Monday, September 19, 2016
Thursday, September 15, 2016
The merit transference from Amida Buddha to those who entrust to Him
How does Amida Buddha save us? By transfering His merits to us, those who have faith in Him. Shinran
Shonin said:
"When I humbly
contemplate the true essence of the Pure Land Way, I realize that Amida’s merit
transference has two aspects: one is the aspect of going forth, and the other
that of returning. Concerning the aspect of going forth of merit transference,
there are true teaching, practice, faith, and Enlightenment"[1].
In the practices based on personal power the practitioner
“earns” virtues which he transfers for his own Enlightenment. But in the
case of Other Power (Pure Land) way, the
transference of merits takes place from Amida Buddha to those who entrust to
Him. This transference of merit (eko) carries the follower to the Pure Land
where he attains Nirvana or perfect Enlightenment. Shinran Shonin says in a
hymn:
Thursday, September 8, 2016
The Name of Amida Buddha is the Great Practice
- updated on January 21st 2017 -
Amida Buddha |
In chapter II of his Kyogyoshinsho, Shinran
defines the great practice:
"When I humbly
contemplate the 'going forth' aspect of Amida’s merit transference, I realize
that there are great practice and great faith. The great practice is to call the Name of the Tathagata of Unhindered
Light (Amida Buddha). This practice contains all good and roots of virtue,
and is perfectly accomplished and most eficacious in bringing about liberation.
It is the treasure-sea of merits of true suchness, ultimate reality. For this
reason, it is called great practice.
This practice comes
from the vow of great compassion, the Seventeenth Vow, which is called the Vow
that the Name shall be glorified by all the Buddhas. It is also called the Vow
that the Name shall be praised by all the Buddhas, and the Vow that the Name shall be lauded by all the Buddhas. Further, it can be called the Vow
accomplishing the going-forth aspect of merit transference, and also the Vow of
the Nembutsu chosen from among many practices.'
Concerning the vow
that the Name shall be praised by all the Buddhas, the Larger Sutra states:
'If, when I attain
Buddhahood, innumerable Buddhas in the lands of the ten directions should not all
praise and glorify my Name, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.'
Friday, September 2, 2016
Help needed to buy two stoves for Amidaji temple
Dear
friends in the Dharma,
the kind of stove I wish to install in the Hondo (Dharma Hall) and library of Amidaji |
As you can
see in the last posts from this website, Amidaji is opened for visitors and it
did have its first visitors from abroad: one from Brasil! (click here) and four from Japan (click here). Other visitors also announced their intention to
visit in the near future. I hope that you too, the reader of these lines, will come for a visit, soon!
However, as
clearly stated here, because there
is no heating system, Amidaji cannot provide accommodation and religious
services during the cold season. So, unfortunately, under the present
circumstances, visitors can only come since late spring to early autumn.
My
intention is to change this and make Amidaji available during the whole year to
those who wish to spend a few days in retreat in order to hear Amida Dharma.
So, I would like to invite you to please help me to buy and install two stoves
- one in the library of Amidaji (where visitors receive accomodation) and the
other in the Hondo (Dharma Hall).
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Visit of IABC delegation from Japan to Amidaji temple
Visitors and members in the Hondo (Dharma Hall) of Amidaji |
On August 28th a delegation of IABC from Japan visited
Amidaji temple.
We had a wonderful time together. We recited Amidakyo
(Smaller Amida Sutra) and Nembutsu, we had Dharma discussions and we enjoyed a
delicious vegetarian food.
I also explained the orthodox attitude of Amidaji in all
matters related with Dharma activities and I presented the plan for the next phase in the development of the temple.
Categories:
AMIDA-JI TEMPLE,
AMIDAJI SANGHA,
NEWS
Friday, August 26, 2016
Short Dharma meeting in Vienna and Notes on the 18th European Shin Buddhist Conference in Antwerp
Dharma meetings before the Conference:
August 19th
I met with my Dharma friend Frank Kusmierz. I offered some
books in the memory of late Myoshin Friedrich Fenzl, and we had a wonderful
evening with discussions and cofee.
August 20
Frank and me |
I met with my good friend from Holland, Frits Bot, who
donated many good books for the library of Amidaji temple. These include, Rennyo-sama, His Life Through Pictorial
Illustrations, Life of Eshinni by
Yoshiko Ohtani, two books by Eiken Kobai Sensei, some biographies of Shinran
and Honen, and a few good studies on the history of Jodo Shinshu.
18th European Shin
Buddhist Conference in Antwerp
The
following is not a detailed and objective report of the 18th European Shin
Buddhist Conference, but only some significant events for myself and my mission.
Thursday, August 18, 2016
A reader from Brasil at Amidaji temple
Shinkai and Josho in the Hondo (Dharma Hall) of Amidaji |
As you can
read here, at this link, I have declared Amidaji open for visitors. As most of
my readers live outside of Romania, and because Amidaji is an international
temple (including Romanians of course, but not limited to them), many expressed
their wish to visit and stay for a few days in order to listen to the orthodox
Jodo Shinshu teaching presented here.
So, the
first visitor arrived and she came all the way from Brasil! Usually, when I
have a visitor, I dedicate myself exclusively to him or her. The visitor does
not leave the temple for a few days, and is focused entirely on Dharma activities
like teaching, recitation, but also work in the garden and courtyard of the
temple. This is some kind of a small retreat, but also retreats of more than 3
days can be arranged for either one person or a group.
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