Tendai Buddhist Sangha of Australia
Affiliate of The Hawaii Tendai Institute's
Pan Pacific Sangha
Bringing the Lotus to Australia
Tendai Sangha of Australia
Affiliate of The Hawaii Tendai Institute
The Tendai
Sangha of Australia, as an affiliate of The Hawaii Tendai Institute,
offers the traditional practices of the Japanese Tendai school of
Mahayana Buddhism for the first time in Australia. For 1200 years the
Tendai sect of Buddhism has played a significant role in the development
of Japanese Buddhism. However, until recently Tendai was largely
unknown in the west. This is beginning to change due to the tremendous
effort and untiring work of a few high ranking Tendai priest's and we
proudly offer these teachings in the hope that we may in some small
measure "light up a corner of (our) world".
The Tendai Denomination of Japanese Buddhism seeks to carry out the
practice of Buddhism in our daily life, in accordance with Saichō’s words,
“doing good for others first and leaving ourselves till later, this heart is
the ultimate expression of compassion.” Compassion is the basic spirit required
for practicing the teachings of The Buddha. We must all face the truth that all
living things must die. We often tend to forget this truth. All living things
will die no matter what the joys of life may bring now. This gives rise to
grief. All that we have must be given
away at death. Therefore, it is best to give it all to others now, and
understand intimately, the truth of impermanence. This is the ideal world of
Buddhists where self and others are totally equal without any discrimination.
To wish for the perfect equality of all living beings and to pray for their
fulfilling lives is the essence of Buddhism.
The Lotus Sūtra, the most important text in Tendai Buddhism, preaches that “The abode of the Buddha is the great compassionate heart within all living beings; the robe of the Buddha is the gentle and forbearing heart; the throne of the Buddha is the emptiness of all things. Established in these, then with unflagging mind to bodhisattvas and the four groups he will preach this Law Flower Sutra”.Also it preaches that those who practice such teachings may encounter persecution and have stones hurled at them. It is very difficult to practice this compassion, so some might say it is nothing but an ideal. Nevertheless, just as it is in the nature of a bee to sting, it is in our nature as Buddhists to advance towards that ideal.
