Fresno Betsu-in

Like Christianity, Buddhism includes many a sect. One of the more potent is the Jodo-shinshu sect, founded in Japan 700 years ago. Month ago in the Hompa Hongwanji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, Abbot Otani, head of the sect, blessed a two-foot image of Lord Buddha, carved of wood and covered with eight layers of gold leaf. Last week an envoy of Abbot Otani arrived in San Francisco with the image, turned it over to Rinban, or Bishop, Kenju Masuyama, the Occidental-looking head of some 50,000 U. S. members of the Jodo-shinshu sect.

Rinban Masuyama is currently busy with plans for a $60,000 temple for his San Francisco flock, to contain in its cornerstone a pinch of Buddha's ancient ashes and 50,000 lotus petals. Turning temporarily from his plans, the little Japanese took the gold Buddha down to Fresno, about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. There Rinban Masuyama gave the statue to a Fresno priest named Enryo Shigefuji, and spent the weekend elevating Fresno's two-story, pagoda-roofed Temple to the status of San Francisco's that of Betsu-in or chief in the locality.

First, in a ceremony called Chigo, 300 children paraded to the Temple, carrying artificial lotus leaves as a symbol of purity. Among the moppets was one of Buddhism's 2,000 white California followers, a 14-year-old named Emma Balaric In the Temple, priests chanted, incense fumed as the statue was enthroned. That evening, with more chanting and with the congregation praying with 108-beaded Ojuzus, or prayer-strings, the Temple was made a Betsu-in and bespectacled Priest Shigefuji became a Rinban of equal rank with Rinban Masuyama. Next morning a Hana-matsuri, or flower festival, took place in honor of Buddha's 2,50311! birthday (April 8), with the two Rinbans pouring sweet water on the gold statue in commemoration of the legend that sweet rain fell when Buddha was born. Finally, at Fresno High School athletic field, members of Young Men's Buddhist Associations competed in a Japanese Olympic.

Fresno Buddhists remarked that their Temple was fortunate. Rarely are Buddhists entitled to celebrate the enthronement of an image, the creation of a Betsu-in, the elevation of a Bishop, and Buddha's birthday at one time.

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