We ground ourselves in the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha who realized enlightenment and set out to liberate all beings from suffering. During their life in this world, Sakyamuni Buddha gave 84 thousand Dharma talks which symbolize the innumerable paths towards enlightenment. The Jodo Shinshu teaching is one such path which has contributed significantly to the formation and values of The Young Buddhist Editorial. The Jodo Shinshu tradition was founded as a radical Buddhist movement which sought to make Buddhism accessible to all peoples and not just those who were born into nobility. It teaches us that liberation comes through the power of Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow, which encourages us to live a life of compassion, curiosity, learning, and growth and to see things as they truly are. We strive to be mindful of these teachings and integrate the Dharma into all that we do.

We recognize that YBE is rooted in Japanese American history and experience. We recognize that our history and experiences as individuals and as a community are continually shaped in relation to white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, and imperialism which serves to further the cycle of suffering our community and other marginalized communities experience. We recognize that because of this, YBE and Japanese American temples serve not only as religious centers but also as places of cultural and community resilience. We recognize that for many, the Japanese American identity and the Jodo Shinshu identity are two inseparable, innate intertwined, intersectional identities. We recognize the complexity of the Japanese American identity and seek not to diversify Japaneseness but disrupt what it means to identify as a Japanese American with colonial legacies.

We value our relationships with all sentient beings as well as our connection to nature and our environment. We see all beings as interconnected and see the parallels and intersections between our community and other communities in the United States and how we exist through these relationships. We move together in solidarity and community with other marginalized groups in the U.S. and the broader world and understand that our liberation is tied to the liberation of all groups. We see how nature and our environment connect us to this earth as well as one another and that we only exist because of our interdependent nature. We recognize that independent existence is impossible and that our existence is inherently connected with the existence of all sentient beings.

We understand the importance of building relationships within and outside of our community as well as the importance of individual relationships that help to create those bridges. We understand the Buddha teaches us that we only exist because other beings exist and express this value by taking care of one another. We understand that while we center and honor Japanese and Asian American experiences, we see the value in the history and experiences of other traditions and identities, and we encourage engagement with YBE at any level. We are privileged with the ability to build a virtual Sangha and platform and will use our unique position to bridge communities and individuals together. We strive to uphold the utmost respect and empathy for all sentient beings. We endeavor to understand our social position in relation to others and examine the power structures and imbalances inherent in our relationships with others in order to disrupt and dismantle them. We strive to empower and ensure that every Sangha member has a voice that will be respected and listened to, especially those who have historically been disenfranchised, excluded, and ignored by institutions and those in power. We recognize the importance of trust and mutual consent in community spaces and strive to practice vulnerability with one another in ways that are reciprocal.

We endeavor to challenge and support ourselves, the Jodo Shinshu sangha, and the greater community to learn, grow, and take action together in the historical and current context of injustices and social justice movements. We endeavor to understand our organization’s positionalities as primarily Japanese and Asian American within social justice movements and how our community and identities inform not only how we navigate, but how we are perceived by others. We endeavor to create a brave space where we can discuss difficult topics that materially impact our community members and communities we move in solidarity with. In our endeavor to abolish suffering, we recognize the importance of abolishing the structures of white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, and imperialism which perpetuate violence against the world. We commit ourselves to the difficult path of healing by acknowledging when we or our community have caused harm and then seeking out pathways forward through a transformative justice lens.