Rev. Dr. Alfred Bloom, 1926 – 2017. Dr. Bloom passed away on the evening of August 25, 2017, surrounded by family and several close Dharma friends. The Bloom Domingo family wrote, “Al was comforted by the love of his community, who shared the nembutsu together and assurance of the boundless compassion of Amida Buddha.” A funeral service was held September 2 at Hawaii Betsuin, with Honpa Hongwanji Bishop Eric Matsumoto as the officiant. The service was recorded and we provide the video here.

Welcome to Shin Dharma Net!

Shin Dharma Net’s purpose and mission is to share information concerning Shin Buddhist tradition and Pure Land Buddhism as practiced and interpreted by Shin communities in the West, Japan, and other areas of the world.

“In Buddhist tradition, light stands for wisdom. It is frequently presented in sutras as a stream of light coming from the Buddha and illuminating every aspect of the cosmos. In modern terms, it means to see things as they really are. Because Buddha sees things as they really are, he is able to assist all beings to enlightenment, despite their delusions and ignorance.” — Strategies for Modern Living, by Alfred Bloom

Shin Dharma Net site highlights:

General information about Shin Buddhism, including its history, main doctrines, key terms, holidays and celebrations … and more.

A self-paced online course of study about Shin Buddhism

A wide variety of writings by many of the top Japanese and Western authorities on Shin Buddhism

Information on Shin Buddhism temples, groups and study centers around the world