The Buddhist Church of Oakland

 

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Meet Our Minister

Dr. Seigen Haruo Yamaoka has been a familiar face at the Buddhist Church of Oakland over the course of many decades. He is a former Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America as well as the former President of the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Rev. Yamaoka was born in 1934 in Fresno, California and found his religious faith as a youth in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. He received his BA degree from California State University, Fresno in 1956 and an MA from Ryukoku University, Kyoto in 1961. Three years later (1964), he was ordained as a minister of the Buddhist Churches of America.

From 1964 - 1971, Rev. Yamaoka served as our English-speaking minister at the Buddhist Church of Oakland. During that time, Rev. Yamaoka continued his education and attended the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California receiving his MRE (Masters in Religious Education) in 1969. From 1969-71, Rev. Yamaoka was also the Registrar at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California. Then in 1971 he was reassigned to the Stockton Buddhist Temple as their resident minister and remained there for 10 years (1981).

During his years in Stockton, Rev. Yamaoka also worked on his doctorate degree and in 1979 received his D. Min (Doctor of Ministry in Religious Education) from the Pacific School of Religion. He became the Chairman of the Ministers Association and held this position for two years (1979-81). Shortly after that, Rev. Yamaoka was ordained as Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America and served for 15 years (1981-1996).

In April 1996 we were very fortunate to have Rev. Yamaoka
return to our temple. Six years later in 2002, he received a D. Litt (Doctor of Letters) from the Department of Letters in Shin Buddhist Studies at Ryukoku University.

As a career minister, Rev. Yamaoka has served as a member of the BCA Research Committee, BCA (1970-75); member of the IBS Board of Trustees (1971-75 and 1979-81); English Secretary of the Ministers Association (1972-75); and member of the Board of Buddhist Education (1977).

Published works by Rev. Yamaoka include: Compassion in Encounter; Teaching and Practice of Jodo Shinshu; Jodo Shinshu - Religion of Human Experience; Meditation - Gut Enlightenment; and The Way of Hara and Six Aspects of Jodo Shinshu.

Rev. Yamaoka has been married to Shigeko (Masuyama) since 1966 and they have 2 children.


Reverend Yamaoka will be happy to personally answer any questions or address any concerns that you may have.

For those interested in learning more about Jodo Shinshu, Reverend Yamaoka has compiled a suggested reading list below.

Recommended
Shin Buddhist (Jodo Shinshu) Books

Kakehashi, Jitsuen, Bearer of the Light: The Life and Thoughts of Rennyo, Los Angeles: Pure Land Publications, 1999. 

Kanaya Usuki, Patricia, Currents of Change: American Buddhist Women Speak Out on Jodo Shinshu, Berkeley: Institue of Buddhist Studies Monograph Series Number 2, 2007.

Shigaragi, Takamaro, A  Life  of Awakening: The Heart of the Shin Buddhist Path, Kyoto:Hozokan Publication, 2005.

Unno, Taitetsu, Shin Buddhism: Bits of Rubble Turn Into Gold, (New York:Doubleday, 2002). 

Unno, Taitetsu, River of Fire River of Water, ( New York: Doubleday, 1998).

Yamaoka, Seigen, True Pure Land Buddhism, Jodo Shinshu, an Introduction (Los Angeles: Pure Land Publications, 1991).

 Yamaoka, Seigen, The Transmission of Shin Buddhism in the West; Jodo Shinshu Educational Process, (San Francisco: BCA Federation of Dharma School Teachers League, 2005).

Books are available at the Buddhist Bookstore, 2140 Durant Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704