The Young Buddhist Association (YBA) is an auxiliary lay group of the Buddhist Churches of America, the mainland U.S. branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. Founded in 1974 and originally known as the "Young Men's Buddhist Association" (YMBA, which was modeled after the Christian YMCA), the YBA began as a way to offer communal activities for young Japanese-American Shin Buddhist men in the United States. It has evolved into an organization that is comprised usually of young teen boys and girls who are members of Shin temples, and is not limited to any one ethnicity. Many Shin temples have YBA groups, which organize fun activities and overnight trips for their young people. Regional conferences are scheduled yearly in which YBA groups from different temples may mingle and share ideas and friendship.
Famous quotes containing the words young and/or association:
“When I was young ... there never was any question about right and wrong. We knew our catechism, and that was enough; we learned our creed and our duty. Every respectable Church person had the same opinions. But, now if you speak out of the Prayer-book itself, you are liable to be contradicted.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
“In this great association we know no North, no South, no East, no West. This has been our pride for all these years. We have no political party. We never have inquired what anybody’s religion is. All we ever have asked is simply, “Do you believe in perfect equality for women?” This is the one article in our creed.”
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