Community Honors Rev. Dr. David Matsumoto
Gesshin Claire Greenwood | July 8, 2024
On Saturday, June 15th at the Mountain View Buddhist Temple, friends of the IBS and the BCA gathered to celebrate the career and retirement of Rev. Dr. David Matsumoto as President of the Institute of Buddhist Studies.
The service began with reflections and jokes from Dr. Richard Payne, Dr. Scott Mitchell, Dr. Takashi Miyaji, Rev. Jerry Hirano, and Professor Mitsuya Dake, followed by a dharma message from Bishop Marvin Harada. Bishop Harada spoke about “great compassion” and how we can all embody this in our lives.
Following service, sangha members gathered in the gym for bento and cake, and sharing of memories and congratulations.
We have all been moved by Dr. Matsumoto‘s kindness, steadiness, and his dedication to dharma and education. He brought a unique and valuable mixture of institutional shrewdness, passion for the dharma, and embodied Buddhist values to both IBS and his sangha. He will be greatly missed.
Starting July 1, 2024, Dr. Scott Mitchell took over the position of IBS president. Dr. Mitchell commented, “It was wonderful to see how many lives Rev. Dr. Matsumoto has touched over his many years of service not only to IBS but to the Berkeley and Stockton temples. I’ve been honored and deeply grateful to have worked with him over the last decade and look forward to carrying on his work into the future.”
The Wheel of Dharma magazine will publish a more in depth profile of Dr. Matsumoto’s career and legacy in September.
Photo credit: Eric Arakaki