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Copyright@ Adrian Gheorghe Cirlea (Josho Adrian Cirlea)
ATTENTION! Those who use passages from my books and articles on this website must mention the source, and provide a link to it.
I’ve
made some important steps forward in the construction of Amidaji since my last post on this topic, by adding the thermal insulation on the outside walls
of Amidado (Amida Hall). You can see how this hall looks now in the left photo. Bellow I am presenting you all the phases of the process. I had to pay a professional worker to do all these things because I have no technical skills.
Now
I need to add a few layers of pre-paint materials and then paint it. I also
need to add some tiles that will help against water infiltration.
There are some other technical things to do but I don't know how to explain it because I am not a professional. The worker knows
what to do and I need to buy new materials indicated by him and pay him more for the next phase. Also, I must continue with the plan for this year that I presented to you in my last post (click here to read), add a stove inside Amidado and library, buy new doors and windows for the library and accommodation place, build a gate, pay some taxes and many other things that are too many to mention.
If you wish to help me please donate using this PayPal box:
or use other methods (Bank accounts, Revolut, etc) from this link (click here). Any small help is appreciated and very much needed.
Rev
Oku Kyokai of Zuikoji temple in Osaka visited Amidaji to renew our long Dharma
friendship. He is the one who offered the statue we keep in Amidado (Amida
Hall), the scroll in the library and various ritual objects. Almost all the
robes and kesa I have here were kindly offered by him, including the two that I
am wearing in the photos[1]. I also offered him copies
of my books in English.
Rev
Oku belongs to Nishi Hongwanji but this is not obstacle to our friendship. I
and Amidaji is opened for collaboration and friendly relations with all people
who respect our conservative and orthodox style. Rev Kobai too, a Nishi
Hongwanji priest and scholar, is my friend. I also haven’t interrupted my
friendship and letter exchange with other priests in the same branch.
The
best way to solve your inner problems is not to analyze, trying to find
solutions or applying this or that strategy, but to let them go, abandon them,
don't focus on them, ignore them and think to them as dream-like and
nonexistent. When you try to solve them you actually empower them. However, when
you let go of them, they will, sooner or later, dissolve naturally, depending
on how successful you are in letting go.
The
biggest problem of the unenlightened mind is wrong focus. To think that
problems exist and then trying to solve them is the most stupid thing to do.
This is samsara - the struggle for your feelings, ideas, and false sense of
self. People take their feelings and states of mind too serious when they
should change their focus from their imaginary inner and outer world to the
true reality beyond concepts and illusions, to Amida Buddha and His Pure Land.
When saying the Nembutsu you abandon the idea of trying to fix your samsaric
mind. Inner or outer samsara can't be fixed, it can only be abandoned by
changing the focus to what is true and real - Amida and His Name.
Although
it is said within the dream of samsaric existence, the Name of Amida is the
only element which does not belong to the dream, but to the world of awakening.
It's like hearing sounds from the real world while you are still sleeping.
Rather than focusing on the events of the dream, you should cling to the sound
of awakening - NA MO A MI DA BU, NA MO A MI DA BU.... and wish to be born into
the true Reality of the Pure Land.
Hello, my Dharma name is Hōryū
(Dharma Dragon) and I received Kieshiki from Rev. Jōshō on 26 June 2021.
Due to my upbringing, I have
always been interested in understanding the metaphysics of this world. Starting
off as most westerners do, I began with the Abrahamic religions. However, I
started to ask questions which are not answerable unless one takes the
perspectives of the early Gnostics.
That line of questioning
eventually took me down the Left Hand Path, which I spent almost two decades
seriously pursuing. Eventually through the course of my experiences, I began to
question what the purpose of my workings actually were.
This year I had very
few funds so I haven’t been able to do anything until now, but I hope that with
your help I will resume the work at the temple. Here is what I need to do next:
1) Add thermal
insulation on the outside walls of Amidado (Hall of Amida). This is my main
priority because otherwise the walls will be damaged from rain and snow. Basically,
I need to make it look the same as the other two wooden houses in Amidaji
complex (the library and accommodation place – see the photos). The estimative
cost for the thermal insulation is around 600-700 euro
-2) Build a
gate for the temple courtyard. Presently if anybody visits Amidaji with a car
or by foot I open a section of fence so that he can enter the yard. The
estimative cost is around 500 euro
Amidado (left), library (far left) and accommodation place (right)
3) Add better doors and windows to the library and accommodation place – the same type
of door and window I added to the Amidado last year. That type of door and
window is expansive but is a better insulation for the cold season and keeps
the warm inside. The estimative cost for the two doors and windows is around 600
– 800 euro
A 4) Add a stove on wood in the Amidado so that I can make religious services during the
cold season. The estimative cost for installing a stove in Amidado is around 400
euro
-5) Add a
stove on wood in the library so that people can also study during winter. The
estimative cost for installing a stove in the library is around 300 euro.
I also have many other things to do like paying some taxes for the
buildings and land which are also urgent, repair and extend the fence (perhaps
even making a better fence), a better bathroom, repair the living house near
Amidado courtyard, etc
The list is long and I struggle every year to do something and
advance a little. However, the situation is very difficult and my funds are limited.
If anybody wishes to help me, he or she can donate by using this
PayPal box:
Other methods of donation (Bank transfer, Revolut, etc) can be
found here (click here).
The four misconceptions concerning
the Nembutsu, presented by Master Seikaku in the Essentials of Faith Alone,
refer to the wrong understanding of impermanence, bad karma, good karma, and
the matter of once calling and many callings of the Name of Amida Buddha.
If we wish to understand a certain object we look to its
qualities, to the elements that make it up. What are the elements and
fundamental qualities of life? A body and mind which are subject to an
inexorable cycle of birth, growing, maturity, decay and death.
Decay and death …. Especially these two must attract our
attention in the same way we analyze a certain object: some qualities
distinguish themselves from others and lead to the definition of the object.
The editorial policy of this website is to present only the orthodox teachings of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. Before I link to any other website, I investigate that website to make sure that they share the same attitude. I reject any website that presents false or divergent teachings, or that links to other websites that present false or divergent teachings.