Welcome!
Buddhism is a life long education to learn how to realize our human potential by transforming
suffering into peace, joy and liberation.
A warm welcome to newest affiliated
chapter
The Grupo Budista de Cordoba will meet once a month in Cordoba, Argentina
with meditation and nembutsu. This group's Practice Leader is Rodrigo Pedraza Cécere.
Announcing
We proudly announce that our Practice Leader, Shanti Johnson,
of the Brevard County Buddhist Fellowship will now also be
our Florida State Coordinator. She has done a wonderful job building a solid NASBA organization and expanding and deepening
the Nembutsu Way.
What is NASBA?
The North America Shin Buddhist
Association (NASBA) is a growing and innovative collection of affiliated American Shin Buddhist communities that
follow the successful and increasingly popular practice style of its flagship community, the Buddhist Faith Fellowship of
Connecticut. Established in the year 2005, and now headquartered in Middletown, Connecticut, NASBA serves as the religious
and administrative center for its affiliated sanghas across the continent and the world.
Expanding Boundries
NASBA offers open, caring, and nurturing communities
for all who seek the Buddhist experience. As a spiritual pioneer of the 21st century, its aspiration is to expand
the boundaries of the Buddha Dharma and the Nembutsu Way, thereby, helping to create
a new American Buddhism.
As a mission oriented organization,
its task is to unfold total spiritual transformation for its members and society by actively engaging in the Buddhist
teachings and practices and to share this path with all sentient beings. Its inspiration is the bodhisattva
path that strives to edify Buddha's message of nembutsu, peace and compassion with all.
Total Lay Control
NASBA follows the early Shin
Buddhist ideal of total lay control of the sanghas with an egalitarian, non-elitist and democratic format. Originally,
Shin Buddhism did not have or need religious professionals like monastics or clergy. Spiritual transmission was not passed
down from teacher to student but as Shinran Shonin taught, it unfolds as shinjin
(true entrusting mind), which manifests directly from the Primal Vow of Buddha Amida. Inspired by the original intent and
teachings of Shin Buddhism, this North American association does not follow any spiritual hierarchical or vertical (top-down)
organizational format but follows a flat or horizontal design. It does not ordain clergy or have any rituals of guru to student
transmission. It believes that all spiritual endowments come directly from the inconceivable Great Compassion, symbolized
by the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha.
Fellow Travellers on the Path
Being faithful to the original
intent of Shinran Shonin, the founder and foremost teacher of Shin Buddhism, NASBA considers all of its members as equal
“spiritual leaders” who are directly called by the Great Universal Aspiration (Primal Vow) to inspire, encourage,
practice and teach the dharma.
As a result, every member is
personally responsible for the well-being of his/her religious community and is called to participate in the practice, teaching
and propagation of the Buddha Dharma. NASBA members are encouraged to use reason, the scriptures and personal experience in
religious life, and never mindlessly and obediently depend on the so-called “interpretation” or “spiritual
powers” of religious professionals.
Organization
NASBA's chief administrator is called the Senior Teacher, who serves as the religious leader for
the association and he/she also serves as the leader of all of the Associate Teachers and Practice Leaders within
NASBA. However, following the original intent of the 13th century religious reformer and founder of Shin Buddhism, Shinran
Shonin, who said, "I have no disciples," all so called "teachers" or "leaders" are considered akin to "head
students" of the community. They are just fellow "bompus" (foolish beings) with a little more knowledge and/or
adminstrative flair, called by the Primal Vow, to serve others and the Buddha Dharma.
NASBA's main adminstative body is its Board of Directors, which sets organizational objectives, budget, policies
and maintains and innovates religious practices for the modern world. It meets at least once a year. The organization
also has the Sangha Council who can elect Board of Directors, propose new initiatives and provide oversight to the policies
and operations.
Finances
& Reformist Spirit
NASBA is the umbrella organization
and direct arm of the Buddhist Faith Fellowship of Connecticut (BFF of Ct), which is a 501(c) non-profit organization. All
affliliated chapters are independent entities both legally and financially separate from the BFF of Ct. Both NASBA groups
and BFF of Ct are completely operated on a shoestring budget with no employees. Furthermore, the dynamic growth of NASBA’s movement
is run solely by part-time lay volunteers. This is in keeping with the reformist
spirit and teachings of Shinran Shonin. Based on the founder’s intent, NASBA does not focus on money, and abhors power,
materialism and/or guru or priest-like veneration. One may say that NASBA is an anti-cult, non-elitist and grass roots movement,
in which common American folk* with various backgrounds, humble abilities, hefty schedules and weak perseverance can come
together and benefit from the inspirational Shin teachings, so designed for people just like them.
*American folk refers to North & South American peoples
Basic
Group Practice
NASBA's affiliated chapters and groups explore the Mahayana
Buddhist practices and teachings with an emphasis on Shin Buddhism. Its meetings integrate zazen (quiet sitting) and
voice meditation (chanting). In addition, NASBA gatherings include some rituals, prayer practice, nembutsu, lively discussions,
food, refreshments and fellowship with folks with similar interests and spiritual values.
