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Register for this webinar here. Please join us on Friday October 9, 2020, at 1:00 p.m., Pacific time, for our first 2020 Numata Lecture. The True Teaching? Japanese Buddhists and the Quasi-Sectarian Politics of Public Schooling Secularist legal arrangements place […]

Whereas several Bay Area counties and the State of California are slowly reopening or ending shelter in place orders, and whereas several colleges and universities across the state and nation are planning on “business as usual” in the fall, we […]

Today voices throughout the world are proclaiming that “Black Lives Matter” and calling for an end to the systemic discrimination against black persons by police, governments and individuals. At this time we offer our support to the following statement by the Buddhist […]

Nalanda was an ancient Buddhist university in India that served as the site of invaluable learning and translation for hundreds of years. It is said that the earliest scholars passed through Nalanda, bringing sutras to China and aiding in the […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies is pleased to announce that it has been granted Initial Accreditation by the WASC Senior Commission of Universities and Colleges (WSCUC) for a period of six years. In the Commission Action Letter, the Commission commended […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies’ Admissions Committee has revised its application policies for all degree and certificate programs. Among the most significant changes are: reduced application fees: $40 for M.Div. and M.B.S. degree program applications; $15 for all certificate program […]

UPDATE: This event has been cancelled. Regrettably, due to the ongoing uncertainty regarding the coronavirus/COVID-19 situation, and an overabundance of caution, CJS and IBS have made the difficult decision to cancel this event. The organizers sincerely hope to reschedule this […]

The 2019 Institute of Buddhist Studies Annual Memorial Service was held on November 14th at 7 p.m. at the Jodo Shinshu Center in Berkeley, CA. The service was held to honor 137 dedicated supporters of the IBS. Four supporters were […]

Ryukoku University and Institute of Buddhist Studies present a Symposium on Approaches to Shin Buddhist Ethical Thinking November 1, 2019 1:00 – 5:00 pm Jodo Shinshu Center 1:00-2:45 Papers by: Mitsuya Dake James Fredericks Charles Hallisey Dennis Hirota Responses and […]

In the last few weeks, over six million people around the globe have protested climate disaster. On Friday, September 20, 2019 over two million people walked out of their schools or workplaces. On that day, my professor and schoolmates helped […]

Current student Akiko Rogers shares with us this piece on ordaining at Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan. You can read more about her family and journey to become a minister here. In July, twenty international Jodo Shinshu ministerial aspirants undertook tokudo […]

I’m the Dean of Students and Faculty Affairs. This means I’m chiefly responsible for working with faculty and staff to design curriculum, decide which courses to offer, and support students through the program. I’m also responsible for licensing and accreditation, making […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies, through the Offices of the President and Dean, has issued the following statement on our current human-created climate crisis. Four years ago, the Global Buddhist Climate Change Collective issued a statement to world leaders prior […]

I sat down with IBS alumnus Jamie Kimmel to discuss practice, chaplaincy, and how Buddhism can inform pastoral care. Tell us about yourself. How did you come to Buddhist chaplaincy? Like many others, it was a series of events in […]

Tadao Koyama graduated from IBS in 2018 with a Masters in Buddhist Studies. He is currently living and practicing Buddhism in Japan. We are delighted to share this update on his progress, and the challenges and rewards of training at Nishi […]

Life and Thought of Rennyo – His Propagation Skills and Influences The 2020 Ryukoku Lectures will be delivered by Kenjun Inoue, Assistant Professor of the Department of Shin Buddhist Studies, Ryukoku University. The topic of the lectures will be Rennyo […]

Life and Thought of Rennyo – His Propagation Skills and Influences The 2020 Ryukoku Lectures will be delivered by Kenjun Inoue, Assistant Professor of the Department of Shin Buddhist Studies, Ryukoku University. The topic of the lectures will be Rennyo […]

Please RSVP if you are interested in joining us for our annual memorial service to remember all those who came before to make the Institute possible.

On July 20, hundreds of people from across the country, including over twenty Buddhist priest from various traditions, joined together to protest at the Fort Sill army base, in Oklahoma. The U.S army imprisoned Native Americans at Fort Sill in […]

IBS would like to introduce our new Chaplaincy Program Coordinator, Gesshin Greenwood. Gesshin is a San Francisco native, Soto Zen priest, and therapist in training. She ordained in Japan with Seido Suzuki Roshi, and trained at Toshoji Monastery and Aichi […]