A question on the Buddhist marriage

photo from a Buddhist marriage in Maharastra, India
As you can see, I am not the only one who officiates
Buddhist weddings

I heard that my recent posts on the Buddhist marriage ceremony  created a lot of discomfort to many. How the normal union between man and woman can make some feel uncomfortable is beyond the capacity to understand of any normal person who knows Shakyamuni Buddha's teaching and the natural differences between men and women. Perhaps many fake Buddhists who put LGBTQ's ideology on the same level with the Buddhist teaching prefer to think with their anus instead of their brains 😀, so they do not deserve my attention. However, here is a question that should get an answer:

Sobre el significado budista del matrimonio y sobre el rol del esposo y la esposa

 

Translated from English by Juan Sebastian Hincapie Arana

En el estilo Amidaji de enseñanza siempre consultamos directamente el Dharma tanto en el aspecto más importante de la vida después de la muerte como en los detalles de nuestra vida diaria. En este caso queremos saber qué tiene que decir el Dharma sobre el matrimonio, por eso escucharemos las enseñanzas que el Buda Shakyamuni dio a las parejas (hombres y mujeres).

La mujer debe prestar atención y contemplar lo que el Buda dijo sobre los deberes de una buena esposa y el hombre debe prestar atención y contemplar los deberes de un esposo igualmente.

A response to fake Buddhist followers blinded by worldly ideologies

grow up and
don't be crysexual 😀

No matter what I say there is a category of people motivated by worldly ideologies who will always misinterpret my words. If I say that homosexuality is sexual misconduct and I prove that with passages from the sacred texts and then I say that the salvation of Amida Buddha is given freely to all, including homosexuals and all kinds of sinners, they will stop at the first part of the phrase, and accuse me of discrimination. They will refuse to read the second part about Amida's unconditional salvation. I am amazed at how brainwashed these people are! They seem to have the mind of five year old children when they get obsessed with something and no matter what you say to them, they will not pay attention to your words. 

However, let me try again. So, dear crybabies, to define sexual misconduct is NOT the same with condemning people! It’s just a definition. Please repeat after me – ITS JUST A DEFINITION.

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:

●●

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

●

 

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