My Story

Hi, I'm Reverend Ko’e Amy Umezu from West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple. There is a lot of interest in the community about learning more about Buddhism and Jodo Shinshu. I think many people are looking for direction and foundation in their lives, especially in this age where so many things are happening around the world and in our communities.

In terms of who we reach out to, there is sometimes discussion about which is more important: cultivating those who are already here or reaching new people. I don’t think one is more important than the other—I think both are equally important. The way I understand Shinran Shonin’s words is that the conditions have to be right for someone to meet with this teaching sincerely.

I grew up in a Jodo Shinshu family. My grandfather was a strong supporter of Jodo Shinshu and of the propagation efforts of the BCA in general. He would always tell me, “Jodo Shinshu is not just for Japanese. Amida Buddha’s vow is for everyone.” We should be mindful of that. Yes, we come from Japanese and Japanese American roots, and we don’t need to automatically throw that away. There are important things in the culture built into our services. But at the same time, we want to make sure that the teaching is shared in a way that is universal for all people.