Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Some elements of listening deeply to Amida Dharma


Question:

What should I do in order to listen deeply to Amida Dharma? Please, give me some examples of listening deeply.

Answer:
- Think that solving the matter of repeated births and deaths is the most important thing in your life.
- Put aside all other Buddhist or non-Buddhist teachings, philosophies, and opinions and listen (reading is also listening) only to Amida Dharma.
- Put aside what you think you know and listen to what Amida Dharma has to say. Empty your cup (mind) of your so called, personal "wisdom", and stay open to receive the nectar of Dharma. Consider that you know nothing and that Amida Dharma knows everything.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Amidaji construction news 2016 - Two new stoves arrived at Amidaji!


the stove on gas was placed in the Hondo (left to the altar)

Dear Dharma friends,

Thanks to your kind help, I successfully bought two stoves for Amidaji, and placed them as follows:

1) one stove on gas was placed in the Hondo (Dharma Hall). It will be used only when I held services and Dharma talks. Also, when when I have visitors who stay for a few days, I sleep in the Hondo and they sleep in the library.
2) one stove on wood was placed in the library. It will be used more often as I also sleep and write here when I come to the temple. Also if I have visitors who stay for a few days, they receive accomodation in the library. In a week or so, a specialist will come to make an isolated hole in a wall of the library and install the funnels to the stove.  

Friday, September 30, 2016

Não há Deus supremo ou Deus criador no Dharma de Buda

(translated from English by Shaku Shinkai)


- click here for the English version -

Buda (á direita) ensinando a Verdade ao Brahma Baka (esquerda), 
que estava sob a ilusão de que é supremo no mundo.
Hoje em dia, muitas pessoas de dentro e fora da Sangha disseminam a idéia de que o Buda Shakyamuni não negou e nem afirmou a existência de Deus. Então, de alguma forma está implícito que o Honorável deixou a porta aberta para interpretações e que um discípulo budista pode acreditar em um Deus Criador ou Supremo.

Esta é uma ilusão que não está de acordo com o ensinamento de Shakyamuni. De fato, o Buda negou claramente a existência de um ser supremo que criou o mundo, governa o mundo e um dia julgará o mundo. Neste artigo e em outros que virão em seguida, não tenho a intenção de entrar em nenhum debate ou polêmica com seguidores de outras religiões sobre a existência ou não existência de um Ser Supremo, quero apenas provar que o Buda Shakyamuni claramente negou esta questão, considerando-a como uma ilusão falsa e perigosa. Para mim, a coisa mais importante não é o que as religiões monoteístas dizem, ou se alguns preferem crer em um Deus Criador (é escolha de cada um), mas sim o que disse  o Buda. Então, se nos consideramos discipulos de Buda, devemos entender sua posição sobre este assunto e segui-la com fé.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

A question on shinjin (faith) and Amida's attainment of Buddhahood


Question:
"Amida attained Buddhahood for all of us when he became Enlightened. 'Shinjin' is simply the realisation of that fact with total conviction which in turn compels us to recite in thanksgiving "Namo Amidabutsu" ("Namo Amitofuo"). I wonder if it contradicts Jodo Shinshu".

Answer:
Shinjin (faith) is NOT only the realisation of the fact that Amida attained Buddhahood. Of course, Amida did attained Buddhahood in order to save us all, but this is not enough. All Buddhas attained Buddhahood and wish to save us, but this does not mean that sentient beings are saved just because Buddhas are Enlightened. We must follow the method prescribed  by each Buddha if we want to attain Enlightenment ourselves. So, Amida Buddha made His Primal Vow in which He said we should entrust to Him, say His Name in faith and wish to go to His Pure Land.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Explicações gerais sobre “ser”, “karma” e “renascimento”

(translated from English by Shaku Shinkai)

- Click here for the English version - 
            
Samsara é o ciclo de renascimentos e mortes através do qual os seres não iluminados devem passar devido ás suas ilusões kármicas e paixões cegas. Mas antes de entrar em detalhes sobre esta tópico, vamos entender o que é o “ser” ou uma “pessoa” de acordo com o ensinamento budista, e também, o que é “karma” e “renascimento”.

Agora, caros amigos, imaginem que você tem um carro na sua frente. Agora imagine que você perde uma das rodas deste carro e a deixa de lado. O carro e a roda são idênticos? Agora pegue uma segunda roda e proceda do mesmo modo, perguntando-se a mesma coisa. Continue a desmontar o carro e não pare até que cada componente do automóvel seja posto de lado. Agora pergunte-se de novo: estes componentes, separadamente, representam o automóvel? Você irá concluir logicamente que a resposta é  “não”.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

On the wrong view of regarding one's teacher as a manifestation of a Buddha or a Master

I have just found these words (see left photo), writen on September 21st, by a Dharma friend, member of Horai Association of Jodo Shinshu on another friend's Facebook page: "Zuiken Sensei was also known to be a manifestation of Kassapa Buddha in Japan". I decided to take a print screen and give some quick comments.

With all due respect for the good things Zuiken Sensei and his son, Zuio Inagaki Sensei, did for the Sangha, I publicly ask my Nembutsu friends to stop this idol worshipping attitude. No modern teacher should be placed on equal status with Shinran Shonin and Rennyo Shonin, and nobody should be considered or treated as a manifestation of a Buddha. This is clearly NOT the Jodo Shinshu way of relating with a teacher. If we allow such idolizing of our priests and teachers, we open a very dangerous gate. Thus, everything a teacher sais or writes will not be checked anymore through the filter of reason and no more compared with what Shakyamuni, Shinran and Rennyo said, because..... that teacher is "the manifestation of a Buddha".....

Dharma talks on my youtube channel