An Overview of Agon Shu Buddhism
Agon Shu Buddhism is the first and the only school of Buddhism that is based on the Agama Scriptures which has been recently confirmed by researchers to be the only ancient scripture that contains the original teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.
Seiyu Kiriyama, after his Great Revelations via the decipherment of this legendary scripture, founded Agon Shu Buddhism on the belief that the true teachings of Buddha that have been hidden and disregarded for thousands of years must finally be brought to light and glory.
Agon Shu Buddhism is known to be one of the only Buddhist schools that proactively engage in individual and social karmic purification, pacification of deceased souls, and powerful esoteric prayers. It is now famous for its annual Star Festival for its magnitude of the Sacred Fire, profound cultural practices, dramatic music, and most importantly, the unshaken spirit of prayers that participants hold.
The main principles of Agon Shu Buddhism are the following:
All life and world events are predetermined by fate
Fate is constructed by the combination of karma (personal & ancestral)
Karmic purification is necessary to change fate for the good and is one of the keys to ultimate liberation
Buddha's light of liberation (Jyobutsu-Ho) is the only way to ascend souls, eliminate karma, and change humanity's fate
The Sacred Stupa Worship is the key to resonating with Buddha's Divine Spirit and Light and to purging the ultimate root cause of all earthly calamities
One must take the teachings of Buddha into daily life and live a mindful life of gratitude, compassion, and loving-kindness
Additionally, Agon Shu Buddhism embodies the religious traditions and disciplines of:
Esoteric Buddhism;
Mahayana Buddhism;
Tantric Buddhism;
Tibetan Buddhism;
Theravada Buddhism;
Shugendo;
and Shintoism.
Due to Agon Shu's inclusion of the relevant religious traditions and disciplines of all major Buddhist schools as well as the fundamental teachings of Buddha into practice, religious experts have regarded Agon Shu Buddhism as 'The Complete Buddhism'.
Just like Shingon, Zen, and Nichiren Buddhism, Agon Shu Buddhism is now one of the denominations of Japanese Buddhism.
Agon Shu Buddhist Traditions and Beliefs
Object of Worship
Agon Shu Buddhism regards Lord Buddha as the ultimate object of worship. As such, it places the Sacred Buddhist Stupa - the hemispherical Monument that encases the true relics of Buddha - as the main votive monument.
This tradition is based on the Original Buddhist Worship. It has been believed by traditional Buddhists that Lord Buddha's relics were the only materials that had the strongest affinity with Buddha and so was the Sacred Stupa (with true relics) endowed with the divine spirit and light of Buddha. It is believed that divine resonance, protection, and guidance of Lord Buddha cannot be easily obtained without the Sacred Stupa Worship.
Agon Shu Buddhism also takes an extraordinary form of Buddhist worship as it uses the combination of:
The Correct Mind & Spirit;
The Ancient Esoteric Techniques;
And, the Sacred Stupa as the ultimate votive monument
It is believed that this practice is the Buddhist Worship at its finest because of the numerous pieces of evidence ranging from life changes to symbolical manifestations of Buddhist deities in our world.
Agon Shu Buddhist followers faithfully practice and learn Dharma - the teachings of Buddha and esoteric training methods under the guidance of Sangha - the Buddhist Priests.
Main Differences between Agon Shu Buddhism and Other Schools of Buddhism
Unlike other schools of Buddhism, Agon Shu Buddhism strongly emphasizes:
The Purification of karma (personal, ancestral, and that of the land)
The Nurture of the Spiritual Family Tree
The use of mantras and mudras in rites and practices to resonate with Buddhist deities
The worship of the Sacred Stupa
The proactive engagement in spiritual warfare against the root cause of earthly disasters
The Buddha's light of liberation as the ultimate force that can pacify souls, cleanse any karma, and set oneself free from cycles
The use of sacred fire rites to amplify Buddha's divine spirit and light of liberation embedded within the Sacred Stupa as a means to cleanse the men, family, and the land from karma and raise mankind's spirituality.
Agon Shu Buddhism preaches long-disregarded authentic teachings of Buddha himself and works as the school that fills the missing core essence of Buddhism. Other schools of Buddhism also provide insightful and extremely crucial teachings. As such, it can be understood that all Buddhist schools work complementarily.
Events & Services
Agon Shu Buddhist Temple in Toronto offers a variety of spiritual services and Buddhist classes, and holds Sunday Worships on a monthly basis.
Agon Shu's services include:
Gomagi Prayer Sticks
Tokko No Kaji - Spiritual Healing
Spiritual House Cleansing
Memorial Services
Fortune Slip
Consultation with Priest
Special Prayer Services (for members only)
Agon Shu occasionally holds special annual events such as Buddha's Birthday Celebration and Memorial Lantern Rites.
Our Temple also offers Buddhist Seminars, Buddhist meditation, and Mantra & Mudra courses for those who are willing to learn Agon Shu Buddhism in great detail and hands-on practice.
To learn more about Agon Shu's Events and Services, click the links below.
Conclusion
Agon Shu Buddhism is still a small yet committed Buddhist school. It takes continuous steps toward the spiritual evolution of humanity and the salvation of mankind from its despairing fate of destruction and holds on to Buddha's original words as the principle for its spiritual endeavours.
Agon Shu Toronto Buddhist Temple is the only branch of Agon Shu Buddhism in North America and welcomes visits, worships, and member subscription.
Interested in learning more? Take your step and join our worship and seminars.
Is this the Buddhism you were looking for? Don't hesitate to contact us.