Question: Can LGBTQ people be born in the Pure Land?

these proud gays are clearly not interested in salvation

 Question: Can LGBTQ people be born in the Pure       Land?

 My answer: First of all, I make a difference   between   gays & lesbians and LGBTQ activists. Not   all gays and lesbians or other category of people who   practice sexual misconduct are members of LGBTQ   organizations. Unfortunately, I see a tendency   nowadays to equate all gays, lesbians, etc with   LGBTQ, thus referring to them as “LGBTQ people”.   This might be a deliberate act to identify in the   public  eye this type of deranged organizations with   all gays, lesbians or other people who practice sexual   misconduct. However, there are many gays and   lesbians who keep their wrong sexuality in their   bedrooms and do not intend to force it on society and   religion. 

Those who practice sexual misconduct like gays, lesbians, etc ( I explained in this article what is sexual misconduct according to the Buddhist teaching), are saved by Amida Buddha and can be born in the Pure Land on the condition that they accept themselves as ignorant people filled with blind passions who entrust to Amida. These kind of gays and lesbians are sincerely interested in escaping samsara and are NOT using the Dharma or Amida Buddha to justify their sexual misconduct or impose it on religion and society. They are just sinful people like anybody else who are not capable (although some of them try) to have a correct sexuality and who entrust to Amida Buddha. To entrust to Amida Buddha as a person aware of his/her sinfulness leads to the Pure Land. To be aware of one’s sinfulness and incapacity to save oneself is an important element of faith (shinjin).

I added the outside insulation on the walls of Amidado (Hall of Amida) but there is still more to be done

This is how Amidado (Amida Hall) looks now.

 CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

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.

The names of donors and/or people in whose name a donation is given will be mentioned in the dedication list of my books and video teachings (new videos in the playlist at the bottom, have a dedication list).

Visit of Rev Oku Kyokai at Amidaji temple

in Amidado (Hall of Amida)

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 problems

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.

Members of Amidaji - Shaku Hōryū Stephen (USA)

  Click here to return to the spiritual biographies of Amidaji members

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.

Plans for the continuation of the construction work at Amidaji temple (please help if you can)

Amidado Hall (left) and the Library (right)

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

update: video added at the bottom of the article

 As you may remember, last year I built the roof (click  here to read), the walls (click here to read) and   added the inside insulation (click here to read) to Amidado (Hall of Amida).  I also added the doors and windows (click here to read) to the same building in Amidaji complex.

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 names of donors and/or people in whose name they donate will be mentioned in the dedication list of my books and video teachings (new videos in the playlist at the bottom, have a dedication list). 

 

Here you can see a video with the same plan as described above. Sorry for  the poor quality. I recorded it with my bad phone:

  

Inside Amidado Hall