Constitution of Amidaji International Temple

The crest of Amidaji 

revised and updated on July 6th 2022

Any place where unenlightened beings meet needs some kind of organization, especially if it is a Dharma place. In our case, if we want to preserve and transmit the Jodo Shinshu teaching, we need a good team of people who can accomplish that goal. However, a team cannot work without common rules that will help us focus on our religious goal, so I hope this Constitution will provide the administrative base, rules and regulations for our aspirations. 

During many years of monkhood in which I have closely watched the ways of various Jodo Shinshu temples and communities I realized that a reform in both doctrinal and administration matters is very much needed. 

Due to the lack of firmness and clarity from the leadership of Japanese Hongwanji-ha branch of Jodo Shinshu school on what one should teach and be taught, a doctrinal chaos in which everyone says whatever they want and label it as Jodo Shinshu is spread everywhere. Although the official documents of Hongwanji institution are there to be seen and followed by everybody, dangerous heresies and wrong views are prevalent among many priests and lay people in temples and centers around the world[1]. Also, many temples, especially outside Japan, became mere instruments for the agenda of various ideological groups with dubious theories in clear contrast with the general teaching of the Buddha Dharma and Buddhist morals. 

At the same time, tokudo candidates are not thoroughly checked if their understanding and knowledge is in agreement with the authentic teaching of our school and ordination is offered too easily on the reasons that quantity should prevail over quality. 

Academic sophisticated presentations that do not help the simple person to receive faith in Amida and which often contain useless and scholarly comparisons with non-Buddhist religions and philosophies, as well as worldly motivational discourses are prevalent among the elite responsible for the spreading of the Dharma while talks about important matters of life after death or the reality of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land are avoided. 

Also mixing of Nembutsu with other practices is prevalent in many centers, although the Primal Vow is clear on what we should do and follow – exclusive faith in Amida, exclusive saying of His Name and exclusive wish to be born in His Pure Land after death. 

Contemplating on the above and other elements that constitute the decadent state of the Jodo Shinshu sangha in our era, which is never counteracted by the official leadership of Hongwanji, I decided to create a new international organization based on strict orthodox Buddhist and Jodo Shinshu principles. 

I know there is a need among authentic Pure Land followers for orthodox and simple explanations, as well as for a religious environment of devotion and faith where they can listen deeply to the Dharma and entrust to Amida. I sincerely hope that Amidaji will become the spiritual home of these honest beings. 

Click here to download Amidaji Constitution in pdf

Click here to read how you can help Amidaji by donation or by becoming a patron of Amidaji

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[1] For example, although the Hongwanji has the official statement called “The Essential of Jodo Shinshu” which clearly mentions that birth in the Pure Land is to be attained after death, there are many priests everywhere who promote the heresy of “Pure Land being here and now”:

“Attain­ing the “entrust­ing heart”—awakening to the com­pas­sion of Amida Tatha­gata through the work­ing of the Pri­mal Vow—we shall walk the path of life recit­ing Amida’s Name (Nem­butsu).  At the end of  life, we will be born in the Pure Land and attain Bud­dha­hood, return­ing at once to this delu­sional world to guide peo­ple to awakening.”
(The Essential of Jodo Shinshu, section on Teaching) 

This statement appears on the official website of Japanese Hongwanji and in their book Jodo Shinshu A Guide, also published by Hongwanji and given to all new members overseas after their Kykyoshiki ceremony.

There are also various other wrong views like calling Amida Buddha a myth, metaphor, symbol, or fictional character as well as denying the existence of His Pure Land as a real enlightened place, etc.