YAC 11 Edition
Prompt: Tell us a story about someone who has impacted your perspective on Buddhism
Alex Shinkawa
He/Him/His
University of California, Santa Barbara
Asian American studies and Political Science
“The group of people that impacted my perspective on Buddhism the most was probably my YAC 11 cohort. YAC 11 was the “Shaka”muni Buddha’s and we became close friends almost instantly. We developed our own hand sign, which in hindsight was basically the Shaka, and made great memories. I loved the energy that we all shared and everyone was excited to be a part of the program. Being a part of YAC helped me develop a stronger personal understanding of the role that Buddhism played in my life. It also helped me get over my fear of public speaking, and being around supportive and encouraging friends really helped to build my self-confidence. Overall, YAC helped me meet some of my best friends within the Buddhist community, and hanging out with them helped me develop my own understanding of the impact of the teachings of the Buddha.”
Kellie K. Lee
She/Her/Hers
University of California, Los Angeles
D1 School of Dentistry
Growing up I attended the Sacramento Buddhist Church with my mom, but never felt like I fully understood the teachings of the Dharma. In all honesty, I attended Dharma School so that I could play basketball, and sat through Sunday services because my mom brought me along. I would always sing the words: we live most days routinely, without much thought that we will never live this day again in all eternity, but it wasn’t until I had a talk with Reverend Bob and Reverend Patti Oshita, that I truly felt like I understood what these words meant. Through their many sermons and lectures, the Oshita’s truly taught me what it means to live a life of gratitude, by cherishing each moment and living life to the fullest each day. They awakened me to the Buddhist teachings, and have changed the way I view everyday suchness. I am forever grateful to have learned the teachings of Buddhism from them, and aspire to live a life of fulfillment and great happiness.
Juliet Bost
They/Them/Theirs
University of California, Davis
Political Science - Public Service
“It was surprising to see the spirit of Pride blend seamlessly with a teaching I’d heard at the Buddhist temple — sono mama de, just as you are. One year, when my family joined the [Buddhist Church of San Francisco] BCSF contingent at [San Francisco] Pride, Rev. Keisuke showed up in a pink tutu and tastefully cropped t-shirt, very visually embracing the Pride spirit. What stood out to me was his humility, how he welcomed that moment, and everyone in it with open arms. We were dancing to Obon songs, like Tanko Bushi and Shiawase Samba, and he learned the dances and made mistakes right there, in public, no sense of ego to hold him back from. We danced our way down Market Street, smiling and laughing, not worrying about missing a beat or forgetting a move. It was a feeling of freedom I can’t quite put into words, and I think that was the essence of sono mama de — the feeling, the doing, the being, just as we are.”
Breven Honda
He/Him/His
San Diego State University, Class of 2021
Journalism
“From 2005-2013, Rev. Mukojima was the Resident Minister for the Buddhist Temple of San Diego before moving to the Mountain View Buddhist Temple. During his eight years in San Diego, he found a way to attract and talk to the entire sangha from the youngest child to the oldest member. When I was 11 and 12 years old, he taught dharma school students and myself in our class how to chant. He taught us how to correctly chant by having the right posture, chanting from the stomach. That was a small basis for what I did a few years later in 2015 when I participated in the Youth Advocacy Retreat learning how to chant from other ministers, such as Rev. Bob and Rev. Patti Oshita. With the help of Mukojima-Sensei, he helped children, including myself, learn the Dharma at a level they could understand in Dharma messages. He found how to connect with the kids.”
Emi Nakashima
She/Her/Hers
University of Washington, Class of 2021
Biochemistry
“As my story about someone who has impacted my view of Buddhism, I would like to share a story from Reverend Bob that has stayed with me since YAC. Reverend Bob attended a convention with representatives of many different religions, who had gathered to share their religion and learn about others’ religions. Each representative had a chance to describe their religion and gave long-winded answers. Reverend Bob sensed that the audience was becoming restless, so on his turn, he went to the podium, said one sentence about Buddhism, and sat back down. I don’t remember exactly what Reverend Bob said, but the part that impacted me the most was that while all the other representatives were trying to explain their religion in great detail with technical terms, Reverend Bob kept his message short. He took the audience’s feelings into consideration and still managed to convey the essence of Buddhism. I think this story emphasizes how Buddhism, while categorized as a religion, is more a way of life, or self conduct. This story helped me realize and understand that this aspect is what makes Buddhism stand out in comparison to other religions.”
Andy Yamashita
He/Him/His
University of Washington, Class of 2021
Journalism and Ethinic Studies
“It’d be really easy to pick Rev. Bob, Rev. Patti, or any of the other incredible staff from YAC 11, but I think one of the most impactful people on my perception of Buddhism has been Rev. Haruo Yamaoka, the former minister at Oakland Buddhist Temple. I didn’t like going to temple as a kid, but one of Rev. Yamaoka’s Dharma talks about Ohigan has stuck with me, even though I heard it almost a decade ago. The holiday, which translates to the other shore, is normally interpreted as a day to remember passed loved ones and ancestors. However, Rev. Yamaoka said Ohigan offered another purpose. It’s a chance to cross over and see the world in someone else’s perspective. He preached that empathy was how Ohigan’s proverbial crossing manifested in the real world, and it taught me how to understand people from different religious, ethnic, socioeconomic, or cultural backgrounds. Those skills continue to serve me today. As a journalist, my ability to empathize with people, especially those in underreported communities, is a key part of me being able to accurately tell their stories, and I have Rev. Yamaoka to thank for that.”
Nick Karen
He/Him/His
Virginia Tech, Class of 2022
Finance and Business Information Technology
“In my middle to early high school years my mother took our family to visit my grandparents every weekend. We had recently moved from California back to Virginia where she had grown up and her parents resided. I became frustrated that I could not go out on the weekends with my friends or that I could not participate in other extracurricular activities. My mother told me my grandparents were getting older and one day we might [not] be able to see them. Further into my high school years, I received news that my grandfather passed away from cancer and my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Soon after, my grandmother, having complications with living on her own, moved in with my family. I wished times had been like before where my grandmother could live on her own. It was then I began to understand what it meant to be grateful with the present moment. Every moment had the chance to change and I have to be ready to face it.”
