Thursday, January 12, 2017

ANNOUNCEMENT - help needed for winter season


Dear Dharma friends of Amidaji temple,

The winter is very hard here, especially that the wood for heating are almost finished at Amidaji and the expanses for living and heating are very high in this period. Any little donation would be welcomed and very much appreciated, especially now. It will help me go through the winter, continue my writing, translations and general Dharma work.

If you can afford to, please consider a donation to this link:

or check the DONATION box in the left column (PayPal and Bank account are offered).

Gratefully yours in Namo Amida Butsu,

Josho

PS: Attention - donations (or sponsorship) do not solve the "matter of the greatest importance" of death and rebirth. Only through simple faith in Amida we can be born in the Pure Land and attain Buddhahood. Thus, donation is NOT a religious obligation, but a free-will gesture of help.

Friday, December 30, 2016

Verses of aspiration when making offerings

altar of Amidaji temple


I offer this flower to Amida Buddha on behalf of all beings. By seeing its decaying beauty may we realize that our lives and so called "spiritual achievements" are transitory, and turn our minds and hearts to the Salvific Power of Amida Buddha.

I offer this burning candle to Amida Buddha on behalf of all beings. May we accept Amida's Light which permeates every corner of the Universe, and entrust to Him with unshakable faith.

I offer this incense to Amida Buddha on behalf of all beings. May we become imbued with the perfume of His Dharma, receive faith in Him and be born in His Pure Land after death.

I offer this cup of water to Amida Buddha on behalf of all beings. May our thirst be forever saturated in His Pure Land where we attain perfect Enlightenment.

I offer this cup of rice to Amida Buddha on behalf of all beings. May we receive faith in Him and guide others to faith. May the seeds of Amida Dharma multiply endlessly until the ocean of Samsaric existence becomes empty.
Namo Amida Butsu

*

These words came to my mind spontaneously when sitting in front of the altar of Amida Buddha and making offerings. They are NOT some kind of merit transference, but a simple wish and act of awareness. Every object in the temple is a reminder of Amida's Compassion for us, and the need to rely on Him single heartedly. As far as I know, the flowers, incense and candles signify impermanence, perfume of Dharma and Light of Amida,  respectively, in all Shinshu temples affiliated with Hongwanji. Of course, one can simply say the Nembutsu, without the need for any other verse,  hymns or ritual implements. Its up to everyone to enjoy his (her) personal relation with Amida Buddha as he (she) likes it.

PS: instead of water you can offer tea or any other non-alcoholic drinks


Tuesday, December 13, 2016

A short Dharma dialogue on meditation in relation with Jodo Shinshu


Question by Zakaj:
You say meditation is useless. But what if someone were to tell you: "Yes, I know meditation is useless for attainment of Enlightenment in Mappo era. But I don't do it for that reason. I do it for the neurological benefits that are proven by science" - what would you reply then? Thanks.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Some elements of Buddhist cosmology


the wheel of samsara with various realms
of existence
Recent discussions with various readers convinced me that it would be very useful to have a single paper in which to gather my most important articles on Buddhist cosmology. So, I made this pdf format for free distribution -  Some Elements of Buddhist Cosmology.

Most of the articles in this presentation are from the first part of my book, The True Teaching on Amida Buddha and His Pure Land, but some, like number 5 and 6 were published only on this website. 

The presentation contains the following chapters:

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Library of Amidaji affected by a powerful storm

The roof of the library is on the fence
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE NEW UPGRADES AT THE TEMPLE 

- scroll down in the article to read the last update! -

Dear friends,

I was preparing to post some new photos with what I have done in the last days at Amidaji, like planting some new trees, improvements to the stoves,  when disaster stroke.

A very powerful storm blew for 24 hours in the South of Romania (many houses were affected in my village and electricity was interrupted all day) and destroyed the library. Normally, the house should have resisted, but there was a mistake made by the company who produced the wooden frames for the southern wall, and the instalation team who helped me built the house promised that they will come and repair it.  Unfortunatelly, they did not come although I called them repeatedly, and this powerful wind enlarged the crack in the wall until it blew the roof entirely.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Five conditions for birth in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha


- updated with a video discussion posted at the end of the article, on Nov 11th 2023 - 

Master Rennyo
According to Master Rennyo , there are five conditions that someone must meet in order to be born in the Pure Land:

1) stored good from the past
2) a good spiritual teacher
3) Amida’s light
4) the entrusting heart (shinjin)
5)  the saying of Amida Buddha's Name (nembutsu)

1) The stored good from the past
The "stored good from the past" represents our good karma from past lives and this life which manifests itself as an opening or receptive state of mind towards the message of the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha.
A lot of people hear the teaching about the Primal Vow but few are opened to it. This openness is very important in our tradition and is the manifestation of the good stored from the past. Also, if you listen again and again to the teaching in this life, thus becoming immersed with all your being in the Dharma, this listening will become a “stored good” which will make you open to the call of the Primal Vow.

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.

Dharma talks on my youtube channel