Page 27

Through the eyes of African-
American teachers like Shu
Shin priest Joseph Jarman,
white Buddhist America is
largely blind to the existence
of a black sangha. That was
driven home to him at last
year's Buddhism in America
conference. "People there
had never known there were
African-American Buddhist
priests and educators in this
country; they just never
appear," he recalls. "That
was like opening another
door."

"There are a lot of black
Buddhists who are in the
closet. They just don't feel
comfortable being part of the
great white sangha," says
Insight Meditation teacher
Ralph Steele. "One of the
most common phrases I hear
from young black Buddhists
when they do step out into the
white Buddhist sangha is that
they feel uncomfortable."

Jan Willis was feeling
euphoric. Sitting in the
basement of a church in
London's impoverished East
End last summer, she looked
around and realized that of
the 40-odd people in the
room, 31 were black.

"Black Buddhists!" she
exclaims at the memory. "In
25 years in Buddhism, I had
never been in such a sangha.
I felt so high. It was great!"

Dear Buddhist Friends I hope that you take the time to read this story in the September
2001 Shambhala Buddhism, Culture, Meditation and Life magazine. I am proud to share
this story about 3 other Black Buddhist written by Lawrence Pintak, a free lance writer.
Although these Buddhist are not associated to Nichiren Buddhism they are Buddhist and
their story relates to us who also call ourselves Buddhist. I am very happy to know that
there are African/American Buddhist Priest in America and I am very thankful to the
"Shambhala Sun" Buddhist magazine for presenting or allowing a voice for Black people
to be heard. I personally can relate to each person's story and at times I feel myself
talking or saying the same thing. It is wonderful to hear a Black voice in Buddhism and for
a while I thought we at the "Proud Black Buddhist" website were the only ones bringing up
the issues of Black people in Buddhism. I am happy to read another objective report. It
is sad that so many African/Americans are so acculturated to Euro or Japanese thinking
that many do not have a mind to express an honest opinion about Black people in
Buddhism. These three Black people are Buddhist leaders and teachers who have
achieved in their Buddhist Practice and they are excellent examples of "Proud Black
Buddhist". Write the Shambhala Sun and encourage them to write more articles about
Black Buddhist. I hope that the less enlighten people do not accuse this

magazine of Racism because they write about a Black prospective. One way to support
stories like this is to purchase the magazine and write the editor.

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