A visitor from Northern Ireland to Amidaji

Today, Mr Iain Lee from Northern Ireland visited Amidaji temple. We made a service (Nembutsu with Amidakyo), and discussed the essentials of Jodo Shinshu Buddhist teaching. We'll keep in touch and see each other soon.

As I clearly stated many times, Amidaji is an international temple, opened to anybody who wishes to learn the authentic (orthodox) Jodo Shinshu Dharma and receive shinjin  – simple faith in Amida Buddha. 

Last year we received visitors from Brasil and Japan. This year more people announced their visit. Amidaji is glad to receive anybody who comes with a sincere intention to listen to the Dharma.

Namo Amida Butsu

Fund raising for strenghtening the library of Amidaji

the damage done to the library
by the storm, last year on November. It was repaired
in December

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

As I said recently in my plan for this year, one of the most important thing to do is 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 since the library was affected by a powerful storm last year in November, which almost destroyed it. I succesfully did some repair to it, in December, but I must continue to strenghten the wooden walls and fix them more strongly on the cement platform.

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

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

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.

ANNOUNCEMENT - help needed for winter season

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

Dear Dharma friends of Amidaji temple,

The winter is very hard here, especially that the wood for heating are almost finished at Amidaji and the expanses for living and heating are very high in this period. Any little donation would be welcomed and very much appreciated, especially now. It will help me go through the winter, continue my writing, translations and general Dharma work.

If you can afford to, please consider a donation to this link:

http://amida-ji-retreat-temple-romania.blogspot.ro/p/donation.html

or check the DONATION box in the left column (PayPal and Bank account are offered).

Gratefully yours in Namo Amida Butsu,

Josho

PS: Attention - donations (or sponsorship) do not solve the "matter of the greatest importance" of death and rebirth. Only through simple faith in Amida we can be born in the Pure Land and attain Buddhahood. Thus, donation is NOT a religious obligation, but a free-will gesture of help.

Library of Amidaji affected by a powerful storm

The roof of the library is on the fence

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

- scroll down in the article to read the last update! -

Dear friends,

I was preparing to post some new photos with what I have done in the last days at Amidaji, like planting some new trees, improvements to the stoves,  when disaster stroke.

A very powerful storm blew for 24 hours in the South of Romania (many houses were affected in my village and electricity was interrupted all day) and destroyed the library. Normally, the house should have resisted, but there was a mistake made by the company who produced the wooden frames for the southern wall, and the instalation team who helped me built the house promised that they will come and repair it.  Unfortunatelly, they did not come although I called them repeatedly, and this powerful wind enlarged the crack in the wall until it blew the roof entirely.

Amidaji construction news 2016 - Two new stoves arrived at Amidaji!

the stove on gas was placed in the Hondo (left to the altar)

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

Dear Dharma friends,

Thanks to your kind help, I successfully bought two stoves for Amidaji, and placed them as follows:

1) one stove on gas was placed in the Hondo (Dharma Hall). It will be used only when I held services and Dharma talks. Also, when when I have visitors who stay for a few days, I sleep in the Hondo and they sleep in the library.

2) one stove on wood was placed in the library. It will be used more often as I also sleep and write here when I come to the temple. Also if I have visitors who stay for a few days, they receive accomodation in the library. In a week or so, a specialist will come to make an isolated hole in a wall of the library and install the funnels to the stove.  

Help needed to buy two stoves for Amidaji temple

- UPDATE (October 3rd 2016) - Two new stoves arrived at Amidaji Temple! -

Dear friends in the Dharma,

the kind of stove I wish to install in the
Hondo (Dharma Hall) and library of Amidaji 

As you can see in the last posts from this website, Amidaji is opened for visitors and it did have its first visitors from abroad: one from Brasil! (click here) and four from Japan (click here). Other visitors also announced their intention to visit in the near future. I hope that you too, the reader of these lines, will come for a visit, soon!

However, as clearly stated here, because there is no heating system, Amidaji cannot provide accommodation and religious services during the cold season. So, unfortunately, under the present circumstances, visitors can only come since late spring to early autumn.

My intention is to change this and make Amidaji available during the whole year to those who wish to spend a few days in retreat in order to hear Amida Dharma. So, I would like to invite you to please help me to buy and install two stoves - one in the library of Amidaji (where visitors receive accomodation) and the other in the Hondo (Dharma Hall).

Visit of IABC delegation from Japan to Amidaji temple

Visitors and members in the Hondo (Dharma Hall) of Amidaji

On August 28th a delegation of IABC from Japan visited Amidaji temple.

We had a wonderful time together. We recited Amidakyo (Smaller Amida Sutra) and Nembutsu, we had Dharma discussions and we enjoyed a delicious vegetarian food.

I also explained the orthodox attitude of Amidaji in all matters related with Dharma activities and I presented the plan for the next phase in the development of the temple.

A reader from Brasil at Amidaji temple

Shinkai and Josho in the Hondo
(Dharma Hall)
of Amidaji

As you can read here, at this link, I have declared Amidaji open for visitors. As most of my readers live outside of Romania, and because Amidaji is an international temple (including Romanians of course, but not limited to them), many expressed their wish to visit and stay for a few days in order to listen to the orthodox Jodo Shinshu teaching  presented here.

So, the first visitor arrived and she came all the way from Brasil! Usually, when I have a visitor, I dedicate myself exclusively to him or her. The visitor does not leave the temple for a few days, and is focused entirely on Dharma activities like teaching, recitation, but also work in the garden and courtyard of the temple. This is some kind of a small retreat, but also retreats of more than 3 days can be arranged for either one person or a group.

Amidaji construction news 2016 (part III)

- last update August 8th - 

 Dear Dharma friends,

Here it is a short summary of what I did this summer, and what I plan to do in the next months at Amidaji temple. For more detailed information (including the funds I spent from your donations) and photos you can click on the links provided in the text:

1) What I did until now

the renovated Hondo (Dharma Hall)

(a)

- I renovated, arranged and did some repair on the inside of the Hondo (Dharma Hall). I also added some liquid thermal insulation and painted the walls.

- I paid half of the taxes that must be paid for this year and which are related with the land of Amidaji and the two wooden houses (Hondo and Library)

- I added a new altar with a new beautiful Amida scroll (a gift of Zuikoji temple Osaka)

Amidaji Construction News 2016 (part II) - THE LIBRARY

scroll down for the latest updates!

building the concrete platform for the library

1) The plan for the library

One of the most important steps in the Amidaji project is the library. The original plan was to build a bigger Hondo (Dharma Hall) near the actual one, which will be then transformed into the library. But as the funds needed for the new bigger Hondo are beyond my financial possibilities, I decided to build a little wooden house this summer and use it as a library. When that bigger Hondo will be built and the present one will be transformed into the library, this little house will be used only for the accomodation of visitors.

The truck with the building materials 

for the new wooden house arrived on June 13th. 

I also had a service and Dharma talk on  the12th 

and did various little works in the courtyard of the temple.

The thing is I have a great ammount of copies of my books (especially those printed in Romanian by the CBBEF), as well as various old and new Jodo Shinshu English translations that need to be stored in a proper building. Now many of them are kept in precarious conditions near the place dedicated to the temple, and in the homes of some of my trusted friends and readers. So, while many copies will still remain at these friends who help distribute them in their respective towns, I urgently need a suitable place to store the books I have at my disposal, and where the visitors can easily come in contact with them.

Amidaji Construction News 2016 (part I)

Before you read this article, you can go here (click here) and read about the general work plan and progress made until now

Scroll down to read the updates!
click here to read - Amidaji construction news 2016 (part III) and an announcement for visitors - 
click here to read Amidaji construction news (2016), part II - THE LIBRARY!

Dear Dharma friends,

working on the inside walls of the little Hondo (Dharma Hall)

Here I am again at the place where I build Amidaji temple. And here is the main plan for this year (2016):

- to pay some taxes for the land of Amidaji and for the little Hondo ( - partially done, read bellow!)

- to add thermal insulation to the inside walls of the little Hondo (Dharma Hall) - done, read bellow!

- to build two toilets and a showers area (plus a little septic tank because the village where I build Amidaji has no sewerage)

- to build a gate for the Amidaji compound (you probably remember the fence I built last year!)

- to build one or more accommodation places for visitors
- to build a well (nowadays our source of water is outside of Amidaji land)

- to make a large concrete platform for a new bigger Hondo (around 50 square meters or more) which will be placed near the actual Hondo (Dharma Hall) - when the bigger Hondo will be built, the actual one will be transformed into the library. This bigger Hondo is scheduled to be built in the next year, but if I raise enough funds I do not exclude the possibility to start working on it this year, too!

Amidaji construction news 2015 - part 3 (The first trees planted at Amidaji)

oak tree

From the donations sent by readers and Dharma friends I bought 11 trees and planted them in the garden of Amidaji temple: 2 oak trees, 2 birch (betula), 2 japanese ginko biloba, 2 linden trees, 2 pine trees and 1 chestnut oak.

They are little now, but my hope is that they will grow into big trees and last for a few hundreds of years so that they can accompany many generations of nembutsu followers.

Amidaji construction news 2015 (part 2- updated)

Dear friends,

scroll down in the article for the last updates 
(6th July, 16th July, 27th July, 17th August, 6th September)!

carrying one of the seven rolls of wire

Finaly, I was able to start building the fence around the land dedicated to Amidaji. So, I bought 50 iron pillars (300 euro), 7 rolls of wire (250 euro), some gravel (50 euro), sacks of cement (30 euro) and various other materials.

car with gravel for making cement

First I cleared the portion of land around the old fence and I took it out of the ground. Then, I dig  holes of 40 cm , and I fixed the iron pillars in them with cement. The next day, when the cement was solidified, I attached the roles of wire on them.

The work was very hard and slow because the old fence was stuck in  wood bushes and small trees with thorns which needed to be cut one by one with chainsaw and axe.

clearing the portion of land
arround the old fence

Until now I completed two sides of the terrain, and in the next days I will repeat the same process (dig holes, fixed the iron pillars in them with cement, and attach the wire) on another side. So, this article will get a new update soon!

Amidaji construction news - 2015 (part1)

Amidaji construction news - 2015 (part 2)

Dear Dharma friends,

     

greetings! :)

As I already announced a few days ago, on my facebook page, I am now at the place where I build Amidaji temple.  My hope is to fulfill as much as I can from this year's plan: 1) clearing the rest of the land dedicated to Amidaji, 2) building the fence around the property of the temple (this is most important!) and 3) isolation for the inside walls of   the little Hondo I built last year. Of course, if funds allow it, I will go on with other necesities, as well.

So, I rented a tractor (200 euro) from the donations sent by some of my Dharma friends, and I cleared arround 80 % of the land dedicated to Amidaji. This cleared land will be arranged into a garden with grass, alleys, trees, etc, and will also contain the rest of the buildings in the Amidaji complex (accomodation rooms, bathrooms, library, etc).

I installed the altar of Amida-ji Temple

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

Dear friends in the Dharma,

  

I am glad to inform you that I have just installed the altar in the small Hondo (Dharma Hall) of Amida-ji.

As you can see in the pictures, it is a simple altar made from an old piece of furniture covered with cloth. On this,  it is placed a statue of Amida Buddha which was donated a few years ago by the Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation (CBBEF) from Taiwan. This statue was previously used at Tariki Dojo Craiova and now moved to the temple. It is not a Hongwanji style statue of Amida, but it is the only statue we received until now, and with so much generosity.

I installed the little Hondo of Amidaji

update June 12th - I finished the wooden floor of the Hondo! Under this floor there is water insulation and heat insulation. The next and last thing to do before I can install the altar, is to make insulation for the inside walls (see the last photo).
update May 26th - working on the water insulation floor (see photos)
update May 13th - I fixed some errors at the concrete platform on which the little Hondo is placed,  raised it  and enlarged it a little more. In the next weeks, depending on the funds I am able to raise, I will add a water resistance floor (inside), some good isolation for the walls and electricity  

update May 8th - I added the windows and finished the roof

Dear friends in Amida Dharma,

I have just came back from Amidaji construction site and I am happy to inform you that I successfully installed the little Hondo (Dharma Hall). You can see the progress in the photos bellow.

The Hondo is not ready yet for religious services, as I still have to do a lot of things until then. For example, I need to add something at the rooftop, add windows, fix some errors at the concrete platform[1] on which the Hondo is placed, add a water resistance floor, some good isolation for the inside walls, electricity, etc. All these will require extra funds, which for the moment I do not have, so any little donation will be grateful received and appreciated. I mention that since the beginning of this project I spent around 2500 euro, which came from donations sent by readers and Dharma friends from all over the world. Nothing could be done without the help of  these people who are the true founders of Amidaji. As I said from the beginning, all donors and people who support in one way or another, the construction of this temple, will be considered among founders, and their names[2] will be remembered in a special place inside the temple.

I built the concrete platform for the Hondo of Amidaji

Dear friends,

I have just made some little but important progress in the construction of Amidaji temple.

In the last days I built the concrete platform (5m in lenght and 5m in width) on which I will place the Hondo (Dharma Hall).

In this post you can see some of my dusty pictures made at work J:

The next step is to place the wooden Hondo on this platform, but for the moment I cannot do it due to lack of funds, so any small help would be very much welcomed and appreciated. 

I assure you all, those who helped me until now, who will help me in the future or who can’t help, but support me morally from afar, that I am determined to go on with this project, no matter the difficulties.
I hope to give you more good news as soon as possible.

Namo Amida Butsu!

PS: you can read here about the entire project to build Amidaji temple Romania and how you can help

Clearing the land for the Hondo of Amidaji

first a tractor made some holes in the ground
so that I can pull out the big roots and weeds

I have just came back from the land where I am to build Amidaji. I successfully cleared some space of weed and grapevine roots on the spot where I will place the Hondo. Here are some pictures, but sorry for their low quality.

Please, click here to read about the project to build Amidaji Temple

and how you can help 

then I cleared the land by hand
and with a spade

the spot where I will place the Hondo is cleared

UPDATE (August 20th) : Building the concrete platform for the Hondo of Amidaji

Amidaji temple - work plan and progress

(Last update - August, 2023!)

If you wish to read updates and see photos of the progress in building this temple, 

click on the links below  (the last updates are the first in the list):

- Plans for Amidaji in 2024 - water and sewage system (NEW!)

- things I did and improved at Amidaji in 2022 and 2023 - your help is very much needed and appreciated 

- New stove inside Amidado (Hall of Amida)  - December 2021

- -The exterior walls of Amidado (Hall of Amida) are finished (2021)                                    
- I added the outside insulation on the walls of Amidado (Hall of Amida) but there is still more to be done! (2021) 

- Plans for the 2021! 

- I added the inside insulation to Amidado (Hall of Amida) and arranged the new library 

-  added the double doors and windows of Amidado 

- building the walls of Amidado (Hall of Amida)
- the roof of Amidado (Hall of Amida) and the next plan 

- The metal frames for the walls and roof of Amidado (Hall of Amida) - The concrete platform of Amidado (Hall of Amida) 

- New guest room at Amidaji

- A bathroom for the cold season is now available at Amidaji!
- New religious items for Amidaji altar (october 2018)
- Spring work at Amidaji and the plan for 2018
- Invitation to become a Patron (constant supporter) of Amidaji by little monthly donations 
- Works for strenghtening the Hondo and library of Amidaji (part II the Library) 2017
- Works for strenghtening the Hondo (Dharma Hall) and library of Amidaji (part I the Hondo) 2017
- Fund raising for strenghtening the library of Amidaji 
- New trees planted at Amidaji, construction plan for 2017 and a memorial for the donor of the temple's land
- ANNOUNCEMENT - Help needed for the winter season January 2017
- Library of Amidaji affected by a powerful storm and repaired
- Amidaji construction news 2016 - two stoves arived at Amidaji!
- help needed to buy two stoves for Amidaji temple (September 2016)
- Announcement! Amidaji is opened for visitors! 
- Amidaji construction news 2016 - (part III) and an announcement for visitors
- Amidaji construction news 2016 - part II (THE LIBRARY)
- Amidaji construction news 2016 - part 1
- Amidaji construction news 2015 - part 3

 - Amidaji construction news 2015 - part 2 
- Amidaji construction news 2015 - part 1
- I installed the altar of Amidaji temple (2014)

- I installed the little Hondo (Dharma Hall) of Amidaji (2014)
- I built the concrete platform for the Hondo (Dharma Hall) of Amidaji (2013)
- Clearing the land for the Hondo (Dharma Hall) of Amidaji  (2013)

If you can afford to, please consider a small 
DONATION (click here to donate) or buy some of my books 
(click here to go to the books section) to help the construction of Amidaji temple. 

Gratefully yours
in Namo Amida Butsu,

Rev Josho Adrian Cîrlea

The right attitude of mind when working for Amidaji 

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[1] Calopăr belongs to the commune of Calopăr which has a population of about  4,000 people. Distance between Craiova and Calopar is about 20 km, which can be covered up in 20-30 minute by bus and even faster by car.