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Young Buddhists - Where have they gone?
I am taking the liberty with my rotation in the Wheel of Dharma to present a major phenomenon that has occurred concerning BCA youth in the last decade, and which is of growing concern to the BCA and its temples. At the BCA level, ministers, temple presidents, and delegates meet regularly to discuss the issues and business of our temples. But you, the general membership, may not be aware of the concerns and efforts of these people. Therefore, I am presenting one issue that may pique your interest.
BCA temples recently received “Let’s Do Something Now - Request from the Office of the Socho” which asks for the establishment of a Buddhist Education Program in each local temple to promote Buddhist Education as the foremost means by which to sustain the growth of the Sangha and to reach out to others. Socho Ogui says, “Our temples cannot grow until we can adequately share the teachings with others.” As a ministerial advisor to the BCA Youth Advocacy Committee that was formed in 2000 “to begin planning and implementing methods of reaching out to, and advocating for, young adults and students within our temples and communities,” I cannot agree more with the Socho. “Others” includes not only newcomers, but also our own young people who have experienced the ever-widening communication gap involving language, culture, and religious education that our temples have manifested as they progressed through the generations here in America.
All of you know the chronic problems that plague the BCA such as an aging and declining membership, a ministerial shortage, and the need for more English-speaking ministers. Those of you who are in the smaller temples know this situation better than anyone. It is a constant battle to keep and sustain young members and find ways to keep them interested in Buddhism and have them return to the temple later in life.
In 1991, the WYBL - Western Young Buddhist League, consisting of high school and college level youths, numbered 697 members. In 1992, that number dropped to 598, and by 1993, three Southern District Sr. YBA chapters had become inactive and Bay District did not have enough members to elect officers. Today, only three districts are active with a handful of members, and some count both Sr. and Jr. YBA in the same organization. The Sr. YBA has all but disappeared with a 90 – 95% decrease in membership since 1991. Where have our youth gone, and why?
I would like to think that whatever they are doing, they are contented, happy, and well. Perhaps many are simply too busy to come back to the temple at this time in their lives, as many of us were. On the other hand, it is not unusual for people of this age to actively wonder about the deeper questions of life, which is why so many campus religious youth groups are flourishing. Former young members who find themselves without a spiritual home may be interested in contacting our organization or opening our website to get information on current BCA youth activities and what YAC has to offer.
But the problem goes back further than the fact that temple life seems to end for many with graduation. Are they leaving with something of lasting substance and value that can only be acquired through participation at the temple?
One of the concerns regarding youth activities in the temple is that there is too much emphasis on “culture,” mainly Japanese American/Japanese culture and social events, and not enough emphasis on religious and spiritual aspects. This is ironic, given that religion is the unique and defining attribute that differentiates us from other cultural organizations. In essence, many of our temples have lost sight of their true reason for existing, due to the social and historical circumstances surrounding our members over the past century. While BCA temples were initially founded to serve devout Shin Buddhist immigrants, at the same time, they became social centers for the Nikkei. As such, the preservation of heritage and language also became important functions of the temple. Gradually, as fewer and fewer young people could understand Japanese, it became more and more difficult for them to understand the heartfelt Dharma messages that many of the ministers attempted to convey.
We have to look back to the Sansei generation to see where the real attrition started. Many of the Sansei who attended Dharma School have never returned. Others bring their own children back, but many do this more for socio-cultural reasons than for religious reasons. And herein lies the problem. If adults do not see the temple as a place to pursue their spiritual development, if they have not awakened to the merits of this valuable teaching themselves, then how can their children be expected to understand why the temple exists? Hence, the urgent need to focus on Buddhist education is meant not only for young people, but for members of all ages, and all of us are called upon to set the example. Only in this way can we solidify our foundation so that the young people of today and future generations will have temples where they can hear the teaching.
In this era of spiritual searching in America, it would be a shame if we did not make optimum use of the infrastructure that was so painstakingly established by our forebears. The interest in Buddhism in this country has been growing steadily for half a century, to the extent that it is now part of the popular consciousness. A focus on religion would bring us into the mainstream where some are already beginning to see that people don’t have to be ethnic Japanese to embrace the Jodo Shinshu teaching. We owe it to our own children to make it accessible before they, too, grow up and look elsewhere for meaning.
It is simply overwhelming to contemplate the choices our children have today, with increased mobility and information. As parents, we have tremendous concern for them both pragmatically and spiritually. In the latter instance, we hope that our temples can serve our youth well in that important aspect of their development by providing adequate and appropriate teaching.
If we have learned anything from the past, we can be sure that all things change and nothing is guaranteed to last. But looking optimistically, there is great hope for us. We have come full circle back to viewing our temples as religious establishments meant to provide the sangha with a teaching that will carry us all through life. Therefore, rather than looking to social or cultural interests first, we should take our Socho’s lead and get back to Buddhist Education as the basis for our temple’s environment.
You can access the BCA Youth Advocacy Committee website to learn more about our efforts to address the needs and concern of our youth at www.bcayouth.org.
In Gassho.
Rev. Fumiaki Usuki
West LA Buddhist Temple
© 2008 West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Online
