About Us
Albany Buddhist Sangha meets every Tuesday at 6:30pm at Unity of Albany, 12 King Ave. Albany, NY 12206. Albany Buddhist Sangha was founded in 2019 by local families who reached out to the New York Buddhist Church (est. 1938) to establish a diverse, family friendly, and inclusive Buddhist sangha in Albany and serve the greater Capital Region. NYBC is one of over 60 Buddhist groups affiliated with the Buddhist Churches of America, and Albany Buddhist Sangha is an officially recognized “satellite sangha” and outreach project of NYBC. After meeting for a few months, the COVID shutdown forced the sangha to go online for 18 months. During that time the sangha continued to meet weekly via Zoom and grow, receiving members from all over the United States and even Brazil! From September, 2021, we returned to in-person gatherings, renting space at the New Covenant Presbyterian Church, while continuing to stream our services and discussions via Zoom. Our sangha members come from all over the Capital Region, and come from diverse Buddhist and non-Buddhist backgrounds and perspectives. We aspire to share the teachings and create an open and accessible community for all. This is why our motto is “Come as you Are!”
Dharma Leaders
Reverend Earl Ikeda received a BA in Japanese from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He later attended Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan, which was recently voted Top Buddhist University in the World. In Kyoto, Rev. Ikeda lived and studied at the Kaikyoshi Kenshu-sho, Study Center for Overseas Ministry. Subsequently he received Tokudo Ordination in 1972. After spending many years back in Hawaii, in 2000, he returned to Kyoto to receive Kyoshi certification and then a year later, he received Kaikyoshi status from the Hongwanji in Kyoto. As a minister for the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, Rev. Ikeda served several temples throughout Hawaii including West Kauai Hongwanji, Puna Hongwanji (overseeing Naalehu and Pahala temples), and Moiliili Hongwanji Missions before retiring on January 31, 2014 and coming to the mainland. Rev. Ikeda joined the Buddhist Churches of America on March 1, 2014 and was assigned to the New York Buddhist Church.
Writings
Rev. Gary Shobo Jaskula is an ordained Minister’s Assistant at the New York Buddhist Church, and Dharma Leader of Albany Buddhist Sangha. He is also a board member of the American Buddhist Study Center, supporting and working alongside Ms. Hoshina Seki leading programs and book discussions on general Buddhism, the Shin Buddhist tradition, and so on. Gary was an early participant in the lay-teacher program spearheaded by Rev. Dr. Taitetsu Unno. In 2007, Buddhist Churches of America officially certified Gary as a Minister’s Assistant to help the resident minister of NYBC in various capacities. He attended Buddhist Studies classes regularly through the Center for Buddhist Education of the Buddhist Churches of America and Minister’s Assistant Program (MAP) in Berkeley, CA, and the Eastern District MAP sessions. Gary received ordination (tokudo) as a Buddhist priest in Kyoto, Japan, at the Nishi Hongwanji Temple in 2012. After the resident minister of the New York Buddhist Church retired, Gary helped keep the New York Buddhist Church’s ministry going for over a year by providing regular religious services, including funerals, memorials, and community outreach under the supervision of Rev. Ron Miyamura. Since the installation of the current resident minister in NY, Rev. Earl Ikeda, Gary supports his work by leading weekly meditation sessions, teaching a beginner’s class, an adult education class, and providing religious services as needed. In 2018 Rev. Ron Miyamura asked Gary to also help out at Cleveland Buddhist Temple during a period where there was no minister there. He conducted services and classes for the Cleveland Buddhist Temple each month until July of 2019 when a local person was ordained. On the secular side, Gary is a fully trained law librarian, a graduate of Columbia University, and served as Director of Firmwide Manager in major New York law firms for over 35 years. He retired from this work in 2017 and now devotes more time to the Dharma. Gary resides in Ghent, NY, located in the beautiful Hudson Valley.
Dharma Talks
“Not Just a Phase,” 2015 LGBTQ Seminar
See also the New York Buddhist Church, Youtube Channel, where Rev. Gary regularly delivers Dharma Talks
Dr. Aaron Shoken Proffitt is a Certified Minister’s Assistant (lay sangha leader) affiliated with the New York Buddhist Church, co-founder of the Albany Buddhist Sangha, and Associate Professor of Japanese Studies at the University at Albany-SUNY. At UAlbany Aaron teaches classes on various topics related to Religious Studies, Buddhist Studies, and East Asian Studies. He also volunteers at the UAlbany Interfaith Center as the faculty advisor for the UAlbany Buddhist Student Association, where he teaches meditation, hosts workshops on various aspects of Buddhist culture, and leads field trips to diverse Buddhist temples in the Capital Region. Aaron is currently taking classes through the Institute of Buddhist Studies as he works toward ordination. Aaron and his wife Claire are the Dharma School coordinators for Albany Buddhist Sangha.
Selected Writings and Other Media
Introduction to Buddhism Series, American Buddhist Study Center
Dharma School
For learning more about practicing Buddhism as a family, we highly recommend the work of author and Buddhist chaplain Rev. Sumi Loundon Kim.
One of the texts employed in our Dharma School activities include Rev. Kim’s Sitting Together: A Family-centered Curriculum on Mindfulness, Meditation, and Buddhist Teachings
