities, we can assume that Reverend Miyamura’s education in Japan has allowed for a positive connection.

Community Constituency

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple was initially a spiritual and cultural haven for Japanese Americans. The temple’s community has since evolved to include diverse practitioners. The temple continues to honor Japanese heritage yet embraces the backgrounds of those interested in Shin Buddhism.

  • Supervising Minister: Reverend Ron Miyamura
  • Local Leadership: Reverend Anita Tokuzen Kazarian
  • Affiliations: Buddhist Churches of America (BCA)
  • Community Engagement: emphasizes inclusivity, welcoming individuals from all backgrounds to engage in group discussions and learning

Practices

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple follows the practices and beliefs of Shin Buddhism. These practices include:

  • Nembutsu: a Buddhist practice of reciting the name of the Buddha to express gratitude
  • Meditation: quiet sitting and guided meditation are offered during the Zen Shin Sangha service to calm the mind and foster deeper connections to oneself and others
  • Sutra Recitation: chanting Buddhist sutras as a form of devotion and mindfulness
  • Community Engagement: opportunities for group discussions and learning

Events

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple offers a limited selection of events. The temple provides two monthly services:

  • 9:45 AM: Zen Shin Sangha: a session featuring contemplation and self-reflection by quiet sitting, guided meditation, and sutra recitations. The goal is to calm one’s mind and body so that we can focus on the present and reveal our profound connection to all beings. 
  • 10:30 AM: Shin Buddhist Service: Reverend Anita Tokuzen Kazarian leads a Shin Buddhist Sangha gathering and service
  • Following the service: a social period with coffee accompanied by a discussion of a short reading

Cleveland Buddhist Temple Calendar

https://clevelandbuddhisttemple.org/calendar

Community Understanding of Buddhism

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple’s mission is to share the Buddha Dharma and provide a place of practice for Shin Buddhists. The temple community is committed to sharing wisdom and compassion through the teachings of Buddha. The temple’s goals include:

  • Sharing the Buddha Dharma 
  • Exploring new ways of sharing
  • Mission Statement: Come as you are. The Cleveland Buddhist Temple welcomes everyone with open arms to practice the Shin Buddhist path.

The temple constantly emphasizes inclusivity and openness for all who are interested. This stems from Reverend Koshin Ogui, who opened the doors for non-Buddhists to learn Buddhist culture as they wished.

COVID-19 Policies

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the Cleveland Buddhist Temple to suspend services indefinitely. The temple used this time of uncertainty to highlight a foundation of Buddhist teachings: impermanence. This statement remains on the website, “It is true of all things. When we remain attached to what we know and are comfortable with and resist the changes needed as our world changes, we suffer.” Services have since resumed with changes to allow the temple to continue to share the Buddha Dharma and Shin Buddhist teachings. These changes included:

  • Sharing the Buddha-dharma as their purpose
  • Free of organizational burden, aspiring to use their resources and talents to reach more people as they explore new ways of sharing Shin Buddhist teachings
  • Reverend Anita Tokuzen Kazarian will continue local leadership
  • The BCA supports the efforts of the Cleveland Buddhist Temple to explore this new path for Shin Buddhism with an informal affiliation
  • They encourage formal membership in the BCA

Funding

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple sustains its operations through donations from supporters and community members. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the temple underwent a reorganization, shifting towards simplifying its structure to focus primarily on sharing Shin Buddhist teachings. Since the temple is part of the BCA, donations to the Midwest Buddhist Temple are facilitated to the Cleveland Buddhist Temple. These donations fund the temple’s operations and allow it to share Shin Buddhist teachings.

Bibliography

Cleveland Buddhist temple: Encyclopedia of Cleveland history: Case western reserve university. Encyclopedia of Cleveland History | Case Western Reserve University. (2018, May 11). https://case.edu/ech/articles/c/cleveland-buddhist-temple.

Current and past ministers. Midwest Buddhist Temple. (2024, February 3). https://mbtchicago.org/current-and-past-ministers/.

Dharma from the Forest City. Cleveland Buddhist Temple. (n.d.). https://clevelandbuddhisttemple.org/.Shin Buddhism. Buddhist Churches of America (BCA). (2020). https://www.buddhistchurchesofamerica.org/shin-buddhism.