San Diego Buddhist Temple Celebrates its History

December 23, 2001

Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune

On December 23, 2001, The San Diego Union-Tribune featured an article on the Vista Buddhist Temple in San Diego, CA. The article reported that "on Dec. 15, members celebrated the 20th anniversary of their current building with a year-end party, or Oseibo Taikai, to honor members over the age of 80... In recent years, the temple's congregation has become increasingly diverse because of an increase in Buddhist teachings at local colleges and universities... However, the temple can trace its roots to before the 1930s when Japanese-American farming families met at each other's homes for religious, language and cultural schooling... The Vista Buddhist Temple is one of two Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temples in San Diego County. The Jodo Shinshu path emphasizes the Mahayana Buddha-Dharma teachings as clarified by Shinran Shonin, or Jodo Shinshu of Japan, who lived from 1173 to 1262... Although the temple's religious doctrine has Japanese roots, many of the traditions they perpetuate have become more Japanese-American than Japanese. On Dec. 30, the temple will make mochi, rice cakes that are put into soup for good luck. Mochi-making is an old-fashioned custom that is no longer practiced in Japan."