Rima Vesely-Flad [00:00:37] Welcome to the podcast series Uplifting Black Nichiren Buddhist Voices. The distinctive teachings of Nichiren Buddhism are deeply compelling for Black practitioners throughout the United States.
Education through African-based practices is one way in which Nichiren Buddhism remains meaningful for Black practitioners. Today, and for the next three episodes, I will speak with members of the Association of Buddhists of African Descent, also known as BAD. BAD was founded to make connections between traditional systems of African spirituality and the basic tenets and principles of Nichiren Buddhism. The founders envisioned the association as a joyful space where members can connect and relax in the flow that comes naturally among people with a shared history and consciousness.
Today I am talking with Tembi, one of the co-architects, who says that we experience true liberation as co-agents in the realization of each individual’s innate Buddhahood and in the creation of the Buddha land wherever we are. Tembi, who is also known as Valerie Gaither, is Professor Emerita at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis–St. Paul, where for 25 years she was a professor of education philosophy and a professor of family studies, as well as co-director of the Center for Community-Based Education, Learning and Research.
Ever the mover and shaker, she was also a catalyst in establishing the university’s School of Urban Education. She currently self-identifies as a social architect, working collaboratively to affirm and empower members of the African-American community. This includes her work as a co-founder and principal architect of BAD.
Today I’m so pleased to welcome Tembi, who is a co-architect of the community known as Buddhists of African Descent, a community I came across a few years ago and was really struck by in its distinctiveness and cohesion in terms of elevating and illuminating Black Buddhist practices. Welcome, Tembi, who is such an inspiration and, in many ways, the inspiration for this entire series. Thank you so much.
Thembi Geaither [00:03:13] I’d like to thank you too for your efforts to shed some light, not only on this group, but on Nichiren Buddhism. We have this sense that Nichiren Buddhism has been side-eyed and sidetracked and marginalized somewhat in the general Buddhist community, especially by Western Buddhists. So we really appreciate your attempting to shed some light.
As practitioners, and particularly as Buddhists of African descent, we felt very invisible. So this is important to us as well. Thank you.
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:03:58] Well, yes, I have to own the fact that I inadvertently contributed to that in my research for the book on Black Buddhists that was published in 2022. And in so many ways, being made aware of that marginalization—that’s the word that comes to mind—has been an important part of my own learning and growth.
I do think of this series as a kind of companion to the book. I love that it is audio, that we get to hear your voices, that we get to hear chanting, because it is a tradition that centers and privileges chanting. I think that’s quite wonderful and beautiful.
And I want to ask, in light of that: What is it about Nichiren Buddhism that appealed to you? What brought you to Buddhism, and in particular, what brought you to this form of Buddhism?
Thembi Geaither [00:04:59] That’s an excellent question. I could probably spend hours on it, but just briefly: as all of us in this country, and particularly African-Americans, kind of grew up in a Christian tradition. My family was Catholic. We went to Catholic schools—elementary, high school, college.
But as a result of that experience, I also had the opportunity to study a lot of philosophy and other religions, because that was something that was required. In the course of that study I came to realize what I felt were deficits—flaws—in what I was raised in. It didn’t continue to make sense for me.
As time went on, I also recognized that religions, regardless of which one—Catholicism, Islam, or others—tended to create a dependence. People weren’t spiritually free; it was a dependency on the organization and people. That felt icky. Besides the flaws I detected, there was this dependency that didn’t feel good.
I think that was because, as an African-American, it’s so easy to flow into someone telling you what’s right, what you should do or shouldn’t do. It becomes our modus operandi. It’s an unconscious thing—it’s a kind of learned helplessness. Not conscious for us, but maybe conscious for the dominant society.
Anyway, I saw religions doing the same things that were happening in the society at large. And then the third thing was the obvious hypocrisy, especially in Christianity. Maybe that was the first thing I learned in school, when I was learning about slavery and all of that. We could talk forever about that hypocrisy.
So what did that do? It caused me to embark upon a search. It was obvious that there was some kind of spiritual entity, some spiritual something. What is it? Where is it? I continued to read. Schooling provided some foundation, but then I continued reading. After school I read more metaphysical types of things—from the Rosicrucians and other metaphysical works.
Some of those secret teachings of the ages were so appealing, so attractive. They made so much sense, but there was nothing to really grab on to. Intellectually they were sound, but they were abstract.
When I was introduced to this practice, it took a minute, but what I recognized was that it embodied a lot of what I had come to believe as fundamental truths, and it offered a tool. It offered a mechanism. It was a vehicle to access this creative force, this universal force that we’re all part of, which many of us are conscious of in an intellectual sense.
This practice, I thought at the beginning, would allow me to access these truths and make them real, concrete—not just abstract and esoteric. That’s what truly drew me to the practice. And from there, it’s been 30-plus years.
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:09:23] Wow. I’m so curious about the longevity of your practice. And you, of course, are not alone. I’ve met many Black Nichiren practitioners who have practiced for decades upon decades. It’s really very striking.
What do you think contributes to the longevity of your practice? And others as well, I’m sure, resonate with your feelings about this.
Thembi Geaither [00:09:54] One of the things we first learned was that practice alone is not enough. Practice is what certainly drew us in, but there’s this notion of practice, study and faith. That really resonated with me.
Those three combined are necessary, and they have certainly contributed to my longevity. The practice is essential. Coming out of an academic arena myself, study was very attractive. Study is actually what brought me to this.
But I learned that unless you actually engaged in the practice—the chanting, the ritual, the fullness of it, practicing for yourself and for others—you can’t realize the fullness of it. It’s impossible.
It’s like an ice cream cone. You can tell someone this new flavour, this peach vanilla caramel, is the best, and you can describe it, but they’ll never know it unless they taste it. The same with the practice: you have to engage in it.
The more you engage, the more you see the effects. We constantly refer to them as benefits, but I like to say effects—the results of the practice in your life, the rhythm you achieve. Because basically what the practice is about is achieving harmony, or rhythm, with this universal force, with this mystic law, with all of this that we now know about, especially through quantum physics.
When you practice, you actually experience that rhythm. It’s not just moments of synchronicity everyone has; with practice, it’s consistent, regular, daily. Small daily things, and also the big things—profession, relationships, health, especially health.
You see how you employ the practice to get in rhythm with those positive forces and energy. Your life flourishes. You know it not just intellectually, but with your life. That’s what contributes to longevity.
The more you practice, the more you experience that rhythm, the more confidence you have—that’s the faith part. Nobody can take that away from you. The faith grows.
Study is always important. Unlike religions that can be just emotional trips, this is logical and rational. Study enables you to avoid dependency on priests, teachers or monks who tell you what to do. The more you study and understand, the less you need others to interpret for you.
That’s part of what happened with BAD. The more we studied, the more we understood, the less we needed intermediaries. You really need all three—practice, study and faith—for understanding, confidence, and continued commitment to engage in the practice.
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:14:36] That is beautiful. And you made an allusion to BAD, and I wonder if you can tell us what BAD refers to and who is part of it. I love that acronym, by the way.
Thembi Geaither [00:14:50] I’m glad you do, because when we started, people said, “Why do you want to call it BAD? That doesn’t sound…” Really, to answer your question, it is Buddhists of African Descent. We didn’t start off by calling it BAD; that just happened to be the acronym. Some folks suggested maybe we could rearrange the words so it didn’t sound like “bad,” but we said, “No, we define what BAD is, and BAD is good.” That was back in the ’90s, around the time Michael Jackson’s song Bad came out. We said, “Hey, this is good, and this is what Black people do. We create our own language.” Rather than being confined by the dominant society’s definitions of good or bad, we turn it around.
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:15:52] I mean, I think of Sonia Sanchez in 1969, who published We Are Bad People. That’s always my reference when I say BAD.
Thembi Geaither [00:16:09] Oh, Sonia Sanchez is one of my sheroes. She came to my school in Indiana back in the ’60s. I remember people saying, “You have to see her!” She was small, like me, but so powerful. So yes, BAD is an association of Nichiren Buddhist practitioners. While we identify as Buddhists of African Descent, we are specifically Nichiren Buddhists.
We started in the Midwest as part of a larger lay Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai International (SGI). But we faced challenges, similar to what other African-American practitioners experience in other sanghas—not always feeling welcome or understood. So we decided to take the bull by the horns and continue our practice, supporting other African-Americans who wanted to practice with us. We wanted to create a safe, open, and joyful space.
When we get together, it’s a joyful space influenced by both our practice and our culture. We transform the space we practice in; it’s not just safe, it’s open, and we are free to practice without feeling constrained by dominant cultural norms.
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:21:32] In the midst of being in an association as part of a group, but also seeing yourself as independent, I wonder if you can tell us a bit about that dynamic and what it means for you personally.
Thembi Geaither [00:21:48] We are independent. We started within SGI, but over time, we became independent of that organization. This shift culminated around 2020, a pivotal year with George Floyd’s murder and the pandemic. We felt that our engaged Buddhist practice needed to be fully realized. We were told we could not continue as an affinity group within SGI, so we chose to operate independently.
The pandemic helped us expand our reach. Practitioners who were isolated at home connected via Zoom, allowing us to grow from a local Midwest group to members across the U.S.—New York, Seattle, California, Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama.
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:25:13] It’s a wonderful group. You can feel the respect, energy, and distinctive chanting, which incorporates elements of Black musical traditions. Could you talk about how BAD supports members’ activities, especially in creating a space that is culturally resonant?
Thembi Geaither [00:26:45] There are some specific things we do. When we started meeting in the ’90s, it was at my house. We always had music and a meal, and people would stay until midnight. It felt like a womb—a place of real comfort. Today, we still gather occasionally and hold an annual retreat. We practice outdoors, chant by rivers, chant to music, and integrate African-American quotes into our teachings. We deconstruct these quotes through our practice, applying and embellishing what we own as a people. I’d say we are reclaiming and reappropriating cultural knowledge.
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:28:56] Re-appropriating—very interesting.
Thembi Geaither [00:29:01] Yes, it’s a process. One of the first things we did was create a Bodhisattva Pledge, inspired by the Nguzo Saba principles from Maulana Karenga. This pledge commits us to applying our practice to create Buddha lands in our communities and to cultivate Buddhahood in ourselves.
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:31:09] Would you be willing to recite the pledge for our listeners?
Thembi Geaither [00:31:23] Yes, we are proud of our pledge. It goes:
“Utilizing our Buddhist practice, we will apply these life-affirming principles in our daily lives to bear witness to our inherent shared Buddhahood and to make this land a Buddha land. In the spirit of Umoja (unity), we will repair relationships, appreciate diversity, and eliminate hatred. In the spirit of Kujichagalia (self-determination), we will seek our mistakes and take corrective action. In the spirit of Ujima (collective work and responsibility), we will tirelessly transform our lives, families, communities, and society to bring peace, justice, and happiness. In the spirit of Ujamaa (cooperative economics), we will overcome greed, anger, and ignorance to support initiatives that sustain our community. In the spirit of Nia (purpose), we will utilize our practice to bring out our inherent beauty. In the spirit of Kuumba (creativity), we will create value, beauty, and goodness wherever we are. In the spirit of Imani (faith), we will remember our Buddhahood, defeat our obstacles, and trust that our Buddha nature will emerge gracefully like a lotus from the mud. We will achieve these determinations through faith, practice, study, and courageous action.”
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:36:23] That’s our pledge. Deep bows. That is very powerful and resonant. Thank you so much, Thembi.
Thembi Geaither [00:36:57] It’s a joy to share. Mitra Buddhism recognizes Buddhahood in everyone and everything. This recognition gives us the wisdom, courage, and resilience to overcome suffering and achieve joy. Through practice, we awaken this universal Buddha nature and manifest it in our lives.
Rima Vesely-Flad [00:39:30] Manifest—yes. Embody this Buddha nature, cultivate it, and actualize its beautiful energy. Thank you for your wisdom.
Thembi Geaither [00:39:53] Embracing, acknowledging, and opening the curtain.