New trees planted at Amidaji, construction plan for 2017 and a memorial for the donor of the temple's land

click here for the Romanian version

planting a sycamore tree and a
maples tree in front of the Hondo
(Dharma Hall)

These days I planted the following trees, fruits and flowers in Amidaji courtyard:

2 sour-cherry trees, 3 hazel trees, 1 almond tree, 1 peach tree, 2 birch trees, 1 maple tree, 1 ash tree, 1 sycamore tree, as well as five blackberries, five raspberries, three blackcurrant, three redcurrant, seeds of blue morning glory on the west side of the land in the hope that they will quickly cover that fence. I hope all of them will go well. The whole courtyard of the temple will look better when the trees will make leaves.

Sycamore tree and maple tree
with the library in the back

This is the first activity in the new year. The plan for 2017 is as follows:

- to strenghten the walls of Amidaji library and add a good roof like the one on the Hondo (Dharma Hall). This is extremely important especially after it was affected by that storm last year.
- make a gate for Amidaji courtyard (near the Hondo),
- clear more land of grapevine for future buildings,
- make stone alleys,
- build a winter bathroom and a kitchen, etc.

Doshu, the dog, and two trees
in front of the Hondo

Of course, all depends on the funds I am able to raise from selling my books  (free online editions are also available!), and from donations.

If you can afford to, please consider a small donation to help Amidaji temple. Link for DONATION is here (click here). Amidaji has NO fees for attending its activities, so it depends on your generosity.

MEMORIAL:

My father (Yokusho),
the donor of the land for Amidaji

The planting activities were done after my father (Gheorghe Cirlea), who donated the land on which Amidaji temple is located, died on March 6th due to a heart attack. His body was placed in the Hondo (Dharma Hall) of Amidaji where I made a religious service for him; then he was burried in one of his most favorite places in the mountains.

His contribution to Amidaji temple will never be forgotten. Besides donating the land on which Amidaji is built, he guarded the temple when I was not present, taking care of various things which I could not do, and he supervised some of the building/repairment works (the little Hondo, the library, the fence surrounding the land, etc). So, I can say that Amidaji exists also because of him. During the service I gave him the posthumous Buddhist name, Yokusho, meaning, "wishing to be born in the Pure Land". The mourning period of 49 days will last until April 23rd, during which I continue with various works for the temple, services and teaching activities. Here are a few photos showing him at work for the temple:

Yokusho, the guy with white hair and beard in the right, supervising
the creation of the concrete platform where the Hondo
now stands

painting the little Hondo just after it was built on the
concrete platform

Yokusho, helping to rebuild the library
 after it was destroyed by the storm last year 

Yokusho (center) with the Japanese delegation from IABC
who visited Amidaji in August 2016

Namo Amida Butsu 

Namo Amida Butsu

Namo Amida Butsu