However, I declared my and Amidaji International Temple’s independence from Hongwanji on September 4, 2020 through this article On Amidaji branch of Jodo Shinshu and its relation with Nishi Hongwanji and in an official letter sent to Hongwanji International Center, IABC and other Japanese leaders on September 5, 2020.
So, by that notice issued by Hongwanji on October 8, 2021, they actually inform their flock of snowflake leaders and priests that I am no longer one of them because …… I established Amidaji! Well, of course, I am no longer one of them and I am so happy about this! They acknowledge that I established Amidaji as an independent organization one year before their note. Why that international affairs department of Hongwanji-ha did not move quicker and issued their acknowledgment earlier? I don’t know, perhaps because they are lazy.
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| news about Amidaji going independent on Dharmawheel forum |
My present situation is somewhat similar with that of priests ordained in Europe independently from Hongwanji by Rev Harry Pieper and Rev Jean Earacle of Switzerland. They too are priests not registered with the Hongwanji-ha. Just as Hongwanji does not have a monopoly on the Jodo Shinshu teaching, they also do not have a monopoly on priesthood.
I now
realize that those snowflakes suffer because Hongwanji did not kick me out due
to their multiple complaints sent to the Japanese leadership since before 2010
(check my autobiography to read their first complaints about me), which is why
some don’t like the fact that I left Hongwanji on my own accord. They wanted
that I receive some form of punishments which of course, didn’t happen. There
were indeed many complaints about me received by Hongwanji International Center
over many years and I also made many complaints about the critical situation of
Hongwanji sangha and the spread of various heresies and wrong views. Their
complaints were listened although I was never kicked out because of them, while
my complaints were always ignored which is why I decided to leave on September
4, 2020.
It is important to know that I and my sangha didn’t leave the Hongwanji of Kakunyo Shonin, Rennyo Shonin, Kyonyo Shonin, Shonyo Shonin (Kosho Ohtani), etc[1] but the Hongwanji of fake leaders who distort the true teaching, calling Amida Buddha a myth, metaphor and symbol, who deny the existence of the Pure Land and its attainment after death and who use their temples to promote and justify all kinds of disgusting sexual and worldly ideologies. I and my sangha didn’t leave the Hongwanji of ordinary sincere priests and lay people who mind their own business, have faith and do their best to promote the true teaching. I repeat - nobody has monopoly over Jodo Shinshu Buddhism as there are surely good people of faith everywhere in all branches and we do NOT think that Amidaji is the only true sangha but at least we are doing our best while various fake scholars and followers of worldly ideologies are doing their worst to destroy the spiritual legacy of Amida Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, Honen, Shinran and Rennyo.
Of course I am no longer a priest affiliated with Hongwanji-ha! I do NOT want to be associated with those heretics and ideological perverts that constitute the present day leadership of Hongwanji[2], Buddhist Churches of America (BCA), European district, etc. I only represent Jodo Shinshu Amidaji! When I speak about Dharma matters, I do it in the name of Amidaji and when I speak about worldly matters on my personal social accounts I represent myself only, like any ordinary guy on this earth.
There is no need to insist on me not being a member of Hongwanji-ha anymore or make people careful about this because I have always said since September 4, 2020 that I and Amidaji have our own separate way and that we are a new branch (with old roots) of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.
I am so
happy with my sangha so please keep your present day fake Hongwanji for
yourself. I don’t need it, don’t want it and don’t care about it! The only
thing I promise to you is that after I go to the Pure Land through the Power of
the real, living Amida Buddha, I will come after you to get you out of whatever
hell or lower realm you will be born into.
Namo Amida Bu
PS: Divisions and creation of new schools and branches of Buddhism happened many times and will continue to happen in the future. Honen Shonin left Tendai school where he was ordained and founded Jodoshu. Shinran, himself an ordained monk, also left Tendai and joined the Jodoshu of Honen. All his life he thought he represented his Master’s Jodoshu teaching, calling it the true (shin) Pure Land (jodo) teaching/school (shu) of Honen and after his birth in the Pure Land, his disciples considered themselves to be a new school by transforming a phrase (the true teaching of Pure Land – Jodo Shinshu) into the name of the school to differentiate themselves from the various Jodoshu branches that were developed by other disciples of Honen. Soon, Jodo Shinshu split into nine branches, Hongwanji being only one of them. Later, in 1602 Kyonyo separated from Hongwanji with his followers who remained loyal to him after the war with Nobunaga and founded Higashi Hongwanji as a the 10th branch of Jodo Shinshu. In 2020 me and my Dharma friends left a decadent Nishi Hongwanji (Hongwanji-ha) and founded Amidaji as a new branch of Jodo Shinshu. Just as it was the case with other branches, our Amidaji branch (the 11th branch of Jodo Shinshu) will have its own history and will influence even more the Buddhist religious landscape of the world.
I say it
for the third time in this article, NOBODY has the monopoly on the Jodo Shinshu
teaching, not Amidaji, not Hongwanji nor any of the other branches. Time will
tell if Amidaji will survive and flourish for the benefit of all beings.
However, that is not my concern but the duty of the next generations. My work
is not finished yet but I think I have already done enough to create a strong
foundation for Amidaji through my books and the guidance I constantly give to
members. Among my students some will soon become priests themselves as I want
very much to share the burden of transmitting the true teaching with other
colleagues. My dream is to resign one day from any public activity and focus on
Nembutsu and my vegetable garden but there is a long way until then.
[1] I didn’t mention Shinran Shonin in the list of Hongwanji Monshus because there was actually no Hongwanji during Shinran’s life.
[2] By leadership of Hongwanji I refer especially to the International Department of Hongwanji. I do not mean the Monshu or his father, the Zenmon sama who ordained me, because they live in some kind of secluded bubble and know almost nothing about the real situation of Hongwanji international sangha and the major decisions are not taken by them. Into my opinion, the present Monshu is a mere symbol, something like a constitutional monarch in a parliamentary democracy who is king in name only but without any real power.
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