From “Please” to “Thank You”

In this GSS, Rev. Kenji addresses some prevalent Western misconceptions about Shin Buddhism and the traditions that support the practice. He emphasizes the importance of both content and context, highlighting how teachings have often been misinterpreted in the West. Rev. Kenji uses the analogy of trying a new sport and getting three strikes. If the sport is baseball, three strikes might not be surprising, but in bowling, achieving three strikes is a significant feat for a novice. Here, "three strikes" represents the content, while the sport serves as the context, illustrating how context influences our understanding of content. This principle applies to Buddhism as well. In addition to addressing the Western misunderstandings of Buddhism, he explains the everyday benefits of waking up to reality through true understanding. Waking up from "Please" to "Thank You."

Meet the Speaker: For over 30 years, Dr. Kenji Akahoshi was a practicing dentist in his hometown of San Jose, California; while being an active member of San Jose Buddhist Church. Pursuing his commitment to Buddhism, he received degrees from Sofia University in Tokyo, the Institute of Buddhist Studies in the US, and ordained as a Kyoshi Minister at the Nishi Hongwanji Temple in Kyoto, Japan. Rev. Kenji was then assigned to the Buddhist Temple of San Diego in 2013 where he was resident minister for 9 years. Rev Kenji has been a teacher and thought leader in the migration toward a more contemporary Shin Buddhist understanding.

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