News

With the theme: “Dharma at Times of Need: The Interface of Chaplaincy and Ministry,” a […]

Wisdom Publications has released a new book by noted Shin Buddhist scholar Takamaro Shigaraki, Heart […]

A two day symposium jointly sponsored by the Institute of Buddhist Studies and Buddhist Ministry Initiative, Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, will be conducted on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4, 2013 at the Jodo Shinshu Center, 2140 Durant Avenue, Berkeley, CA , with the theme “Dharma at Times of Need: The interface of Chaplaincy and Ministry.”

Dr. Takamaro Shigaraki, noted Shin Buddhist Scholar, former Professor and President of Ryukoku University, and […]

We are pleased to announce the 2013 Ryukoku Lectures series with Prof. Tesshin Michimoto Mt. […]

Pure Land Buddhist traditions have been some of the largest and most influential in Buddhist history, and remain so to the present day. Moreover, the very idea of a purified, perfect land of a buddha echoes throughout Buddhist text and praxis. Most often, this buddha is “Immeasurable Light” or “Immeasurable Life,” who created a pure land far to the west of our own world. But there are many others. This conference aims to examine sectarian traditions of Pure Land Buddhism as well as the “pure land” within Buddhism generally. As this conference is jointly-sponsored by associations connected to Pure Land Buddhist traditions in two countries, it is a unique chance to approach pure land expansively, in terms of its long history, global reach, and diverse regional and trans-regional expressions–whether in or across what are today known as China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Canada, and so on. The hope is to increase knowledge and scholarly exchange about the multifaceted development of pure land in Buddhist cultures. Papers are welcome on any aspect of pure land, type of Pure Land Buddhism, any region or historical period, and from any methodological or disciplinary perspective.

We are pleased to announce a call for papers for the 3rd Annual Graduate Student Symposium at the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Audio and video recordings from this fall’s symposium, Domestic Dharma: Beyond Texts, Beyond Monasteries, has been added to our podcast.

  The Institute of Buddhist Studies conducted its first Perpetual Memorial Service (Eitaikyo Service) on […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS), seminary and graduate School, began its 2012 fall semester with a total of eighty students enrolled in its Buddhist Studies programs.

The categorization of Buddhism along geo-political lines is perhaps the most common organizing principle today. It also tends to be accepted uncritically. Thus we find, without explanation, such expressions as “Indian Buddhism,” “Tibetan Buddhism,” “Chinese Buddhism,” “Burmese Buddhism,” and so on. These categories predominate not only in popular representations of Buddhism, such as the Buddhist magazines, but also in textbooks of both “world’s religions” and of Buddhism, in academic societies, and publishing, and perhaps the most durable entrenchment, in academic appointments.

The North American District of the International Association of Shin Buddhist Studies is happy to announce that we have been accepted by the American Academy of Religion (AAR) as a Related Scholarly Organization (RSO).

Dr. Mark Blum, Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of Albany, SUNY, East Asian […]

Five Institute Of Buddhist Studies’ students received their Master Degrees at a commencement ceremony on Friday, May 18, 2012 at the Jodo Shinshu Center in Berkeley.

The Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, CA sponsored and held its Second Annual Graduate Symposium that presented work from graduate students across the United States. Institutions represented included Florida State University, the Graduate Theological Union, the Institute of Buddhist Studies, Maitripa College, Northwestern University, and University of Southern California. Within the fields of Art History, Buddhist Studies, and Religious Studies, students presented papers focused on the theme of Globalization, Tourism, Modernization and the Religions of Asia.

A new book is being published by Wisdom Publications, titled The Arts of Contemplative Care, […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies is pleased to announce the following spring events. All events are […]

“Seventy years ago today, the President signed a decree that sent me and my family […]

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The Institute of Buddhist Studies, Berkeley, is pleased to announce that the entire run of […]