Getting started in Shingon

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ananda
Posts: 77
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:44 pm

Getting started in Shingon

Post by ananda »

Hi everybody, I'm intrigued by Shingon Buddhism and I would just like to know if you folks could offer me advice on how to get started. I don't live in the vicinity of one of their temples and this is an esoteric tradition so do I need to talk to a priest face to face or should I give one a call just to get things moving?
"Suffer what there is to suffer, enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life, and continue chanting Namu-myoho-renge-kyo. no matter what happens. How could this be anything other than the boundless joy of the Law? Strengthen your power of faith more than ever." - Nichiren Daishonin
GDPR_Anonymized001
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Re: Getting started in Shingon

Post by GDPR_Anonymized001 »

ananda wrote:Hi everybody, I'm intrigued by Shingon Buddhism and I would just like to know if you folks could offer me advice on how to get started. I don't live in the vicinity of one of their temples and this is an esoteric tradition so do I need to talk to a priest face to face or should I give one a call just to get things moving?
Hello Ananda,

What have you read so far about Shingon?
narhwal90
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Re: Getting started in Shingon

Post by narhwal90 »

I chatted with a Tendai priest about Shingon, he said at least in the US the Tendai & Shingon tend to work together- so in the US I'd propose searching your area for any Tendai services and go for some services. I think both traditions have a good bit you can get involved with from a lay standpoint but ordination is required for the full program.
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Zhen Li
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Re: Getting started in Shingon

Post by Zhen Li »

Some Shingon temples certainly do offer regular practices for the laity, such as Ajikan meditation. The best place to go would be Koyasan. As narhwal suggests, without ordination you cannot ‘progress’ in terms of practices, however you can, at the very least, take refuge and bodhisattva precepts everyday at Koyasan and there are occasional events when you can have more significant initiations (without the instruction or training that ordination would provide, I understand).
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