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Wong Zhi Xiang (Shaku Hanryo)
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- Singapore
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Wong Zhi Xiang (Shaku Hanryo)'s Groups
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Arts in Amida
59 members
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Pureland Buddhism
87 members
Welcome, Wong Zhi Xiang (Shaku Hanryo)!
Latest Activity
Dear Bro. Seiyo,
I once had the same problems too. If you ponder deeply, fundamentally this conflict comes down to the lingering problem of self-power and other-power or between self-cultivation and liberation through Amida's vows.
In the Pure Lan…
Dear Sis Katrien,
Reading your inspiring message warms my heart with joy and brightens up my day. I will send you another verse:
Without the Nembutsu, I have nothing
With only the Nembutsu, I have everything
There is nothing I want other than the…
Dear Bro. Katrien
Thank you very much for sharing your inner thoughts with us! My Buddhist name is Hanryo. I am very touched by your sincerity and faith in Amida Buddha and Pure Land Buddhism. I think which path a person takes is often not a matter…
Dear Rev. Shoshin,
Thank you for your comment on the Kyogyoshinsho.
I think if we really want to know about Shinran and his Pure Land thought, it is important to read his own writings carefully. So with Honen. When reading works by later teachers…
Dear Bro. Robert,
Thank you for starting this discussion on shinjin. I would like to share with everyone my experience of shinjin. In the past before my encounter with Amida and the Pure Land teachings, I was a devotee of the Lotus Sutra. I had nev…
Thank you all for initiating this group on Arts in Amida. I have also posted some images on the Pure Land tradition which can be found on my profile page. I wish this group every success.
Gassho,
Hanryo.
For discussion and promotion of the arts within the Amida community
Profile Information
- About Me:
- I am a Pure Land Buddhist from Singapore. My name is Wong Zhi Xiang, my Dharma name is Shaku Hanryo. I am 32 years old and my favourite Buddhist teachers are Honen, Shinran and Ippen. I am devoted to Amida Buddha and the teachings of Pure Land Buddhism. Nothing in this world gives me more joy and happiness than reciting the sacred Name of Amida Buddha.
- Amida Membership
- Would like to be a member
- Faith Background & Affiliation
- Pure Land Buddhism
- Occupation or Primary Activity
- Fulltime practitioner of the Buddhadharma.
- Involvement in Spirituality/Religion
- Due to my parents influence I have been a Buddhist since very young. I went to a sunday school in a Theravada temple and started learning about the Buddha Dharma. When I was seventeen I encountered The Lotus Sutra and became a devout follower. I faithfully practised the teachings of the Lotus Sutra while at the same time I was also exposed to other forms of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism (for example the teachings of the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas) and Chinese Pure Land Buddhism (as taught by Venerable Master Chin Kung). After I became interested in Pure Land Buddhism I began to read all the books I could find and that was how I encountered the Pure Land teachings of Honen, Shinran and Ippen!
- What is your interest in Amida Trust
- To find spiritual friends of similar faith and interest in Pure Land Buddhism.
- How did you find this web site?
- By invitation from Ven. Dharmavidya
- What country are you living in?
- Singapore
- What is the nearest town to where you live? If in UK, please give first half of your postcode. Thank you.
- Marine Parade
- Are you a member of an Amida group/Congregation
- Would like a group in my area
- Have you visited
- None of these
- What can you offer to other members of this network?
- A place to stay, Travelling companion, Guide, Expertise
- What other interests do you have, eg Arts, Gardening and so on.
- Buddhism, Japanese Language and Culture, Literature and Fiction, Music.
Bibliography on Shin Buddhism.htm
The followings are selected websites where you can learn more on Amida Buddha and Pure Land Buddhism:
Amida Net by Zuio Hisao Inagaki
Shin Dharma Net by Alfred Bloom
nembutsu.info: journal of Shin Buddhism
The Way of Jodo Shinshu by George Gatenby
The Independent Shin Buddhist by Dennis Hirota
Pure Land Buddhism WWW Virtual Library
JODO SHU RESEARCH INSTITUTE
The Collected Works of Shinran
A short video clip on Amida Buddha and Buddhist art which I would like to share:
Amida Buddha and Buddhist art
The followings are selected websites where you can learn more on Amida Buddha and Pure Land Buddhism:
Amida Net by Zuio Hisao Inagaki
Shin Dharma Net by Alfred Bloom
nembutsu.info: journal of Shin Buddhism
The Way of Jodo Shinshu by George Gatenby
The Independent Shin Buddhist by Dennis Hirota
Pure Land Buddhism WWW Virtual Library
JODO SHU RESEARCH INSTITUTE
The Collected Works of Shinran
A short video clip on Amida Buddha and Buddhist art which I would like to share:
Amida Buddha and Buddhist art
Wong Zhi Xiang (Shaku Hanryo)'s Photos
Comment Wall (8 comments)
- At 2:18am on November 13, 2009,
Seiyo said…
- Hanryo:T
Thanks for writing. Most importantly, I'm glad that you are doing better.
I am just fine. We just finished the first part of class. Our most recent speaker was Kenneth Takana who wrote the Shin Buddhism book "Ocean".
We are now studying the life of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Thanks for staying in touch. If you are interested, I would be glad to email you two short Dharma talks by by teacher. If you would like. send me an email and let me know. My personal email is demannlv@yahoo.com
- At 3:41pm on October 31, 2009,
Seiyo said…
- Hanryo:
Thanks again for the second part of the teachings from Jim Davis. You went through much work getting these for me.
Nembutsu is MY practice. I cannot be in this world without Amida. I cannot do this on my own. But thanks for giving me this advice again.
I am so glad that we have become friends. I cherish it.
Namo Amida Butsu
Seiyo
- At 11:43pm on October 24, 2009,
Seiyo said…
- Hanryo:
I hope you are doing well. From a Jodo Shu group that I am a member of, this was written. I thought of you and hope you enjoy it.
I think I made a mistake - Kokei didn't restore the "great Buddha" of Nara. Nor did he rebuild the main hall. Kokei did one thing: collect alms. I doubt Kokei knew much about casting bronze, or carpentry, or archetecture or any of the myriad of skills needed to accomplish this task, but he knew how to ask for help. Thanks to Doug I found the passage from "Zen Shin talks" by Rev Ogui -
Choose One Small Practice
People struggle to build up spiritual securities and happiness. They put energy into learning from different religious traditions. Sometimes people attend workshops and seminars. They spend time and money in this way. They keep attending and learning. Actually they don’t have to keep doing this.
Instead, choose one small practice and keep reflecting on it and doing it. Then you will understand everything. For example, in Christianity you are told to “love your neighbor”. Sincerely practice this and observe yourself when you see how difficult it is. From there, a spiritual gate will open up for you.
Kokei chose one small task, alms gathering, and took it to the limit. This may be a very Japanese concept. If we look at the forms of Buddhism that are uniquely Japanese (I am thinking of Jodo Shu, Jodo Shinshu, Nichiren Shu, Rinzai Shu and Soto Shu), they all expound just doing one thing, and getting it down perfectly. All Kokei wanted to do was build a Buddha, that is a huge task, there is no way he could accomplish this alone. He had to ask for help at every opportunity he had. We want to become enlightened. That requires many skills to be
perfected, precepts, meditation, and wisdom. At every school Honen visited he was told you have to perfect all these three to become a Buddha. This to me sounds like a bigger task than building a statue. Honen maybe thought so too, he said "just say the Nembutsu". Just ask for help, as much as you can. With the help of Amida we are assured of becoming a Buddha ourselves. Maybe the life of Kokei is a bit like the life of a Jodo Shu follower, or maybe I have been thinking about this too much and not doing what I should be doing.
Namu Amida Butsu.
Stephen
Seiyo
- At 5:23pm on October 17, 2009,
Seiyo said…
- Hi Hanryo!
I hope everything is well with you! I have just received another poem which I thought you might enjoy!
Shinjin is not something that your get,
> tho sometimes it seems to be that way.
> Amida is a Buddha because of her vow
> to free every being
> thru nembutsu
> or else she would not become a Buddha.
> Amida is the Buddha
> so the vow has been fulfilled.
> Shinjin is awakening to that which you are already.
> Remember that every being is already liberated,
> wake up
> and awaken others.
>
> peace,
>
> Jim Davis
- At 8:39am on September 28, 2009,
Seiyo said…
- Your new poem is very beautiful also. The class is very interesting. The school is far away from here. Each week we turn in a paper on our readings. Then on Sundays we have a teleconference. There are 10 students from all over the country. Some are as far away as 2,000 miles. Wish you could be here studying with me also.
- At 12:10am on August 31, 2009,
Hussam Al-Nawab said… - Many thanks Hanryo,
Namo Amida Bu,
Hussam
- At 1:49pm on August 26, 2009,
Dharmavidya said… - Excellent to have you with us. Do add a photo to your profile so that we can see you too :-)
Namo Amida Bu
Warm wishes - D
- At 7:33pm on August 23, 2009,
caroline brazier said… - Good to be friends. Namo Amida Bu
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