What ALL The Buddhas Say - And Why They Say It
Let’s listen deeply, as Shinran Shonin teaches what all the Buddhas say - and why they say it.
Fearing that sentient beings might not accept the teaching of the one Buddha, Sakyamuni, the Buddhas throughout the ten quarters all together with the same intent and at the same time extend their tongues and, covering all the great triple-thousandfold worlds, preach these true and sincere words:
Sentient beings, each of you should accept what Sakyamuni has taught, has praised, has given witness to!
It is certain beyond any doubt that when foolish beings - regardless of whether their evil or merit is great or small, or the period of time long or short - just single-heartedly practice the saying of the Name of Amida alone, for up to one hundred years or down to even one or seven days, they unfailingly attain birth.
Thus, what one Buddha teaches, all Buddhas give witness to. This is known as “establishing SHINJIN (true entrusting) through the Buddha.” KGSS IV:47
So what about these modern and post-modern teachers who claim to be teaching Shinran’s dharma, and declare that Amida Buddha is a “myth”…and that the teaching is “mythos”?
Is this a position WORTHY of a dharma teacher who claims to be a follower of Shinran?
Does it help either the teacher, or his listeners, to attain to the state of SHINJIN - true entrusting without any doubt - that was Shinran’s singular objective as he taught for 60 years?
- Clearly this teaching about Amida Buddha was not “mythos” for Shakyamuni Buddha as he taught it.
- It was not “mythos” for Honen, Shinran’s teacher, as he explained it to Shinran.
- It was not “mythos” for Shinran, Master Teacher of the Dharma of The True Pure Land Way, as he taught it for 60 years, writing the definitive literature on the subject of the True Pure Land Way (Jodo Shinshu).
- It was not “mythos” for Yuien, as he wrote the Tannisho (Lamenting Divergences) with his heart heavy, and his eyes full of tears, not long after Shinran’s death.
- It was not “mythos” for Rennyo, the tireless restorer of the moribund Shin Sangha, 200 years later.
- Nor is it “mythos” for Professor Eiken Kobai, whose two books are avaiable on this blog, HERE and HERE. (I know that because I asked Eiken directly.)
- Nor is it “mythos” for Reverend George Gatenby, one of the leaders in the Shin Sangha in Australia, and owner/author of the wonderful Shin Buddhist website, Notes on the Nembutsu. (I know that because I asked George directly, too.)
- And finally (not that my personal opinions mean anything) Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching about Amida Buddha is not “mythos” for me.
As non-buddhas, we certainly can’t understand very much about being a Buddha, about the Pure Land, about Karma, about re-birth, or about ANYTHING. Why? Because we’re all so terribly bound by ignorance and delusion.
But, we can certainly understand what Shakyamuni Buddha taught us himself as the EASY PATH TO BUDDHAHOOD, precisely because we are so bound.:
- Amida Buddha is a REAL Buddha, a TRUE Buddha.
- Amida Buddha lives RIGHT NOW - in a transcendental body, as Lord and Master of the Pure Land, shining his infinite life throughout every point in the multi-verse.
- Amida Buddha is the Buddha who, as the Bodhisattva Dharmakara, made and fulfilled 48 Vows and created a Pure Land - a land without suffering of any kind - where all beings would become liberated.
- Amida Buddha is the Buddha who has promised to bring each and every one of us to his own Pure Land, if only we will entrust our karmic destiny to Him and Him alone.
This final dharma (teaching) of Buddha Shakyamuni is easy enough for a child to understand.
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How about YOU?
- Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?
- Are you weary with the suffering of birth, and life and death - transmigrating from life, to life, to life in ignorance and delusion?
- Do you want to end your suffering at last, and become a TRULY awakened being?
- Do you want to take birth in the Pure Land at the end of this life - and become a Buddha at last?
If you do, then it is because Amida Buddha has led you to this place. And now, you need to do only ONE THING: listen deeply to the True Teaching of Shinran Shonin.
Listen deeply to Shinran, and reject the foolish idea that Amida Buddha is not real - or is only an archetype - or merely the compassionate working of an impersonal universe.
Listen deeply, because Shakyamuni teaches otherwise, and so do all the Pure Land masters Shinran draws upon, and so do the True Teachers of Jodo Shinshu in our day - teachers such as Eiken Kobai and George Gatenby.
Listen deeply to all the Buddhas in the multi-verse - as they “with the same intent and at the same time extend their tongues and, covering all the great triple-thousandfold worlds, preach these true and sincere words”.
Let go of the small thoughts of your small mind - and listen deeply. That is, literally, all you need to do.
If you listen deeply, laying aside your ideas and opinions altogether, Amida Buddha will give you the gift of SHINJIN - of True Entrusting - and the Nembutsu of gratitude will come out of your mouth.
Then you too will be placed in the “rightly established group”, embraced never to be forsaken.
Then you too will be joined with Shinran and the vast company of all those who simply entrust themselves - and their karmic destiny - to NamuAmidaButsu - the refuge that Amida Buddha provides us all.
Paul R.