THE WAY OF
NEMBUTSU-FAITH
A Commentary on
THE SHOSHINGE
with references to Wasan
by
Zuio Hisao Inagaki
First published by Nagata Bunshodo, Kyoto,1996
Revised September, 2000
Part 1
Section on the exposition
based on the Sutras
Part 2: Section on the exposition based on the
Seven Masters' works |
Index
<<Index>>
(1) The title |
(2) Adoration to Amida Buddha
lines 1-2 |
(3) Dharmakara's Vows
lines 3-10 |
(4) Amida's Light
lines 11-16 |
(5) Saving Power of the Vow
lines 17-20 |
(6) Shakyamuni's sacred task
lines 21-24 |
(7) Amida's salvation
lines 25-28 |
(8) Living in the Light of Great Compassion
lines 29-34 |
(9) Life of a myokonin
lines 35-40 |
(10) The Way of Nembutsu-Faith
lines 41-44 |
|
|
FOREWORD
The canon of Shin literature comprises the three Pure Land sutras, discourses
and commentaries of the Seven Patriarchs, works of Shinran Shonin, and
writings of other masters. From the viewpoint of both doctrinal studies
and the practical faith of Shin Buddhism, the Shoshinge occupies a position
of the first importance. Perhaps no other text can match it in the influence
it has exerted on the formation and development of the Shin way of living
throughout Japan. In recent years, the text has been translated not only
into English but also into other European languages in line with the enthusiastic
efforts of Shin Buddhists of all nationalities to spread understanding
of the Other-Power teaching of Shinran. The original text was written in
classical Chinese and is full of highly specialized doctrinal terms. So
mere translation would be insufficient to bring the Shin teaching close
to the hearts of followers who have a non-Buddhist background. The series
of articles on the the Shoshinge which I was privileged to publish in the
Honganji journal, Daijo, since May 1990, are my attempt to introduce the
text to the present age by explaining and re-interpreting unfamiliar terms
and concepts which appear in the Shoshinge. It is with great pleasure that,
after sixty months, I completed this commentary in May 1995 and those articles
have now been compiled and published in this single volume. In the course
of revising the text, I have added more hymns from Shinran's wasan to convey
his deep feeling and insight to the reader.
In publishing this work, I owe a debt of inexpressible gratitude to three
Australian Shin Buddhists. One is Rev. Jokyo G. Gatenby, who kindly checked
the monthly contribution to the Daijo and went over the whole manuscript in the final stage of preparation.
The second is Mr. Harold Stewart, a Buddhist poet, who helped me with revision
of the first few chapters of this work before he died in August 1995. The
third is Rev. Joko Paraskevopoulos, who kindly read the proofs and gave
me valuable suggestions. Without their sincere and patient cooperation,
this work would not have been completed.
Namu Amida Butsu
Top
(1) The title
'Shoshinge,' 'Hymn of True Faith,' is the title popularly used among
Shin followers. The full title that appears in the Kyogyoshinsho, Chapter
on True Practice, is 'Shoshin nembutsu ge', which literally means 'Hymn
of True Faith in Nembutsu.' The author, Shinran Shonin, presumably meant
to present in this hymn the faith and practice of Shin Buddhism which constitute
the core of the Pure Land tradition transmitted to Japan through China
from India.
Stated simply, 'faith' is trust in Amida, and 'practice' is the Nembutsu
recitation. The faith and practice on our side are, at the beginning, naturally
based on self-power, and therefore 'defiled' by selfish motivation, but
thanks to Amida's virtuous power, these are gradually deepened and purified
until the light of shinjin dawns on our spiritual horizon.
In a general religious context, 'faith' by and large implies 'unquestioning
belief in God,' which does not apply in Shin or any other form of authentic
Buddhism. Nevertheless, we may well use this term to describe our mental
state and attitude in our relation to Amida. We are at least satisfied
that 'faith' is derived from the Latin word 'fidere' (to trust) and is
actually used in the sense of 'complete trust.'
Faith in Shin Buddhism basically shares the common ground of shraddha with
other Buddhist faiths. First of all, it implies complete trust in the
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha; secondly, it has the effect of purifying and
calming one's mind (prasada); and thirdly, it gives rise to pure aspiration
and readiness for action to achieve some Buddhist objective (abhilasa).
Our faith in Amida and in his law of salvation realized as the Forty-eight
Vows and the Name, is awakened by our contact with him through the Pure
Land sutras and discourses. When established in our hearts, faith keeps
our thoughts fixed on Amida and the Dharma. Through faith, also, we can
join the Sangha, which in Shin Buddhism means the Sangha of Bodhisattvas
and other holy sages in the Pure Land and our teachers and friends, both
priests and laymen, in this world.
As we read and chant the Shoshinge, we hear
the live voice of Shinran urging us to take
refuge in Amida, the supreme Dharma and the
community of true friendship.
The title "Shoshin nembutsu ge" can be interpreted in different
ways. An important doctrinal point is how to understand the relationship
between shoshin (faith) and nembutsu. Considering the fact that another
hymn of similar content which Shinran composed, presumably in later years,
bears the title "Nembutsu shoshin ge," the order of the two words,
shoshin and nembutsu, does not seem to constitute a basic difference. Faith
without Nembutsu is impossible, and Nembutsu without faith is fruitless.
Furthermore, if Nembutsu and faith are based on selfish motivation, they
are described as 'self-power faith and practice.' Such faith and practice
are impure and so fail to bring true peace of mind with the assurance of
Enlightenment.
In the Mahayana system of practice leading
to Enlightenment, faith or acceptance of
the teaching generally precedes practice.
We follow a certain method of practice because
we believe that the teaching which prescribes
it is true. This pattern does not apply to
Shin Buddhism. We do not say the Nembutsu
because we believe that it is the cause of
our salvation. We say it with no reason whatever
on our part. On the one hand, we are too
ignorant to discern with certainty between
true and false, right and wrong. On the other,
in our experience of shinjin the presence
of Amida Buddha is beyond any doubt; and
so we do not have to believe it.
Here we are reminded of Shinran's remark recorded in the Tannisho, Chapter
2: "I am entirely ignorant as to whether the Nembutsu is really the
cause of birth in the Pure Land, or whether it is the karma which will
cause me to fall into hell." To the outsider, this statement may appear
to be an expression of uncertain faith, but the fact is that Shinran was
fully aware of Amida's irresistible saving power which was working within
him "Here and Now."
We are, from the beginning, ignorant and powerless, but we have unconsciously
created a false image of ourselves which we assume to be true and real.
Shin Buddhism brings us face to face with our real self, and effectively
destroys this illusion of ego. It is painful to face one's own reality.
But the whole operation is carried out naturally by Amida's compassionate
means. The pain of facing one's ugly and delusory self is more than compensated
for by the joy of encountering one's true Parent and finding in him our
ultimate refuge.
Once the Nembutsu is planted in our hearts, it takes root in the deep
layers of our minds, where our karma from past lives is stored like the
dangerous energy in a dormant volcano or an active fault. Since the Nembutsu
is Amida's Mind and Body, it does not belong to me. However many times
we recite it, it does not become ours, but remains his. By our complete
trust in Amida, we find that we belong to him, not as his servant but as
part of his Dharma-Body. The Nembutsu which we find on our lips is a natural
expression of Amida's everlasting, universal presence and activity.
Shoshin, or shinjin, and Nembutsu are thus Amida's self-expression through
our hearts and mouths. We rejoice at participating in his eternal activity,
helping to spread the sound of the Dharma, and making the Voice of Amida
heard by other fellow beings. This joy accompanies our shoshin-nembutsu:
Namu Amida Butsu.
Those who recite the Name of Amida Buddha
With Sincere Faith
Are always mindful of him
And wish to repay his Benevolence."
(Hymns on the Pure Land 1)
Top
(2) Adoration to Amida Buddha (lines 1-2)
I take refuge in the Tathagata of Infinite
Life;
I take refuge in the Buddha of Inconceivable
Light.
The Shoshinge begins with adoration: the author Shinran praises Amida and
professes his whole-hearted trust in him. The Tathagata of Infinite Life
and the Buddha of Inconceivable Light are one and the same person, but
are distinguished in accordance with his two characteristic features. In
fact, the Smaller Sutra states that 'Amida' has these two connotations:
For what reason, Shariputra, do you think
that Buddha is called 'Amida'? Shariputra,
the Buddha's light shines boundlessly and
without hindrance over all the worlds in
the ten directions. It is for this reason
that he is called 'Amida.' Again, Shariputra,
the lives of the Buddha and the people of
his land last for innumerable, unlimited
and incalculable kalpas. It is for this reason
that the Buddha is called 'Amida'. (chap.
4)
Amida is the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life, and is often called by
his Sanskrit names, Amitabha (infinite light) and Amitayus (infinite life).
Furthermore, speaking in terms of light, since Amida's light has twelve
qualities or functions, he is given twelve epithets, as mentioned later
in the Shoshinge.
The second line comes from T'an-luan's Hymns in Praise of Amida Buddha.
In this work, T'an-luan, the Third Patriarch, first praises Amida's supreme
virtues in terms of the twelve epithets, and then further glorifies Amida
and describes brilliant adornments of the Pure Land based on the Larger
Sutra. After that, he expresses his sincere wish to be favored by
Amida's Light of Compassion and attain birth in the Pure Land with other
aspirants. It is at this point that he states:
I take refuge in the (Buddha of) Inconceivable
Light;
With singleness of heart I entrust myself
to him, bow to and worship him. (SSZ.I, 365)
It is presumed that here Shinran does not
simply praise or adore Amida's Light for
its own sake, but wishes that his fellow beings
may equally benefit from the Light of Compassion
and attain birth in the Pure Land.
The two qualities or attributes of Amida Buddha, Infinite Life and Light,
are suggestive of important points in the Buddhalogical sense. These two
can be considered in the relationship of essence and function as well as
that of time and space. The Infinite Life represents the essential quality
of Dharmakaya, which is not only shared by all Buddhas but also pervades
all living beings and even non-sentient existence. From this life-essence
emanate pure activities and glorious manifestations, which appear in the
form of light. The Larger Sutra describes the endless unfolding of the
light as follows:
Lotus-flowers of various jewels fill the
Pure Land; each has a hundred thousand kotis
of petals with lights of numerous colors....
The brilliance of these lights is so magnificent
that it outshines the sun and the moon. Each
flower emits thirty-six hundred thousand
kotis of rays of light, each sending forth
thirty-six hundred thousand kotis of Buddhas....
Each Buddha emits a hundred thousand rays
of light and expounds the wonderful Dharma
to beings in the ten directions, thus setting
innumerable beings on the right Path of the
Buddha. (chap. 21)
Top
(3) Dharmakara's Vows (lines 3-10)
Bodhisattva Dharmakara, in his causal stage,
Was in the presence of Lokeshvararaja, the
Enlightened One.
He saw the pure lands of many Buddhas, observed
how they had been established,
And examined everything, good and bad, about
the humans and gods inhabiting them.
He then brought forth the unsurpassed and
most excellent Vows,
The Great Vows, immeasurable in scope and
depth, which the world had never heard of.
Dharmakara chose and cherished those Vows
after contemplation for five kalpas.
He further vowed that his Name would be heard
throughout the ten quarters.
$$
Amida, as a Sambhogakaya Buddha, does not
come into the sphere of our direct sense
perception. His presence and activity are
far beyond our normal perceptive faculties;
they can only be intuitively known in the
state of concentration and absorption --
Samadhi. From the beginning of Mahayana Buddhism,
we know of a great number of Samadhis which
Shakyamuni is presumed to have taught to
his disciples. One of them, the Samadhi of
Recollection of Amida, known in more general
terms as 'Samadhi of Recollection of the
Buddha' (Nembutsu-Samadhi), has been the
one through which the practicer is enabled
to visualize Amida Buddha and his Pure Land.
The method based on the Pratyutpanna Samadhi
Sutra (The Sutra of Samadhi in which All
Buddhas Appear) is simply concentration on
Amida and recitation of his Name for seven
to ninety days. Nagarjuna recommended the
practice of this Samadhi, and Shan-tao, in
his works, fully explained and discussed
the method and significance of this practice.
Even though we, in the period of Decadent
Dharma, are not able to practice this
Samadhi and visualize Amida, we are at least
convinced of his presence in a spiritual
realm far beyond our sense perceptions. This
conviction leads us to accept the mysterious
truth about Dharmakara Bodhisattva.
The Larger Sutra has the most detailed account of Dharmakara's
Bodhisattva practices. This sutra takes us
to a certain period in the distant past,
when a Buddha, called Lokeshvararaja ('The
World-Sovereign-King'), a Nirmanakaya Buddha
like Shakyamuni, appeared in this world.
There was a king, who, having heard the Buddha's
exposition of the Dharma, rejoiced in his
heart and awakened aspiration for the highest,
perfect Enlightenment. He renounced his kingdom
and the throne, and became a monk, named
Dharmakara ('Treasury of Dharma').
The awakening of Bodhi-Mind means resolving
to become a Buddha. Becoming a Buddha means
attaining the three bodies of a Buddha: dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya. By the cultivation of the highest wisdom
one attains Dharmakaya, the body of the ultimate
reality. By the fulfillment of one's vows,
one attains Sambhogakaya, the body of bliss,
and Nirmanakaya, the transformed body. Since
the vows of Bodhisattvas are primarily meant
for sentient beings, they seek to establish
special "spheres," where, upon
their attainment of Buddhahood, those beings
who aspire for birth there and fulfill certain
prescribed "conditions" are to
be born. Such spheres are outside the realms
of Samsara and also beyond the static Nirvana.
Although they are popularly called "pure
lands," they are manifestations from
their specific Samadhis. Before Dharmakara
made his own vows and planned his pure land,
he asked Lokeshvararaja Buddha to show him
the pure lands of other Buddhas and how they
had been established.
The Larger Sutra describes, in the following words of Shakyamuni
Buddha, how Dharmakara learned about the
pure lands of other Buddhas and resolved
to establish his own:
The Buddha said to Ananda, "...the
Bhiksu Dharmakara said to the Buddha Lokeshvararaja,
'Respectfully, World-Honored One, I announce
that I have awakened aspiration for the highest,
perfect Enlightenment. I beseech you to explain
the Dharma to me fully, so that I can perform
practices for the establishment of a pure
Buddha-land adorned with infinite excellent
qualities. So, please teach me how to attain
Enlightenment quickly and to remove the roots
of affliction of birth-and-death for all.'"
The Buddha said to Ananda, "At that
time the Buddha Lokeshvararaja replied to
the Bhiksu Dharmakara, 'You yourself should
know by what practice you can establish a
glorious Buddha-land.' The Bhiksu said to
the Buddha, 'That is far too great and deep
for my comprehension. I sincerely beseech
you, World-Honored One, to explain in detail
the practices by which Buddhas, Tathagatas,
established their pure lands. After I hear
that, I wish to practice as instructed
and so fulfill my aspirations.'
At that time the Buddha Lokeshvararaja recognized
the Bhiksu Dharmakara's noble and high aspirations,
and taught him as follows: 'If, for example,
one keeps bailing water out of a great ocean
with a pint-measure, one will be able to
reach the bottom after many kalpas and then
obtain rare treasures. Likewise, if one sincerely,
diligently, and unceasingly seeks the Way,
one will be able to reach one's destination.
What vow is there which cannot be fulfilled?'
Then the Buddha Lokeshvararaja explained
in detail the greater and lesser aspects
of two hundred and ten kotis of Buddha-lands,
together with the good and evil natures of
heavenly and human beings living there. He
revealed them all to the Bhiksu just as he
had requested. Then the Bhiksu, having heard
the Buddha's exposition of the glorious pure
lands and also having seen all of them, resolved
upon his supreme, unsurpassed vows. His mind
being serene and his aspirations free of
attachment, he was unexcelled throughout
the world. For five full kalpas he contemplated
the vows, and then chose the pure practices
for the establishment of his Buddha-land."
(chap. 6)
According to T'an-luan and other masters,
when Dharmakara resolved to establish his
own pure land, he was already a Bodhisattva
of a high stage. [SSZ.I, 287] He had attained
a deep samadhi in which he realized voidness
of all phenomena and became free from attachment
to them and to his own self. At this point,
he was completely delivered from karmic bondage,
and so there was nothing more to learn or
practice for his own salvation. But
with deep insight into the ultimate reality,
he knew at the same time that sentient beings
were infatuated by their own delusory view
of ego and driven by insatiable desires,
thus repeating endless cycles of birth-and-death,
which were both painful and meaningless.
This knowledge then gave rise to an irresistible
desire to deliver them from self-infatuation
and suffering in Samsara. This led to the
awakening of Great Compassion. It was out
of Great Compassion that Dharmakara sought
to establish a pure land where sentient beings
could rest in true peace and realize enlightenment.
What is stated in the Larger Sutra concerning
Dharmakara's Vows and the Pure Land which
he later established may appear to be mythical,
but it cannot be stressed too much that this
sutra tries to explain in words what actually
happened or is happening beyond our world
of ordinary experience.
In Buddhism, according to different levels
of consciousness fraught with various degrees
of karmic defilements, this world of experience,
which we call 'Samsara,' is divided into
three realms: (1) the realm of desire for
those with the lowest level of consciousness
and heavy karmic defilements; (2) the realm
of form for those with higher level of consciousness
and less karmic defilements, which means
more freedom in action and more blissful
states of existence; and (3) the realm of
non-form for those with the highest level
of consciousness and the least karmic defilements.
We humans live in the realm of desire, and
the spiritual beings, known to us as devas
or gods, live in the higher planes of the
realm of desire and the realm of non-form.
When karmic defilements are completely eliminated,
one attains the highest level of consciousness,
accompanied by the highest state of bliss
and freedom, which is called 'Nirvana.'
Where the individualistic pursuit of the
ultimate goal ends, a bodhisattva's 'universal'
aspiration begins. By breaking through the
Nirvanic tranquility with the power
of insight, he discovers his 'universal'
personality, and finds himself to be one
with all that exists, including all living
beings. This discovery gives him an unspeakable
joy and exhilaration and, at the same time,
a deep sense of responsibility. With infinitely
expanding vistas he sees the whole breadth
and depth of the universe, which is not only
the physical universe we are familiar with,
but contains all the spiritual realms of
different dimensions. He finds that the entire
universe is an organic whole, a living network
of interrelated causes and conditions, and
the utmost perfection above all dichotomizing
concepts. When he sees living beings caught
in the net of karma, repeating endless cycles
of delusion, wrong-doing, and suffering,
he is moved to deliver them by all possible
means.
Dharmakara's Vow is based on the common ground
of bodhisattvahood, and is a manifestation
of this universal awareness in a concrete
form. But it distinguishes itself from those
of other bodhisattvas in that it provides
a way of immediate salvation for the most
wicked through the Name and Light that Dharmakara
as Amida later attained, leading them to
the same enlightenment as his in his land
of the highest virtue and pure karmic activity,
called Sukhavati.
The whole scheme of salvation in Shin Buddhism
centers around the Name: Namu Amida Butsu,
literally 'I take refuge in Amida Buddha'
or 'adoration to Amida Buddha.' The Name
is not just a name in the ordinary sense
of the term. It comprises the supreme merits
that Dharmakara accumulated by doing various
meritorious practices for innumerable kalpas
while living among sentient beings. The Larger
Sutra describes his career in terms comprehensible
to us, as follows:
He did not harbor any thought of greed, hatred
or cruelty; nor did he allow any ideas of
greed, hatred or cruelty to arise. He was
unattached to any form, sound, smell, taste,
touch or idea. Possessed of the power to
persevere, he did not avoid undergoing various
afflictions. Having little desire for his
own sake, he knew contentment. Without any
impure thought, enmity or stupidity, he dwelt
continually in tranquil samadhi. His wisdom
was unobstructible, and his mind free of
falsehood and deceitfulness. With expression
of tenderness in his face and with kindness
in his speech, he spoke to others in consonance
with their inner thoughts. Courageous and
diligent, strong-willed and untiring, he
devoted himself solely to the pursuit of
the pure Dharma, thereby benefiting a multitude
of beings.(chap. 9)
Dharmakara's Vows, unprecedented in scope
and depth, were fulfilled by the performance
of various meritorious actions, known collectively
as the Six Paramitas, lasting for aeons.
One life-time was not long enough to cultivate
even a small portion of the merits required
to fulfill the Vows. His Bodhisattva
practice extended over many lives for innumerable
kalpas. To explain this, the Larger Sutra
says:
He avoided all wrong speech that would bring
harm upon himself or others or both; he engaged
in right speech that would bring benefit
to himself or others or both. He abandoned
his kingdom and renounced the throne, leaving
behind wealth and sensuous pleasures. Practicing the
Six Paramitas himself, he taught others to
do the same. During innumerable kalpas, he
accumulated merits and amassed virtues. (chap.
9)
Further, this sutra states:
He was reborn as a rich man, a lay devotee,
a member of the highest caste or of a noble
family, a ksatriya king, a wheel-turning
monarch, a king of one of the six heavens
in the world of desire, or even higher, as
a Brahma-king. He revered and worshipped
all Buddhas by making the four kinds of offering
to them. The merit he thus acquired was indescribably
great. (chap. 9)
The amount of merit and virtue accumulated
is dependent upon the length of time of the
practice. It is, therefore, natural that
Dharmakara should have attained "the
ocean-like mass of merits" by performing
Bodhisattva practices for innumerable kalpas.
What is more important is the moral quality
of such merits. If one's action is based
on a wrong idea or motivation, it will not
yield true merit. In the case of Dharmakara's
practice, each and every action was free
of attachment and was firmly based on the
fundamental Mahayana principle of 'voidness'
(shunyata), for it is said in the Larger Sutra:
He dwelt in the realization that all dharmas
are empty, devoid of distinctive features,
and not to be sought after, and that they
neither act nor arise; he thus realized that
all dharmas are like magical creations. (chap.
9)
T'an-luan, by way of explaining Dharmakara's
true merit, distinguishes two kinds of merit:
Regarding the phrase 'the embodiment of true
merit,' there are two kinds of merit: (1)
The merit which accrues from the activity
of a defiled mind and is not in accordance
with the Dharma-essence; such merit arises
from the various good acts of ordinary men
and gods. It also refers to the reward of
their attaining human and heavenly existence.
Both the cause and effect of such good acts
are inverted and false; hence, they are called
'false merit'. (2) The merit which is produced
from the wisdom and pure karma of Bodhisattvas
and which serves to glorify Buddhist activities.
It conforms to the Dharma-essence and has
the characteristic of purity. This dharma
is not inverted and false; hence, it is called
'true merit'. [SSZ.I, 284]
The true merits which Dharmakara accumulated
are manifested in conceivable, and even perceptible,
forms. Vasubandhu, who presumably succeeded
in visualizing the Pure Land, distinguished
Amida's true merits into three categories:
(1) the Pure Land, (2) Amida Buddha himself,
and (3) Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land. He
also noted that the Power of the Vows was
working to sustain those glorious manifestations
and, at the same time, to deliver sentient
beings from samsaric suffering.
Shinran paid special attention to the name
by which Vasubandhu addressed Amida, that
is, 'the Tathagata of Light Unhindered throughout
the Ten Directions.' To call Amida by this
name is to glorify him and praise his virtues.
This is a radical development from mere repetition
of the popular Nembutsu formula, 'Namu Amida
Butsu.' By so doing, Shinran enhanced the
quality of the Nembutsu from the level of
practice by self-effort to that of the practice
of the Buddhas. He found the logical basis
for this in the 17th Vow.
The development of the concept of Nembutsu
from verbal practice, based on one's effort
of saying 'Namu Amida Butsu,' to Amida's
working, which irresistibly makes us call
his Name, features in Shinran's theory and
practice of salvation by the Other-Power.
He paid special attention to the 17th and
the 18th Vows, and found the intrinsic relationship
between them.
In the tradition of Sino-Japanese Pure Land
Buddhism, the 18th Vow is the pivotal point
around which revolves the whole doctrinal
system. In Shin Buddhism, too, the 18th Vow
remains the center of the teaching, and so
its true meaning is revealed. The text of
this Vow reads:
If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings
in the lands of the ten directions, who sincerely
and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire
to be born in my land and call my Name even
ten times, should not be born there, may
I not attain perfect Enlightenment. Excluded,
however, are those who commit the five gravest
offenses and abuse the right Dharma.
(chap. 7)
Taken in its literal meaning, both entrusting
and calling of the Name are based on self-effort,
but Shinran found that Amida's Power was
working behind this faith and practice. But
how does Amida's Power work and how does
it reach the aspirant?
This question led Shinran to investigate
the meaning of the 17th Vow, which reads:
If, when I attain Buddhahood, innumerable
Buddhas in the lands of the ten directions
should not all praise and glorify my Name,
may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. (chap.
7)
Apparently this Vow is not directly linked
up with the 18th Vow, but Shinran found that
the internal relationship between those two
Vows was clearly stated in the passage of
the Larger Sutra, which shows, in Shakyamuni's words, how
they had been fulfilled. The passage in question
reads:
All Buddhas, Tathagatas, in the ten directions,
as numerous as the sands of the River Ganges,
together praise the inconceivable, supernal
virtue of the Buddha of Infinite Life. All
sentient beings who, having heard his name, rejoice in faith, remember him even once
and sincerely transfer the merit of virtuous practices to that land, aspiring to be born there,
will attain birth and dwell in the Stage
of Non-retrogression. But excluded are those
who have committed the five gravest offenses and
abused the right Dharma. (chap. 22)
It is now clear that the entrusting and joyous
faith is aroused through hearing Amida's
Name, which is praised by all the Buddhas.
In other words, it is the virtue of the Name
that has aroused all the Buddhas to glorify
it and also arouses sentient beings to entrust
themselves to Amida. Since it is entirely
Amida's Power that is working behind the
devotee's faith and practice, the real agent
who 'transfers the merit of virtuous practices'
is also Amida. That is why Shinran, without
changing the Chinese diction, made this sentence
read:
those who...remember him even once and, through his merit-transference, aspire to be born there, will attain birth,
etc. [SSZ.II, 71]
Looking back on the Eighteenth Vow from Shinran's
viewpoint, the practice of saying 'Namu Amida
Butsu' even ten times is significant only
in so far as it is linked up with the Name
glorified in the Seventeenth Vow. Our Nembutsu
does not come from our heart, but from Amida's
Heart of Great Compassion. It is the natural
expression on our lips of Amida's all-embracing
and all-pervasive Power manifested in the
form of the Name. 'The inconceivable, supernal
virtue of the Buddha of Infinite Life' stated
in the passage of fulfillment of the 17th
Vow is the fountainhead of the salvific karmic
Power, which runs through the 18th Vow and
effects our entrusting faith.
Dharmakara, after proclaiming the Forty-eight
Vows, reiterated the importance of the Name
in the hymn which follows, saying:
When I attain Buddhahood,
My Name shall be heard throughout the ten
directions;
Should there be any place where it is not
heard,
May I not attain perfect Enlightenment.
(Larger Sutra, chap. 8)
Shinran praises the wonderful working of
the Name in a hymn:
The sentient beings throughout the ten directions,
Who attain true entrusting Heart
By hearing Amida's Name of ultimate virtue,
Greatly rejoice at what they have received.
(Hymns on the Pure Land 25)
Top
(4) Amida's Light (lines 11-16)
Amida sends forth universally the immeasurable
and boundless Light,
The unimpeded, incomparable and majestically
flaming Light,
The pure Light, the Light of joy, the Light
of wisdom,
The unceasing, inconceivable and ineffable
Light,
And the Light outshining the sun and the
moon; with these
Lights he shines on the innumerable worlds.
All sentient beings are illumined by his
Light.
Dharmakara's Vows having been fulfilled,
he became a Buddha, named Amida, ten kalpas
ago. In terms of cause and effect, his Forty-eight
Vows and sustained practices of the Six Paramitas
for innumerable kalpas are the cause of his
Buddhahood. Concerning his attainment of
Buddhahood, the Larger Sutra explains it in the form of a dialogue between
Shakyamuni and Ananda:
Ananda asked the Buddha, "Has the Bodhisattva
Dharmakara already attained Buddhahood and
then passed into Nirvana? Or has he not yet
attained Buddhahood? Or is he dwelling somewhere
at present?"
The Buddha replied to Ananda, "The Bodhisattva
Dharmakara has already attained Buddhahood
and is now dwelling in a western Buddha-land,
called 'Peace and Bliss,' a hundred thousand
kotis of lands away from here."
Ananda further asked the Buddha, "How
much time has passed since he attained Buddhahood?"
The Buddha replied, "Since he attained
Buddhahood, about ten kalpas have passed."
(chap. 10)
In accordance with the law of karma, when
Dharmakara's causal practices matured, he
attained the fruition of Buddhahood. Since,
as T'an-luan observes, the cause was pure,
being in accord with True Suchness, the resultant
fruition of Buddhahood, manifested as Amida's
glorious appearance and the Pure Land, is
also pure. [SSZ.I, 336]
The most illustrious aspect of Amida's Buddhahood
is his Light, which is infinite and the most
glorious of the lights of all the Buddhas.
According to the distinct attributes and
functions of Light, Amida has twelve names,
as stated in the Larger Sutra: Buddha of Infinite Light, Buddha of Boundless
Light, Buddha of Unhindered Light, Buddha
of Incomparable Light, Buddha of the Light
of the King of Flame, Buddha of Pure Light,
Buddha of the Light of Joy, Buddha of the
Light of Wisdom, Buddha of Unceasing Light,
Buddha of Inconceivable Light, Buddha of
Ineffable Light, and Buddha of the Light
Outshining the Sun and the Moon. (chap. 11)
Even though we, ordinary beings full of blind
passions, are not able to see Amida's Light,
we can feel with our bodies and minds that
we are always embraced by it. We can indeed
'see' his Light with the eye of Faith endowed
by the Other Power.
The Larger Sutra further says:
The Light of the Buddha of Infinite Life
shines brilliantly, illuminating all the
Buddha-lands of the ten directions. There
is no place where it is not perceived. I
[Shakyamuni Buddha] am not the only one who
now praises his light. All the Buddhas, shravakas,
pratyekabuddhas and bodhisattvas praise and
glorify it in the same way. If sentient beings,
having heard of the majestic virtue of his
light, glorify it continually, day and night,
with sincerity of heart, they will be able
to attain birth in his land, as they wish.
(chap. 11)
To praise and glorify Amida's Light is none
other than to call his Name, 'Namu Amida
Butsu' or 'Kimyo Jinjippo Mugeko Nyorai'
(Adoration to the Tathagata of Light Unhindered
throughout the Ten Directions). By calling
his Name while contemplating his universal
and transcendent working, we feel assured
that his Light of Great Compassion continually
illumines us, even though we tend to be forgetful
of it.
Since Amida attained Buddhahood,
Ten kalpas have passed;
The Light of his Dharma-body shines boundlessly,
Illumining those who are spiritually blind
and ignorant
(Hymns on the Pure Land 3)
.Far-reaching is the Light of Compassion;
Wherever the Light reaches,
There arises the joy of Dharma.
Take refuge in the Great Consoler.
(Hymns on the Pure Land 10)
Top
(5) Saving Power of the Vow (lines 17-20)
The Name promised in the Primal Vow is the
Act of Right Assurance;
The Vow of Sincere Mind and Joyful Faith
provides the cause of our Birth;
To attain the state next to the Buddha and
realize Great Nirvana
Is due to the fulfillment of the Vow
which assures our unfailing attainment of
Nirvana.
Dharmakara's forty-eight Vows can be divided
into three groups: (1) those concerning his
Buddhahood, namely, the Twelfth Vow which
promised that his Light would be immeasurable,
the Thirteenth Vow that his Life would be
infinite, and the Seventeenth Vow that his
Name would be praised by all Buddhas; (2)
those concerning his Land, namely, the Thirty-first
Vow which promised that his Land would be
pure and immaculate and the Thirty-second
Vow that his Land would be full of magnificent
splendors; and (3) those concerning salvation
of living beings, namely, the rest of the
Forty-eight Vows.
In each Vow, Dharmakara expressed his firm
resolution that unless it were fulfilled
he would not become a Buddha. He actually
fulfilled these Vows by doing many kinds
of meritorious deeds and so became the Buddha
of Infinite Life and Infinite Light -- namely,
Amida. The Land of immeasurable Light, which
on his attainment of Buddhahood came into
existence beyond the realms of Samsara ,
is full of glorious adornments. This is the
Land where he dwells everlastingly, welcoming
beings from other worlds and enabling them
to share the supreme joy of Enlightenment
and Nirvana.
The third group of the Vows is further divided
into two: the Vows concerning our salvation
and those concerning the beings in the Pure
Land. The Vows in the second division include
those which assure us of acquiring supernatural
powers and attaining special samadhis in
the Pure Land. The beings born there are
completely emancipated from delusions and
passions, and so, they are essentially the
same as Amida Buddha. But they are described
as Bodhisattvas who help him with the work
of saving sentient beings.
Of the Vows which directly concern us, the
Eighteenth is most important, for through
this Vow our salvation is actualized. By
working with the Seventeenth Vow, the Eighteenth
makes us one with Amida through his Name, Namu Amida Butsu. In other words, Amida comes to us in the
form of the Name, and his heart directly
enters ours to establish in us the unshakable
Faith. This Faith is the cause of Birth in
the Pure Land and of subsequent attainment
of Enlightenment. Shinran Shonin emphasized
that the Faith given by Amida is the Bodhi-Mind
containing the Buddha's Wisdom and Compassion.
In the Eighteenth Vow this Faith is presented
as three minds, namely, Sincere Mind, Joyful
Faith, and Desire to be Born in the Pure
Land, but they constitute the undivided One
Mind, as Vasubandhu professed when he took
refuge in Amida in his Discourse on the Pure Land.
The Nembutsu that we utter becomes the Act
of Right Assurance if we entrust ourselves
wholly to Amida's saving power and let the
Name work through our hearts and mouths.
Each Nembutsu is Amida's self-expression
through us, and each act of worship is the
manifestation of his saving activity.
The Eighteenth Vow is the point of our union
with Amida. When we come to believe beyond
any doubt that Amida is our true Parent,
we find it natural that we should be born
in his Land and see him face to face. What
a joy it will be, as Shan-tao says in his Hymns on the Pratyutpanna Samadhi, to see Amida in his glorious manifestation,
seated on the lotus-throne and surrounded
by Bodhisattvas, such as Avalokiteshvara
and Mahasthamaprapta. (SSZ. I, 704)
Contrary to what many people believe, birth
in the Pure Land is not the final objective
in Shin Buddhism. Attainment of the same
infinite life as Amida and enjoyment of the
highest bliss and pleasures are one aspect
of the whole fruition which is promised us.
The other aspect is attainment of Nirvana,
the state of the ultimate tranquility and
the pure activity. The first aspect of our
spiritual attainment is promised in the Eighteenth
Vow, and the second aspect, in the Eleventh
Vow.
Speaking in ontological terms, the moment
we encounter Amida through the Nembutsu-Faith
of the Eighteenth Vow, we realize oneness
with Amida, and thus we are immediately emancipated
from bondage to Samsara. After the fruits
of our past karma, that is, our bodies with
all the defilements of blind passions, are
relinquished at our bodily death, we will
attain Nirvana. This process is shown in
the Eleventh Vow -- the Vow assuring our
unfailing attainment of Nirvana. This Vow
reads:
If, when I attain Buddhahood, humans and
gods in my land should not dwell in the Definitely
Assured State and unfailingly reach Nirvana,
may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. (chap.
7)
We note that this Vow presents two stages
of spiritual attainment which are of vital
importance to Pure Land aspirants. One is
'dwelling in the Definitely Assured State'
and the other, 'attaining Nirvana.' The Larger Sutra clarifies this point by stating:
The Buddha (Shakyamuni) said to Ananda, "Sentient
beings who are born in that Buddha-land all
reside among those assured of Nirvana. The
reason is that in that land there are neither
beings who are destined to adverse conditions
nor those whose destinies are uncertain.(chap.
22)
If, as the Larger Sutra says, the Pure Land is inhabited only by
those who are sure to reach Nirvana, it is
reasonable to think that those who will be
born there should also be in the Definitely
Assured State while in this life of Samsara.
This point was emphasized by Shinran Shonin,
who says in his Ichinen tanen mon'i (One Thought and Many
Callings):
Those who will be born in that land all dwell
in the Definitely Assured State, because
in that Buddha-land there are neither those
destined to the lower realms nor those whose
destinies are uncertain. As I understand
the teaching of the two Buddhas (i.e. Amida
and Shakyamuni), 'immediately (assured of)
birth' means abiding in the Definitely Assured
State; this further means attaining in the
state of Non-retrogression. Since those who
dwell in this state unfailingly reach the
unsurpassed great Nirvana, they are said
to attain the 'state next to the Buddha'
or to attain the 'state of Non-retrogression'.
(SSZ. II, 606-7)
Besides those terms in the above quotation,
there is one more in Shinran Shonin's thought,
where he compares such aspirants to the future
Buddha by saying that they are 'equal to
Maitreya.' Since he is in the highest bodhisattva
stage, they are the same because they will
become Buddhas in the next life.
What a joy it is to be firmly established
in the state of Non-retrogression! Amida
has made this possible by transferring all
his merit and power through the Name: Namu Amida Butsu.
Top
(6) Shakyamuni's sacred task (lines 21-24)
The reason for the Buddha's appearance in
the world
Is solely to expound the Primal Vow of Amida,
wide and deep as the ocean.
All beings in the evil age with five defilements
Should believe in the truth of the Buddha's
words.
Shakyamuni Buddha was born into a royal family
in India about the 6th century B.C. Having
seen the miseries of human existence, he
renounced the world and became a mendicant
to seek the way of salvation for himself
and for all living beings. He tried various
methods advocated by his contemporary religious
masters, but found them useless in achieving
his objective. He finally took to cross-legged
meditation, through which he attained the
highest perfect wisdom and thus became an
Enlightened One -- the Buddha.
Speaking in terms of our common-sense understanding,
Shakyamuni was born and died as a man; he
became a Buddha at the age of thirty-five
and passed into Nirvana at eighty. For forty-five
years he expounded the Dharma to people like
a physician prescribing different medicines
to patients of different illnesses or like
an experienced instructor giving appropriate
teachings to students of different capacities.
Some are meant for the wise, some for those
capable of difficult meditative practices,
some for those capable of observing the precepts,
and so on.
Since human beings are deeply attached to
themselves, they are prone to depend on their
own power to attain their objectives. It
is for this reason that Shakyamuni, by skillful
means, first provided them with various methods
of 'self-power' practice which would be easier
for them to begin with. So he prepared the
way for the Other-Power teaching of salvation.
The concept of Buddha differs greatly in
Theravada and Mahayana. The Theravada generally
follows a pattern of thought acceptable to
rational thinking, while the Mahayana presents
theories transcending human reason. In the
Theravada, Buddhahood is the result of practices
over many lives. The Mahayana, while accepting
this concept in its Bodhisattva ideal, further
reveals a deeper truth which is transcendental
and multi-dimensional.
Shakyamuni did not for the first time become
a Buddha in India; he is originally a Buddha,
an eternal Buddha. According to the Mahayana
definition of Buddha, he has three bodies:
(1) Dharmakaya, the body of ultimate truth
and reality; (2) Sambhogakaya, the body of
bliss with glorious manifestations of his
supreme merit; and (3) Nirmanakaya, the body
of incarnation. The first two bodies represent
the transcendental nature of the Buddha,
and the third body through his earthly manifestation
saves living beings. Thus, in the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni is described as an everlasting
Buddha, and the Nirvana Sutra stresses the ever presence of Buddhahood.
The relationship between Shakyamuni and Amida
is not like that of humans which is based
on diverse, and often mutually contradictory,
wishes and interests. All Buddhas have one
and the same body of truth, the same wisdom
and compassion; in other words, they share
the same Dharmakaya. Although different methods
of salvation and different Buddha-lands are
described in Mahayana sutras, they are multi-dimensional
contents of the self-same Dharmakaya. T'an-luan
in his Commentary on the Pure Land Discourse states that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
have two kinds of Dharmakaya: (1) Dharmakaya
as the ultimate reality, and (2) Dharmakaya
as manifested through skillful means. The
former is the aspect of universality and
equality, and the latter, that of particularity
and diversity. It follows then that Shakyamuni
and Amida are different but one, one but
distinguishable. In the Larger Sutra we find
the wonderful accord of Shakyamuni and Amida
in their common objective of saving us. In
the first place, Shakyamuni became one with
Amida in the Samadhi of Great Tranquility,
and in that capacity he expounded Amida's
Vows. Shinran accepted Amida as a manifested
Dharmakaya Buddha and, at the same time,
saw in him the universal and everlasting
Buddhahood, as he says:
Having entered the Samadhi of Tranquility,
Shakyamuni Buddha manifested his glorious
countenance;
Hearing Ananda's wise observation,
The Buddha praised him for asking an appropriate
question.
(Hymns on the Pure Land 53)
The Buddha appeared in this world
To reveal the truth of the Primal Vow;
It is extremely difficult to meet a Buddha,
As rare as seeing an udumbara flower.
(Ibid. 54)
Since Amida attained Buddhahood
Ten kalpas have passed, so says the sutra;
But he appears to be an old Buddha,
More ancient than innumerable kalpas of the
past.
(Ibid. 55)
We humans have no real control over our lives;
we are helplessly at the mercy of our self-created
karma. But Enlightened sages, like Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas, have not only been liberated
from the bondage of karma but have accumulated
immeasurable good karma, with which they
establish glorious Buddha-lands and engage
in endless works of benefiting others. Having
realized the ultimate principle of non-duality,
they dwell neither in Samsara nor in Nirvana.
This means that they have risen above Samsara
and Nirvana, but because of the vows made
at the outset of the Bodhisattva's career,
they freely enter into samsaric worlds to
save those beings who suffer there.
When Shakyamuni was born in this world, did
he have a definite objective in view? This
has been a popular topic of discussion among
Buddhists for many centuries. Each school
or sect has its own argument to claim that
its teaching is the highest representing
the Buddha's real intention and that other
teachings were set forth as expedient means
for those not yet ready to receive the ultimate
teaching. Thus Zen, for example, asserts
that the Buddha-Mind transmitted directly
from Shakyamuni outside the written scriptures
is the core of Zen and is superior to other
approaches which are based on them. Tendai
has an elaborate system of classification
of the Buddha's teachings to prove that Tendai
upholds the highest doctrine. Shingon claims
that the esoteric doctrine revealed by the
Dharmakaya Buddha, Mahavairocana, is far
superior to exoteric ways.
Life is not long enough to study all the
practices to find the best. Even if we do
enjoy a long life, it would be all but impossible
to practice meditation as prescribed
and to observe the precepts required for
successful practice.
According to Shinran, the real intention
of the Buddha's appearance in the world was
to expound the Larger Sutra and save beings
through the Nembutsu. In the Kyogyoshinsho, chapter on True Teaching, Shinran first
declares that the True Teaching is the Larger Sutra and then explains its essentials as follows:
Amida Buddha made the unsurpassed Vow and
opened widely the Dharma-store; taking pity
on men of limited capacities, he selected
the treasure of virtues (i.e. Amida's Name)
and bestowed it upon them. Shakyamuni appeared
in this world and expounded various teachings,
but particularly desired to save multitudes
of beings by endowing them with the true
benefit of the Name. Thus the primary intention
of this sutra is to expound Amida's Primal
Vow, and the essence of the sutra is his
Name. (SSZ.II, 2-3)
Shinran's teacher, Honen, was dedicated wholly
to the Nembutsu and recommended it to all,
saying that it is the easiest and yet the
supreme practice. While following Honen's
teaching, Shinran went a step further and
made clear that the Name and the Vow are
actually working behind our recitation of
the Nembutsu, not our own power. He thus
cautioned us against reliance on our self-power
which is both limited and defiled by blind
passions.
Shinran's Other-Power teaching is clearly
distinguished from the rest of the teachings
of Shakyamuni which emphasize cultivation
of wisdom by one's own power. Even if one
follows a path of self-power, one will eventually
realize that what actually enlightens one
is the Power of the Buddha. When we come
to take refuge in Amida, our eyes are opened
to his boundless Wisdom, Compassion, and
Power. Then we will see that there is nothing
in the world that is not pervaded by Amida.
As such Amida is appropriately called 'the
Tathagata of Unhindered Light Shining throughout
the Ten Directions.' He made himself known
to us through the Amida-Samadhi, and later
the whole truth about Amida was related in
the Larger Sutra. When we receive this sutra
with joyful faith, we find ourselves bathed
in the Light of Amida's Great Compassion.
Attaining Buddhahood through the Nembutsu
is the teaching of the True Religion;
Ten thousand practices and various acts of
merit are temporary teachings.
Unable to distinguish the true and real teaching
from temporary and provisional,
Many fail to see the path to the Pure Land
of Naturalness.
(Hymns on the Pure Land 71)
Sentient beings, having remained long in
the expedient ways
Of temporary and provisional teachings in
the Path of Sages.
Have been subject to transmigration in Samsara.
Take refuge in the Ultimate Teaching of Great
Compassion.
(Ibid. 72)
Top
(7) Amida's salvation: Emancipation from karmic bondage (lines 25-28)
If the single thought of Joy and Gratitude
is awakened in us,
We shall realize Nirvana without severing
our blind passions.
Ordinary people, sages, those who commit
the gravest offenses,
and abusers of the Dharma are equally led
to the Land beyond,
Just as many rivers become of one taste upon
entering the sea.
The English term 'salvation' as used loosely
in Shin Buddhism has a different connotation
from that in other religions. Usually, this
term, like the other key-word, 'faith,' presupposes
three elements: (1) the existence of a certain
divine being who is the savior, (2) those
to be saved, and (3) the act of saving in
response to their needs and request.
Salvation will mean that through the special
favor or grace of the divine being the
faithful are delivered from their conditions
of suffering and enabled to enjoy a happier
life here and hereafter.
In Shin Buddhism (and for that matter in
other forms of authentic Buddhism), there
is no favor or grace to be given to
special individuals. If one has gained what
appears to be a special grace of Amida and
attained shinjin, it is not because of the
devotion which has been offered up to Amida,
but in accordance with the law of karma,
which was explored to its depth and fully
utilized by Dharmakara.
At all levels of existence, from the lowest
hell to the Buddha-lands, the law of karma
reigns with irresistible force. Those in
the states of samsaric existence, including
ourselves, are ignorant of this law and unable
to use it for spiritual elevation. We are
given to greed, anger and stupidity, and
unawares allow ourselves to be at the mercy
of karmic power.
Thus the first lesson in Buddhism is to know
clearly how the law of karma is working at
the level of our existence. We are taught
that good acts bring about happiness and
evil ones, suffering. Then we learn about
ways of improving our karma: first the moral
teaching which promises rebirth in heavenly
realms in the world of desire; then meditation
exercises which purify our karma and, if
successfully practiced, will bring about
its due reward in still higher spiritual
realms of form and non-form. At a more advanced
level, we learn how to put an end to our
karmic activities so that we will not endure
any more suffering in samsaric existence
but dwell in the everlasting bliss of Nirvana.
In the earlier teaching of Buddhism, the
existence of an individual is explained as
a composite of the five aggregates (skandha). This is not a mere conglomeration of elements
to be thought of objectively in mathematical
or scientific terms, but some latent subjective
agent that brings together constituent elements
is alluded to, without admitting the existence
of a permanent self, called 'atman'. In the
Buddhist theory of karma, it is the momentum
of psycho-physical energy that collects various
elements to form an individual. If one does
evil deeds, one's karma collects the elements
which are unpleasant and not beneficial to
oneself and others; in the extreme case,
the torments of hell. If, on the contrary,
one does good deeds, one's karma is purified
and attracts the elements which are pleasant
and beneficial. In the process of purification,
one's karma absorbs subtle material elements
and, in a still more advanced stage, only
spiritual elements. In the final stage, as
one's karma is totally extinguished, it ceases
to draw to itself any physical or mental
element, leaving the complete serenity and
bliss of Nirvana to pervade everywhere, into
which the subjective agent itself merges
as well.
That is not the whole story of the karmic law.
Mahayana Buddhism gives the concept of karma
new dimensions of meaning. First, it reveals
that the law of karma is not restricted to
individual beings but, in its subtle and
deeper aspect, is working at the root of
their karmic activities. In this sense, the
theory of universal interrelation or dependent
origination (pratitya-samutpada) should be considered as connected with
the law of karma.
How one's evil karma is removed or compensated
for is the most important practical problem
in any Buddhist school. In the Pure Land
tradition in general, the efficacy of the
Nembutsu is emphasized over and beyond other
practices. The Contemplation Sutra states
that the Nembutsu can destroy even the worst
karmic transgression and become the cause
of birth in the Pure Land. The Third Master
T'an-luan took great pains in his Commentary on the Discourse on the Pure
Land to explain how this is possible. He first
raises a question:
Some sutras explaining the law of karma state
that it is like a balance, which a heavier
object pulls down. According to the Contemplation Sutra, those who have committed the five deadly
transgressions and the ten evil acts and
those with various adverse karma, will fall
into the lowest realms, where they will pass
many kalpas undergoing immeasurable sufferings.
But if, at their death, they meet with a
good friend, who urges them to recite the
Nembutsu, and so repeat it ten times continually
with sincere heart, then they will attain
birth in the Pure Land of Peace and Bliss.
There they will join the group of those who
are rightly established in the Mahayana.
Thus, they will not retrogress from the attainment
of Enlightenment and will forever be free
from various sufferings in the three evil
realms. How is this explained in the light
of the law of karma according to which a
heavier load pulls one down? Furthermore,
from the beginningless past, sentient beings
have been immersed in various defilements
and so they are tied to the three worlds
of Samsara. If they can attain emancipation
from the three worlds by merely remembering
Amida Buddha with ten repetitions of the
Nembutsu, what will become of the bondage
of karma?
To this question, which is a perennial one
for all Shin Buddhists, T'an-luan gives the
following answer:
You consider the bondage of karma, such as
the five deadly transgressions and the ten
evil acts, as heavy, and the ten repetitions
of the Name by a man of the lowest level
of the lowest grade as light.... Whether
a certain act creates dominant karmic force
or not is dependent on (1) the state of mind,
(2) its object, and (3) the degree of concentration,
and not by length of time. (1) The state
of mind: The evildoer in question has committed
evils in a false and inverted state of mind,
whereas the ten repetitions of the Name arise
when he hears the teaching of Truth from
a good friend. One is true and the other
false. How can you compare them? Suppose
there is a room which has been dark for a
thousand years. If a light is cast into the
room even for a short while, the room will
instantly become bright. How could the darkness
refuse to leave because it has been there
for a thousand years?
(2) The object of mind: With deluded thoughts
the evildoer has committed vicious acts to
other sentient beings who have also come
into existence as the result of evil passions
and delusive thoughts. Ten repetitions of
the Nembutsu arise from the unsurpassed Faith
taking as its object the Name of Amida Buddha
who has a glorious body of upaya (skillful means) and comprises immeasurable
merits which are pure and true....
(3) The degree of concentration: The evildoer
who has committed transgressions expects
some result, and so his mind is distracted
by other thoughts. Ten repetitions of the
Nembutsu are based on a state of mind which
does not anticipate any result and is, therefore,
not deluded by other thoughts. From the above
observation it is clear that ten repetitions
of the Nembutsu are stronger than the five
deadly transgressions or the ten evil acts,
and so it prevails, enabling the evildoer
to escape from the three worlds.
Although Master T'an-luan mentions 'unsurpassed
Faith' which underlies the repetitions of
the Nembutsu, his general tone is that he
admits the efficacy of the devotee's concentrated
practice of it. For Shinran Shonin the Other-Power
Faith is of paramount importance, and Nembutsu
practice is not the prerequisite for birth
in the Pure Land. But it should be emphasized
that one who attains Faith, spontaneously
achieves a high degree of concentration,
in which one is totally encompassed by Amida
and the Nembutsu continually arises in one's
mind.
Conversion from self-power teachings to the
Other-Power Way means a complete change in
the basis for one's existence, accompanied
by a reversal in the course of our karma.
When the Contemplation Sutra explains the salvation of wicked persons
through the Nembutsu, it refers to two aspects:
(1) explicitly, the method of practice that
the devotee should follow and (2) implicitly,
Amida's saving power originating from his
Vows. The explicit teaching of this sutra
does encourage concentrated practice of the
Nembutsu, and so, the Pure Land masters in
China and Japan generally followed this and
further developed systems of practice centering
on the Nembutsu. But implicitly the Contemplation Sutra reveals the Other-Power aspect which is
fully explained in the Larger Sutra. These two sutras had apparently separate
origins and different courses of transmission,
but in China they joined together to form
a major current of Pure Land thought flowing
through the whole history of Chinese Buddhism.
The relationship between the Name, Nembutsu
and shinjin (Faith) is a delicate one, which
needs to be clarified by the expositions
in the sutras and by our experience of salvation.
In the Contemplation Sutra, in which the Nembutsu is first applied
to grave karmic transgressors on their deathbeds,
they are simply taught to say the Nembutsu
because it is the most effective prescription
for those who need immediate help. The evildoers
mentioned in this sutra as those of "the
lowest level of the lowest grade" have
committed the gravest offenses and various
evils, and so, at their death, they are naturally
full of agony and are terrified by the fearful
signs of karmic retribution. Under these
circumstances, they have no ears to listen
to the Dharma and no time to reflect on the
evils that they have committed. The Nembutsu
given at that ultimate moment can penetrate
to the depth of their minds and find its
expression on their lips as "Namu Amida Butsu." The Nembutsu thus received in the
mind and repeated with the voice has the
effect of reversing the whole course of their
karma, leading them safely to the realm of
Enlightenment -- the Pure Land.
T'an-luan's explanation of the efficacy of
the Nembutsu, which was quoted above is relevant
to the essential nature and working of the
Name. Following the explicit teaching of
the Contemplation Sutra, T'an-luan says that the Nembutsu which
the evildoer says at the time of his death
is the sufficient cause of his birth in the
Pure Land, but T'an-luan implicitly refers
to the Larger Sutra when he says, as quoted
before, that the Nembutsu "arises from
the unsurpassed Faith taking as its object
the Name of Amida Buddha which ... comprises
immeasurable merits." This explanation
can be taken to mean that the truly efficacious
Nembutsu must come from the Other-Power Faith
and that such Nembutsu arises as Amida's
self-expression through the Name.
Salvation in Shin Buddhism, as set forth
straightforwardly by Shinran Shonin, reverses
the popular belief in the efficacy of the
Nembutsu based on one's power. He takes great
pains in showing that the Nembutsu is nothing
but the Name in action. When received deeply
in the mind, the Name gives rise to Faith;
then the Name expresses itself as the Nembutsu
of acknowledgement and gratitude. Whether
the Nembutsu is true or not is thus dependent
on the state of mind in which it is practiced.
A Nembutsu devotee without Faith has no settled
mind (anjin); when the Name is correctly received in
the devotee's mind, Amida's Wisdom, Compassion
and merits are also transferred to him at
the same time. Such a state of mind is called
shinjin, and for the Nembutsu practicer of
shinjin, true joy of salvation and gratitude
to Amida naturally accompany the Nembutsu.
Even though we lack sincerity of heart and
deep faith in the Dharma and also are incapable
of diligent practice of the Buddhist Path,
we are enabled by the Power of Amida's Vow
to participate in the Great Work of Mahayana
Bodhisattvahood. The "single thought
of Joy and Gratitude" awakened in us
marks the moment of our entry into this spiritual
realm of truth and happiness.
Those who attain Serene Faith of Joy,
Rejoicing greatly in a moment of spiritual
unity with Amida,
Through the Vow of Universal Salvation,
Shall be born in the Pure Land without fail.
(Hymns on the Pure Land 26)
'Salvation' in Shin Buddhism means, above
anything else, liberation from the bondage
of karma. Since our defiled karma is created
by our blind passions, which arise from our
basic ignorance, our bondage to karma cannot
be eliminated without removing our blind
passions and ignorance. Let us first clarify
the causal relationships between ignorance,
blind passions, and the state of karma-bondage
in accordance with the fundamental Buddhist
theory of the "twelve causations."
As we all know, the Buddha Shakyamuni's renunciation
of the world was motivated by a quest for
the cause of the suffering of life. After
six years' search for the answer, he finally
found it while sitting in meditation under
the Bodhi-tree. As he meditated deeply on
the painful reality of life, he discovered
that the condition of life and death was
caused by the state of existence. Next, he
found that the state of existence was caused
by grasping. In that way, his meditation
brought him deeper and deeper inside, until
he came to the ignorance at the base of his
existence. The moment he realized it, that
ignorance was gone and thus he attained Enlightenment.
Since, in Shin Buddhism, salvation is achieved
when we receive Amida's wisdom, compassion
and merits through the Name, settling of
shinjin should mean elimination of this basic
ignorance. Let us first examine the implications
of the twelve causations. (1) Ignorance (avidya), which lurks in the depth of our existence;
it covers up the mind at its root and hinders
it from perceiving the ultimate reality.
(2) Conditioned by ignorance, blind volition
or force (samskara) arises; this is the karmic energy before
one's individual character is formed. (3)
Next, consciousness (vijnana) arises; this is explained as the 'apperceptional
principle' or the 'life-potency of the sensory
side of individuality', which may be considered
as the subconscious or pre-conscious activity.
(4) Next, conditioned by consciousness, 'name
and form' (nama-rupa) are produced; they are the immaterial and
material factors which together constitute
an individual existence. (5) Next arise the
six sense-organs (sad-ayatana), i.e., eyes, ears, nose, tongue, tactile
organ, and mind, followed by (6) contact
with the external objects (sparsha), and (7) sensations (vedana). (8) Next desire for pleasure (trisna) arises; this includes strong craving and
lust, and represents all evil passions. (9)
Next arises the act of grasping what one
desires (upadana), which is followed by (10) the state of
existence (bhava). (11) Then, birth (jati) and (12) decay and death (jara-marana) occur.
The twelve causations reveal many inner facts
about our samsaric existence. According to
the popular view in early Buddhism, the first
two are related to the cause in the past
life, the next five are their results in
the present life, and the following three,
i.e., from desire to the state of existence,
act as the cause of the next life; the last
two are their result. In order to attain
liberation from the cycle of samsaric causations,
one must get rid of 'desire' and 'ignorance'.
The Buddha taught us various methods of liberation,
each in correspondence with an individual's
propensity and capacity. But it is clearly
all but impossible to remove, with our own
power, the factors which constitute our existence.
Since all our efforts are defiled by 'desire'
and 'ignorance', how can we make 'pure' efforts?
The answer is given by the Buddha himself
and the Pure Land masters. The Seven Masters
invariably taught that we should avail ourselves
of Amida's Power of the Vow. The heart of
trusting in the Power of the Vow is shinjin.
Since this heart does not arise from our
defiled minds but is Amida's Mind given to
us, it is free of defilements. The moment
we receive it, or rather we are received
by Amida, our spiritual darkness is gone.
Even though we have not yet severed blind
passions, their roots have already been cut,
so that they will not bear the fruit of suffering
in Samsara. Thus attainment of Nirvana is
promised us. After relinquishing the causes
and effects of the samsaric existence, we
will forever enjoy the pleasure of the Dharma
for ourselves and help others to enjoy it
as well.
The term 'salvation' is interpreted in various
ways in different religions. Within Buddhism,
this term has different meanings in Hinayana
and Mahayana. Even within the Mahayana, various
schools and sects give this term specific
meanings. There are at least three clearly
distinguishable levels of understanding about
'salvation.' The first is the common-sense
level, in which this term is used in a socio-religious
sense. For example, to remove social evils
and help the destitute and handicapped people
is the popular activity of salvation. Since
religious organizations exist in society,
they are expected to fulfill their functions
to remove causes of social evils and sufferings
and establish a better society. So it is
natural that every religious organization
should have this aspect of activity, but
the emphasis placed on it varies in each
religion. Right from the beginning, Buddhism
has had this aspect of salvation in its teaching,
but the idea behind it has been above the
level of morality or sociological concerns.
While encouraging its followers to be kind
to all living beings and engage in social
welfare activities, Buddhism primarily aims
at removing the root-cause of their sufferings.
The second level is attained by turning one's
attention to the subjective self. This does
not simply mean introspection or reflection
on oneself in the ordinary sense of the term,
nor does it involve deepening of one's guilty
feelings for social evils. The focal point
of understanding of the meaning of 'salvation'
on this level is the law of karma. On the
first common-sense level, the law of karma
as taught in Buddhism is not yet fully appreciated.
It has no deeper meaning to ordinary people
than a didactic teaching. On the second level,
one learns the law of karma as a guide to
understanding the root-cause of sufferings.
But we must be careful not to mix up the
Buddhist teaching of the law of karma with
the Hindu concepts of karma. Both believe
in transmigration and propose methods of
attaining liberation from it, but Buddhism
is different from the ordinary Hindu views
in not admitting the permanent self (atman).
Buddhism conceives of one's existence as
a process of becoming in the nexus of causal
relationships. Of the twelve links of causations,
we find that the first three, i.e., ignorance,
blind volition, and consciousness, are the
most important in the formation of one's
existence but, because of the deep-seated
ignorance in the mind, easily escapes clarification
even by great religious and philosophical
thinkers of the past and present. These three
elements form the murky area of the unknown
force, which threatens one's existence from
underneath and fills one with indefinable
fear and anxiety. This anxiety intrinsic
to one's existence could sometimes drive
one to violent acts or fanatic faiths; this
is the nursery of various superstitions and
wrong views. From the Buddhist viewpoint,
this is the area where one's karmic seeds
are accumulated and 'fermented' until they
become mature and are manifested as mental
and bodily actions. When this area is completely
illumined by the light of wisdom, one attains
liberation.
The third level is beyond the first two but,
at the same time, includes them. In the Mahayana
concept of salvation, an individual's liberation
from delusion and suffering cannot be completed
until and unless all sentient beings attain
the same liberation. The awareness of the
universal relationship with them gives rise
to the resolution to save them all; this
resolution turns one into a Bodhisattva.
When Amida was a Bodhisattva, he made this
resolution in the form of the Forty-eight
Vows. Now that they have been fulfilled,
he has already accomplished our salvation.
The moment we hear the Name and, through
it, attain shinjin, we realize that we have
been in his Light of boundless Wisdom and
Compassion. With the darkness of mind completely
cleared, we everlastingly enjoy oneness with
Amida Buddha. In the ocean of Amida's Wisdom,
there is no discrimination between bombu
and sages, evil-doers and good persons. They
are equally taken in and never abandoned,
and become one with Amida just as various
river-waters are turned into one taste upon
reaching the ocean.
The Buddha's Wisdom and Virtue have been
praised
So that sentient beings in the ten directions
may know about them;
Those who have attained Faith should always
Strive to repay the Buddha's Benevolence.
(Hymns on the Pure Land 50)
Top
(8) Living in the Light of Great Compassion (lines 29-34)
The Light of all-embracing Compassion always
illumines and protects us;
The darkness of ignorance has already been
destroyed by it,
But the clouds and mists of greed, desire,
anger and enmity
Continually cover the sky of True Faith.
Be that as it may, just as the sunlight is
blocked by clouds or mists,
Below them it is light and there is no darkness.
The difference between ordinary people and
Shin Buddhists does not show in outward appearance,
but is clearly found in their spiritual lives.
First of all, Shin Buddhists are aware of
Amida's Light of Great Compassion and so
can enjoy its benefit, while ordinary people,
ignorant of it, continue to walk in the dark.
Second, Shin Buddhists are aware of their
evil passions in their entirety, not through
their own intellect or insight, but through
Amida's Light; ordinary people may know part
of their evil passions but are unable to
see them all. Mere reflection does not go
deep into oneself, nor can psychoanalysis
possibly analyze away all that one has beneath
one's consciousness. Meditation, when practiced
under the proper guidance of a truly enlightened
master, can penetrate deeper into one's mind,
but does not necessarily promise a successful
result.
Amida's Light which, above anything else,
embodies Prajna can penetrate to the depth
of one's self and break its hard existential
basis, bringing one to the realization that
there is nothing that supports one's existence
but a false image of ego. When the Light
is perceived in us, all our evil passions
and their karmic energy stored in our Alaya
consciousness are instantly cleared, or rather
merged into Amida's pure merits. Even though
there still is a lingering tendency of passions,
which beclouds our minds, we are basically
free of the fear and anxiety that are believed
to be inherent in our nature.
Amida's Light takes various forms according
to the conditions and needs of the beings
to be saved, and functions in multiple ways.
Since Amida has three "bodies,"
his Light can also be conceived to be of
three kinds corresponding to them. First,
Amida as the Dharmakaya Buddha sends forth
the Light of non-discriminative Wisdom which
is in perfect accord with True Suchness.
This Light is all-pervasive and all-merging.
In fact, there is in it no subject-object
distinction, and things as they are are clearly
revealed in this, the Light of the ultimate
Truth.
Amida as the Sambhogakaya Buddha is a bodily
manifestation. He has, therefore, the physical
Light emitted from his body, as well as the
spiritual Light emanating from his mind.
The physical Light, as the Contemplation Sutra explains, "illuminates all the
worlds throughout the ten directions."
There is no place where that Light does not
reach, but not all sentient beings are aware
of this -- indeed, very few realize it. When
one hears the Dharma well and receives Amida's
Compassion deep in one's heart, Amida's Light
"embraces and never abandons this person."
The Light of Amida as a Nirmanakaya creates
various images for sincere devotees, appearing
in their dreams or at the time of death to
guide them to the Pure Land.
Since the three Buddha-bodies are not separate
but are an integrated whole, we simply look
up to Amida as 'Jinjippo Mukeko Nyorai' -- the Tathagata of Unhindered Light Shining
throughout the Ten Quarters. In the pure
religious feeling arising from True Faith,
there is no room for knowledge obtained by
analytical methods. Even the knowledge of
ourselves being full of evil passions does
not remain in the mind as a stern and painful
reminder. We realize that this knowledge
does not come from our insight but is an
image of ourselves reflected in the mirror
of Amida's Wisdom. Any piece of knowledge,
whether of Amida or ourselves, can become
an obstacle to full realization of Amida's
Compassion. If our knowledge is merged into
Amida's Wisdom, we simply enjoy living in
his Light without fear and sorrow.
Top
(9) Life of a myokonin (lines 35-40)
When we receive Faith, regard and revere
the Dharma, and attain Great Joy,
We instantly transcend the five evil realms.
If ordinary people, whether they are good
or evil,
Hear the Dharma and trust Amida's Universal
Vow,
Shakyamuni praises them as 'men of great
and superior understanding';
Such people are called 'white lotus-flowers.'
The Larger Sutra expressly states in the Verses on the Visits of Bodhisattvas to
the Pure Land (chap. 27):
To obtain human life is difficult in the
extreme;
To meet a Buddha in this world is also difficult;
It is difficult, too, for a man to attain
faith and wisdom.
Once you have heard the Dharma, strive to
reach its heart.
If you have heard the Dharma and do not forget
it
But regard and revere it with great joy,
You are my good friend. For this reason,
You should awaken aspiration for Enlightenment.
Even if the whole world is on fire,
Be sure to pass through it to hear the Dharma;
Then you will surely enter the Path of the
Buddha
And everywhere deliver beings from the river
of birth-and-death.
Contrary to the popular misunderstanding
that Shin Buddhism is an easy-going teaching
requiring no effort on our side, this sutra
further stresses the importance of our diligent
pursuit of the Way as follows (chap. 31):
That land is sublime, blissful, serene and
pure. Why do you not diligently practice
the good, reflect on the Naturalness of the
Way and realize that it is above all discriminations
and is boundlessly pervasive? You should
each make a great effort to attain it. Strive
to escape from Samsara and be born in the
Land of Peace and Provision. Then, the cause
of the five evil realms having been destroyed,
they will naturally cease to be, and so you
will progress unhindered in your pursuit
of the Way. The Pure Land is easy to reach,
but very few actually go there. It rejects
nobody, but naturally and unfailingly attracts
beings. Why do you not abandon worldly matters
and strive to enter the Way?
Shinran has repeated in the first two lines
the import of the verses and the passage
quoted above, but does not encourage practicing
good, meritorious acts. In his Shin Buddhist
system, all meritorious practices conducive
to the attainment of Enlightenment in the
Pure Land are attributed to Amida Buddha.
Since we are incapable of any practice, as
Shinran is quoted as saying in the Tannisho,
hell would definitely be our dwelling place.
Good acts which we think we can do are, at
best, false and inverted, and cannot possibly
yield the merits we require for attaining
Enlightenment. Actually we can do nothing
but commit evil karma. This is the conclusion
Shinran reached after his twenty years' quest
for Truth on Mount Hiei. When he descended
from the mountain, he left behind all the
false visions of himself being capable of
pursuing the good. Later, when he encountered
Honen's Nembutsu teaching, he found in it
the Dharma in action, which had been pursuing
him to carry him across the river of birth-and-death.
This Dharma is the embodiment of ultimate
truth and pure merits, which is given to
us through the Name. To hear and receive
this Dharma means to join the stream of pure
karmic activity of the Original Vow.
When we hear and receive Amida's Dharma,
we are awakened to twofold reality: (1) that
we are full of evil passions, karma-bound
and incapable of salvation with our own power
and (2) that Amida with boundless saving
power embraces and never forsakes us. In
this awareness, however, we no longer stand
in opposition to Amida, but we find our true
identity in Amida, just as a child finds
its identity in the mother's love. When we
realize our true identity, all the false
identities superimposed upon it fall off,
and then we are able to walk along the Buddhist
Path in the light of Wisdom and Compassion.
One who has correctly received Amida's Dharma
and thereby awakened shinjin is praised by
Shakyamuni as 'a person of great and superior
understanding.' This phrase comes from the Section on the Teaching Assembly of Amitayus
Tathagata, another Chinese version of the
Larger Sutra, which says (SSZ, I, 212):
Those who have in the past worshiped and
made offerings to innumerable Buddhas will
be enabled by the power of those Buddhas
to enter this Great Dharma and be praised
joyfully by all the Tathagatas. Those who
receive and hold fast to this Dharma will
attain immense all-knowing wisdom and cultivate
good roots as they wish. Those good men and
women who attain great and superior understanding
of this Dharma should further hear and greatly
rejoice in it, hold fast to it, chant and
expound it to others, and constantly follow
it with joy.
Since our true identity is in Namu amida butsu, through the Nembutsu we keep reminding
ourselves of it and express our gratitude
to Amida for enabling us to realize our selves.
Those who receive Amida's Dharma have not
only superior understanding and insight into
reality, but also attain wonderful personality,
as it is said in the Contemplation Sutra (chap. 32):
You should know that all who are mindful
of that Buddha are like white lotus-flowers
among humankind; the Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara
and Mahasthamaprapta become their good friends.
They will sit in the place of Enlightenment
and be born into the family of the Buddhas.
Even though mired by evil passions, we are
nevertheless 'white lotus-flowers' if our
minds are firmly set on the Nembutsu. Shan-tao,
in his celebrated commentary on the Contemplation Sutra, gives five other words of high praise to
the practicer of the Nembutsu (SSZ, I, 558):
(1) konin, an excellent person, (2) jojonin, a superior person, (3) myokonin, a wondrous, excellent person, (4) keunin, a rare person, and (5) saishonin, a most excellent person.
Contrary to the popular concept, a myokonin is not a special type of person, but is
applied to anyone who lives up to the Nembutsu.
A myokonin is fully aware of his or her true identity,
grateful to Amida and his Bodhisattva incarnations,
Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, and
seeks to share their Compassion with other
beings. Thus a myokonin is a person of deep insight and warm personality.
Although a myokonin is still full of evil
passions like other ordinary, unenlightened
persons, those passions do not hinder him
or her from performing Buddhist activities,
for they have already been cut at the root
and absorbed into Amida's pure merit. Evil
passions make troubles when they are left
to run their course unbridled; when properly
dealt with, they turn into pure karmic energy.
In the Kyogyoshinsho, Chapter on True Faith, Shinran explains
that a person of shinjin gains ten benefits
in this life, of which the third is the benefit
of having evil turned into good. This benefit
is made ours through Amida's wonderful virtue.
It is said in one of Shinran's hymns on T'an-luan:
When many rivers of evil passions enter
Into the ocean of the Great Compassion and
Great Vow
Of the Tathagata of All-pervasive Unhindered
Light,
They become one in taste with the water
of Wisdom.
(Hymns on the Patriarchs 42)
Top
(10) The Way of the Nembutsu-Faith (lines 41-44)
The Nembutsu promised in the Original Vow
of Amida Buddha
Is difficult to receive and retain with joyous
Faith
For evil persons who have wrong views and
are arrogant;
Of all difficulties nothing is more difficult
than that.
We find in the Kyogyoshinsho, chapter on True Practice, many passages
quoted as evidence to show the supreme merit
and efficacy of the Nembutsu. One of them,
from Tao-ch'o's Collection of Passages Concerning Birth
in the Land of Peace and Bliss, has this to say (SSZ, I, 381):
Shakyamuni advised his father the King to
practice the Nembutsu Samadhi. The King asked
the Buddha, 'Why do you not recommend the
practice of realizing directly the Buddha's
virtue, True Suchness or the highest principle
of voidness?' The Buddha replied, 'The Buddhas'
virtue of Enlightenment contains immeasurable
and subtle realms of realization accompanied
by various supernatural powers and knowledge
of emancipation, which are not objects of
perception for an unenlightened person. For
this reason, I recommend to you, my father
the King, the Nembutsu Samadhi.
Idealist Buddhists may try to enter straightaway into
the heart of the Buddhas' Enlightenment,
but their limited capacities and evil passions
inevitably create an iron barrier which defies
their penetration. The Nembutsu Samadhi comes
from Amida's Heart and reaches each one of
those who humbly respond to his Call. The
Nembutsu Samadhi is not only practicable,
but is the most efficacious of all samadhis.
The passage quoted above goes on to explain
that in the following parable (SSZ, I, 381-2):
Suppose there is a big forest of foul-smelling
eranda trees, in which there is a young sandalwood
tree still under the ground. When this tree
grows above the ground, its fragrance pervades
the whole forest and transforms it into a
sweet-smelling forest.
The eranda forest refers to our evil passions
and defiled thoughts, and the sandalwood
tree refers to the Nembutsu. A single thought
of concentration on and communication with
the Buddha, which is actually made possible
by his boundless Mind Power, is capable of
turning our evil karma into the same merit
as Amida's.
No other Buddhist practice is easier to follow
than the Nembutsu Samadhi, but for those
who are misled by wrong teachings and believe
in their own power, the Nembutsu of the Other-Power
is extremely difficult to accept. In this
regard we read in the Larger Sutra, in the Verses on the Visits of Bodhisattvas to
the Pure Land (chap. 27):
Arrogant, corrupt and indolent people
Cannot readily accept this teaching.
But those who have met Buddhas in their past
lives
Rejoice to hear it.
Shinran Shonin calls wrong-viewed and arrogant
people 'evil' in the sense that they reject
the right Dharma and the law of karma and
so take the path to degeneration and destruction.
But who are not wrong-viewed until and unless
they encounter Amida, the embodiment of the
right Dharma? Also, who are not arrogant
unless they meet Amida's Light of Great Compassion?
We are by nature self-centered, and our frame
of thought is naturally constructed on the
blind belief in the ego and the power which
it appears to possess. As we hear and ponder
on the Dharma over and over, we come to realize
that what exists in the true sense of the
term is the Buddha's Life, Amida, which is
all-pervasive, all-inclusive and everlasting.
When our eyes are opened to this ultimate
reality by being endowed with the Nembutsu-Faith,
all our delusory mental constructs disappear
like dew on a blade of grass in the morning
sun.
Shakyamuni and Amida are our Compassionate
Parents;
By employing various skillful means
Have awakened in our minds
The supreme Faith beyond compare.
(Hymns on the Patriarchs 74)
Go to Part 2; return to Top; Nembutsu-Index; Index.