MYOSHO-JI,妙声寺, WONDERFUL VOICE BUDDHIST TEMPLE
Ryusho Kansho Jeffus Shonin, the founder of Myosho-ji, died on Aug. 11, 2020.
Myosho-ji was originally founded to serve the Charlotte area as well as North and South Carolina in August 2007. Myosho-ji translates from Japanese as Wonderful Voice Temple, with an implication of continuous chanting and spreading the Buddha Dharma.
Over time the focus of our efforts seemed to be increasingly called towards an online effort. More and more people joined in online for our services. Initially those services were simple one way streams with no interaction. As technology changed and costs lowered we were able to offer real time interactions between those who were viewing and those at the temple.
The digital Sangha began to grow, evolve and solidify. With my retirement and with some changes in policy in Japan and how temples are recognized I decided to change to on entirely online or digital temple. Along with retirement came my move to Syracuse, NY which is where the digital Sangha streams from, well mostly.
Myosho-ji serves as the home for practitioners in every part of the globe. While our primary language is English I do try to facilitate speakers of other languages. The digital temple/sangha affords every person who has an internet connection the opportunity to practice with a Nichiren Shu priest in a temple environment. Myosho-ji eliminates the barrier of distance or location and accessibility to a temple.
We have over the past year been able to offer many activities which before now were impossible or not being done in Nichiren Shu. Twice we have had successful weekend long retreats done completely online using various applications for recording, sending, receiving video as well as other retreat materials. In addition to our weekly service on Sunday morning a Wednesday study as well as an experimental Tuesday morning service have been added to our schedule.
There is much to do, and things will evolve over time. I hope you will consider joining with Myosho-ji’s digital Sangha. It should be noted that in our Sangha we have moved away from the internet being a place to consume media. One of the expectations in this digital Sangha as well as in every Sangha is that each person will participate and contribute. So rather than merely consuming content members of the Sangha engage in creating the content which we all jointly consume.
We welcome guests for any of our regularly scheduled services. If you are interested in experiencing a Buddhist service or if your interests lie in pursuing a deeper understanding of Buddhism please feel free to join us. We welcome any and all.
With Gassho,
Ryusho Jeffus, Shonin, MDiv, BCC
Nichiren Shu is a Buddhist Order Founded by the religious prophet and reformer, Nichiren Shonin(1222-1282).
He espoused the doctrine that the Lotus Sutra represents the embodiment of the genuine teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.
Our belief in this doctrine is affirmed by our chanting of the Odaimoku (Sacred Title) “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,” that is “Adoration to the Scripture of the Lotus of the Perfect Truth.”
We believe that Nichiren Shonin was the messenger of the Buddha who has guided us in cultivating our Buddha nature, a quality inherent in all beings, and establishing a way of life consonant with the eternal truths preached by the Buddha.
We vow to the Buddha and Nichiren Shonin that we will strive to engender peace within ourselves and throughout the world by disseminating the teaching expounded in the Lotus Sutra.
