Members of Amidaji: Daigan Alejandro Macia (Uruguay)

        

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 biographies of Amidaji members

Hello Amida Dharma friends. My Dharma name is   Shaku Daigan. My civil name is Alejandro Macia. I   live in Montevideo Uruguay.

 Well, to tell you a little bit about my spiritual path I   began more than ten years ago, carrying the heavy   weight the existential questions that all (or most of   us) ask ourselves from early adolescence.   Sometimes  some people keep those hard questions   in a secret inner drawer but I dragged them around   for years and that was what led me to alcoholism   and  drug addiction and also to an acute depression.   I  could not find answers to my old questions: Who  are we in reality? Who created the universe? Why do we die and then where do we go after death? Why is there so much suffering in this existence? Why is there so much anguish and existential emptiness? Then I said to myself. "Of course we are sinners, that's why all of these bad things happen... is what the Bible says at least: that from those remote times where Eve ate the forbidden fruit in garden then we were all condemned and that is why we had to pay that sin with the penalty of death and pain for having disobeyed our God and this was the beginning of the journey for me. 

Members of Amidaji: Dodatsu Nerio Quinones (Argentina)

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Amida, the easy Path to leave the realms of Samsara forever.

Dodatsu Nerio

On a hot February afternoon, almost a decade ago, I walked to the hotel where the newcomer to Argentina, First Ahmadi Missionary, representative of a Muslim sect, with headquarters in London, was staying. He had attended two world assemblies in the British capital invited by the authorities of that religion. Before I had been a pilgrim through countless Christian congregations and studied about Judaism. I invested money to buy books and the Torah itself at a Jewish-Orthodox bookstore.

Nothing satisfied my curiosity. I asked myself about the origins of humanity, if other advanced civilizations had existed on the planet before (from outer space or indigenous to our world). I was passionate about the literature related to these topics and I wanted to get to the bottom of the deception about Jesus Christ. The Council of Nicea in 325, the "canonical" gospels and those that the Catholic Church (founded by Emperor Constantine) did not recognize as canonical, and so on.

I became a member of many "churches" despite of that the study of each doctrinal version of Christianity and Judaism did not meet my expectations.

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. 

On Amidaji branch of Jodo Shinshu and its relation with Nishi Hongwanji

Amidaji is now an independent branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. However, we did not appear from nowhere and we did not invent Jodo Shinshu. We received this teaching due to the efforts of many generations of followers and teachers who worked for its preservation and transmission. This is why I say in the Constitution (chapter I) that we do have a traditional connection to Nishi Hongwanji which means that “we inherit the essentials of Jodo Shinshu teaching as transmitted through the Nishi Hongwanji branch”. 

Monks and nuns ordinations in Amidaji Branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism

Fragment from Amidaji Constitution

(last revised July 6th 2022)

Click here to read about the first ordination 

in Amidaji branch of 

Jodo Shinshu Buddhism !

Monks and nuns are men and women who received the tokudo (monk/nun ordination) from any monk and nun in Amidaji system. Monks and nuns of Amidaji are called monks and nuns of the Last Dharma Age or monks in name only (nominal monks) as well as monks (or nuns) without precepts. The doctrinal base for such a monk ordination as well as detailed explanations are presented here (click to read). 

Monks and nuns will not form separate orders inside Amidaji but will be treated equally without any discrimination. However, no discrimination also means that the rules are the same for all. Whenever the term “monk” is used in the present Constitution for easy language, it also automatically includes nuns. 

The tokudo candidate must choose a monk or nun from Amidaji sangha as his/her personal teacher with whom he will train in the doctrine and liturgies of Amidaji. Then he must pass an examination with him. The examination will contain general topics established for all candidates at the level of the entire Amidaji organization as well as special topics decided by his teacher and examiner. He must also meet the necessary requirements of a monk as explained in this section. 

I added the double doors and windows of Amidado (Hall of Amida)

Amidado (Hall of Amida) with the new
double doors and windows

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

In July I built the walls of Amidado (Hall of Amida) and these days I successfully added a double door and two windows. I also added some covering materials on the four sides of the roof.
The total price was around 560 euros.

These type of doors and windows were more expansive than wood but the cheapest of their kind. I could not chose to make a wooden door for two reasons: 1) professional wood carpenters are very rare in my area, and 2) the wood is not so resistant to rain, snow and other elements, often swelling if its too wet outside and causing many problems. However, after I add the outside insulation I might paint the double door and windows in a color that imitates wood.

Amidado (Hall of Amida) with the new

double doors and windows

For the moment, the Amidado is not fit for religious services, especially not for services in the hot or cold season. The next important steps are to add thermal insulation and another wall inside (the walls of Amidado must be like a sandwich with insulation inside), and another insulation on the outside walls, plus a good paint.
These things will probably cost around 2000 euros or more.

working on the double door
and windows

I would also need to add a new similar double door to the present Hondo (Dharma Hall) and Library because the actual doors were damaged by the exposure to elements. These might cost around 600-700 euros and are a top priority.

As all the Dharma activities at Amidaji are done for free, the temple depends on the benevolence of its readers and friends, so please help if you can! Any little donation is welcome and very much needed.

If you wish to help you can use this PayPal donation box,

adding a kind of covering material
on the four sides of the roof

Or CLICK HERE if you would like to use other methods like Bank account, Revolut or Monese. 
Donors and those in whose name a donation is offered will be included in the dedication list of my new books.

Namo Amida Bu 

My religion is Jodo Shinshu Buddhism - Amidaji lineage

the crest of Amidaji Sangha

Let it be known. 

My religion is Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, Amidaji lineage.

I am NOT in the same school with all kinds of heretics and proponents of wrong views who misuse the label of "Jodo Shinshu". I am NOT the colleague of those who call Amida a myth, a metaphor, a fictional character or who say that "Pure Land is here and now" or "in the mind". Also, I am NOT in the same school with those who use Jodo Shinshu as a vehicle for various ideological and sexual groups. I am a member of Jodo Shinshu Amidaji, an orthodox lineage of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.