Any sincere student of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism is now welcomed to the Amidaji Temple in Colombia to study the Amida Dharma with Kosho Sensei. He is fluent in both Spanish and English so students from around the world who speak English can also go and study with him if they wish.
Amidaji's Objective and his teaching style
Orthodox Teaching
It is the Buddhas who offer the medicine of the Buddha-Dharma to alleviate the suffering of beings, which is why we cannot modify the Buddha-Dharma (the teaching of the Buddhas) and adapt it to various worldly ideologies (as has happened and continues to happen in many temples in the East and West) this is why in Amidaji we declare that we are NOT the creators of the Buddha Dharma but only transmitters of the teaching. We do not mix Buddha-Dharma with personal opinions or worldly ideologies as many false teachers from the East and West have unfortunately done, but rather we present the teaching as it has been transmitted through the centuries by Shakyamuni Buddha and the Masters of our lineage. We therefore place great emphasis on the purity of the teaching of basic Mahayana Buddhism (Law of Karma, Rebirth in the 6 realms of samsara, Buddhist morality, Buddha nature, Buddhahood...etc) and the central teachings of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism on Amida Buddha (The Buddha of Infinite Life and Light) by Shakyamuni Buddha in the Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life (also called the Larger Sutra) through the lens of the Japanese Masters Shinran Shonin, Rennyo Shonin and the 7 Patriarchs of India, China and Japan in their works and commentaries. You can read more here about the mission of Amidaji International Temple at this link (click here).
Essential teachings of the Amidaji branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism can be found at these links,Some general notions of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism
Amida Dharma - essentials of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist teachings as it is presented at AmidajiEight guidelines to protect and transmit the true faith in Amida Buddha
The purpose of a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temple
Amidaji International Temple accepts all sincere students regardless of their nationality, social status, political persuasion, race or any other worldly distinction as long as they listen to Amida's Dharma teaching carefully without adapting it to their personal preferences but always asking questions about how to escape the cycle of birth and death based on the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha. The Temple is a place where we leave our worldly worries and preferences at the door before entering the temple just as we take off our shoes before entering it. The Temple is not a place for entertainment or socialization but a sacred place whose objective is that we dedicate ourselves with all our hearts to listening to the words of the Buddha and the Masters so that we can receive faith in Amida Buddha in accordance with the Primal Vow. Nothing is more important than escaping repeated births and deaths through the Buddha-Dharma, in this case, the Amida Dharma. If a student intends to truly listen to Amida Dharma then she or he will always have the help of the teachers and monks of Amidaji at any time, be it online or in person. The mission of Amidaji is to always be available to those who sincerely seek the Buddha-Dharma and put it above their own worldly opinions and ideologies.
Conditions to be accepted as a student at Amidaji temple
Conditions for being accepted as a member of Amidaji
Keep mundane affairs out of the Temple
Brief explanation of the selection of holy images in the Temple:
All Amidaji International Temple centers have Amida Buddha in their center, with the Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara (right) and Mahasthamaprapta (left) on the sides. To the right of Avalokitesvara we find the images of Master Shinran Shonin (founder of Jodo Shinshu) and then Prince Shōtoku (great monarch of vital importance in Japan for the expansion of Buddhism in that country, considered by Shinran Shonin as an emanation of Avalokitesvara). To the left of Mahasthamaprapta we find Master Rennyo Shonin, the restorer of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in the 15th century and then we see an image of the Seven Patriarchs of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism of India, China and Japan as they were recognized by Master Shinran. They are (in chronological order) Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, Vasubandhu Bodhisattva, Master T'an-luan, Master Tao-ch'o, Master Shan-tao, Master Genshin and Master Honen Shonin (The master of Shinran Shonin).
On the other walls of the Temple Jodo Shinshu temples usually place various Buddhas or Enlightened Bodhisattvas. In the case of the Amidaji-Colombia Temple, we have chosen Shakyamuni Buddha and the Enlightened Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. Shakyamuni Buddha in Tibetan style has two disciples on the sides and in the upper center we see Amida Buddha in red. This is related to Amida Buddha's 17th Vow which says that all Buddhas in the ten directions of the universe praise the Name of Amida Buddha, which means that all Buddhas promote the wonderful method that Amida Buddha has for helping other sentient beings to achieve Buddhahood easily, namely, birth in the Pure Land according to the Primal Vow.
“The light of Amitāyus (Amida) shines brilliantly, illuminating all the Buddha lands of the ten directions. There is no place where it is not perceived. I am not the only one who now praises His light. All the Buddhas, śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas praise and glorify it in the same way
Shakyamuni Buddha also said in the same sutra:
The majestic light of Amitāyus Buddha is the most exalted. No other Buddha light can match it
Shakyamuni Buddha also said in the Brief Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life (Amidakyo):
"Shariputra, just as I praise the inconceivable virtue of Amida Buddha, so do the Buddhas in the eastern direction, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, […] While residing in their own lands, they spread their long and wide tongues and encompassing with them the universe of a billion worlds, they utter these words of truth: Sentient beings must accept this sutra entitled "Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection of All the Buddhas.
"Shariputra, there are Buddhas in the southern direction as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, [...] While they dwell in their own lands, they spread out their long and wide tongues and, encompassing with them the universe of a billion worlds, utter these words of truth: Sentient beings should accept this sutra titled "Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection of All Buddhas."
"Shariputra, there are Buddhas in the western direction as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, [...] As they dwell in their own lands, they spread out their long and wide tongues and, encompassing with them the universe of a billion worlds, they utter these words of truth: Sentient beings should accept this sutra titled "Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection of All Buddhas".
[Shakyamuni Buddha mentions the same in the direction of the North, the Nadir and the Zenith]
Furthermore, Master Shinran mentions that the main intention for Shakyamuni Buddha's coming to our world was precisely to teach about the unconditional salvation offered by Amida Buddha, precisely because no other Dharma teaching can bring ordinary and evil beings (who are the vast majority of beings of samsara) to the achievement of Nirvana:
Truly we know, then, that the crucial matter for which the Great Sage, the World-honored One, appeared in this world was to reveal the true benefit of the compassionate Vow and to declare it to be the direct teaching of the Tathagatas. The essential purport of this great compassion is to teach the immediate attainment of Birth by foolish beings. Thus, looking into the essence of the teachings of the Buddhas, we find that the true and fundamental intent for which all the Tathagatas, past, present, and future, appear in this world, is solely to teach the inconceivable Vow of Amida";
On the other hand, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra embodies the eternal compassionate activities of all the Buddhas of the ten directions of the universe, which is why we see him surrounded by several Buddhas, including, of course, Amida Buddha. This reminds us of the 22nd Vow of Amida Buddha which promises that all those who are born in the fulfilled land of the Pure Land (center of the Pure Land) will become Enlightened beings who can act openly as Buddhas or as great Enlightened Bodhisattvas like the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra who is really an Enlightened Bodhisattva like Avalokitesvara and Manjushri (among many others).
Once beings attain Enlightenment/Buddhahood in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha, they always engage in the endless compassionate and wise activities of the Buddhas of the ten directions, sometimes manifesting as Buddhas turning the Wheel of Dharma like Shakyamuni, sometimes as Enlightened Bodhisattvas and at other times manifesting as ordinary beings for the benefit of all living beings.
Thus these two side altars exalt the inconceivable virtues of the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Light and Infinite Life, while the image on the wall opposite the main altar shows the cycle of samsara to encourage us to entrust ourselves to Amida Buddha and manage to escape the cycle of suffering of repeated deaths and births in the 6 realms of samsara.
We hope that you can visit Amidaji International Temple-Colombia to study the Amida Dharma with Kosho Sensei and enjoy the Light of Amida Buddha according to the Nembutsu of the Primal Vow. Students should first notify Rev. Kosho Arana (see his address bellow) of their interest in visiting the Temple in addition to receiving directions on how to get to the Temple which is located on the outskirts of the city of Cali in a mountainous area. Accommodation and food can also be arranged for students who wish to spend more than one day at the Temple.
The mountain town of La Leonera, has forest trails, rivers and natural parks and has a cool and pleasant climate (it usually ranges between 14 and 24 degrees Celsius) which makes it a good place to walk and relax in nature. Kosho Sensei usually walks in the afternoons on these forest paths saying the Nembutsu (the Name of Amida Buddha) for the benefit of all living beings (seen and invisible). Outdoor Dharma activities can be scheduled in the forests to help beings to create connections with Amida Buddha.
May all beings create indestructible connections with Amida Buddha, may all beings say the Name of Amida Buddha (Namo Amida Bu), wish to be born in the Pure Land and have Faith in Him.
Namo Amida Bu
Contact and address of Kosho Sensei for those interested in visiting Amidaji International Temple-Colombia:
Email: kosho.amidaji@gmail.com
Telephone: 322 633 4313 (if you are from outside Colombia the Colombian code is +57) - You can write directly to WhatsApp as well
Click here to access Kosho Sensei's Facebook Profile
Address of Amidaji International Temple-Colombia: Calle de la Roca, Casa 2 Rejas Blancas, La Leonera, Valle del Cauca (5 minutes by car from the town of Felidia, Vía al Kilómetro 18, Vía al Mar) –Ask for additional directions directly to Kosho Sensei to get there easily from Cali
Namo Amida Bu
0 comentarii:
Post a Comment