Our main British representative Rev Nagaboshi, was ordained in 1972 and has studied several other forms of Buddhist doctrine including Abhidharma and Yogacara (in both Chinese and Indian forms) as well as 4 forms of Zen. He has also practiced with Tibetan, Thai, Korean, Chinese and Japanese teachers. His students now teach in many other countries. In 1974 he was the subject of a major and very famous BBC TV documentary upon his studies and achievements. He was the founder of the Kongoryuji Temple and the Yakushi Buddhist medical dispensary.

Recently Master M.Uyehara from Okinawa has been teaching at Norfolk and London classes. 1998 saw our annual o/s seminar (this time in Croatia) hosting Masters from Taiwan, Okinawa and Europe. It was the first time esoteric rites had ever been performed in that country.

Practically speaking the hardest task in studying the esoteric doctrine properly is finding someone willing to take you on as a student in the first place. Many mainland Japanese groups refuse to let Occidentals undertake any serious study of the esoteric path and often require you to learn the Japanese language as a pre-requisite for even the simplest practices.
Those who do manage to enter are often restricted to the lower ranks of pre-existent hierarchies. Such policies, although perhaps intended to guard the teachings from misinterpretation or exploitation by unworthy people, has restricted the spread of all the esoteric (or Mikkyo) teachings a great deal. It is refreshingly absent in the Chinese and Ryukyuan schools. One of our important goals of BSBA is to make available the benefits and practicalities of the Mikkyo approach and principles to modern life. This is not always easy to recognise and it requires great self discipline, study and a willingness to recognise one's faults. Not all can achieve this

Study & Practice

There are two forms of public study used in our groups. The first requires you to attend the regular meditation and study classes we organise. These often involve written work to be submitted and discussed in classes. At these classes various forms of meditation will be shown to you and you will be expected to practice them at home in your own time. From this class you may graduate to a more experienced group within which further studies and practices will be undertaken as well as residential courses and seminars.

If you are still interested, the second form of study enables you to become the direct student of a teacher. if you can get a teacher to accept you will become a member of a small group and from that point onwards all your training will be directed personally. In common with all the esoteric schools of teaching your task as a student is to establish a special relationship of understanding with your teacher and fellow students and also to practice fully what you are shown.

The interaction with your fellow students and teacher becomes a focal point of your training and it is they who will act as your initiator and guides through the various studies, ritual practices and other trainings. These can take many different forms and may include residential or other full-time seminars and courses depending upon your capacities and interests.

If you are seriously interested in our Association there is plenty of material to study from, whether at home or at our many seminars. We welcome serious students. Since 1959 the Association members have published a Journal of Studies entitled 'Flowing Star', which is the oldest and only esoteric Journal in Europe. We also distribute many free downloads, literature & goods including our popular home study course on Buddhism.

The best way to begin is by becoming a member of the BSBA and receiving its publications. You can begin many individual practices by obtaining 'Practices & Teachings of Shingon Buddhism', a text which simply and clearly outlines the many different forms of training as well as describing some important doctrinal points. This is available to members only at present. Our association is completely non commercial - we work on a 'cost only' basis as we do not believe any Buddhist group should engage in commercial endeavours. Can one sell anything without generating a desire for profit?. We believe not and such desire & grasping is a prime source of the sufferings we all experience.