We at Vista Buddhist Temple are shocked and saddened by the ongoing anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) violence, including the murder of eight people in Atlanta, the ongoing attacks and murder of the elderly, and the subtle and overt assaults taking place in the seemingly innocuous spaces of daily life.
The insidious nature of racism is not new to our temple. Vista Buddhist Temple was founded by Japanese and Japanese American Buddhists who were incarcerated by the U.S. government during WWII.
As Jodo Shinshu Buddhists, we are continually reflecting upon our actions, and cultivating our words and deeds in the hope that our collective efforts positively help our community. This principle is even more critical today as we have seen the power that words can have when mobilizing hate.
The mountain before us is formidable, but not unscalable. Vista Buddhist Temple stands with those working to remove systemic and institutionalized racism. We are committed to sharing the Dharma with all who seek it, and we are committed to using our words and deeds to create more loving kindness and compassion in North County San Diego.
