マイケルからのメ−ル



４月１４日アメリカのマイケルさんが不動院の英語版ホームページを見て、突然メールにて真言宗についての質問してきました。
質問は、アメリカ在住で真言宗を教えてくれる方の紹介と不動明王像の購入の仕方です。
彼は天台宗を３年間勉強してきたので、仏教の事はよく知っているようです。
真言宗豊山派ホームページに真言宗が詳しいことを教えました。
前者については、真言宗豊山派に教えてくれるよう頼みました。 その結果、豊山派の僧侶はアメリカには居らず、下記の仏教研究機関を紹介されました。

Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research
2620 Warring Street, Berkeley, California 94704

[メール１]は彼からの突然のメールです。
[メール２]は真言宗豊山派ホームページのお経にリンクする方法を説明した後のメールです。日本語は文字化けしているようなので、お経にリンクする方法をページ内の位置で幾何学的に説明しました。
[メール3]は、彼への質問の回答です。
[メール4]は、仏具屋に頼んで不動明王像のサンプルを掲示してもらったことの連絡のお礼です。この日は土曜日だったので、夜中の2時頃メールを打つと、30分ぐらいで返事が帰ってきました。地球の裏側のアメリカもお隣り感覚です。

最近、浄土真宗の僧侶の方から次のようなメールを頂きました。
「浄土真宗に関して言えば、アメリカ各地にお寺があるのですが、 他宗に関しては詳しいことはわかりません。 しかし、真言宗の寺院は、ロサンゼルスのリトル東京に高野山の真言宗のお寺があります。」

そこで、ロサンゼルスに在住の日本の方にメールで聞いたところ、４名の方から返事をもらい、 高野山の真言宗のお寺の住所が分かりました。
ロサンゼルスに在住の日本の方は、「世界のご近所さん」で探しました。

Koyasan Buddhist Temple
342 East 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
TEL:(213)624-1267
FAX:(213)625-2197
さらに、別の寺院も教えてもらいました。
Koyasan Harbor City Buddhist Temple
1360 W. 253rd. st. Harbor City CA
310-326-2019



マイケルからのメ−ルの全文です。だんだん親しくなっていることが分かります。

[メール１] 最初のメール



Hello,
I saw your web site and just wanted to contact you for more information.
I have spent the past 3 years or so studying meditation and esoteric practices with the Tendai school. Unfortunately, as life goes, it appears that it may be time for me to make some changes in my studies and practice.
I am very interested in what the Shingon school has to offer in the way of instruction and possibly ordination. I found your web site very informative, however, much of it could not be decoded by my internet provider. I am assuming that a lot of it was originally posted in Japanese and that's why my provider cannot decode it.
I am very interested in any information you can share regarding study, as well as any teachers which may reside in the United States. My home address, as well as my e-mail address is noted below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,

Michael Macaluso



[メール2] 真言宗豊山派ホームページを教えた時



Dear Sanda-san,
I hope Sanda is your family name. If it is not, I intend no disrespect by being too familiar with you.
Thank you for the information about the audio on your web site.
Unfortunately, I tried but could not hear anything. I did however find the GIF file of the Heart Sutra interesting. I did copy that and intend to give copies to friends, with your permission of course.
I am interested in learning more about Shingon-shu, and would appreciate it if you could give me any information that is appropriate. In particular, I am interested in finding a teacher here in the United States, and possibly beginning study and practice. If you could tell me of anyone here, I would appreciate it.
Also, I am interested in purchasing a statue of Fudo Myo-o. No one here in America seems to be able to find one. If you have any information on how to purchase one, I would be very interested in knowing that too. The statue does not need to be big...probably no more than 20cm or so. Also, it does not have to be made of metal.
I appreciate your time and any assistance you can give me.
Gassho,
Michael


[メール3] 彼について質問した時



Dear Toshio-san,
Thank you again for your e-mail. In the years I have been studying and practicing with the Tendai school, I have never found anyone who was willing to go out of his way to assist me. I am very grateful that the Dharma still lives in the hearts of some people.

To answer your questions:

I found your web site by using America Online's web browser. I put in"Shingon" in the search parameters and your URL came up.
I do not speak Japanese. I have learned a number of phrases over the years, and understand a word here and there, but do not really know the language. In addition to my interest in mikkyo, I hold an instructor's license in Bujinkan dojo ninjutsu, issued under the authority of our grandmaster, Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi of Noda City. It was through my ninjutsu training that I learned of mikkyo, and what I've picked up in the way of the Japanese language. However, I have never been to Japan. Hatsumi-sensei comes to the United States once a year, and I've had the opportunity to train with him then.
Regarding the statue of Fudo Myo-o, my main consideration is not really price. While I do not have a lot of money to spend, I am more interested in the size of the statue and the quality of the appearance. I would like to enshrine it as the honzon of my butsudan, but my butsudan is in my apartment and is very small. However, I believe that the 35 cm statue for 15000 yen would fit just fine, and would be large enough if I ever build a larger butsudan. Please tell me how I can go about purchasing it.
Also, I have another question. I understand that for a statue to be used as honzon, it should be blessed or empowered by a priest. I am interested in taking ordination sometime in the future, however as of now I am not a priest.
Have you taken ordination? If you have, I would also like to see about having the statue blessed. If you can let me if you can do that, and if there are any monetary donations involved with the blessing, I would appreciate that also.
Thank you very much for your help. I look forward to your response. I also have a number of other questions regarding Shingon-shu that I would like to ask. So long as I am not being a burden I will continue sending my questions.
Gassho,
Michael
P.S. My friends call me Mac and I would like it very much if you would too. :)


[メール4] 仏具屋さんの不動明王像掲示の連絡後



Dear Toshio-san,
Thank you very much for all of your help. It was very kind of you to go out of your way to help me. I look forward to speaking to you some more in the future. Please stay in touch with me.
Gassho,
Mac

[メール5] 瞑想法についての質問



Dear Toshio,
Thank you for the information. I managed to contact a Shingon temple in Vermont. The priest's name is Jomyo Tanaka. He comes to the United States for part of the year, then goes back to Japan. I am going to visit there in July.

I was wondering if you have information on 3 types of meditation. I don't know if I am spelling them correctly, but maybe you'll know what I'm talking about.
1. Ah-ji-kan
2. A-soku-kan
3. Ga-chu-rin-kan

If you know anything about these, can you please give me some information. I would appreciate it.

Thank you very much. I look forward to your response.

Gassho,
Mac





in Sanda's homepage