Alone

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Old tyme hockey
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Alone

Post by Old tyme hockey »

Hi i live in Sweden, Where there is no jodo shin temples or groups at all. So sometimes i feel alone and that something is missing. I have contact with a jodo shin teacher online which is very helpfull. Anyone else in my situation? And how do you deal With this? Perhaps i should start my own temple :smile: Namu Amida Butsu
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Ayu
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Re: Alone

Post by Ayu »

I heard of this phenomenon of being without Sangha from other Purelanders as well.

If you start your own temple, you'll learn a lot.
KristenM
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Re: Alone

Post by KristenM »

I too feel isolated since there's no Buddhist community nearby. Mine is about two hours away, not too far, but still...I've always thought it would be cool to host a Lama and let him or her live here, but that's not going to happen anytime soon.

Wouldnt it be nice if one day we could create a virtual reality that was like a Buddhist haven/heaven, like a Tibetan Zandok Palri?

Loneliness seems like a hazard that goes along with being Buddhist sometimes.

I take it you don't live in Stockholm, there must be some temples there.
ItsRaining
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Re: Alone

Post by ItsRaining »

Old tyme hockey wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2017 8:57 am Hi i live in Sweden, Where there is no jodo shin temples or groups at all. So sometimes i feel alone and that something is missing. I have contact with a jodo shin teacher online which is very helpfull. Anyone else in my situation? And how do you deal With this? Perhaps i should start my own temple :smile: Namu Amida Butsu
Have you considered visiting other temples/groups? At Chinese or Vietnamese temples there will generally be Pureland practice as well.
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Cyrus
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Re: Alone

Post by Cyrus »

Dear Old Tyme,

I am Dutch but am currently residing in Sweden as I have been caring for my mother the past one and a half year as she was suffering from terminal cancer.
Unfortunately she passed away last summer but I am glad to have been able to care for her.
Especially the last months were very precious as we brought her mind stream into a connection with the inconceivable blessings of the Buddha Amitabha.

Just to let you know that there is now still at least one other practitioner on the path of Infinite Light in Sweden. :)
I hope this makes you feel less alone and if you ever feel like talking about the Amitabha Dharma then please let me know.
Take care and be well.

Cyrus
'If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.'
— Nikola Tesla
shaunc
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Re: Alone

Post by shaunc »

Old tyme hockey wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2017 8:57 am Hi i live in Sweden, Where there is no jodo shin temples or groups at all. So sometimes i feel alone and that something is missing. I have contact with a jodo shin teacher online which is very helpfull. Anyone else in my situation? And how do you deal With this? Perhaps i should start my own temple :smile: Namu Amida Butsu

If it helps. I also follow jodo shinshu and there's no temples near me. I study online as much as I can and occasionally I attend a Thai Theravada temple (Forrest monks tradition) of course I don't talk about Amida and the pureland to the Thai monks but it doesn't take much brains to keep your mouth shut.
They do have the 4 noble truths and really that's a pretty important teaching in all schools of buddhism.
Old tyme hockey
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Re: Alone

Post by Old tyme hockey »

Ayu wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2017 11:54 pm I heard of this phenomenon of being without Sangha from other Purelanders as well.

If you start your own temple, you'll learn a lot.
Yes, i guess its common ,at least in europe where pure land buddhism is unusual. It would be a great experience probably, but i think it would be more than i can handle at least for the moment.
Old tyme hockey
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Re: Alone

Post by Old tyme hockey »

TharpaChodron wrote: Sun Oct 15, 2017 12:13 am I too feel isolated since there's no Buddhist community nearby. Mine is about two hours away, not too far, but still...I've always thought it would be cool to host a Lama and let him or her live here, but that's not going to happen anytime soon.

Wouldnt it be nice if one day we could create a virtual reality that was like a Buddhist haven/heaven, like a Tibetan Zandok Palri?

Loneliness seems like a hazard that goes along with being Buddhist sometimes.

I take it you don't live in Stockholm, there must be some temples there.
No i have a 3 hour drive to Stockholm and about 2 hours to Gothenburg. But i have a insane schedule, with full time work, kids how play icehockey 3 times a week. Thats one of the reason pure land buddhism appeals to me.Simple faith is all that is required.
Old tyme hockey
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Re: Alone

Post by Old tyme hockey »

ItsRaining wrote: Sun Oct 15, 2017 12:31 am
Old tyme hockey wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2017 8:57 am Hi i live in Sweden, Where there is no jodo shin temples or groups at all. So sometimes i feel alone and that something is missing. I have contact with a jodo shin teacher online which is very helpfull. Anyone else in my situation? And how do you deal With this? Perhaps i should start my own temple :smile: Namu Amida Butsu
Have you considered visiting other temples/groups? At Chinese or Vietnamese temples there will generally be Pureland practice as well.
Good Idea, but i live in a small town so there is no temples here. But i will check with my neighboor how is vietnamese, perhaps he know something. Thank you.
Old tyme hockey
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Re: Alone

Post by Old tyme hockey »

Cyrus wrote: Sun Oct 15, 2017 8:39 am Dear Old Tyme,

I am Dutch but am currently residing in Sweden as I have been caring for my mother the past one and a half year as she was suffering from terminal cancer.
Unfortunately she passed away last summer but I am glad to have been able to care for her.
Especially the last months were very precious as we brought her mind stream into a connection with the inconceivable blessings of the Buddha Amitabha.

Just to let you know that there is now still at least one other practitioner on the path of Infinite Light in Sweden. :)
I hope this makes you feel less alone and if you ever feel like talking about the Amitabha Dharma then please let me know.
Take care and be well.

Cyrus
So sad to here about your mother. But she is in good hands in the pure land, with Amida Buddha.

Then at least i will have one member if i start a temple :)
Its a pitty that this form of buddhism is so underrated here in Europe. Its a relief to rely on Amida in the chaos of daily life.

Yes it acctually did help :) Namu Amida Butsu
Old tyme hockey
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Re: Alone

Post by Old tyme hockey »

shaunc wrote: Sun Oct 15, 2017 9:14 am
Old tyme hockey wrote: Sat Oct 14, 2017 8:57 am Hi i live in Sweden, Where there is no jodo shin temples or groups at all. So sometimes i feel alone and that something is missing. I have contact with a jodo shin teacher online which is very helpfull. Anyone else in my situation? And how do you deal With this? Perhaps i should start my own temple :smile: Namu Amida Butsu

If it helps. I also follow jodo shinshu and there's no temples near me. I study online as much as I can and occasionally I attend a Thai Theravada temple (Forrest monks tradition) of course I don't talk about Amida and the pureland to the Thai monks but it doesn't take much brains to keep your mouth shut.
They do have the 4 noble truths and really that's a pretty important teaching in all schools of buddhism.
Thank you for your reply Shaun it does help. I also study online and i have a teacher online who is a true inspiration and very helpful. Theravada is a very nice tradition. But as you say better not mention Amida :D
Admin_PC
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Re: Alone

Post by Admin_PC »

I'm in a similar situation. Even the temples that may teach Buddha Name Recitation around me, only teach it as a meditation practice - no explanation of Pure Land doctrine.

I study on my own, watch a lot of videos of Dharma services on youtube, listen to a number of podcasts. I took a 2 year correspondence course. It wasn't too bad for getting a solid foundation in Shin doctrine, but not a real solution for solitary practitioners. In addition to online offerings from Nishi & Higashi Honganji, there are a number of more independent groups with online presence: Amida Shu, Bright Dawn Sangha, True Shin Yahoo Group, Jodo Shu google group, Buddhist Faith Fellowship, and others.
Old tyme hockey
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Re: Alone

Post by Old tyme hockey »

Admin_PC wrote: Mon Oct 16, 2017 4:23 pm I'm in a similar situation. Even the temples that may teach Buddha Name Recitation around me, only teach it as a meditation practice - no explanation of Pure Land doctrine.

I study on my own, watch a lot of videos of Dharma services on youtube, listen to a number of podcasts. I took a 2 year correspondence course. It wasn't too bad for getting a solid foundation in Shin doctrine, but not a real solution for solitary practitioners. In addition to online offerings from Nishi & Higashi Honganji, there are a number of more independent groups with online presence: Amida Shu, Bright Dawn Sangha, True Shin Yahoo Group, Jodo Shu google group, Buddhist Faith Fellowship, and others.
I dont know why but i obsess over this temple thing. But lets say there would be a temple right were i live, im not sure i would wisit it regularly anyway. Im quite comfortable saying nembutsu and reading shinran at home. But it would be nice to have at least some buddhist friends to discuss dharma with.

This correspondence course, was it a good one, i found it on hongwanji homepage but im not sure im ready for a correspondence course right now due to work obligations etc. Any tips about podcasts would be very appreciated.
Namu Amida Butsu
shaunc
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Re: Alone

Post by shaunc »

I know how you feel about leading a busy life. I've got a wife and 4 kids. I work a full time job as well as working every 4th weekend overtime. On the 3 weekends that I have off l usually end up doing a few shifts on a casual basis at our airport.
That's one of the main reasons pureland buddhism appeals to me.
I say the nembutsu when I can and also try and read a bit, not necessarily shinran but often just buddhism in general. At the moment I'm reading some Chinese pureland.
I do agree that a pureland/shin forum, a virtual sangha if you like would be a great thing but unfortunately just like a real sangha personalities and politics come into play and I've also noticed that among westerners sectarianism and puritanical thinking is a lot more prevalent than among asian practitioners.
Good luck and best wishes.
Namu Amida Butsu.
Shaun.
Admin_PC
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Re: Alone

Post by Admin_PC »

Shin Podcasts:
Dharma Lantern Podcast - pretty easily the best
Midwest Buddhist Temple Dharma Talks Podcast - decent, but the first few years have a definite modernist spin
BrightDawn Sangha Podcast - not strictly Shin, but occasionally has some good Shin nuggets
Buddhist Faith Fellowship (BFF) Podcast - wasn't my cup of tea, but they do have good guest speakers like Mark Unno
Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS) Podcast - not a ton of episodes, but some amazing guest lectures
Admin_PC
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Re: Alone

Post by Admin_PC »

Personal:
Yah I got 2 kids. I'm up around 6 am, get the kids ready and out the door for school, hit the gym, work all day (from home so at least no commute), get my son started on homework, eat dinner, online Japanese class in the evenings, and after that it's time to start prepping for the next day and getting ready for bed - not really much left. Friday evenings I joined a bowling league (instead of Japanese class). Weekends are usually chores, family time, get ready for the week, and try to rest up. Moderate here whenever I can find a free moment. The local temple has services Sunday at noon. It's a horrible time for me. My wife works a couple weekends a month so I watch the kids, the other weekends I'm supposed to do stuff with them - she's adamant that I not take them to the temple (they wouldn't do well anyway, they're young). If it's not solitary Pure Land practice, then there's probably little else I can do and even then I'm still struggling to find time.
Sentient Light
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Re: Alone

Post by Sentient Light »

I honestly only go to the temples on holidays or if there's some family event going on that it makes sense to give an offering for. I used to sit regularly with some meditation classes, but that was years ago and it's not really a big deal to me at this point.

Most of my family members only go on holidays as well, but we used to go every week with my mother. This is not an uncommon approach for Vietnamese folk, only the super devout (think Ned Flanders, but Buddhist) go regularly... when we were doing it with my mother when I was young, it was because my mother felt she needed to be chanting mantras regularly due to the gang warfare and violence my older sister was getting caught up in. So it's definitely not a common thing.

I do think that connection to a live sangha is an important part of practice, if it's available to you. In Thien/Chan, it's essential (I still do the occasional retreat with my Thien group). But in Pure Land, it's far less essential and a good home practice is more than sufficient.
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