Welcome, and thank you for your interest in GBC Ichi-Mi! Ichi-Mi was established as a GBC affiliated group in 2019. The Ichi-Mi mission statement is:

 

We pledge our best efforts as Jōdo Shinshū Buddhists to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ identifying people within the Sangha, their family members, and allies, in order to create conditions for everyone to safely hear the Nenbutsu teaching.

 

“Ichi-Mi (一味)” is a term found in Shinran Shonin’s Shoshin-Nembutsu-Ge, which is chanted daily at GBC morning services Monday through Saturday.   The original passage written by Shinran Shōnin in classical Chinese is as follows:

 

bonjō gyaku hō sai e nyu

凡聖逆謗斉回入

nyo shu shi nyu kai ichi mi

如衆水入海一味 

 

The translation of this passage is as follows:

 

When ignorant and wise, even grave offenders and slanders of

the dharma,all alike turn about and enter shinjin, 

They are like waters that, on entering the ocean, become one in taste with it.

 

The meaning of this passage is that all beings, both the foolish and saintly and virtuous, once encountering and hearing Amida Buddha’s name, Namo Amida Butsu, are all of the same flavor or essence. In other words, under Amida Buddha, we are all of the same essence and value. 

 

It is from this Nenbutsu spirit that we have established the Ichi-Mi group. 

 

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We hold monthly hybrid meetings in the afternoons of the second Sunday of each month.

If you are interested in attending a meeting or have any questions, please contact us at ichimi.gbc@gmail.com. (Please note: E-mail is only checked about once every two weeks.)

If you would like to become a member of Ichi-Mi or wish to join our e-mail list, please register here.

 

Thank you for your interest in GBC Ichi-Mi!

 

Namo Amidabutsu