My message on coronavirus - go out and enjoy life

It seems that I am one of the few Buddhist priests and teachers that goes against the stream and advise people to go outside and breath fresh air.

Nowadays, Facebook is filled with priests posting profile images with the message, ”stay home, save a life” and they think this is showing Compassion. No, it's NOT! This is the offering of fear and stupidity! I do not imply that this is their true intention, but it's what they actually do by their actions.

To teach people to give up their liberty and rights because of stupid virosis, no more dangerous than a flu means to teach them to be stupid and fearful. This is NOT what I teach and NOT the way I live.

Go out, dear friends. You need to be seen by the sun, receive vitamin D, and enjoy life. If you stay inside as the stupid authorities ask you to do, your immune system will suffer and you will get sick easier.

I do not say go and kiss people on the street nor I advise you to not be careful. I only encourage you to treat this coronavirus with wisdom and non-fear. Don't stay home all day! Go out and save lives by showing that sunlight is good and healthy.

Go out and show others that life must be lived freely and with dignity, not locked up in a room and dancing like cage birds at the windows.

Yours in Namo Amida Bu,

Josho Adrian Cirlea, resident priest of Amidaji temple

El DHARMA DE AMIDA (edición gratuita)

Portada de la versión inglesa

Traducido del inglés por:

Kōshō Arana (J S Hincapié Arana)

El Budismo Jodo Shinshu o el Dharma de Amida es el camino hacia el Nirvana (la Iluminación Perfecta) a través de la fe en el Buda Amida. Este Camino fue enseñado por el Buda Shakyamuni (el Buda histórico) y luego fue transmitido hasta nuestros tiempos a través de una larga serie de Maestros entre los cuales menciono a Shinran Shonin (1173-1262), el fundador de esta escuela en Japón y Rennyo Shonin ( 1415-1499), el restaurador.

Las palabras "Jodo Shinshu" significan "la verdadera escuela de la Tierra Pura" y Dharma significa enseñanza. El Dharma de Amida es la enseñanza sobre la salvación incondicional ofrecida por el Buda Amida. Con la ayuda de este Buda llamado Amida, nacemos en Su Tierra Pura (Su esfera de influencia) después de la muerte, donde alcanzamos la Iluminación perfecta (Nirvana).

АМИДА ДХАРМА (Бесплатное онлайн издание)

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Буддизм Дзёдо-синсю или Амида Дхарма — Путь к Нирване (совершенному Просветлению) через веру в Амида Будду. Этому Пути учил Будда Шакьямуни (исторический Будда), а затем он передавался дальше вплоть до нашего времени через длинную линию Мастеров и учителей, среди которых я хочу упомянуть Синрана Сёнина (1173-1262), основателя этой школы в Японии и Рэннё Сёнина (1415-1499), её восстановителя.

Слово «Дзёдо-синсю» означают «Истинная Школа Чистой земли», а Дхарма означает учение. Амида Дхарма — это учение о безусловном спасении, предлагаемом Амида Буддой. С помощью этого Будды мы можем родиться в Его Чистой Земле (Его сфере влияния) после смерти, где мы достигнем совершенного Просветления (Нирваны).

Эта книга представляет собой суть Учения Дзёдо-синсю, как её преподают в храме Амидадзи и в нашей международной Сангхе. Её изучение — долг каждого последователя. Если кто-то не может прочесть эту книгу сам, пусть её прочтёт ему священник или друг в Дхарме.

Амида Дхарма сдержит в себе минимум знаний, необходимых члену Амидадзи. Это простая книга, без цитат и терминов[1], которая содержит лишь то, что необходимо знать для понимания мира повторяющихся рождений и смертей (сансары) и Пути выхода из него.

AMIDA DHARMA - Fascicle 14. The twelve moral precepts

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1.Amida Dharma is neither an instrument to justify blind passions nor institutionalize them as normal behavior. Indeed, in its saving activity, Amida Buddha makes no distinction between virtuous and non-virtuous people. But making no distinction, out of Great Compassion, between them, saving them and leading them to His Pure Land  does not mean that He supports or encourages evil. It is extremely important to not confuse being saved as you are with the idea that all your actions are now worthy and good or that the Buddhas agree with them.

Amida saves us because we are incapable and miserable, destined to be reborn in hell or other lower realms of existence if we were left alone, at the mercy of the consequences of our deeds and because He has great compassion for all beings, but not because He agrees with our evil deeds! Instead of praising and justifying our blind passions, we should be ashamed of them and be grateful for the unconditional help offered by Amida Buddha.

AMIDA DHARMA - Fascicle 13. Two wrong views that must be avoided

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1.Among the wrong views not accepted in Buddhism are the two extremes of nihilism and eternalism. The first states that only the material world exists and denies rebirth or life after death, and the second contains elements such as faith in an eternal god who is the creator, ruler, and judge of the world. Both visions contradict the law of cause and effect (karma), as well as the Buddhist explanations of the world, and should not be followed by Buddhist disciples.

2.Sons and daughters of True Dharma, do not be fooled by the nihilistic and materialistic teachings! No one is just body and matter! The body is the vehicle of consciousness, arising from the karma of past lives. Our consciousness (mind stream) is only carried by the body, covered by it, influenced and limited by it, but it is certainly not the body.

AMIDA DHARMA - Fascicle 12. The Three Refuges

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1.As disciples of Amida and all Buddhas, our only refuge is Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. When we enter the Buddhist Path and we are welcomed in the community of believers (Sangha) we say the Three Refuges with faith and devotion: „I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha”.

2.For us who follow Amida Dharma or the Dharma Gate of birth in the Pure Land, to take refuge in the Buddha means to take refuge in Amida Buddha. Only through Him can we attain Buddhahood in the Pure Land as He is the only Buddha among all Buddhas who made the Vow of saving everybody, no matter their spiritual capacities.

3.By taking refuge in Amida, we automatically honor and take refuge in Shakyamuni Buddha as the Teacher who showed us the path of Amida Dharma (His main reason for coming into this world) and in all Buddhas in the ten directions, as they all encourage us, teach us and guide us to entrust to Amida Buddha.

AMIDA DHARMA - Fascicle 11. The benefits of birth in the Pure Land after death

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1.Those born in the Pure Land through the Gate of True Faith immediately attain supreme Enlightenment. From the very moment they are born in Amida’s Pure Land they stop being ordinary beings subject to karma, repeated births and deaths, or to the various delusions and sufferings that are inherent to samsaric existence because they become all-powerful Buddhas free from all obstacles.

2.Unlike samsara, where the bodies of beings differ in beauty, health and lifespan, in the Pure Land they will have glorious and eternal manifestations, full of beauty and endless power. Also, they will be able to travel to any direction of the universe and take whatever form they wish, to help all beings, without actually leaving the Pure Land and without being affected by any suffering. Unlike here, where we are limited by time and space, in the Pure Land there will be no limits or obstacles and therefore, we will be able to be in billions of places at the same time.