As
you may probably know, in many Buddhist temples around the world, Jodo Shinshu
or not, members organize parties with music, alcohol, and dancing. Some say it
relaxes people and brings them together. I say it is a smart trick of internal
maras (one's own blind passions and ignorance) and/or external maras to make
people forget the Dharma in the exact place where they have the chance to
deepen its meaning, a subtle way of distracting them from Dharma and keeping
them focused on their worldly passions and preoccupations.
Don't
get me wrong, I do not forbid members to go to parties, drink, socialize or
dance. They have all the time for entertainment, but the temple is not a social
club, not a bar, and not a disco. It is also not karate, yoga, taichi or
ikebana club, not a bazaar and not a platform for various worldly ideologies,
as some use it from time to time. The temple is and must remain a place for
Dharma. Here we come for a different purpose - to listen to the Amida Dharma,
become aware of the delusional nature of samsara, of death and impermanence,
and of the need to aspire for the liberation in the Pure Land of Amida
Buddha.
