California Tendai Learning Center

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rory
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California Tendai Learning Center

Post by rory »

I just wanted to let everyone know who is curious or wanting to study Tendai Buddhism, about this temple and learning center: the website is online now
https://www.tendai-usa.org/

This is not limited to California, Rev. Ryoei Tyler is very accessible and there are trainee priests in Hawaii, East Coast (USA) also Italy, Switzerland and Spain!
https://www.tendai-usa.org/leadership

gassho
Rory
Namu Kanzeon Bosatsu
Chih-I:
The Tai-ching states "the women in the realms of Mara, Sakra and Brahma all neither abandoned ( their old) bodies nor received (new) bodies. They all received buddhahood with their current bodies (genshin)" Thus these verses state that the dharma nature is like a great ocean. No right or wrong is preached (within it) Ordinary people and sages are equal, without superiority or inferiority
Paul, Groner "The Lotus Sutra in Japanese Culture"eds. Tanabe p. 58
https://www.tendai-usa.org/
narhwal90
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Re: California Tendai Learning Center

Post by narhwal90 »

I've been curious about this for a while- what does lay Tendai practice look like? Things like what is the setup for home practice, altars, procedures etc.
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Seishin
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Re: California Tendai Learning Center

Post by Seishin »

narhwal90 wrote: Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:37 am I've been curious about this for a while- what does lay Tendai practice look like? Things like what is the setup for home practice, altars, procedures etc.
Plenty of resources in the Tendai section of this forum, including the lay daily liturgy and Butsudan set-up. See here: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=21804

Daily liturgy ere: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=3654

and meditation here: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=15501 and here: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=25423

In gassho,
Seishin
narhwal90
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Re: California Tendai Learning Center

Post by narhwal90 »

Many thanks seishin.. I apologize, I should have taken a couple minutes to search before asking.
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Re: California Tendai Learning Center

Post by User 3495 »

Do you know about the relationship between Tendai USA and the Tendai Buddhist Institute? The TBI is not mentioned in the link list of their website - is there a cooperation between both groups?
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rory
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Re: California Tendai Learning Center

Post by rory »

As a lay person, I can kind of answer you Narhwal:
my altar has Amida as the central honzon because of my Pure Land practice but Tendai is a multi practice school so it could be Yakushi Nyori, Medicine Buddha, or Esoteric Kannon or Dainichi Nyorai, Vairocana, or Fudo Myo or Shakyamuni Buddha.....tons of choices. In Tendai you can specialize in meditation, pure land, esoteric, Lotus Sutra, kaihogyo.etc..so your honzon depends on your interest.

As for practice the daily liturgy revolves basically around morning Lotus Sutra and evening Pure Land practice.

As for personal lay practice again so many choices: Pure Land meditation and practices, Zazen and Shikan meditation and more varied meditation practices, Rev. Myoei in Asheville NC leads lay mountain practice, Rev. Tyler teaches dharani, Lotus sutra chanting, study and shakyo (copying) Shikan. It's up to your interest and your teacher.

Tatsuo; I think (I've spoken to Revs Jikai and Myoei, but still check with them) There are two Betsuin in the US: the one in NY and the Hawaii Betsuin, they have different lineages and separate traditions. Maybe a priest from TBI can come here and discuss what they do:)

But I do know that Tendai USA specializes in Esoteric practices and Rev. Abbot Dr. Tyler is an official Dai Ajari, she has a teaching certificate from Tendai Shu and can teach both: exoteric and esoteric practices. The Hawaii Betsuin is traditional and liturgy is in Japanese and the trainee priests are expected to go to Mt. Hiei and graduate Shikdoke-Gyo (the esoteric gyo where you are taught the esoteric practices) and get teaching certificates from Tendai Shu.

I hope this is helpful, and if I made any errors I am sorry!
gassho
Rory
Namu Kanzeon Bosatsu
Chih-I:
The Tai-ching states "the women in the realms of Mara, Sakra and Brahma all neither abandoned ( their old) bodies nor received (new) bodies. They all received buddhahood with their current bodies (genshin)" Thus these verses state that the dharma nature is like a great ocean. No right or wrong is preached (within it) Ordinary people and sages are equal, without superiority or inferiority
Paul, Groner "The Lotus Sutra in Japanese Culture"eds. Tanabe p. 58
https://www.tendai-usa.org/
ItsRaining
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Re: California Tendai Learning Center

Post by ItsRaining »

Seishin wrote: Thu Oct 12, 2017 9:31 am
narhwal90 wrote: Thu Oct 12, 2017 1:37 am I've been curious about this for a while- what does lay Tendai practice look like? Things like what is the setup for home practice, altars, procedures etc.
Plenty of resources in the Tendai section of this forum, including the lay daily liturgy and Butsudan set-up. See here: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=21804

Daily liturgy ere: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=3654

and meditation here: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=15501 and here: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=25423

In gassho,
Seishin
Does the Tendai school in Japan now mostly focus on esoteric practices or is it more of a balance between those and the original meditation styles (Six sublime gates, Calming and Contemplation, etc) taught by Zhi Yi?
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Seishin
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Re: California Tendai Learning Center

Post by Seishin »

ItsRaining wrote: Fri Oct 13, 2017 8:27 am Does the Tendai school in Japan now mostly focus on esoteric practices or is it more of a balance between those and the original meditation styles (Six sublime gates, Calming and Contemplation, etc) taught by Zhi Yi?
It is more of a balance, but meditation in Tendai Temples in Japan is a not really a group activity, other than during training or when teaching lay people. It is usually a solo practice and so out of the public eye so to speak. But what you will find is that some temples will have a main practice/focus. So, some temples will primarily do goma and other esoteric practices as their main activity. Others will focus on nembutsu. Others on meditation. Quite often (or so I've been told) many people don't know if they're in a Pureland temple, or Shingon temple or Zen temple until they ask the head priest and learn they are in a Tendai temple. Many Tendai temples run workshops in Tendai Shikan, including on Mt Hiei.

In gassho,
Seishin
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