I spent many years in Zen training and subsequently many more years practising Pureland Buddhism. Broadly, Zen is a more monastic and Pureland a more lay tradition. Now that I have the calling to create a temple I am working to bring the two traditions together since each offers important ingredients to this situation. Both, each in its own style, are concerned to help practitioners realise and express the wisdom and compassion of the founding sage, Shakyamuni Buddha, through actual practice and not just intellectual understanding. With the slogan "faith and practice cannot be differentiated" I am working on myself and proceeding step by step toward creating a conducive environment for others. In one sense, there is a long way to go, in that this building needs a lot of attention and facilities for formal practice are, as yet, limited. On the other hand, both traditions will assert that, for practice, every place is a good place, so accept what comes and work with what we have. Only in such a way can the spirit of Dharma really manifest and this will be true whatever the conditions happen to be. The Dharma, after all, is kindness and great acceptance, individually, collectively, in all conditions and all times. So, for now, meditation is in the library, but it is still possible to sustain a regular practice schedule.while, concurrently, work continues slowly on several other parts of the building.
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