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About Buddha Maitreya
Maitreya
(Koji Takeuchi) was born and brought up in Handa, Japan, near
Nagoya. During the difficult teens he began a desperate search for
truth which first led him to Christianity. But the church's approach
could not give him the direct experience of Jesus that he was looking
for and so he turned to meditation with the hope of personal contact
with the truth. And so it was that he found himself on a week's
meditation course for lay people at a monastery one summer where he had
the experience 'Enlightenment' through his total sacrifice and
dedication that was to firmly lay down the foundations for his life as
a meditation teacher. In the moment of 'Enlightenment', he saw the
absolute perfection and beauty intrinsic in all things and all beings,
the essence of Life. The clarity and joy of that experience and its
profundity gave rise to the strong wish to share this with everyone by
helping them to experience it too by means of simple meditation.
Maitreya, for the purpose of becoming a meditation master, went on to university to complete an MA degree in Buddhist Theology and lived the life of a Zen monk for a time. But he felt the monastic life was too harsh, rigid and out of date. Maitreya left Japan to spend a year in Thailand, then went travelling in India and Nepal where he began teaching meditation for a few years.
Through the invitation of a friend he came to England. He stayed in various centres and universities around the country, Reading University, Cambridge University and Lancaster University, etc., teaching and lecturing. It was whilst staying in Teversal in Nottingham he came across a property for sale in North Clifton which became a base from which to teach meditation. Pure Land was born in 1973.
Maitreya, for the purpose of becoming a meditation master, went on to university to complete an MA degree in Buddhist Theology and lived the life of a Zen monk for a time. But he felt the monastic life was too harsh, rigid and out of date. Maitreya left Japan to spend a year in Thailand, then went travelling in India and Nepal where he began teaching meditation for a few years.
Through the invitation of a friend he came to England. He stayed in various centres and universities around the country, Reading University, Cambridge University and Lancaster University, etc., teaching and lecturing. It was whilst staying in Teversal in Nottingham he came across a property for sale in North Clifton which became a base from which to teach meditation. Pure Land was born in 1973.
| The most
beautiful thing heart overflowing with love The most enjoyable thing mind full of peace The most precious thing time, this moment now
Maitreya
November 2005
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Maitreya's
main aim in creating
the
garden was to provide a peaceful, beautiful area which guests and
visitors to the centre could enjoy. So in 1980 he began the process of
transforming two acres of flat field and wilderness into a Japanese
garden. With no previous gardening experience, he plunged into the
task, feeling his way as he went along. As North Clifton was in a flat
area, Maitreya missed the hilly and mountainous scenery of Japan and so
started to create his own in miniature. The earth dug out by the JCB in
order to create the pond was heaped roughly into 'hills' to be shaped
by hand later. The large stones came mostly from a quarry in Derby and
these were spaced out around the pond area to be positioned
meditatively and harmoniously one by one. The winding paths took their
lead from the positioning of rocks. Then, little by little, the other
features were added from the Japanese repertoire of traditional garden
elements such as water, carp, bridges, moss, bamboo, evergreens,
maples, cherry, stone lanterns, etc... to be blended with a dash of
English plants and elements too. A case of East and West in radiant
harmony! Many plants were given by friends and villagers, and local
farmers helped with the task of ferrying stones. The small pagoda was
built using scrap materials he found in the out-buildings, a Zen
garden, which consists of rocks and chipped marble, has been completed
and a Japanese Tea House for tea ceremony use.
The beautiful Japanese garden, one of
the finest of it's kind, reflects the harmony of nature and the inner
peace of man, providing a place for relaxation and spiritual
revitalization. This garden has been featured many times in the media,
most recently in the book Inspirational
Gardens by Pamela Westland. In addition, Buddha Maitreya has received numerous awards in creating the stunning garden:
- BA Award for Horticulture - 2008
- Businessman of the Year - 2008
- Healthy Living Award - 2009
- Lifetime Achievement Award - 2009
| Serenity that is my seat Clarity that is my mind Life that is my body Joy that is my energy Love that is my action Nothingness that is my self Miracle that is my world Eternity that is my home Maitreya
August
2006
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The
Pure Land Meditation
Centre
wishes to provide everyone who visits with an experience of relaxation,
peace and Higher Self-awareness by means of the simple and pure
approach that Maitreya has been teaching for over 35 years.| It is there already in you Just sit and enjoy stillness Do nothing even not try to meditate much less expect anything Be still Relish sitting Be-ing-ness; LIFE All is there It is pure It is beautiful It is peace You have been here before Maitreya
February
2002
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Pure Land
North Clifton
Nr. Newark
Nottinghamshire
NG23 7AT
England, UK
Tel: 01777 228567
© Koji Takeuchi 2009
North Clifton
Nr. Newark
Nottinghamshire
NG23 7AT
England, UK
Tel: 01777 228567
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© Koji Takeuchi 2009