Message from the BCA Bishop to college-age youth

By Rev. Marvin Harada, Bishop of the BCA

It is my pleasure and privilege to share a message with all of you.  First, I think that your age and phase of life is one of the most important in the life of a Buddhist.  It is during our college years that we begin to think seriously about life and what our life will be.  We might encounter friends in college of other religious backgrounds, who both challenge and question to us, “What is Buddhism?  What are the Buddha’s teachings?”  We might feel inadequate in trying to answer their questions, or to explain what is Buddhism to them.  The reason why we can’t explain it, is because we do not have a fundamental understanding ourselves.  This shakes us up, in a positive way, making us seek to find those answers for ourselves.  First, we ask ourselves, “What is Buddhism to me?  How do I understand the teachings in terms of my own life?”  From that fundamental question, our seeking begins.  That is why this phase of your life is most important in your life as a Buddhist.

That very same thing happened to me when I was in college.  My best friend and dorm roommate was a devout Christian.  He was trying to convert me to Christianity, and I attended his church with him.  It felt very uplifting, with music and a very friendly congregation.  I was even tempted to convert, but then I thought, “But I don’t even know what Buddhism is.  How can I leave one tradition without even knowing what its teachings are?”  

For the first time, I began to seek for myself, what is Buddhism, what is Jodo Shinshu?  I attended all kinds of retreats, conferences, and even an IBS summer session for an entire month.  I came to find a wonderful teaching, a path that I could follow, in Shin Buddhism.  

The rest is history, as it led me to eventually go into the ministry.  The college friend of mine went on to become a Methodist minister, and we are still good friends.  

One never knows what might be the karmic condition that propels one on to the path of the Dharma.  It could be a friend like I had that challenged me about having one’s own sense of conviction in religion.  It could be a difficult life experience, like the Coronavirus that we are all experiencing.  It could be a failure, or a deeply painful experience, like the loss of a loved one, or the rejection of a significant other.  It could be meeting an inspiring teacher or individual that makes you want to follow the path of the Dharma to come to know what they know.  If we look at our life experiences as great teachers, as potential karmic conditions that set us on the path, then who knows what might be the life transforming experience for us?  

As all of you are in that most significant phase of your life, I hope that you will find that you begin to seek to know the Dharma for yourselves, in your own heart and mind.  Whatever you seek, you will be rewarded, by having the teachings become more ingrained into the core of your being and becoming a foundation for your life.  

Namuamidabutsu,

Rev. Marvin Harada

Bishop