Various ways to help non-human beings make connections with Amida Buddha and entrust to Him

a Buddhist priest and a hungry ghost

fragment from my book 

Worshipping Amida Buddha - liturgies and ceremonies 

of Amidaji temple 

Many people asked me how they can help hungry ghosts, bardo beings and other types of nonhuman beings entrust to Amida Buddha, and if trying to help them goes against the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist teaching.

For people interested in such matters, myself included, I devised two type of ceremonies and a few instructions,. I am convinced 100% that because these ceremonies have the single goal of helping non-human beings to make a connection with Amida Buddha, listen to the Dharma about Him and entrust to Him, they are not in contradiction with the Jodo Shinshu teaching.  

Aroma offering ceremony to help hungry spirits and beings in the intermediate state (bardo) to make connections with Amida Buddha and receive faith in Him

                                                                

             

            

Buddhist monk helping a hungry ghost

fragment from my book 

Worshipping Amida Buddha - liturgies and ceremonies 

of Amidaji temple 

         Click here to return to the main page

       of ceremonies for nonhuman beings

 

            I.  Arguments for this ceremony
Because this ceremony has the single goal of helping all beings, especially the hungry ghosts and intermediate beings, to make a connection with Amida Buddha, listen to the Dharma about Him and entrust to Him, it is not in contradiction with the Jodo Shinshu teaching. 
Although we offer them something to eat in the form of aroma, this is only a skillful means to make them more receptive.  It is like you see a hungry person on the street and offer him food, shelter and a Buddhist book. When he is satisfied and safe under your roof he might be more open, due to your kind gesture, to read a few lines from the book. It’s the same with these non-human beings who are in a very difficult karmic situation and who actually feed (according to the sacred texts) on aroma. By satisfying them with the offering they might become open to Amida’s message of salvation.

Una analogía simple entre el Vajrayana y el Jodo Shinshu para ayudar a los practicantes indecisos

          Traducido del inglés por: Kosho Arana

Conozco a algunas personas que provienen de las escuelas  del Budismo Vajrayana y su pensamiento todavía está influenciado por los términos y conceptos del Vajrayana, sin embargo estas personas sinceramente desean seguir el Camino Jodo Shinshu. Para ellas voy a hacer una breve analogía entre las dos tradiciones para ayudarlas a tener una transición fácil. Por favor escuchen con atención.

Como sabrán, en el Vajrayana no puedes practicar con éxito sin un empoderamiento. Cuando recibes el poder de un Maestro realizado, te conectas y eres bendecido por un linaje de transmisión ininterrumpido que comienza con un Buda y continúa con una serie de Maestros Iluminados. Entonces tu práctica puede ser exitosa si eres serio y pones todos sus esfuerzos en esta práctica. Sin este empoderamiento y conexión (con un linaje de maestros), tu práctica no te llevará a la realización. Además, una vez que se te ha otorgado este empoderamiento, debes seguir un samaya, es decir, un conjunto específico de reglas y prácticas. Sin embargo, romper este samaya sin arrepentirte ante tu Maestro dará lugar al nacimiento en el Infierno Vajra.

An appeal to all Buddhist teachers - stop transforming your followers into scared puppies

I think its time for all Buddhist teachers to STOP obeying politicians and STOP saying bullshit like "stay home, save lives". Enough is enough!

Don't you realize with all your wisdom that this lockdown is not physically, mentally, or spiritually healthy for your followers? Don't you realize that we can't sacrifice freedom of religious assembly indefinitely for the fear of catching a flu? Illness is part of life, and we cannot stop living, practicing, and coming to temples for fear of illness.

Don't you realize that all these insane dictatorial measures will, in the end, destroy our communities? A Sangha also needs actual face to face meetings and people must come together for practice and services. Keeping our followers in their homes for two months is NOT compassion, but STUPIDITY.

Wake up and start acting like teachers by promoting the physical, mental, and spiritual well being of your followers!

The Six Realms of Samsaric Existence and Amida Buddha's Pure Land according to Amida Dharma (Jodo Shinshu Buddhism)

This is a presentation made by Kosho Arana based on my books.

Narrators:
Part 1: Gansen John Welch (Australia)
Part 2: Kosho Arana (Colombia)

Both Kosho Arana and Gansen John Welch are lay teachers affiliated with Amidaji temple.

ЗНАЧЕНИЕ ВЕРЫ И НЭМБУЦУ В УЧЕНИИ ДЗЁДО-СИНСЮ

Translated from English by Evgeny Terekhin

Эта книга, как видно из названия, является попыткой объяснить значение Веры и Нэмбуцу в соответствии с учением нашей школы.

Я начинаю свои объяснения с Изначального Обета Амида-будды, потому что без него не было бы Дзёдо-синсю. Как сказал Синран:

"Если Изначальный Обет Амиды правдив и истинен, проповеди Шакьямуни не могут быть лживыми. Если учение Будды правдиво и истинно, комментарии Шань-дао не могут быть лживыми. Если комментарии Шань-дао правдивы и истинны, может ли сказанное Хонэном быть ложью? Если сказанное Хонэном правдиво и истинно, тогда и мои слова наверняка не могут быть пустыми"^[1]

AMIDA DHARMA - édition française

translated from English by Sylvie Kirsch Egrotti

Le Bouddhisme Jodo Shinshu ou Amida Dharma est le chemin vers le Nirvana (l'Illumination Parfaite) par la foi en Bouddha Amida. Ce chemin a été enseigné par le Bouddha Shâkyamuni (le Bouddha historique) et a par la suite été transmis à notre époque par une longue série de maîtres et d'enseignants parmi lesquels je mentionne Shinran Shonin (1173-1262), le fondateur de cette école au Japon et Rennyo Shonin ( 1415-1499), le restaurateur.

Les mots "Jodo Shinshu" signifient "École Véritable de la Terre Pure" et "Dharma" signifie l'enseignement. Amida Dharma est l'enseignement sur le salut inconditionnel offert par Amida Buddha. Avec l'aide de ce Bouddha appelé Amida, nous sommes nés dans Sa Terre Pure (Sa sphère d'influence) après la mort où nous atteignons l'Illumination Parfaite (Nirvana).