Monday, June 3, 2024

Stick with Amida Buddha

Thoughts come and go.
They are like clouds.
Stick with Amida, 
not with the
wandering
thoughts.
 Question from a reader: Josho – I need your help regarding the issue   of shinjin (or lack of). I know that I do not have settled shinjin, as   much as I would like to have it. I follow the Amida Dharma for a   while but then I fall off the rails and think that perhaps another path   is or more suited to me. So…I try to follow another path just to   arrive  at the place where I realize (again) that I cannot “succeed” in   any type of spiritual progress by my own efforts and that I need   Amida. So…. I return to Amida.
 Intellectually I believe in the existence of Amida and His Pure Land,   and I do want to go there, but there is obviously some kind of   emotional or other block which is preventing me from having settled   shinjin and from really experiencing Amida as a living presence in   my life. What is your advice? Can you help?

  My answer: When the thought of leaving for another path occurs       again in your mind, just do not follow it. Take the definitive   decision to stick with Amida Buddha no matter what thoughts   appear in your mind.

Thoughts come and go. This is what they do. They are like clouds. However, they have no power unless we empower them. If you simply let them come and go without focusing on them, they will disappear, but if you pay attention to them, they become bigger and bigger and will eventually make you take bad decisions.
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Monday, May 27, 2024

Amidaji delegate at the 19th United Nations Day of Wesak Celebration, Thailand

Recently, Shushin Ioana, one of our oldest Romanian members, represented Amidaji in Thailand at the United Nation Day of Wesak which was an event attended by delegates from many countries, including Asia, Europe, USA, etc. On this occasion, she gifted seven of my books in English to the library of Sitagu International Buddhist Academy, represented in the left photo by Rev Dr Kovida. The books were offered in the memory of our dear friend Shoshin from the Phillipines who recently departed to the Pure Land. 

In 2004 I was a guest of honor at Sitagu academy/monastery and since then I have constantly sent cordial greetings to Ven Ashin Nyanissara, its leader, who treated me very well during my stay in Myanmar (Burma). Below I present to you other photos from this year Wesak Conference where Shushin sent greetings from us and made or rekindled friendships with various members of other Buddhist communities. I mention that Shushin is on his fourth participation to this kind of Wesak Conferences and will also represent us next year. 

Thank you very much, dear Shushin for your dedication!

Namo Amida Bu 🙏

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Thursday, May 9, 2024

ENSEÑANZAS SELECCIONADAS DE HONEN SHONIN CON COMENTARIO


El papel de un profesor es simplificar las cosas y esto es exactamente lo que intento hacer a través de mis libros. Escojo y elijo lo que es fácil de entender de los muchos volúmenes de los textos sagrados y los organizo y explico de tal manera que tanto el tonto como el erudito puedan entender y recibir fe (shinjin).
 
También trato de hacer conexiones útiles entre varios Maestros y sus enseñanzas. Por ejemplo, en este libro muestro que Honen y su discípulo Shinran hablaron en el mismo lenguaje de la fe y que esencialmente daban la misma enseñanza, aunque a veces las palabras y el contexto fueran diferentes.
 
Entre los muchos dichos de Honen elegí algunos en este libro y en mis otros libros pues los considero muy importantes. Estos pasajes y comentarios pueden servir como el estándar de lectura y comprensión de la Enseñanza de Honen Shonin en nuestra rama Amidaji del Budismo Jodo Shinshu.
 
Estoy muy agradecido con mi amigo del Dharma el Reverendo Kosho Arana de Colombia por traducir el libro al español.
 
Namo Amida Bu

Haga clic aquí para descargar la versión en pdf:

My google drive
My page on Academia.edu

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The book is also posted in AMIDAJI BOOKSTORE  where you can order all the printed edition of my books.
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Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Selected Teachings from Honen Shonin with Commentary (free edition and printed edition for sale)


The role of a teacher is to make things simple and this is exactly what I’m trying to do through my books. I pick and choose that which is easy to understand from the many volumes of the sacred texts and organize and explain them in such a way so that both the idiot and the scholar can understand and receive faith (shinjin). 

I also try to make useful connections between various Masters and their teachings. For example, in this book I show that Honen and his disciple Shinran, spoke the same language of faith and essentially taught the same teaching although sometimes the words and context are different.

Among the many sayings of Honen, I chose a few in this book and my other books, that I consider to be very important and which can serve as a standard of reading and understanding him in our Amidaji branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. 

Click here if you wish to download the free online edition in pdf,


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Saturday, April 6, 2024

Amida Buddha's devotee respond in gratitude to His benevolence by helping others entrust to Him (video teaching and discussion)

 This video is very useful if you have the patience to watch it until the end. It is part of the series of the 71 topics of examination for those who want to be ordained in Amidaji branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. The main speaker is my student Rev Kosho Arana from Colombia. He already received monk (priest) ordination in our school, in September this year.  

The links mentioned in the video are posted in its description on my youtube channe.

Namo Amida Bu 

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Friday, April 5, 2024

Don't play smart or virtuous in samsara

Never play the wise practitioner in samsara. All you need to know and can truly know are the instructions of Amida Buddha in His Primal Vow: "entrust yourself to me, say my Name and wish to be born in my land". Follow Master Rennyo's advice, "all thoughts and words are delusion, except the mind to trust Amida Buddha" and Master Shinran's, "the Nembutsu alone is true and real".

 Also, never play the virtuous practitioner in samsara. Don't overestimate your pitiful merits and virtues. You can do nothing with your so-called "wisdom and merits". Everything is impermanent and insubstantial, including your dream-like existence and the things you think you realized.

 There is only one reality - that of Amida Buddha and His Call: "entrust yourself to me, say my Name and wish to be born in my land". Do that exclusively and don't play smart or virtuous in samsara.
 Namo Amida Bu 


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Friday, March 22, 2024

Focus on Amida Buddha and stick with Him no matter what happens in your mind or outside of it (video teaching)

 

Click here to watch more videos in the DHARMA TALK playlist. There are more than 170 videos there until now, so you'll certainly find one that is useful to you. 

Here are some links mentioned in the video: 


 


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Dharma talks on my youtube channel