We are a Buddhist temple community practicing the teachings Tendai Buddhism in Cobb, California. Tendai Buddhism blends together Indian and Chinese philosophical and religious ideas. Drawing upon the thought of the Indian Buddhist philosopher Nāgārjuna (c. 150-250 CE) and the concept of shunyata, Tendai Buddhism was founded by Zhiyi (538-597 CE), a Chinese scholar monk and meditator who lived in the Tiantai mountains in China, and transmitted to Japan by a monk named Saichō (767-822 CE), who founded Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei, Japan.

Tendai Buddhism teaches a balanced approach to the study and practice of Buddhism. Core ideas include:

• Eka-yana: “One Vehicle” – Tendai Buddhists seek to understand the inherent unity within the diversity of Buddhist traditions. To study Tendai is to study Buddhism as a whole, while also finding an approach to study and practice that works best for you.
• Ichinen sanzen: “Three thousand worlds in One Thought Moment” – Tendai Buddhists seek to understand the interconnectedness of all things
• Tathāgata-garbha: “Buddha Nature” – Tendai Buddhist thought and practice is rooted in the notion that all beings possess the infinite potential to discover the truth together.