Amida Buddha and His Land as described in the Contemplation Sutra through the thirteen contemplations and the nine grades of beings

Fragment from my Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra. It is a work in progress and under constant revision. Click here to read the other chapters.

Before advancing to the chapter on the thirteen contemplations, it is important to mention that because the practices of the Contemplation Sutra lead to birth in the border land of the Pure Land, their objects of contemplation is Amida and His land as “transformed Buddha and land”.
 
In order to understand what I mean by “transformed Buddha and land” (which is actually an expression used by Shinran himself[1]) I need to explain first the doctrine of the two aspects of the Pure Land. Please read carefully.
 
The Pure Land of Amida Buddha has two main aspects: 1) the ultimate Dharmakaya aspect, and   2) the manifestation or Sambhogakaya (recompense) aspect. 
 
1) The ultimate Dharmakaya aspect means that the Pure Land is Nirvanic in its essence, as it was stated in the Larger Sutra:
 
“My land, being like Nirvana itself,
Will be beyond comparison.”[2]
 
This means that all the manifestations of the Pure Land are grounded in the perfect Enlightenment of Amida Buddha, and are conducive to Enlightenment. We ourselves will attain Enlightenment when we are born in the center of the Pure Land (the fulfilled land of the Pure Land), because the essence of the Pure Land is Enlightenment/Nirvana/Dharmakaya itself. Otherwise, if the Pure Land was not an enlightened realm, it would lead only to sense attachments, like other Samsaric realms do, but Shakyamuni Buddha[3] and our Masters[4] were very clear that this is not the case.

AMIDA DHARMA versione italiana

tradotto da'll inglese 

da Daikaku Antonio Aliperti

click here for the English version

Il Buddismo Jodo Shinshu o Amida Dharma è la Via verso il Nirvana (perfetta Illuminazione) attraverso la fede nel Buddha Amida. Questa Via è stato insegnata da Shakyamuni Buddha (il Buddha storico) e fu trasmessa successivamente ai nostri tempi da una lunga serie di Maestri e insegnanti tra i quali cito Shinran Shonin (1173-1262), il fondatore di questa scuola in Giappone e Rennyo Shonin (1415-1499), il restauratore.
 
Le parole “Jodo Shinshu” significano “La Vera Scuola della Terra Pura” e Dharma significa insegnamento. Amida Dharma è l'insegnamento sulla salvezza incondizionata offerta dal Buddha Amida. Con l'aiuto di questo Buddha chiamato Amida nasciamo nella Sua Terra Pura (la Sua sfera di influenza) dopo la morte dove raggiungiamo la perfetta Illuminazione (Nirvana).
 
Questo libro rappresenta l'essenza dell’insegnamento buddista Jodo Shinshu come viene insegnato al tempio Amidaji e nel nostro Sangha internazionale. Il suo studio è un obbligo per qualsiasi discepolo. Se qualcuno non può leggerlo, gli verrà letto dal prete o da uno dei compagni del Dharma.
 
Amida Dharma contiene la conoscenza minima richiesta per un membro di Amidaji. È un libro semplice senza citazioni e termini tecnici, limitato a quello che è strettamente necessario per comprendere il mondo delle ripetute nascite e morti (samsara) e la Via attraverso cui fuggire.
Il testo è diviso in quattordici fascicoli, ciascun fascicolo contiene passaggi numerati per una lettura facile e per le citazioni, sull’esempio dei testi classici.

I do not imitate the Buddhas

A Zen practitioner told me that zazen is the posture of the Buddha. It is being the Buddha.

I agreed with him and exactly because it is so, I prefer to sit in zazen after I’m born in the Pure Land. As a Buddha in the Pure Land, zazen will be natural, while here in samsara is just an imitation. Here, for this ignorant man, only Nembutsu of faith is true and real.

 

(Photo: enjoying Turkish tea in the woods)

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 🙏

ENSEÑANZAS SELECCIONADAS DE HONEN SHONIN CON COMENTARIO

Click here for the English edition of this book

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

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

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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. 

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Click here to order it in Japanese yen on Amazon Japan
Click here to order it in Euro on Amazon France
Click here to order it on Amazon Spain

Click here to order in Euro from Netherlands

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

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