"Buddhism Online"...that's what a white and bright blue lettered banner proudly proclaimed above the office door at the July 5th Obon festival. On the back of the opened door that faced a festive and crowded courtyard, the logo for our Living Dharma website and some sample pages were pressed into place by loops of tape. Their purpose was to attract the attention of those attending the festival and entice them to enter the office and experience for themselves the wonder on the web.
Just inside the door, on a modest makeshift desk, sat a computer monitor, keyboard and mouse. Also on the table top, a binder containing the contents of the site in printed page form. To assist the cyberspace novice, or, to answer the questions of a veteran, there were members from the Jr. Y.B.A. standing by. Marc-Mitchell Miyashiro said this about the reactions of the people who came and went during the day. "It was great to see the number of people who had an interest in our site, even though some of them weren't even Buddhist." According to Marc, the types of people "checking it out" were very diverse and discerning. A couple of European women in their 30's, and a father and daughter (six years old) of African descent come to mind, as they both spent so much time there. Others of the Jr. Y.B.A., who also helped, observed similar experiences. Even reporter Dwayne Rodgers, from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, was very impressed by the site. Why? Well, let's see what some of the Sangha have to say.
-Marc Mitchell-Miyashiro: "It's very encouraging to be opening our religion to the world. I feel like we're reaching a new level of growth and understanding."
-Casey Hansen: "It's the first real church site I've ever seen that tries teach people about our religion."
-Dina Mayeda: "I think it's really a good idea. It really helps people who don't know too much about Buddhism to get a feel for it."
-Peter Hata: "I hope it will help clear away any misconceptions that people may have about Buddhism." (from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune "Obon" interview by Dwayne Rodgers)
Though these are admittedly only a few comments, they truly cover the entire range of reasons and purpose for a place like "The Living Dharma." The World Wide Web is decidedly and definitely more than a technological toy or a sociological "phase of fashion." Will it bring the enlightenment of Buddha to all of humanity? Probably not. But it certainly increases the chance for change in that direction by exposing more people to what enlightenment is. Obon is both a time of reflection and celebration, and an acknowledgment of both past and present. "The Living Dharma" strives to embody this concept, and so far as can be known by the remarks of those who have seen it, it comes very close to the mark indeed.
A personal note of thanks to Marc-Mitchell, Casey, Keith, Dina, Russell, Tracey, Pearl and everyone else for all the time and help, both at Obon and for this article. A special thank you to Peter, Laura, Hisako, Chris, Danny, Rev. Kiyota and all those who have worked so hard to create and maintain the website. Without you, none of this would have been possible. Gassho.