No organization or branch has any monopoly on the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist teaching. There are already ten old branches of Jodo Shinshu since Shinran Shonin plus Amidaji which is the newest. There are probably other branches or groups (old and new) in Japan that I do not know about and also various organizations that they claim they represent Jodo Shinshu. I have no idea what they teach and how loyal they are to our Founder, Shinran Shonin and to the historical Buddha. When we at Amidaji say that we are orthodox Jodo Shinshu we do that by comparison with the nowadays decadent situation of the two Hongwanji branches (Nishi and Higashi) that allow the spreading of wrong views and the various priests and lay we know in Japan, USA, Europe, etc, but we can't pretend we are the only orthodox followers in the world! Even among the Hongwanji there are many orthodox followers although the leadership is very corrupt, indolent and not willing to oppose wrong views.

More than this, there are many followers who don't belong to any group and who prefer to study and say Nembutsu at home. Among them there are many who are orthodox, too! The religious phenomenon of Jodo Shinshu is so vast that nobody can actually say they alone represent Jodo Shinshu nor the orthodoxy of Jodo Shinshu. I know that the Japanese in Hongwanji want to keep the label of Jodo Shinshu for themselves but old age is not always an argument for authenticity. We clearly see how many scholars and priests inside the two Hongwanji (the most numerous branches) teach wrong views that are clearly in contradiction with the Larger Sutra or Shinran and Rennyo while being supported and promoted by the leadership. Thus, we cannot possibly say anymore that these institutions act as guardians of Jodo Shinshu. They lost their spiritual authority in the very moment they allowed and even encouraged their priests to call Amida a myth, symbol or fictional character and denied that the Pure Land is to be attained after death in clear contradiction with the Larger Sutra (whose authenticity they also deny), the works of Shinran, Rennyo and all the Patriarchs. They started to support various worldly ideologies and used some of their temples and the Jodo Shinshu itself for the justification and institutionalization of immoral acts and degenerated organizations like LGBTQ whose goal is to impose on society the unnatural so-called marriage between people of the same sex in clear contradiction with Shakyamuni Buddha's couple advice addressed exclusively to men and women and His moral teachings. What authority can the leaders of these two decayed institutions of Hongwanji claim on the teaching and priest ordination when they departed so much from the general Buddhist teaching and the essentials of the Jodo Shinshu faith? Who are they to say that me or other organizations and individuals without any official affiliation do not represent orthodox Jodo Shinshu? On what doctrinal basis do they have the right of ordaining priests and opening centers and temples and we don't? Old age does not necessary make one wiser as some grow in years like bulls in weight and some others may become senile, incapable to distinguish right views from wrong views.

Shakyamuni Buddha never said that birth makes one wise or capable of spiritual leadership, so tell me what is the doctrinal basis for the Monshu institution in Hongwanji and that only he can give priest ordination? Where did Shinran Shonin said that we should be guided by one of his own bloodline? Did he ever linked shinjin (faith) with birth right and bloodline? Is the Monshu infallible, as to me is clear that he ordained some good priests but also some very bad ones who openly teach and share wrong views. How many books the present Monshu wrote? How much missionary work he did in Rennyo's style outside of Japan? Here I do not mean courtesy visits where he just ate good meals at restaurant and made some protocol speeches? How many times did he address the various modern wrong views related with Amida Buddha and His Pure Land? So again, what gives him the spiritual authority to ordain others and approve the opening of new temples in comparison with me who wrote more than nine books (English, Romanian, Russian, Portuguese, French) and many articles, guided many people from various countries, answered hundreds of questions, built a temple from scratch while poor? Probably the present Monshu has faith but I also received faith from the same Amida Buddha and in matters of faith we are all equal. Is it the fact that he is Japanese and I am not? When did Shakyamuni Buddha or Shinran ever said that nationality, birth and bloodline is a criteria for spiritual leadership or ordination? You all know the answer: NEVER!

More than this, the grandfather of the present Monshu, Kosho Ohtani[1]clearly said and encouraged Europeans to organize themselves independently from Hongwanji and Japanese. He also allowed Rev Harry Pieper[2](the first Shinshu priest in Europe) to ordain Rev Jean Earacle[3]outside of Hongwanji and Rev Earacle also ordained others, too! He was clearly for non-Japanese priest ordination as he realized that Japanese and Hongwanji cannot have a monopoly on the teaching and ordination. He understood the historical truth that when the Dharma is spread from one continent to another is normal that the new converts know better how to organize themselves. It happened when the various Buddhist schools were brought from China to Japan - Chinese could no longer claim authority and lead forever the Japanese Buddhists. Nowadays too, Japanese can no longer claim to rule all Jodo Shinshu Buddhists from Japan especially when their institutions are so much affected by wrong views and various Japanese traditions as well as specific Japanese problems and behavior without any connection with the teaching and faith of Jodo Shinshu.

Also, why the Japanese tokudo (priest) examination system of a few days that allows so many people with wrong views to become priests is better than the Amidaji system of more than 70 (and growing) doctrinal questions? I have never heard anybody fail the Japanese examination so I wonder how those heretical priests who deny the very existence of Amida and His Pure Land appeared? Or should the Japanese admit that nowadays they are more interested in the number of priests than quality?

These being said, I think is clear for everyone with little dust in their eyes that there is absolutely no argument for the Japanese to hold any monopoly on the Jodo Shinshu teaching, ordination, organization, founding of new temples and branches.

Everyone can claim and prove their orthodoxy by their own deeds and I think that Amidaji is a legitimate and authentic branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and that I as a priest can, in accordance with Kosho Ohtani's urge and my own loyalty to Shakyamuni and Shinran’s teaching, ordain others and organize the Dharma teaching and activities for the benefit of all sentient beings. We live in difficult times surrounded from all parts, including Japan, by wrong views, worldly ideologies and false teachers and a clear Path is absolutely needed. Amidaji is willing to show this Path. We are not the only ones with faith and right views, but we are doing our best to faithfully transmit this precious Dharma Gate to future generations. I sincerely encourage others who are dissatisfied with the way the Jodo Shinshu is presented nowadays by the two Hongwanji to have the courage to create their own orthodox groups and branches. If you consider yourselves orthodox Jodo Shinshu but you don't like everything about Amidaji then start your own group!

Namo Amida Bu