News

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 Thursday, November 8, 2012. The serviced honored some forty-five pioneers who gave much of their time and energy for the growth of the IBS. The […]

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 Studies Department, will conduct an Intensive Study Program on the subject of “Shinran and the Nirvana Sutra (Mahaparinirvana Sutra)” Monday, July 9 to Thursday, July […]

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, which explores the budding field of Buddhist contemplative care. Contemplative care, of course, is of particular importance to our community, our chaplaincy and ministerial students. […]

The Institute of Buddhist Studies is pleased to announce the following spring events. All events are free and open to the public and will be held at: the Institute of Buddhist Studies, 2140 Durant Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704. Graduate Student Symposium: Second Annual […]

“Seventy years ago today, the President signed a decree that sent me and my family to a prison camp. Hear my story, and learn how you can help fulfill our pledge: Never Forget. Never Again. We have a tremendous opportunity, […]

via vimeo.com

The Institute of Buddhist Studies, Berkeley, is pleased to announce that the entire run of The Buddhist Forum will be made available as downloadable PDFs on the IBS website. The Buddhist Forum was first published by the School of Oriental […]

Routledge has published a new volume, edited by David L. McMahan, titled Buddhism in the Modern World.

In Buddhism in the Modern World, McMahan brings together sixteen scholars to discuss various aspects of modern Buddhism in contemporary Asia and the West. Scholars from Martin Baumann and Paul David Numrich to Damien Keown and Cristina Rocha explore how Buddhism is practiced from Southeast Asia to Europe, how it influences ethics and social engagement, culture and politics.

We are pleased to announce a call for papers for the 2nd Annual Graduate Student Symposium at the Institute of Buddhist Studies. Our theme this year is “Globalization, Tourism, Modernization, and the Religions of Asia.”

Both in Asia and in the West, religions are transformed by globalization, tourism, and modernization. This conference invites graduate students to submit proposals considering how one or more of these topics affect religions of Asia, either in the U.S. or abroad.

Proposals should be between 150 to 200 words, and include the paper’s title and the author’s name, affiliation, and contact information. Please submit proposals to Courtney Bruntz no later than January 1, 2012.

Please join us this Friday, October 28, for the Fall 2011 Numata Lecture

Karmic Mindfulness: Rethinking Morality in Contemporary Buddhism

Professor Dale Wright, Occidental College

A ceremony officially recognizing the donation of $500,000.00 towards the Jodo Shinshu Center Kodo’s Onaijin in 2003 was officially recognized with a short ceremony on Friday, September 23, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. The Onaijin donation was made in honor of the late Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata, founder of Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai(BDK).

The incoming class of fall 2011 at the Institute of Buddhist Studies is one of growing diversity of interest in Buddhist Studies, Shin Ministry and Buddhist Chaplaincy.

The Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS) and the Sati Institute of Theravada Buddhist Studies (SITBS) announce a new, cooperative degree program.

Some 30 people, with various interest in Buddhist chaplaincy attended the first “Buddhist Chaplaincy Conference: An Overview of Spiritual Care Giving,” co-sponsored by the Institute of Buddhist Studies and the Sati Center Program for Buddhist Chaplaincy at the Jodo Shinshu […]