Sasanapala 🐚

#Amida #Nyorai (#Edo periode), Byōdo-in, #Japan. #BuddhistArt #Buddhism

#Amida #Nyorai (#Edo periode), Byōdo-in, #Japan.
#BuddhistArt #Buddhism

Can someone be so kind as to establish a group or collective for Mahayana Sanskrit calligraphers?

days or weeks at a time as anagarikas in retreat in viharas or in remote hermitages with the fully ordained community of bhikśus and bhikśunis.

Finally, we should strongly discourage the custom and novelty of ordaining as a novice in order to experience monastic life only to then abandon the vocation to return to lay life, and instead facilitate programs for aspirant monks and nuns, along with well intentioned laypersons, to spend a few

parisa (dispensation) of Lord Śakyamuni Buddha, as well as 8 Precept-holding/vinaya-bound 'viharikas' dwelling in hermitages or monastic settings without assembling under the auspices or supervision of an established vihara or monastic lineage/fraternity.

In my opinion, upasakas and upasikas/grhastas should be able to transition to life as renunciants as they see fit without necessarily seeking a sanction from the monastic establishment.
I envision 8 Precept-holding pabbajjakas/parivāsakas wandering about as śramanas did during the early days of the

There is also the issue of the many renunciant roles filled by women in predominantly Hinayana Buddhist countries (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka) who are barred from full ordination or seek to devote themselves to the renunciant life outside the monastic fold/framework.

to living a monastic life, especially if they became novices at a very young age.

Although the śiksamana period was ment primarily to adjust as well as render novice nuns qualified to undertake all the bhikśuni precepts (it was also to ensure the candidate was not pregnant), male novices would definitely benefit from similar postulant periods so as to determine how suited they

Lower rungs would be occupied by long term anagarikas who renounce lay life temporarily with no intention to ordain either as novices or monks/nuns, probationary anagarikas seeking to become novices, highly accomplished lay teachers/ritual specialists, lay temple attendants, and temple sentinels.

The parallel monastic equivalents I envision would be lifelong vocational anagarikas adhering to the 8 Precepts at all times, who would also have the option to undertake the 10 Precepts voluntarily on upavasatha days, the varsa retreat, and during holidays/auspicious celebrations.

Beneath them should be the novice monks and nuns (śramaneras/śramaneris) adhering to 10 Precepts, probationer nuns (śiksamanas), and non-monastic or semi-monastic teachers and ritual specialists adhering to 8/10 Precepts and or the Bodhisattva Vows.

Occupying the very top of the corporate body should be the fully ordained bhikśus and bhikśunis. Parallel to them should be monastic 'priests' or sages/elders who may or may not use the 4 Part (Dharmaguptaka) Vinaya as a guideline, or adhering to the 10 Precepts and Bodhisattva Vows.

I have made it my personal mission to eventually systematize and organize all monastic and non-monastic roles into an orderly horizontal foundation for any and all sanghas.

Well said! A concise, yet weighty overview of members of the noble assembly who cannot be declared as renunciants nor be reduced to mere householders.

“Neither Monk Nor Layman” Across the long history of Buddhism, the line between ordained monastics and lay practitioners has rarely been as rigid as the formal…

In this blog post, I explore the role of non-monastic religious teachers in Buddhism.
medium.com/p/1b4233bd9c...

Do you object to anything I’m saying? I want you to cite the Sutras where Śakyamuni Buddha declared sitting cross legged, acts of chanting, or bowing towards monastics and murtis of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arahats are prohibited, discouraged, or otherwise deemed unnecessary.

Bowing is obligatory because one must pay respect and obeisance to the Triratna and the monastic community whom are the guardians and teachers of the Dharma. Instances of bowing and genuflecting gestures are found all throughout the Sutras and Vinaya, towards Śakyamuni himself and monks/nuns.

Chanting and oral recitation is the cornerstone of the religion. Sutras/suttas, mantras, dharanis, parittas, gathas, tantras, and very rarely, sastras are all chanted from memory if they’re not being read out off of a page of a book, manuscript, or facsimile.

You clearly do not know ANYTHING AT ALL about the Buddhasasana because the Tripitaka was recited orally (CHANTED) and committed to memory before finally being written down by South Indian and Sinhalese Hinayana monks in Sri Lanka (Pali), and by Mahayana monks in North India and China (Sanskrit/CH).

When followers and monastics gather to worship (puja), partake in devotional rituals (bhakti), or meditate, if we aren’t sitting on seats, we’re going to be on the floor/ground or a platform sitting CROSS LEGGED or kneeling per tradition because sitting with your legs to your chest is DISRESPECTFUL.

What in the HELL are you saying?! We American Buddhists model our temple architecture on those extant in historically predominantly Buddhist countries because most of us are ASIAN by descent and belong to Asian lineages/traditions! We’re not attempting to needlessly mimic Asian architecture!

#Avalokiteshvara #Mandala, 19th century. Central #Tibet, Lhasa Style. Distemper on cloth. Verso with Tibetan "om, ah, hum" incantations behind each figure in red ink and six multi-line Tibetan #mantras and #dharanis empowering the mandala and each of the wrathful deities below. #BuddhistArt #Buddhism

#Avalokiteshvara #Mandala, 19th century. Central #Tibet, Lhasa Style. Distemper on cloth. Verso with Tibetan "om, ah, hum" incantations behind each figure in red ink and six multi-line Tibetan #mantras and #dharanis empowering the mandala and each of the […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

OṀ AMĪDEVA ḤRĪḤ
OṀ ÀH HŪṀ
OṀ MAHĀKĀLĀYA SVĀHA

The Unity of Cultivation and Awakening (Butsu no shōgaku to shujō no gō to
ga ittai) 🪷

This hanging scroll illustrates a dramatic apparition of Buddha Amitābha (阿彌陀 in Chinese) and the two attendant bodhisattvas, or saintly beings, in the midst of colorful light and swirling clouds. The one who carries a miniature image of Amitābha in its jeweled crown is Avalokiteśvara (觀音 in Chinese); and the other who carries a flower vase is Mahāsthāmaprāpta (大勢至 in Chinese).<br><br>Previously, this work was identified as a rare example of a Korean Buddhist painting from the early Joseon period. In contrast to surviving Korean works from this time the scroll stands out for its fine details. Elements such as the striped almond-shaped halo that encircles the main Buddha, firm red lines that define each deity’s facial features, and the naturalistic rendition of flowing garments identifies it as an excellent example of early Ming period Chinese Buddhist painting.

Amitābha Triad https://clevelandart.org/art/1961.135

SUR LE VRAI BOUDDHISME DE LA TERRE PURE — Um breve apanhado de textos de Shinran, fundador da escola Jōdo Shinshūcom algumas noções sobre os votos de Amida, como renascer na Terra Pura etc. Inclui trechos do Kyōgyōshinshō. É bacana pra quem lê francês, mas, pela sua natureza, é bem introdutório.

THE THREE PURE LAND SUTRAS — Huge Amida Buddha fan excited to read his sutras for first time. É o apanhadão da BDK dos sutras de Sukhavati/Amitabha, o be-a-bá do budismo Terra Pura. Tava devendo uma leitura de cabo a rabo há anos, então enfim tá pago. 南無阿弥陀仏.

It is technically still in existence in China, but subsumed under the umbrella of other larger individual temples and monastic orders.

On a completely unrelated note, where are all the calligraphers at? It's hard to believe there is not one single artist writing out sutras with a significant presence here.