SOTOZEN-NET > Soto Zen Temples > Organization and temples outside Japan > Comunidade Budista Soto Zenshu da América do Sul Busshinji
The Japanese Zen Soto Buddhist School is represented in South America, the Busshinji Temple being its main headquarters. Busshinji Temple is centrally located, close to downtown São Paulo, Brazil.
Busshinji recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, having been established by the Japanese monk, Takashina Zenji, who also brought the Zen Soto Buddhist tradition to Brazil.
Initially, activities at the temple consisted of attending to expatriate Japanese and their descendents for memorial services, including the special ceremonies for the spring and autumn equinoxes: Obon and Finados (All Souls’ Day). The commemoration of the Illumination of the Buddha, Parinirvana, and The Flowers were later added to the temple’s calendar.
Busshinji Temple opened its doors to the broader Brazilian community when it started teaching the practices of zazen and sesshin, and began ordinations of both laypeople and monks.
Currently, a number of new activities are carried out on a weekly and monthly basis, such as training in baika (Buddhist music), choral singing, gymnastics, shodô (Japanese calligraphy), ikebana (flower arrangement), and cooking.
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