Main Gate – Amitabh Buddhist Temple
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 visit. My delay was mostly due to not knowing the logistics of exactly where it was located, though I knew it was in Niagrage Falls, I didn’t know where exactly. It was on a trip to Toronto by train that I saw the temple was very close to the train station. I also saw there was a hotel which seemed close by.
Because of the schedule at the temple, with various commemorative celebration services I was not able to schedule it until after Oeshiki.
The temple is indeed very close to the train station, perhaps a 10 minute walk, though I took a cab because I was having difficulty breathing and didn’t want to struggle with that and be pulling my luggag. The hotel I booked is so close that you can step outside the back door of the hotel and see that the hotel parking lot abuts the temple complex. Very convenient, and since I booked the hotel for weekdays and it is off season the hotel was so inexpensive it is as if they were paying me to stay. Due to the ease of visiting, taking the train and hotel accommodations I certainly will plan on visiting again.
Not that it particularly bothers me if someone criticizes for going to a Pure Land Temple as a Nichiren Shu priest, it might be something that some Nichiren Buddhists may question given Nichiren’s strong opinions about in some of his writings.
First let me say that from what I know of those writings which specifically refer to Pure Land Buddhism, they fall roughly into two catagories. The first and most important for us in our faith and belief are those that refute the doctrine of Pure Land in relation to the Lotus Sutra. Those are important for us to understand primarily because they can provide us with guidance on our belief.
Those writings specifically lay out the proofs, if you will, as to why Pure Land doctrine is inferior to the Lotus Sutra and should not be practiced in this age of Mappo. Here is something I feel is important to consider. Those doctrinal proofs do not prescribe behavior, except to the extent of belief.
The other catagory of doctrines that refer to Pure Land are those written to point out the corruption of the clergy, the danger of supporting those priests by government, and to admonish those religious fanatics who sought to harm Nichiren.
There are some contemporary Nichiren schools who do promote a belief that it is slander to visit any religious institution no matter whether Christian, Muslim, or what have you. There will always be those who are arrogant and insecure in their beliefs that they are afraid to respect the beliefs of others, and there will be those who try to prevent followers from doing so.
I am not inclined to invest any time or energy in arguing against an indefensible subset of fanatic beliefs and practices. To do so gives energy and bestows a legitimacy that is undeserving.
In practice I’ve never witnessed any Nichiren Shu priest who has been unwilling to interact with, associate with, or even visit Pure Land priests or temples.
If we look at the Great Umbrella we have taken refuge in, Buddhism, then we can see that we all share this and honor the Jewel of a greater Sangha. The fact of different denominations is a function of humans, their needs, proclivities, degree of understanding, and other things such as culture.
Another consideration to working together and respecting those who have a different faith than we do, is the fact of suffering in the world. How can we as Buddhists justify inflicting more suffering upon people by division, by animosity, by failure to respect the truth in the Lotus Sutra that all beings are equally endowed with Buddha potential?
This is only a brief statement about my views around this subject. It may be that I’ll come back to it again sooner rather than later. For now that offers a brief summary of the logic behind being at peace with visiting this temple today, though today is not the first occasion I’ve visited and worshiped in a non Nichiren temple.
Today as I was walking the grounds I continually chanted the Odaimoku in a whisper, and there was a lot of walking around to be done. Also when I entered the main hall I went before the large altar and stood before the statue of Amida Buddha and recited the Jigage from the Lotus Sutra Chapter XVI. I felt great joy to be able to stand before that image and create the cause of greater awakening to the Lotus Sutra.
With Gassho,
Ryusho
Kansho Shonin
