The Rev. Jan Youth's day starts at 4 a.m. with the barking of her dogs.

As interim minister of Mililani Hongwanji, Youth goes on to hold morning memorial services, give a catechism for the children's program, clean the altar and prep her dharma message to the congregation. Really busy days for the Buddhist minister can run late into the night with administrative duties and temple meetings.

Today, thousands of Buddhist women from all over the world are finishing up a three-day World Buddhist Women's Convention in Hawai'i. Amid sessions on peace topics, Buddhist theology and how to make a kukui-nut wristlet, the undercurrent of discussions can't ignore the changing role of Buddhist women.

Even so, as convention co-chairwoman and Honpa Hongwanji temple stalwart Donna Higashi notes, women ministers make up just a small percentage of attendees.

"Here we are, at the Buddhist Women's convention, and you just can count the number of women priests on your hands," said Higashi.

What we know: Hawai'i's Buddhism is at a crossroads. Experts such as retired University of Hawai'i religion professor George Tanabe have exhorted the Buddhist community here to turn its eye to its shrinking numbers. More and more families are losing younger generations to acculturation, and by extension, to Christianity.

What else we know: Buddhists have been trying to ordain more home-grown ministers, including women, to lead Hawai'i's diverse faith community by creating forward-tilting ordination programs that encourage younger people to join the ranks.

'WOMEN OF THE SNOW'

When conventiongoers from as far away as Brazil and Japan gather for today's finale, don't expect a lot of young women to exit the general meeting to work on their bikini tans. The age range of conventiongoers is more like 50 to 80, said Higashi.

Similarly, when retired minister Youth looks out over her congregation, plenty of "women of the snow," or gray-haired ladies, are in attendance. They are the ones who often keep Buddhist temples going these days.

On her off days, Youth would be happy to be among the retirees, content with her morning workouts before popping into town to baby-sit her son's 2-year-old, granddaughter Sierra, and having afternoons to herself.

But since taking up a second career as Buddhist minister after retiring from the state Department of Education as curriculum specialist (she also was a Kanoelani Elementary vice principal), Youth is willing to pitch in when needed.

It's what you do, especially if you're a Buddhist woman.

"Hawai'i has a history of religious people being here before clergy were here," explained Youth. "One of the key groups that sustained and put forth the energy for the (Buddhist) religion was the women."

Hawai'i's Fujinkai, or ladies group, is even older than the first official Buddhist organization, the group that would go on to become the state's largest sect, the Honpa Hongwanji. The Fujinkai was organized three to five years before, Youth said.

Just as Hawai'i's average churchgoer in almost all major faiths is aging, so is the average Hawai'i Buddhist. But Buddhist congregations also are shrinking.

Having such a strong backbone of "women of the snow" can be a double-edged sword, Youth says. "They are the sustaining force, but at the same time, in sustaining what is tradition, it becomes a fossilized group. Change isn't always easy."

It's good to know someone is charged with keeping the flowers fresh on the Buddhist altar, but if too many people "leave it for little old ladies to do," as Youth puts it, that tends to squeeze out the young blood necessary to keep a temple vibrant.

The other factor pressuring Buddhist membership in Hawai'i is acculturation.

While Buddhism is an inclusive faith — for example, you can be Buddhist and Shinto at the same time — those who adopt Christianity are expected to reject other practices.

EQUAL ACCESS

Youth's denomination does not classify its ministers based on gender, noted the Rev. Thomas R. Okano of the Buddhist Study Center here, so women have equal access to leadership positions. However, they don't always reach top positions in the sect.

Youth almost accidentally embarked on her second career in 1994. She joined a training program a year before and was asked to consider becoming a minister. By 1998, she was a full-fledged Buddhist priest and served full time at the Pali Highway temple until 2002. Health issues convinced her to retire then, but last May, she was called back into service as Mililani's interim minister.

Back in the day, there were three women ministers making their second careers next to her.

Youth's kids were already out of school when she entered the ministry: "That's probably why I chose to do it at that time in my life," she said. "I looked at mine as a great adventure."

The Rev. Irene Nakamoto, also of Honpa Hongwanji, was another who chose the route later in life.

"When I was first involved (in the temple), I don't remember many women ministers as a youngster," she said. "Later, there were one or two. Right now, we have five women ministers."

One Hawai'i development that many in the Buddhist community, not just in the Honpa Hongwanji, applaud is the creation of programs such as one advanced by Soto Zen, which allows potential ministers to do all their training here.

Mary Beth Jiko Oshima-Nakade took advantage of the Soto Zen program to become assistant minister at Daifukuji Soto Mission in Kona. Two years ago, she became resident minister.

But don't expect that to ripple over to the Hongwanji anytime soon: Lady Noriko Ohtani, in an interview this week for the start of the convention, said the sect is not planning any fully Hawai'i ordination programs.

CHANGING ROLES

Women's roles are changing, and this plays out in temples and ordination programs. Most women, Youth surmised, are allowed to grow: "I'm an example of that. I could exert my wishes, but if the system didn't allow it, I wouldn't be serving in a ministerial capacity."

And with a growing number of women ministers, does it translate as helping to build membership? Not so much.

Even key figures in the temples, such as Higashi, say they were late coming to the table. The convention co-chairwoman, who attends Honpa Hongwanji temple services on the Pali, joined the Buddhist Women's Association long ago, but didn't actively participate because of career commitments.

"Now I'm 50 and I'm totally involved," Higashi said. "I'm still young. I can do all this."

Other women in midlife, however, face the crunch of what Youth calls the "Oreo" generation; they are working, raising families and caring for elderly parents.

"What gives is their individual needs," Youth said.

They may take their kids off to dharma school, but will they make time for own spiritual advancement? Youth isn't so sure.

"Women today are working longer, but they may not feel they have time and energy to participate with community service or helping at temples."

Her temple in the suburban enclave of Mililani has a high percentage of younger members and families, but it's more the exception than the rule.

The Buddhist Study Center's Okano says that 50 years ago, men outnumbered women 60-40 or even matched at 50-50.

"Today, generally speaking, the large majority of those who participate in temple services are more women than men," he said.

In the end, the changing needs of the congregation will determine when and where today's Buddhist woman and today's Buddhism is heading, Youth said.

"It's the natural order of things," she said, in words that mirror her Buddhist nature.

Then she laughed.

"I think there's scriptures to that effect."