The Story of Our Temple

The Newport Beach Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple has served the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist community in Orange County for many decades. What began as informal gatherings in the homes of dedicated members grew into a formally incorporated temple, with the Newport Beach Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple being fully incorporated in 1955.

We are an affiliate of Shinshu Otani-ha (the Otani branch of the Shinshu denomination), headquartered at the Higashi Honganji in Kyoto, Japan — one of the oldest and largest Buddhist institutions in the world, with approximately 10,000 temples and 10 million members.

Founding and Early Growth (1980s)

Finding Our Newport Beach Home (1995)

The Newport Beach Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple traces its roots to the faith and dedication of early Japanese American families in Orange County. Before the temple had a permanent home, members gathered in private residences to observe services, study the Dharma, and keep the Jodo Shinshu tradition alive. The temple was formally incorporated in 1955, establishing a lasting institutional home for the Sangha.

Over the decades, the temple has continued to grow as a spiritual and cultural gathering place, welcoming members from the Japanese American community and all those who wish to hear and practice the Buddhadharma.

Modern Era and Community Connection (2000s - Now)

The Newport Beach Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple is proud to serve as a community gathering place. In addition to our religious services and Dharma programs, the temple facility is home to several independent organizations that share our commitment to Japanese culture and community. These organizations operate independently and are not sponsored by the temple.

History

The tradition of the Higashi Honganji is called Jodo Shinshu, also known as Shin Buddhism. It is a denomination founded by Shinran Shonin (1173–1262) in Japan during the Kamakura Period, formally known as Shinshu Otani-ha. Its foundation rests on three sutras the Larger Sutra of Eternal Life, the Smaller Sutra of Eternal Life, and the Meditation Sutra which form the basis of what is called Pure Land Buddhism.

The Pure Land tradition developed in China and came to Japan through Honen Shonin (1133–1212), the founder of the Jodo sect and the teacher of Shinran Shonin. Dissatisfied with the traditional monastic path that made Buddhism inaccessible to most people, Honen taught the Nembutsu the recitation of Namu Amida Butsu (I take refuge in Amida Buddha) as a path open to all.

Learning About Shin Buddhism

Founder of Shin Buddhism

Shinran Shonin (1173–1262) is the founder of the Jodo Shinshu tradition. He identified seven great teachers the Seven Patriarchs, whose teachings he considered essential to his understanding of the Buddhadharma: Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu of India; T'an-luan, Tao-ch'o, and Shan-tao of China; and Genshin and Honen Shonin of Japan.

After twenty years of monastic study that left him feeling distant from the awakening he sought, he left the monastery and joined the Sangha established by Honen. Through Honen and the Nembutsu, Shinran came to understand that Buddhism is truly universal open to all who can arrive at an honest understanding of themselves as bombu, ordinary beings clouded by ignorance and self-centeredness. This realization, expressed in the saying of Namu Amida Butsu, was for Shinran the essential first step toward awakening.

The Nembutsu

At the center of Jodo Shinshu practice is the Nembutsu the saying of Namu Amida Butsu, meaning 'I take refuge in Amida Buddha.' In Shinran's teaching, the Nembutsu is not a practice performed to earn merit or achieve enlightenment through one's own effort. Rather, it is an expression of gratitude and entrusting shinjin the recognition of Amida Buddha's boundless compassion and wisdom that embraces all beings without exception.