Category: Basics

Answers to questions frequently asked at the temple.

Specific Versus General – Part 2 – Sangha Building – Dharma Talk – October 21, 2019

“Thereupon the World-Honored One said to Gautami (a woman): ‘Why do you look at me so anxiously? You do not think that I assured you of your future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-sam-bodhi because I did not mention you by name, do you? Gautami! I have already said that I assured all the Sravakas of their future attainment of [Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Now you wish to know my assurance of your attainment [of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi].’” Lotus Sutra Chapter XIII To…

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31 Million Gallons Per Minute – Niagara Falls – October 20, 2019

From October 15 – 17 I was visiting Niagara Falls Canada.  I have already posted about my visit to the Pure Land temple of 10,000 Buddhas.  Also I posted about my visit to the Underground Railroad Museum on the US side of the falls.  In this post I’d like to share a little about Niagara Falls itself.   The falls are the result of the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario.  There are three…

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Specific Versus General Predictions of Enlightenment – Dharma Talk Video – October 20, 2019

Today the Dharma talk is on the subject of specific versus general predictions of enlightenment in the Lotus Sutra and how that applies to our society and our interactions in society. From the Lotus Sutra: “Thereupon the World-Honored One said to Gautami (a woman): ‘Why do you look at me so anxiously? You do not think that I assured you of your future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-sam-bodhi because I did not mention you by name, do…

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Going to a Pure Land Temple – October 16, 2019

Yesterday I took the train from Syracuse, NY to Niagara Falls Canada for the express purpose of visiting a large temple located there. The temple is referred to as the 10,000 Buddha Temple although that is not the correct name. The correct name of the temple is the Namo Amitabh Buddhist Temple. The temple is a Chinese Pure Land temple. Since I first learned of the temple, almost three years ago, I had wanted to…

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