You don't need to change the Buddhist morality when you are saved as you are

Whenever there is something my ego does not like in the Buddhist morality (I can honestly say that I am an animal possessed of myriads of blind passions and attachments) I don't try to change the teaching to make it more agreeable, but humbly recognize that I am incapable to follow it, ask for apology and bow down gratefully to Amida Buddha for saving me as I am.

The Nembutsu of faith and gratitude is the only answer when comparing my limited capacities with the Buddhist precepts and the example of virtuous Masters of the past.

It is extremely important to never change anything from the Dharma, not even as small as a  particle of dust. The Dharma is perfect even if our ego doesn’t find it agreeable and there is already a way out of samsara especially made for such wretched people like us – the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha, so we don’t need to change anything to be accepted. 

The definition of sexual misconduct according to the Buddhist teaching

This is a fragment from the chapter on karma from my book The Four Profound Thoughts Which Turn the Mind Towards Amida Dharma. I post it again here as an answer to many questions related with sexual misconduct that were asked by my readers. Here you have a few passages from the sacred texts and explanations that will help you understand for example, many of my statements that refer to homosexuality as sexual misconduct. Please read it carefully. I am not presenting you with this teaching in order to condemn you, but to simply show the Dharmic truth on this matter. The chapter on karma from which this fragment is quoted first showed the karmic effects of such acts for those who rely on their own power (jiriki) while later explaining the indiscriminate salvation offered by Amida Buddha for the sinners who entrusted themselves to Him. So this fragment does NOT deny Amida's salvation but simply shows how karma works if we practice sexual misconduct and we do not accept Amida's helping hand. 

On the Buddhist meaning of marriage and the role of husband and wife

 click here to read the Spanish version

It is the way of Amidaji to always ask the Dharma in both the most important aspect of the afterlife as well as the details of our daily life. In this case we want to know what the Dharma has to say about marriage, so we will listen to the teachings that Shakyamuni Buddha gave to couples (men and women).

The woman should pay attention and contemplate what He said about the duties of a good wife and the man should pay attention and contemplate the duties of a husband. 

The followers of our tradition should empty their cup (mind) of modernist and worldly ideologies and listen deeply to the Buddha’s teaching. To those who argue that such teachings on couples should be changed and adapted to our so-called “modern times” and “modern views” I say that the reason we have so many marriage problems, broken couples, destroyed families and neglected children nowadays is especially because such teachings and instructions are not carefully observed anymore. It is because men are not willing to assume the role and duties of husbands and women are not capable to assume the role and duties of good wives.

The wedding ceremony Amidaji style

Click here to read on the Buddhist meaning of marriage and the role of husband and wife

The wedding ceremony in Amidaji branch is a modified Nembutsu liturgy as explained in the following lines:

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doshi: BU JO MI DA NYO RAI NIU DO JO

we respectfully call upon Amida Buddha to enter this place of practice

doon: SAN GE RAKU

as we joyfully scatter flowers of welcome

 

doshi: BU JO SHA KA NYO RAI NIU DO JO

we respectfully call upon Shakyamuni Buddha to enter this place of practice

doon: SAN GE RAKU

as we joyfully scatter flowers of welcome

 

doshi: BU JO JIP-PO NYO RAI NIU DO JO

we respectfully call upon all Buddhas from the ten directions

doon: SAN GE RAKU 

as we joyfully scatter flowers of welcome

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(When saying SAN GE RAKU the priest and couple scatter petals of roses or any flower in the direction of the altar.)

Conditions for marriage ceremonies at Amidaji temple

 fragment from Amidaji Constitution  

Marriage ceremonies can be held at Amidaji temples on the following conditions[1]:

     a)    Only between biologically born men and women (see the important note bellow). Amidaji temple recognizes the natural differences between biologically born men and biologically born women, as Shakyamuni Buddha himself addressed to His disciples as (biologically born) men and (biologically born) women when He gave advice to couples. He never gave advices to couples who were not (biologically born) men and (biologically born) women, which means that we too cannot recognize such people as couples to be married. This is also why any sexual or gender ideology which tends to disregard such natural and biological differences between men and women, like for example, the ideas that sexual identity is something that can be chosen without regard to one's biology (without regard to the fact that one was born a man or a woman), will not be promoted by Amidaji temple and its representatives, priests and teachers. 

Change the focus on Amida

Many people try to "escape" suffering through drugs, alcohol or other addictions. However, there is a better way. Think to whatever happens to you as events in a dream and to Amida Buddha and His Name as the only reality. Then change the focus from those dreamlike experiences to the true and real.

Do not empower your feelings and various thoughts that appear in your mind, do not bother about them, do not pay attention to them, but change the focus to Amida and the saying of His Name (Nembutsu).

Your experiences, feelings, wandering thoughts and obsessions will naturally dissolve into the space of your mind if you do not focus on them. It is in their nature to appear and disappear like mist or clouds in the sky, however we prolong them indefinitely because of our clinging and identifying with them.

Please do not run from a dreamlike experience (your suffering and obsessions) to another dreamlike experience (drugs, alcohol, etc). If you do that you will only multiply your suffering.

Better recognize the difference between real and unreal, then chose the real. Change the focus on Amida and His Name.

Namo Amida Bu 

Amidaji members: Joshin Dave Kruemcke

Click here to return to the main page of Amidaji members

(video: Joshin Dave Kruemcke declaring his allegiance to Jodo Shinshu Amidaji)

I was born at midnight. September 15, 1960 in Herman Hospital in Houston, Texas.

My father was a professional engineer, my mother a "homemaker". We moved to a Southwest suburb of Sharpstown when I was 3 years old. I was born into a very strict Southern Baptist family.

My father was a very passive-aggressive man. Hugging me one minute, beating me with whatever he could get his hands on the next.