Pasadena Buddhist Temple

The Pasadena Buddhist Temple welcomes everyone and anyone who would like to learn more about the Buddha's message of compassion, inclusion and being caring and mindful of others.

Please join us for a class or service.

In-person Temple Sunday Services will be temporarily postponed until the clean-up from the Eaton Fire is completed. Please check back to the website for updates.

Welcome to the Pasadena Buddhist Temple

Shinran Shonin, Founder of Jodo Shinshu

We are a Sangha (community) for those seeking to learn and follow the Dharma (teachings) of the Buddha. The Pasadena Buddhist Temple belongs to the Jodo Shinshu tradition of Buddhism. Shin Buddhism offers a path through the chaos of our lives and the world that embraces all and forsakes none. Our national organization is the Buddhist Churches of America, headquartered in San Francisco, California. Our temple was established in 1948, and incorporated in 1956. The temple and classrooms were completed in 1958. The annex (Sakai Hall), which is used by the PJAA Bruins organization to conduct basketball practices, was constructed in 1962. We celebrated our 50th anniversary in 2008. We welcome all to come and learn about the Buddha Dharma.
Rev. Gregory Gibbs has been our resident minister since January 1, 2014. The Temple is located at 1993 Glen Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103. Temple Phone: (626) 798-4781

Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursdays from 9am-5pm.
Sensei can be reached on his cell phone outside of office hours if needed.

Glimpse of our Sangha....at work and at play...

Quick Calendar

MAY
4........Monthly Memorial Service @ 10am, live-stream & in-person. YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/TRS5yXyryJU?feature=share
7........PBT Board Mtg (ZOOM) @ 7pm
11......Gotane (Shinran Shonin's Birthday) @ 10am, Guest speaker, Rev. Tatsuya Aoki , Bishop of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada. YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/krMjrj8WaTU
18.....Family Service @ 10am
25....MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE at Mt. View Cemetery @ 10am. No service at PBT.

JUNE
2........Monthly Memorial Service @ 10am, live-stream only

Temple and Parsonage Fire Recovery Fund

We are in the final stages of working with our insurance company and getting estimates for remediation and repairs of our campus buildings (including the parsonage). Most of the damage is from smoke and ash that blew into our buildings and minister's residence. Since January we have not been able to hold physical fundraisers nor collect rent for the regular use of our gym. We are facing a huge financial burden for 2025 as the remediation must be done to make the buildings as safe as possible and then repairs and safety improvements will be put in place.. Our first fundraiser prioritized helping our Sangha recover. Thanks to generous donors we distributed nearly $90,000 to fire victims.

Now it is the temple's turn. We would be grateful for any donation that you are able to make to our new Temple and Parsonage Fire Recovery Fund.. Our goal of $100,000 is about a quarter of our estimated recovery costs. This fund is intended to pay for amounts not covered by insurance, FEMA or SBA loans. Donations can be made online by using the button or picture above or by sending a check payable to "Pasadena Buddhist Temple" to Pasadena Buddhist Temple at 1993 Glen Avenue, Pasadena, 91103.

Let there be Hope

Temple member, Cliff Nakatani, was visiting family in Hawaii when his house was consumed by flames in Altadena. He recently returned with his daughter to see where his house once stood. Amongst the destruction he found this statue of the Buddha.

BCA Dharma Talk Links

These are links to the other temples in BCA that have streaming or recorded services or dharma messages. Available 24/7 hear talks from all temples in BCA.

BCA Dharma Links

Buddhist Online Events

Click on event to view upcoming BCA, CBE (Center for Buddhist Education), IBS (Institute of Buddhist Studies) and other BCA temple seminars, lectures, special events and service flyers and register for free.

Seminars, Conferences, Services

Donations

Study Buddhism Online EVERYDAY BUDDHIST
Learn more about Shin Buddhist fundamentals, thought and practice; and how they apply to your everyday life. Our Buddhist Course Pathway is 40+ courses taught by certified Buddhist Ministers, curated for step-by-step learning. Designed for new seekers or long-term practitioners maintaining a beginner’s mind. Everyday Buddhist offers a Guest Speaker Series and a free weekly Blog.

Visit EVERYDAY BUDDHIST for more details. Every time a Sangha member or temple friend subscribes, our temple receives a donation from Everyday Buddhist.

SOGs spotlighted in Pasadena Star News Article - "In a Pasadena temple, Sons of Gardeners grow their fathers’ legacies"

Thank you to Annisa Rivera and the Pasadena Star News for the May 3 article on our group of volunteers, the Sons of Gardeners ("SOGs"). They are our treasure! https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2025/05/03/in-a-pasadena-temple-sons-of-gardeners-grow-their-fathers-legacies/?share=2dnps3asntfo3sscnthh

The “Sons of Gardeners” pose under a Japanese maple at the Pasadena Buddhist Temple where they volunteer on Thursday, April 3, 2025. From left, Alan Hatakeyama, 77; Alan Goto, 66; George Takenouchi, 80; Ron Toshima, 73; and Robert Fukumoto, 72. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

L-R: Rev Gibbs, Lori Hatakeyama, Jessica and Elliot Sloane, and Jeannie Toshima.

Bruin Parent - Scott Yoshikawa

Scott, single-handly wet mopped the gym floors. And with Ron's help, they took the top layer of dust/ash from all the countertops in the gym kitchen. Scott said that "...he needed to do something..." and got the Temple's permission to clean. We truly appreciate his efforts, the gym is much less dusty now.
Gassho,
PBT Board
PS Scott did not want us to take a frontal photo of him....So here he is at work.

January 9. SOGs, Rev. Gibbs and Lori Hatakeyama return to check on temple. photo credit: Kyoko Gibbs