Shijoshin (至誠心) The Genuine Heart

The Promise of Amida

2012-01-06T08:08:00.003-05:00

Many of the posts on this blog were taken from the publication, 'Light of Wisdom'. They were uploaded due to the limited circulation of the publication. Recently they have been put together in a new book, published by Wisdom, entitled, 'The Promise of Amida'-Honen's Path To Bliss. I encourage all of you to check out the wonderful and unprecedented English translations of Honen's work.

Honen The Buddhist Saint Part II-Introduction

2011-05-01T20:03:00.003-04:00

HONEN THE BUDDHIST SAINT

HIS LIFE AND TEACHING

TRANSLATION: COATES & ISHIZUKA

VOLUME I

SECOND EDITION

TOKYO

KODOKAKU

1930

I thought I would quote the passage from Shunjo’s Introduction to his own work. We pick it up in the second section of his intro:

THE TWO GATES

Entering through the gateways of his (Shakyamuni Buddha) teachings, men have, according to their several capacities, found manifold benefits. Among his teaching, that which is called the Holy Path (Shodo) promises enlightenment to men in this sinful world, through the power of their own exertions. But we fear that the present age has become so degenerate, and men’s minds so beclouded, that they are no longer able clearly to apprehend the profound truth of the emptiness of man and things, and, in their eagerness for the things of time and sense, they will with difficulty escape from the fires of the three dread evils. There is, however, but one Gate, through which the common man, with all his evil passions born of illusion, may enter immediately at death upon the state of deliverance from the fated transmigration, and that, is the Pure Land (Jodo).

ZENDO (SHAN-TAO) AND HONEN

Many learned men have devoted their best talents to an exposition of the doctrines of the Pure Land, among whom was Zendo, of the T’ang dynasty (in China), who, being an incarnation of Amida, has alone revealed the profound meaning of Amida’s Original Vow. But in our country, Honen Shonin, who was an incarnation of Seishi, was, up to his day, the only one who taught that the most important thing of all is the practice of the Shomyo, i.e. the repetition of the sacred name of the Buddha Amida. Though these two saints were of different nationalities, the one Japanese, and the other Chinese, their method of instruction was the same, and though their influence multitudes of men and women of high degree and low alike not only easily attained to the life of faith, but their birth into the Pure Land was usually accompanied by abundant omens of purple clouds and sweet perfumes. It was then through them that the cult of the Nembutsu attained its highest priority.

THE AUTHOR’S PURPOSE

Since the departure of Honen, many years have passed, and his words of instruction and warning and the influence of his life have come gradually to be forgotten. And so, unless they are put on record for future generations, who, by beholding the wise man and longing to be like him, will know what is essential to salvation? For this reason, I have not only made careful enquiries regarding the things I have heard about Honen, But I have critically examined all the old records obtainable, I have selected among them what I believe to be true, I have corrected whatever errors I found, and have written down a succinct account of his life from beginning to end. For the easy comprehension of the unlettered, and with a view to stimulating the faith of those who read, I have filled the book with pictorial illustrations, to serve as a clear mirror in which men of every age may see their true selves. Surely none among those yearning for birth into the Pure Land will fail to appreciate the motive of my writing.

Honen The Buddhist Saint-Part I-Introduction

2011-05-01T19:37:00.003-04:00

HONEN THE BUDDHIST SAINT

HIS LIFE AND TEACHING

TRANSLATION: COATES & ISHIZUKA

VOLUME I

SECOND EDITION

TOKYO

KODOKAKU

1930

I am fortunate enough to own a 1930 copy of ‘Honen the Buddhist Saint’. I thought it would be fun to quote some of the passages from this book for those without such a resource. I realize that there are a few recent translations, but none can match the detailed and poetic nature of the original.

My hope is to share some of the lesser known quotes and facts of Honen’s story. We are still in such great need of translated works on Honen today. For the devotee, I hope that these passages can help shed a brighter light on our subject, and create a greater personal connection with this master of Pure Land Buddhism.

I will not offer commentary, because there is no need, and I am not that studious. I am a hack by nature, although I do offer this as a platform for discussion.

Note: All italicized words are quotes from the book.

PART I

This is taken from the Introduction-Chapter VIII: The Authoritative Biography of Honen

SHUNJO HIS BIOGRAPHER

Within a century after Honen’s death, his religion had become so widespread and established in the public confidence, that the retired Emperor Go-Fushimi (1288-1336) ordered a priest called Shunjo to prepare an accurate account of his life. This Shunjowas born in Shiga in the province of Omi, and at the age of twelve took the tonsure at the hands of Ryushin, a priest of Yokawa on Mount Hiei. He was a very clear-headed man, with a profound acquaintance with the literature of all the esoteric and exoteric schools of Buddhism, and is said to have become the possessor of an occult power known as Hokke Zammai. He was made the abbot of the Kukokuin Temple on Mount Hiei, and was given the title of Hoin by the Imperial Court. He received his instruction in the doctrine of the Jodo from Nyoichi, the abbot of the great Chion-in Temple in Kyoto. With such qualifications, and besides being a good penman, and having a gift for literary composition, this important task was entrusted to him, and in recognition of his distinguished services he was promoted to the position of chief priest at the Chion-in Temple. The Tendai priests on Hiezan were very much incensed at him for issuing such a panegyric of a man belonging to another sect, and said it was an unpardonable offence. The Hoin replied: “No wonder that I have given myself up to the Jodo and am in love with Honen. I am already a man of eighty, and the Shodo practices are now quite beyond me.” He is said to have died, like Honen, on the 25^th of the first month, when he was past eighty, but the exact year of his death, is uncertain.

THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT

When, at the imperial command, Shunjo began the compilation of his work, he collected all the literary materials he could find from among Honen’s disciples, and interviewed the aged who had known of the master. After rejecting everything that seemed unreliable, he wrote an authentic record of Honen’s life and work in forty-eight volumes (corresponding to the forty-eight chapters of our translation), dividing them into 237 sections, to each of which he appended a pictorial illustration, and presented the manuscript as it was to His Majesty, who, overjoyed at the completion of the work, ordered the literary men of the court to verify the accuracy of the text and polish the style. To improve the quality of the illustrations, he had them put into the hands of the court artists, who made them all over again. When the text was complete, His Majesty began the transcription of it with his own hand, and the Bonze Emperor Fushimi as well as Go-Nijo the Emperor on the throne were only too glad to join in the work, the main burden of which was however assigned to the Imperial Prince Son-en, the Abbot of the SeireninTemple, Saneshige Sanjo, the Prime Minister Nari-uji Anegakoji, Yukimasa Sesonji and Sadanari Sesonji, all court officials. The rolls of this manuscript, still preserved in the archives of the Chion-in Temple in Kyoto, show the sections written by each, as follows:-

a) Chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, by the retired Emperor Go-Fushimi.

b) Chapters 14, 15 (par. 8 to the end by Son-en), 22 (par. 12 to end by Yukimasa), 25, 26 (par. 6 to end by Nari-uji), 33, 34, 35, 36 (par. 2 relating to the Kachiodera by Nariuji), 37, 38, 39, 42, by the Emperor G0-Nijo.

c) Chapter 40 by the Bonze Emperor Fushimi.

d) Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 30, by Son-en.

e) Chapter 31 by Saneshige.

f) Chapters 16, 17, 24, 27, 28, 29, 32, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, by Nariuji.

g) Chapters 4, 5, 6, 21 (par. 32 to end by Nari-uji), 23, by Yulimasa.

h) Chapters 19 (par. 7 to end by Yukimasa), 20 (par. 10 to end by Nari-uji), by Sadanari.

THE PRESERVATION OF THE “ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT AND COPY”

Later the retired Emperor Go-Fushimi decided to have another copy of the work made, and himself transcribed all but the following:-Chapters 1, 11, 31, which were done by the Bonze Emperor Fushimi, and Chapters 8 and 20 done by Yukitoshi Sesonji. When this was all ready it was entrusted to Shunjo for general publication and was known as the “copy.” The pictorial illustrations in it are said to have been a rough draft of those painted for the “original manuscript.”

This work of double transcription was begun in 1307, and it took over ten years. The “original manuscript” was first deposited in the Imperial Archives, and the “copy” put into the hands of Shunjo, but later when he became the abbot of the Chion-in Temple, he was ordered to deposit the “original manuscript” also among the temple archives, where it remains to this day.

Four generations later, when Seia (1297-1374), the twelfth abbot of this temple retired to the Ojoin Temple at Taima in the province of Yamoto, he took the “copy” with him and deposited It there, where it has remained ever since. Thus in the great fire which all but demolished the capital at the time of the great civil war in the period of Onin (1467-1468), the “copy” was safely housed far away, and the “original manuscript” as well escaped the flames.

THE CURRENT EDITION AND THE COMMENTARY

From the time that Shunjo received the above mentioned Imperial Order to proceed with the publication, and increasing number of written copies was put into general circulation, and the work came to be generally spoken of as “The Life of Honen, Compiled by Imperial Order,” though this title is not found on the “original manuscript” or the “copy”, on the cover of which nothing appears but “illustrated Life of Honen,” the handwriting being that of Prince Son-en. Coming down to the beginning of the Yedo Period (1603-1867), we find that there were several wood-cut editions printed, which were reproductions of the written copies just mentioned, and the Japanese text which is the basis of this work is a copy that was printed by a man called Unchiku in the spring of 1700, in twenty-four volumes, with hiragana (the Japanese script) alongside and between the Chinese characters. Wood-cuts of the original pictures prepared by a priest called Kokan were inserted. The title of the work as it then appeared, was “An Illustrated Like of Enko Daishi” ( a posthumous title of Honen), and the text was carefully revised by Gizan (1648-1717) and Nincho (1645-1711), scholarly experts of the time. In 1881 another wood-cut edition in smaller type also in twenty four volumes was issued by a Tokyo man called Sobei Omura. In 1908 a one volume edition was printed in modern type by a well known priest called Hojun Kaji (1864-1920), and this we have found most convenient for use in our translation.

There is but one commentary on this work, and it is called “Helps to the Study of Honen’s Life.” It is in sixty volumes, and was begun by a priest called Enchi, who worked on it till the time of his death, when it was taken over by Gizan, mentioned above, who completed it, so that it is usually called Gizan’s work. Coming down to the Meiji period, a one volume edition was printed in modern type in 1910, as the sixteenth volume of a series containing a complete collection of Jodo literature. This has been our chief authority in the compilation of the notes and exposition, though we have sometimes, in the light of historical and other evidence, been obliged to dissent from Gizan’s views.

OTHER BIOGRAPHIES OF HONEN

The president of Jodo College in Tokyo, Dr. S. Mochizuki, in the supplement to his Biographical Sketch of Honen published in 1910, enumerates the following ten biographies other than Shunjo’s which have appeared:-

1) “The Life of the Founder of the Jodo Sect in Japan, Illustrated,” in four volumes by Tangu in 1237, the original manuscripts (picture-scrolls) of which are still preserved in the Zendoji Temple in Chikugo. This is a succinct and trustworthy record, manifestly produced at the early date it bears. The author, though a disciple of Honen, is probably not the one who bore a name having the same sound, but written with a different Chinese character.

2) “A Private Memoir of Genku SHonin” in one volume, being part of a work called, “A Guide to the Western Paradise,” compiled by Shinran in 1256 in his eighty fourth year. It is simple in style, and probably based on the private records of the disciple. It contains all the essential facts of Honen’s life.

3) “The Life of Genku Shonin of Kurodani,” in one volume, purporting to have been written in 1227 by his famous disciple Seikaku. As compared with the first in this list, its richer contents are more systematically arranged in sixteen chapters. Some scholars think it was written somewhat later.

4) “A fragment of Honen Shonin’s Life,” in two volumes. The author and date are unknown, but as it is in the handwriting of the Emperor Go-Nijo, and the illustrations are by Kikko Tosa and the contents ancient, it is thought to have been written not later than the Kamakura period. It deals with the portion of Honen’s life, beginning with the masses for Tokikuni his father, and ending with the doctrinal discussion at Ohara.

5) “A supplement to the Life of a Venerable Teacher, Illustrated,” in nine volumes, by Kakunyo, the third abbot of the Hongwanji Temple in Kyoto, in 13010. As previous Lives of Honen had not included an account of Shinran as one of his disciples, this work seems to have been issued to supply this defect.

6) “The Life of Honen Shonin,” in nine volumes, author and date unknown. As the contents are almost identical with those of our text, arranged in practically the same order, and written in the same literary style, it is surmised that this was the original draft of Shujo’s edition.

7) “An Apocryphal Life of Honen Shonin,” in three volumes. It bears the name of Ryukwan, the father of the “many callings” principle, but it is without any date. It abounds in narratives of miracles, and brings the story down to the time of the erection of Honen’s tomb on Mount Ogura in Saga (near Kyoto) in 1233. But as Ryukwan had already died in 1227, it is manifestly a pseudo graphical panegyric, lacking in historical credibility.

8) “An Apocryphal Account of Honen Shonin’s Exile,” in two volumes, author and date unknown. This, like the preceding, is usually regarded as also apocryphal.

9) “A Critique of Sources” (for Honen’s Biography), in nine volumes. Author and date unknown. There are ninety-three chapters, including an account of Shinran. The edition we now have of it was published in 1692 and written in katakana (the square Japanese syllabic characters). But as it is criticized in a work called “A Collection of Definitions of the Nembutsu” published in 1668, it evidently had appeared before that date. It is ascribed to a writer of the Shin sect early in the Yedo period (1603-1867).

10) “The Life of Honen Shonin,” author and date unknown, but usually called the ten-volume Seizan edition. There are seventy-nine chapters, and they include an account of Shinran. The original manuscript is preserved in the Hozoji Temple in the province of Mikawa. In 1913 the compilers of the Complete Collection of the Jodo Sect Scriptures found in the archives of the Myojoin Temple in the compound of the Zojoji at Shiba, Tokyo, a set of picture scrolls of Honen’s Life entitled

11) “The Illustrated Life of Honen Shonin,” in nine volumes, by Rin Amidabutsu, a priest of the Kofukuji Temple, whose antecedents are entirely unknown. This work purports to add to the one standing first in this list some supplementary facts of importance. We do not know whether the scrolls preserved in the Myojoin are the original manuscripts or their transcriptions. Dr. S. Mochizuki announced in “Studies in the Buddhist Scriptures” No. XXXVII, Jan. 1, 1918, that he had found another biography called

12) “The Life of Honen Shonin” in one volume. This work purports to be based upon the words of Seikwambo, one of Honen’s disciples, written about thirty years after Honen’s death, containing various traditions handed down by his disciples. A copy of it was only discovered a few years ago in the archives of the Daigo Temple near Kyoto, and is now called the Daigo Edition of Honen’s Life. It has a postscript which says it was transcribed by Gien, the seventy-ninth patriarch of the temple. The historical specialists are convinced from the style and contents that we probably have here the oldest biography of Honen.

Faith and Practice Co-Exist

2010-10-26T20:51:00.003-04:00

Although birth in the Pure Land is assured by just a single utterance, or ten repetitions, of Nenbutsu, irreverent recitation o Nenbutsu results in faith becoming a hindrance to practice.

Conversely, although the recitation of Nenbutsu for life without cessation is important, if one entertains doubts that a single utterance assures birth in the Pure Land, this doubt will result in practice becoming a hindrance to faith. Therefore, one must be convinced that a single utterance of Nenbutsu guarantees Ojo and continue the recitation throughout his entire life.

Moreover, if one entertains doubt that a single utterance assures Ojo, every repetition becomes a futile exercise of Nenbustu lacking faith because the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha instructs that each recitation of Nenbutsu assures birth in the Pure Land.

In short, every recitation of Nenbutsu becomes a validation of the causal karma for birth in the Pure Land.

-Volume I, Chapter 15, Ganso-Daishi Gohogo

Master Honen's Will (1198)

2010-03-04T19:18:00.002-05:00

This was written by Honen himself fourteen years before his death. Taken from the footnotes of the 1930 Edition of ‘Honen the Buddhist Saint.’

Part I

‘As to the mass to be said for me after my death: Religious cultivation requires solitude. Worldly business disturbs our religious life. After my death you, my disciples and followers, should not come together for any purpose whatever, lest you get into a dispute. Quarrels often arise at such times, although the meeting may seem to promote friendship. You had better, therefore, live separately, and not meet together. Each of you should stay at home and pray that you may attain your own Ojo on the lotus seats in the Pure Land, keeping yourselves aloof from all angry feelings. To show your appreciation of what I have done for you, do not deviate a hair’s breath from this my parting instruction.
Now I must call your attention to the matter of the mass to be said for my soul. Do not paint a Buddha’s picture, or transcribe the Sutras, or make baths for people, or plan other works of charity to repay my kindness; but instead of such things only practice the Nenbutsu with all your hearts and nothing else. During my lifetime my only work has been the practice of the Nenbutsu. Why should you, my disciples, devote yourselves to any practice contrary to my teaching? You must further take care, when you practice it, not to do it in the form of the continuous practice for seven weeks, but everyone by himself separately for a day and night, or for seven days and nights immediately after my death. The continual practice of the Nenbutsu is apt to make men idle, and rob them of courage. Do not then, my disciples and followers disregard this instruction of mine.’

Part II

‘As to the property I leave behind: After my death do not quarrel over the property I bequeath-houses, utensils, garments, dishes, etc.; for from ancient times quarrels have often arisen over property after the death of the owner. Thus brothers have often fallen out with one another over their father’s inheritance and fellow religionists in like manner over their master’s property. I cannot tolerate the like of this. My disciples must not quarrel over my property after my death. Even a layman should be ashamed to quarrel, and so how much more a priest.
I have indeed very many disciples, and among them are only these seven-Shinku, Kansai, Shoku, Enshin, Chosen, Kansho and Ryosei, who have rendered specially kind and faithful service to me for many years, and I wish to reward them for their many kindnesses. To Shinku, the most intimate of all, I wish to leave my main apartment, together with the annexes at Kurodani and Shirakawa, a garden at Sakashita, and a lot of ground at Rakuchu, as well as the three foot Amida image made by Jocho, and sixty volumes of printed scriptures, etc. To Kansai I give the house which was formally at Hirotani on Nishiyama and is now in the central part of Yoshimizu, and a lot of ground at Takahata, for which I paid only one half of the value when I bought it. To Enshin I leave the new house in the eastern part of Yoshimizu, for it belonged to the nun of Rokujo who adopted him, and a lot of ground at Rokujo which I already promised to give him, with a conveyance written by myself, on the condition that during my lifetime I reserve for myself the use of the property. To Choson I give the Kakugobo Temple together with the record of the temple property when the late Nyogyo died, and a house in the neighborhood of Shirakawa which I bought for him. I return the old house in the western part of Yoshimizu, as through Saison and Jojo he specially requested. Also one or two outhouses which I repaired a few years ago I leave to the owner of the house on the western part of Yoshimizu, to which they belong. I have no other property or houses than those mentioned above, and I can give nothing to anyone else. I hereby affix the names of these three other disciples with whom I have not been associated so long-viz: Junsai, Jikinen and Gonsai, to whom appeal can be made by way of confirmation of this document. Too numerous to mention are the many who have come to me morning and evening from all quarters seeking the way of salvation.
It is a general rule that when a priest or nun dies, his or her property belongs to the community of which they are members, and so I have divided my property among my disciples. Do not forget, my disciples, these two points which I have carefully stated above, to be observed by my followers after my death. If you are truly grateful for the favor I have bestowed upon you, you will not fail thankfully to observe these instructions. As water and milk always live on good terms with each other, so should all my disciples live in perfect harmony after my death. This is all I wish to say.’

The eighth day of the fourth month in the ninth year of Kenkyu (1198).

(Signed) Genku

Letter to Komyobo

2010-02-28T16:46:00.001-05:00

There is a letter from Saint Honen to a disciple named, Komyobo regarding the ‘Once-calling’ doctrine of the Nenbutsu, in which Honen’s disciple Kosai usually takes the heat for. I thought I would share it with you:

‘Out of pity for those who may be mislead by this, I hereby take my oath that if I concealed my views, may the Three Treasures of the ten quarters now look down upon me, and may I lose all the merit that should accrue from my seventy thousand daily repetitions of the nenbutsu. Even a devotee of the ‘perfect’ doctrine of the Tendai, who has been meditating upon the ultimate reality, cannot attain the knowledge of the non-existence of all things until he has completed the ten thousand kinds of discipline based upon the six paramitas. No matter what principle is involved, who can realize what he seeks without some form of discipline? I would that they who are caught in the net of doubt, might get free, might cut their way out of the forest of heresy, and with honest hearts escape from the iron castle of future misery, and ascend the golden stands in that blissful land, on their departure from this. I now communicate my thoughts by letter to you in that far away Northern Province (Bungo). Apply your mind assiduously to the study of the sacred scriptures. Though mountains and rivers and clouds may separate us from each other by many thousand of miles, our mutual affinity for the way of the Buddhas will surely at last bring us together. I have so many things to say to you that I cannot possibly tell you all by letter.’ Nineteenth day of the sixth month of the third year of Jogen (1209).

-Signed-Genku

The Senchakushu Chapter 4, Part 3

2010-02-26T14:58:00.002-05:00

When we last spoke on Honen’s Senchakushu, we were talking about the three implications:

1) the manifold practices were expounded only so that, in abandoning them, one would take refuge in the nenbutsu
2) the manifold practices were expounded to encourage one toward the nenbutsu
3) the manifold practices were expounded in order to set up the three categories of people within both of the two gateways: that of the nenbutsu and that of the manifold practices.

Previously we covered the first implication, so we move onto the second. Master Honen states that there are two meanings in the words, ‘manifold practices were expounded to encourage one toward the nenbutsu.’

1) the nenbutsu is encouraged by good practices that are similar (in being related to Amida).
2) the nenbutsu is encouraged by good practices that are different (in being related to Amida).

With regards to the first, this is to be found in Master Shan-tao’s commentary on the Kuan (wu-liang-shou) ching. In it, Shan-tao mentions the five kinds of 'auxiliary' practices that encourage the single practice of the nenbutsu. With regards to the second, the nenbutsu is encouraged by good practices that are different. Master Honen speaks first of the ‘right’ and the ‘auxiliary’ practices that are performed by the superior class.

To ‘single-mindedly and whole-heartedly think of Wu-liangshou Fo’ refers to the ‘right’ practice. It is that which is encouraged (by the others). Those in the superior class:

1) leave their homes
2) renounce their desires
3) become sramanas(wandering monk)
4) awaken in themselves the bodhi mind.

The above four refer to ‘auxiliary’ practices. These also encourage the nenbutsu. ‘That is to say, among the practices that lead to birth, the nenbutsu is the main practice. Therefore, it is in order to practice the nenbutsu single-mindedly that the sutra says, ‘those of the superior class leave their home, renounce their desires, become sramanas, and awaken in themselves the bodhicitta and so on.’ The above mentioned ‘leaving home and awakening of the bodhicitta’ here refer to one’s initial leaving home and awakening of the bodhicitta. However the nenbutsu is a lifelong practice from which one never retreats. Why then, should these other practices interfere with it?’

Letter to Lay Monk Naozane-Honen writes ..‘To utter just the nenbutsu thirty, fifty, or sixty thousand times a day with all your heart is the practice certain to achieve birth. Other good works are for when you have time to spare from nenbutsu. But if you utter sixty thousand nenbutsu a day, what other practices need you do?’

In the middle class are found the manifold practices of:

1) building stupas
2) making Buddha images
3) decorating Buddhist shrines
4) lighting lamps
5) setting flowers
6) burning incense
7) awakening the bodhi mind

These are also done in order to encourage nenbutsu practice. This is mentioned in Genshin’s ‘Ojoyoshu’ (Collection on the Essential for Birth) entitled, ‘Aids to the Nenbutsu.’

‘In the lower class, both awakening of the bodhicitta and the nenbutsu are found. The meaning of ‘auxiliary’ and ‘right’ are to be understood here in the same way as in the cases above.’

It is clear that Master Honen considers the Nenbutsu the sole practice leading to birth in the Pure Land. Other practices (auxiliary) are meant to encourage the recitation of the Nenbutsu. The nenbutsu is the great practice that leads to birth (ojo).

Benediction

2010-01-10T10:18:00.004-05:00

The Benediction from our Otsutome:

'Amida Buddha surrounds all men, women and all forms of life with infinite love and compassion. Particularly does He send forth loving thoughts to those in suffering and sorrow, to those in doubt and ignorance, to those who are striving to attain truth; and to those whose feet are standing close to the great change men call death, Amida Buddha sends forth oceans of wisdom, mercy, and love. Namu Amida Butsu.'

I have been thinking about the word devotion lately. I feel that in order to truly cast aside doubt about Amida, the Pure Land and the teachings of Honen, one needs to surrender totally to Amida. In order to surrender totally, we need to have a devotional attitude towards Amida. This is what Honen mentions as an 'intimate karmic connection', but this connection needs to be developed. How? Only through devotional practice.

So what is devotional practice? It is the feeling of Amida's love and compassion in our daily life. Once our practice of Nenbutsu begins and develops, it becomes Amida's love and compassion we see and feel throughout our day. It is Amida's love and compassion working on us. No matter what what state we might be in at the time. Amida shares his love, compassion, and wisdom with us, as long as we are in communion with him. It is His love we feel. Hence Master Honen's Poem 'Moonlight'.

We cannot understand Amida through conventional means, ie. thinking. Because our thinking is limited and flawed. Only through our feeling of him, the love we feel when we look at our family or the birds at the feeder. I have spent so much time trying to understand Amida from a philosophical standpoint that I have missed everything. He is 'pure feeling' as Kanamatsu would say in his book, 'Naturalness.'

We sould be the lamp light that dissapears in the morning light (Amida). Fully enveloped in the love of Amida.

The New Year

2010-01-03T10:44:00.003-05:00

As I write this, it is snowing in New York. My birds at my feeder seem to love snow. They also love to eat. They love to be close to one another due to the cold. They have warm hearts. This time of year (Holiday Season) always gives me a sense of sadness. I don't know, maybe it is because my kids seemed to be getting older by the minute-my son leaving for college this year, family couldn't all get together this holiday. I guess it just change that's a downer.

One thing that didn't change was my Nenbutsu practice. Even though during times like these when I am feeling blue, I like to look to other things that will excite me. A lot of times that means looking at other Buddhist Traditions and thinking I will change traditions and that will make me happier. This year, I struggled through that urge, and kept reciting the Nenbutsu and looking to Honen for inspiration.

I feel now as though it made a difference. My practice deepened. I always wondered why Honen said so many Nenbutsu during the course of a day. He was in communion with Amida. It was his intimate relationship with Amida that he cherished. That call and response he felt. It is my hope that day after day, I can build that intimate relationship with Amida, feel the warmth of his love and compassion, and have that radiate out to the world.

This is the work of Amida. I see it in the birds as well. Namu Amida Butsu!

Shijoshin Will Be On Hiatus Until After The First

2009-12-20T09:56:00.000-05:00

The Character of Saint Honen

2009-12-13T07:59:00.002-05:00

Recently, I was fortunate to acquire the 1930 Edition of 'Honen the Buddhist Saint.' Published by Kodokaku Press. In the introduction by Ryugaku Ishizuka, he gives a nice description of Honen's character. This might have been posted by me some time ago, but I enjoy it, so here it goes:

'Honen was a man of strong character and gentle disposition. He was stern with himself, striving after a strict observance of the Buddhist precepts. While he was in fact, as in name, nature's own priest (the original meaning of Honen), and his life is entirely identified with the priesthood, he had a wealth of warm human affection, and his happy blending of purity and compassion was not so much the product of rigorous discipline, as the outgoing of an inborn religious impulse. He was a thorough-going plebian to the end, refusing official titles and degrees, although he was honored by men of rank, and often invited to Court by His Majesty the Emporer. When he went out, instead of of taking a carriage, he always went on foot, wearing straw sandals. He chose the simple life, spent in sequestered spots away from the bustling crowd, and the conventionality's even of priestly intercourse. Otani, now the site of the Seishido in the compound of the Chion-in Temple in Kyoto-the present headquarters of the Jodo sect which he founded, -a small plot of some thirty by one hundred feet, was the place where he closed his eventful career and was buried.'

The Senchakushu Chapter 4, Part 2

2009-12-06T15:04:00.002-05:00

As was stated in the last post (Chapter 4, Part 1), in all the different classes (Superior, Middle and Lower) there is a common thread to recite the Buddha’s Name. So Master Honen begins the next section of this chapter with an obvious question:

‘According to this exposition, all three classes represent attaining birth through the nenbutsu. It may be objected that this explanation does not entirely answer the question. Why do you abandon the other practices and speak only of the nenbutsu?’

The you in this question is Master Honen, because he advocates reliance upon the nenbutsu only for Birth in the Pure Land. Honen’s answer is:

‘…this has three implications’:

1) the manifold practices were expounded only so that, in abandoning them, one would take refuge in the nenbutsu
2) the manifold practices were expounded to encourage one toward the nenbutsu
3) the manifold practices were expounded in order to set up the three categories of people within both of the two gateways: that of the nenbutsu and that of the manifold practices.

This week we will address the first, that the manifold practices were expounded only so that, in abandoning them, one would take refuge in the nenbutsu. Manifold practices are all other practices other than the nenbutsu.

Master Honen in answering this question reverts to Shan-tao in his answer. Shan-tao’s commentary on the Meditation Sutra says: ‘It is true that the benefits of the two gateways known as the contemplative and the non-contemplative practices, are expounded in the previous section of the sutra. Nevertheless, when seen in terms of the meaning of Amida Buddha’s original vow, Shakyamuni’s intent in preaching the sutra was actually to have all sentient beings recite single-mindedly and wholeheartedly the name of Amida.’

Honen interprets this answer. He says that although in all classes various other practices were expounded, such as bodhicitta, those practices were expounded only to bring all sentient beings to recite the Buddha’s name. ‘In the original vow (18th), there are no other practices at all, other than the nenbutsu. All three classes mention single-mindedly and wholeheartedly reciting the Buddha’s name and therefore they are consistent with the original vow of Amida.'

Honen also says that to be single minded means not to combine ‘with other things.’ ‘Hence we clearly know that the term “single minded” is employed to make people abandon the manifold practices and practice only the nenbutsu. If such were not the case, then would not the term “single minded” be very difficult to interpret?’

I would like to state here that Master Honen gets a lot of flack for ‘abandoning’ buddhist practice, such as meditation, etc., but as we move through the Senchakushu we will see that what Honen is doing is establishing faith. Once a firm foundation of faith is established, other practices can be incorporated. As we know, Honen followed the bodhisattva precepts to the letter all his life. He was able to do so because of his profound and sincere faith in Amida, and all those other practices which were part of his Tendai Tradition could be incorporated.

So for us, ordinary beings, if we begin with faith in Amida and recite the Buddha’s name, we are assured of Birth in the Pure Land and everything after that supports this faith.

The Essential Vow

2009-11-29T06:20:00.005-05:00

When I first began reading about Pure Land Buddhism, the Essential Vow (18th) is what was beings mentioned quite often. Now, I knew that Dharmakara (Amida) made 48 Vows in the Larger Sutra and always asked myself the question: Why, if Dharmakara made 48 Vows do we constantly talk about the 18th?

Well, me not being very smart, it took a long time for it to sink in. So, I want to share with you the reason-only for for those with the same handicap of course:

18th Vow: 'If, when I attain buddhahood, all sentient beings in the ten quarters who hold faith with genuine hearts and who wish to be born in my land are not born there with just ten moments of being mindful of me, I will not realize enlightenment.'

Master Honen says: 'It is deemed that this Essential Vow is the most outstanding of all 48 vows. This is because if no one was born in that land, the realization of the vows, such as the vow that all sentient beings in the Pure Land are golden in color and the vow that there is no distinction in the personal appearance of the beings of the Pure Land, would become impossible.'

In other words, all the other 47 vows are dependant on the 18th. If we ordinary beings, were not able to be born into the Pure Land through the recitation of the Nenbutsu, the other vows would not matter. As a matter of fact, the other 47 vows are made in order for us to come to have faith in the 18th. This is why it is so Essential.

Next week we shall continue with Chapter Four of the Senchakushu.

The Senchakushu Chapter 4, Part 1

2009-11-22T08:17:00.003-05:00

Honen begins Chapter Four of his Senchakushu with a quote from the second volume of 'The Sutra of Immeasurable Life.' The heading of this chapter is entitled, ‘Passages Relating How All Three Classes of People Can Be Born through the Nenbutsu.’

We can begin to see a thread that weaves throughout Master Honen’s Senchakushu. And this is Honen’s greatest contribution to buddhism and the world; that is, the Universality of His Message. His message was a message that incorporated a non dogmatic approach, a come as you are, regardless of our own ability approach, and a message of universal compassion and goodwill toward all. And even though the Sutra of Immeasurable Life categorizes sentient beings of this world into three groups, the way of our salvation is through the Nenbutsu. This is our gift. This is what Master Honen saw.

So, to the text:

‘The Buddha said to Ananda: Among the many devas and human beings in all the worlds of the ten directions, there are three classes of people who sincerely desire to be born in that land.’

‘Those of the superior class leave their homes, renounce their desires, and become sramanas*:

1) They awaken in themselves the bodhicitta*
2) Single mindedly and wholeheartedly think of Amida
3) Desire to be born in that land by devoting themselves to the many meritorious practices*

‘When such a human being reaches the end of his life, Amida, together with a great multitude of holy beings, will appear before him. In the company of that Buddha, he will be born in the land of Sukhavati*; he will spontaneously attain birth by a sudden transformation in the center of the seven-jeweled flower, and will abide in the stage of non-retrogression. He will be endowed with wisdom, heroic courage, and unrestricted supernatural powers.’

This class can be most associated with monastic practice. This is an elite group of people. Arhants. As we are aware, such dedication even within the monastic community can be difficult to find. We read of priests abusing their station and doing a disservice to the dharma. This is as true today as it was on Mount Hiei during Honen’s time.

*Sramana-Traditionally, a sramana is one who has renounced the world and leads an acetic life of austerity for the purpose of spiritual development and liberation.
*Bodhicitta-The state of mind that is at the beginning of the bodhisattva path or the aspiration for enlightenment.
*Sukhavati-The Pure Land

‘The Buddha said to Ananda: The middle class is composed of those many devas and human beings in all the worlds of the ten directions who, though desiring with sincere hearts to be born in that land, are unable to perform the practices of a sramana and thus amass a great store of merit; nevertheless, they:

1) Awaken in themselves the unsurpassed bodhicitta
2) Single mindedly and wholeheartedly think of Amida
3) Engage according to their capacity in the practice of good deeds
4) Observe the precepts
5) Make Buddha Images and Build Stupas
6) Offer food to the sramanas
7) Adorn the Buddha’s Shrine with banners, lights, flowers and burn incense.
8) They turn these merits over toward Birth in the Pure Land

‘When such people are on their deathbeds, Amida, will reveal himself to them in his transformation body. He will be emanating rays of light and will possess all the major and minor physical characteristics of buddhahood, being in every detail exactly like the true Buddha. He will reveal himself before these human beings together with a great multitude of holy beings. Then, in the company of that transformation Buddha, they will be born in that land and abide in the stage of non-retrogression. In virtue and wisdom, they will rank next to the superior class.’

This class is associated with monastics and the lay community. This middle class can also be very difficult to achieve throughout one’s life.

‘The Buddha said to Ananda: The lower class is composed of those many devas and human beings in all the worlds of the ten directions who, while they desire to be born in that land, are unable to perform manifold meritorious practices; nevertheless, they:

1) Awaken in themselves the unsurpassed bodhicitta
2) Single-mindedly and wholeheartedly think even ten times of Amida
3) Desire Birth in that land

‘If they hear the profound dharma with joy and faith, without entertaining any doubt, and think even once of that Buddha, desiring with sincere minds to be born in that land, then at the end of their lives they will see that Buddha in a dream and be able to attain birth. In virtue and wisdom they will rank next to the middle class.’

This is the class that most people associate with. ‘The lower class is composed of those many devas and human beings…’ So what is the common thread that runs through all these classes of people? It is the awakening of bodhicitta, the recitation of the Nenbutsu and a great desire to be born in the Pure Land to carry out our bodhisattva practice toward all.

There really is no difference in the Buddha coming in different forms. One form is as precious as the others. Amida is Amida.

Notice the word many in the third class. This is where the majority of sentient beings belong. Amida knows this, Shakyamuni knew this and certainly Master Honen knew this. This is why Honen’s message is so important to us. Once we come to understand our ability, to understand that we should not feel shamed by our own ability, we can let everything else go and begin our practice of the Nenbutsu with earnest.

Give all your doubts, your struggles with practice, your worries, your anxiety and fear, give it all to Amida. You are already saved by Him. And that my friends, is our greatest Joy.

Namu Amida Butsu!

New Year's Resolution

2009-11-15T08:03:00.004-05:00

As it is never to early to think about upcoming resolutions, I have been thinking of mine for 2010. In our tradition of Jodo Shu, faith is of up most importance, and so I can be honest enough to say that I have had my doubts throughout the years.

So, in order to build upon my foundation of faith, as rocky as that can be at times, I have decided that in 2010, I would put 100% into the building of my faith.
Which means:

My Reading will consist of only Five Books for the course of the year:

1) The Three Pure Land Sutras and One Treatise, Translated by Rev. Urakami
2) The Ganso Daishi Gohogo
3) The Senchakushu
4) Traversing the Pure Land Path
5) The Otsutome, Jodo Shu Hawaii Edition

My Practice will consist of:

1) Full version of Otsutome every morning
2) Buddhist recitation throughout the day

It is my hope that with these current restraints on my wandering mind, I will begin to build a stronger faith and a 'settled mind' in my devotion to Amida, the teachings of Master Honen and my Jodo Shu family as support.

If there are any who would like to join me in this pursuit of faith, let me know and we can do it together. Next week we will begin Chapter Four of Honen's Senchakushu.

The Senchakushu Chapter 3, Part 10

2009-11-01T18:31:00.002-05:00

At the end of chapter 3, Master Honen is bringing up some important points:

1) To ‘think of’ and ‘to recite’ are but one thing. Even though we as sentient beings have a difficult time contemplating the Buddha and his Pure Land in Samadhi, as taught in the Contemplation Sutra, we can still recite the Buddha’s name while ‘thinking’ of Amida in terms of His compassion and our gratitude; that through the recitation of Nenbutsu, we can all be born in the Pure Land.

2) ‘Even’ and ‘at least’ are but one thing. ‘Even’ meaning ‘from many to few.’ ‘Many’ in this case indicates the upper limit, which is by spending our entire life in the practice of Nenbutsu. ‘Few’ indicates the lower limit. 10 recitations down to the one utterance. Master Honen urges us to recite the Nenbutsu our entire life.

Master Honen states that Shan-tao interprets it in a comprehensive sense and calls it ‘the vow of birth through the Nenbutsu.’ Other masters though interpret it as ‘the vow of birth through reciting ten Nenbutsu.’ But the other masters interpretations are not all-inclusive, ‘for it is excludes both the notion of the upper limit of lifelong Nenbutsu and the lower limit, a single recitation.’

I would like to quote from Master Honen:

‘There are many implications in the recitation of Nenbutsu. However, the simple vocalization of the six characters of the name of Amida Buddha, Na Mu A Mi Da Butsu, encompasses the merit of all religious practices. We merely need to believe in the Essential Vow in our mind, to utter the name of Amida Buddha by mouth, and to hold a string of prayer beads in hand. To think of the attainment of birth in the Pure Land at all times is in itself a practice toward the certain attainment of Ojo (birth).
The practice of Nenbutsu does not discriminate among one who is walking, standing, sitting, or lying down; time, place, or condition; and the impurity of one’s body and mouth; therefore, this practice of Nenbutsu is called the “Easy Practice for Ojo.”
Nevertheless, it is said that reciting Nenbutsu with purity of one’s heart is referred to as the foremost practice. It is my wish that you encourage others to recite Nenbutsu in this manner, but more important is my desire that you strengthen your own faith in the vocalization of Nenbutsu.’

Honen is using the three forms mind (our attainment of birth in the Pure Land through the essential vow of Amida Buddha), vocal (recitation), and physical (holding our prayer beads) to show us the way of faith. These three things are what we should hold as our practice day after day.

No Entry For This Week

2009-10-25T18:08:00.000-04:00

The Senchakushu Chapter 3, Part 9

2009-10-18T10:35:00.003-04:00

The Fullfillment of Amida's Vows

Master Honen begins the next section with a question. The question states that all bodhisattvas make vows and some of their own vows have been fulfilled and some have not; so it begs the question, as to whether or not Dharmakara’s (Amida) vows have been fulfilled?

Once bodhisattva vows have been fulfilled, these bodhisattvas become buddhas.

Honen answers the question by stating that all of Dharmakara’s vows have been fulfilled.
He states that:

1) In the Pure Land there are none of the three evil realms and that this vow has been fulfilled. How do we know this? In the Larger Sutra it states, ‘The painful realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and of animals do not exist.’ Honen says this is how we know.
2) The second example is that no human beings and devas of that country (pure land), after the end of their lives, return to the three evil realms. The passage states, ‘Further, the bodhisattvas of that land will never return to the evil realms even up to the time when they become buddhas.’
3) Next is that there are no human beings or devas in the world of Sukhavati (Pure Land) that do not have the thirty-two physical characteristics of a bodhisattva. This vow has been fulfilled as stated in the passage, ‘Those who are born in that land will possess the thirty-two physical characteristics.’

So Honen argues that this is true for each and every one of the 48 vows. Since the great vow (18th) is the vow that guarantees our birth in the Pure Land, he directs his attention to it and the question of our doubt.

The passage of the fulfillment of the 18th Vow states: ‘If sentient beings hear his name and, rejoicing with believing hearts, think of him even once while single-mindedly and wholeheartedly transferring their merits in desire for birth in his land, then they will attain birth and abide in the state of non-retrogression.’

Honen says, it is the 48 vows that have embellished the Pure Land. The lotus pond and jeweled palaces would not exist except for the power of His vows. Why, then, among all those vows, should the vow of birth through the Nenbutsu be the only one we should doubt? Moreover, it is said at the end of each vow, 'If not, may I not attain supreme enlightenment. We must note here that ten kalpas have already elapsed since Amida attained buddhahood, and so the vow to become a buddha has already been fulfilled. Therefore, we should surely know that none of these vows was made in vain. This is why Shan-tao says: “The Buddha has attained buddhahood and is at present dwelling in his world. We should surely know that the weighty promise of the original vow was not made in vain. If sentient beings practice Nenbutsu, they will certainly attain birth.”

Doubt can be the one hurdle in which we have the toughest time overcoming. It hinders our entrance into the Pure Land. Today, we have many different opinions available to us and we seem to have an overabundance of cynicism. We have books, the Internet, etc. and all this feeds our insatiable appetite for ideas opinions on every subject. Buddhism is no different. Everyone has opinion about everything. This is why Master Honen urges us to behave as though we were ignorant.

Honen says in his single sheet covenant: ‘One who believes in the vocal nenbutsu, although he may have learned the entire teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, should consider himself an ignorant person who knows not a single letter. He should conduct himself as if he were as unschooled as the men and women who shave their heads and observe religious discipline without foundation. Refrain from flaunting knowledge and devote yourself to the recitation of Nenbutsu.’

To be ignorant is not the same as being stupid. Shinryu Suzuki says it is to have a ‘beginners mind.’ And this is the mind that is stripped clean of all our opinions. Starting from scratch. Only in this way can we truly overcome our doubt, devote ourselves to Amida and be born into the Pure Land.

The Senchakushu Chapter 3, Part 8

2009-10-11T08:21:00.003-04:00

The Merit of Nenbutsu

Master Honen continues chapter 3 with a quote from Dhyana Master Fa-chao*, who writes is his (Goe-hojison)* Ceremonial Hymns in Five-Part Harmony:

‘That Buddha (Amida) made his vow when he was in the casual stage (of bodhisattvahood):
I will come to welcome all those who hear my name and meditate on me,
No distinction will be made between the poor and the rich, between the destitute and the noble,
No distinction between those of little wisdom and those of great talent,
No preference given to those who have heard much and those who observe the precepts,
Over those who have broken the precepts and those who have deep-rooted karmic sins,
If only they turn their merits to me and recite many Nenbutsu,
Like broken tiles and pebbles turned into gold (they shall attain salvation).’

Any merit we might develop should be given to Amida Buddha. All of our recitation is also given to him. There is no better merit than that gained by our recitation of Nenbutsu. Master Honen deeply believed in cause and effect and also believed that 10 nenbutsu were good, but more evidently were better. This can be found in his own example of up to 60,000 recitations per day. For those of us with deep rooted karmic sins and those who can’t keep the precepts this is joyous news.

We are the broken tiles and pebbles in which Fa-chao speaks about. He knows the heart and deep karmic burden of every man and woman. Due to the universal nature of Amida, there is no distinction between us. We come as we are. This is why Fa-chao urges to recite Nenbutsu. There have been many learned Buddhist masters who have recited the Buddha’s name, even though they were advanced in knowledge and meditation, they knew the benefit of the Nenbutsu.

From Honen’s Wago Toroku (A Collection of the Teachings of Honen Shonin):

‘It is said that if one is lacking in virtuous roots, he should practice reciting Nenbutsu and receive unsurpassed merit.
Some may believe that since they have cultivated great virtuous roots other than Nenbutsu, they can attain birth in the Pure Land without Nenbutsu. Master Shan-tao, however, exhorted us to rely on the Essential Vow and to repeat Nenbutsu, believing that our virtuous roots are shallow and meager.
The Larger Sutra reads, ‘A single utterance of the name of Buddha Amida brings us enormous virtue, and unsurpassed merit.’ How much more merit can one receive through the continual vocalization of Nenbutsu for life? It follows that we must not doubt the certainty of ojo through Nenbutsu, even if we do not cultivate virtuous roots.’

Let us listen deeply to Master Honen’s words and the words of the Larger Sutra. Put our trust in the Essential Vow (18th) and recite the Nenbutsu with pure faith. Lay down the book and take up the nenju and recite. Namu Amida Bu, Namu Amida Bu, Namu Amida Bu!

*Fa-chao (756-822): The originator of the ‘fivefold nenbutsu’ involving the intonation of Amida Buddha’s name five times in the five tones of the Chinese musical scale. He was greatly influenced by Shan-tao.

*Goe-hojisan: Written by Fa-chao in or about 779. These hymns explain the benefits and practice of the five toned nenbutsu. This text was handed down to Japan by Ennin. This practice is no longer used though.

The Senchakushu Chapter 3, Part 7

2009-10-04T08:35:00.003-04:00

Difficult Versus Easy

Master Honen opens up this next section with a quote from Shan-tao’s Ojoraisan.

The question is why are we not urged to do meditation, but to wholeheartedly recite the buddha’s name? Shan-tao answers that sentient beings have hindrances that are heavy and that the practice of meditation is subtle and difficult, the Holy One (Shakyamuni) encouraged all to recite the buddha’s name.

The next question comes from Genshin’s Ojoyoshu.

Why is it that if all Buddhist practices are meritorious and each one can lead to birth, why do we focus on Nenbutsu alone? Genshin here, taking the Tendai approach is not encouraging others to give up practices, but is encouraging others to rely on recitation of the Nenbutsu as an easy path, for those of us with great hindrances.

The next section by Honen is very famous and an integral part of the Senchakushu so I will quote it in full:

‘It is therefore clear that since the nenbutsu is easy, it is open to everyone, while the various other practices are not open to people of all capacities because they are difficult. Was it not in order to bring all sentient beings without exception to birth that he (Dharmakara) in his original vow cast aside the difficult practice and selected the easy one?’

Honen asks an important question here. Dharmakara, in his infinite compassion for all sentient beings, sought out the nenbustu as the easy practice for all. Honen comments on that question.

‘If the original vow required us to make images of the Buddha and to build stupas, the poor and destitute would surely have no hope for birth, but the act is that the rich and highborn are few, while the poor and lowborn are exceedingly many. If the original vow required us to have wisdom and intelligence, the dull and foolish would surely have no hope of birth, but the fact is that the wise are few and the foolish are very numerous. Again, if the original vow required us to hear and understand many teachings, those who have heard and understand little would surely have no hope of birth, but the fact is that those who have heard much are few and those who have heard little are very many. Further, if the original vow required us to observe the precepts and abide by the monastic rules, those who have broken the precepts and those who have never undertaken them would surely have no hope of birth, but the fact is that those who observe the precepts are few, while those who have broken them are exceedingly many. As for other practices, they should be understood in the same way.’

‘We should know that if the original vow required us to perform the manifold practices mentioned above, then those who are able to attain birth would be few, while those unable to do so would be very many. For this reason, the Tathagata Amida, in the distant past when he was the bhiksu Dharmakara, moved by impartial compassion and wishing to save all beings universally, did not select the manifold practices, such as making images of the Buddha and building stupas, as corresponding to his original vow concerning birth. Instead he selected the single practice of reciting the nenbutsu.’

This statement is cementing Honen’s argument. Even though we might not like to admit it, our ability to do these manifold practices are very limited. Even those shut up in monasteries; find it difficult to maintain a practice of precepts, etc.

We should not be ashamed that we cannot achieve these manifold practices for birth. We should be grateful that Amida in his infinite compassion has made the nenbutsu available to us. Shakyamuni and Amida know the minds of sentient beings and this is why Shakyamuni spoke the Three Pure Land Sutras. It was to introduce the all compassionate Amida.

Please reflect on what Honen is saying. As our practice develops, we will begin to understand why this was written. It is to honestly reflect on ourselves and our practice. This is a simple and beautiful practice. Do not let it get away!

The Senchakushu Chapter 3, Part 6

2009-09-27T07:59:00.006-04:00

Superior versus Inferior

NOTE: Italicized words are always quotes. All others are my own.

Master Honen opens this section up with a question:

Question: “It seems reasonable the he (Dharmakara) should in this way have selected to cast aside the coarse and inferior and take up the good and refined elements in all his vows; but why did he, in the eighteenth vow, select to cast aside all other practices and take up the Nenbutsu alone as corresponding to his original vow of birth?"

Answer: Although the Buddha’s holy intention is difficult to fathom and impossible to understand fully, we may venture to interpret it with the aid of the following two notions:

1) superior versus inferior
2) difficult versus easy

With regards to the first-superior versus inferior, the Nenbutsu is superior, and all other practices are inferior. This is because into the name flow all of Amida’s uncountable virtues. That is to say, in the name are contained all the merits and virtues of Amida’s inner enlightenment, such as:

a) the four kinds of wisdom*
b) the three bodies*
c) the ten powers*
d) the four kinds of fearlessness*

Also contained in it (Nenbutsu) are all the merits and virtues of his outward activities, such as:

a) the major and minor bodily characteristics
b) the emanation of light
c) the preaching of the Dharma
d) the benefiting of sentient beings

For these reasons, the merits and virtues of the name are incomparably ‘superior.’ The other practices are not the same as this; each one of them produces only a limited portion of merit and virtue. For this reason they are called ‘inferior.’

The above shows the importance of the Name (Nenbutsu). All of the merits and virtues of Amida are encapsulated in the Name itself. By reciting the Name, we are benefiting from the merits and virtues of Amida. And those same merits and virtues emanating from Amida, shine on us, the practitioner, as Amida’s light, his dharma, and his benefits to us.

Master Honen then goes on to give us an analogy of an ‘ordinary house’ to support his point. He says to us: ‘This may be likened to an ordinary house. The name ‘house’ includes all of its constituent elements: the ridgepoles, the beams, the rafters, the pillars and so on, but none of the names ‘ridgepole,’ ‘beam,’ and so forth, can denote the entire ‘house.’ From this we see that the merits and virtues of the buddha’s name are superior to those of all other practices. It must be for this reason that Dharmakara cast aside the inferior and took up the superior in establishing (the practice corresponding to) his original vow.'

Master Honen’s disciple Shinran is quoted benefits to sentient beings that have shinjin (entrusting mind):

1. The benefit of being protected and sustained by unseen powers. 2. The benefit of being possessed of supreme virtues. 3. The benefit of our karmic evil being transformed into good. 4. The benefit of being protected and cared for by all the Buddhas. 5. The benefit of being praised by all the Buddhas. 6. The benefit of being constantly protected by the light of the Buddha's heart. 7. The benefit of having great joy in our hearts. 8. The benefit of being aware of Amida's benevolence and of responding in gratitude to his virtue. 9. The benefit of constantly practicing great compassion. 10. The benefit of entering the stage of the truly settled.

We will discuss difficult versus easy next time.

*Four Kinds of Wisdom (Shichi): In the Yogacara or Hosso school, the four forms of transformed consciousness emerge from the eight forms of consciousness when illusion is destroyed and enlightenment is realized. The four forms of consciousness are as follows:
a) mirror wisdom
b) the wisdom of equality
c) the wisdom of wondrous insight
d) the wisdom of carrying out duty

*Three Bodies (Sanjin): Also called the ‘three properties’ or the ‘three enlightened properties.’ The three kinds of body that a buddha may pocess, a concept adopted in Mahayana Buddhism to organize different concepts of the Buddha appearing in the sutras.
a) The Dharma Body (Dharmakaya) is the body in which a Buddha-transcends physical being and is identical with the suchness or tahata.
b) The Bliss or reward body (Sambhogakaya) is obtained as the reward body for having completed bodhisattva practice and having penetrated the depth of the Buddha’s wisdom-unlike the Dharma Body, which is immaterial, the bliss body is conceived of as an actual body, although one that is still transcendent and imperceptible to common mortals.
c) The manifested body (Nirmanakaya) is the physical form in which the Buddha appears in this world in order to save sentient beings.

*The Ten Powers (Juriki): These powers are one of the attributes of a Buddha. They are the powers of:
a) distinguishing right and wrong
b) knowing the results of every kind of dharma
c) comprehending the various kinds of meditation
d) judging the inferiority or superiority of the capacity of people
e) perceiving the precise degree of every person’s understanding about the sutras
f) attentively reciting the sutras
g) meditating on the meaning of the sutras
h) after completely understanding a sutra, reviewing it so as not to forget it.

*The Four Kinds of Fearlessness (Shimui): The four aspects of a buddha’s fearlessness in preaching. A Buddha is fearless in declaring:
a) that he has realized the truth of all phenomena
b) that he has extinguished all desires and illusions
c) that desires and karma can be obstacles to enlightenment
d) that one can overcome all sufferings by practicing the Buddha’s Dharma.

The Senchakushu Chapter 3, Part 5

2009-09-20T07:35:00.003-04:00

The Idea of Selection and Rejection in Dharmakara’s Vow’s

Honen Quote: ‘Now the meaning of “to select” and “to make one’s own” will be discussed in relation to each of the 48 Vows:

‘The 1st Vow is that none of the three evil realms shall be present. Among the 21 Billion Buddha Lands (in which Dharmakara saw), there where some where these three evil realms existed and some where they did not. Dharmakara (Amida) selected to reject the course and inferior lands where the three evil realms existed and selected to make his own the good and refined lands where they did not. Hence the word “to select.”

This idea of selecting and rejecting can now be applied to all 48 Vows in the same manner.

The 2nd Vow: ‘No one shall return to the evil realms after their own lives are over. Here Dharmakara selected to reject the course and inferior lands from which one might return to the evil realms and selected to make his own land good and refined from which there is no returning to the evil realms.’

The 3rd Vow: Everyone should be of a golden color. Honen states that in other buddha lands there are some human and divine beings that are yellow and some that are white, but there are some buddha lands in which they are of one color-golden. Dharmakara rejected the lands in which they were of both, and he chose equality among all.

4th Vow: Dharamakara chose to reject lands in which there was both beauty and ugliness and selected only those lands in which such inequality did not exist.

So why do all this? Why not have a Pure Land with both beauty and ugliness, white and golden, evil realms and no evil realms? Because, that would be Samsara. Out of his compassion for us, Dharmakara saw the need for a buddha land with no obstacles toward buddhahood. In samsara, we have many obstacles that prevent us from attaining buddhahood in this lifetime or in many lifetimes. We are in constant suffering due to our greed, anger and delusion. This is why Master Honen points us to Amida and the practice of Nenbutsu. He knows how difficult it is for us to practice the precepts or six paramitas as sentient beings in order to gain birth in a buddha land. He urges this point all through his Senchakushu.

Honen makes an important statement in Chapter 3, regarding the 18th Vow in the selection and rejection process.

He states: ‘Among these Buddha lands there are some wherein birth is attained through the practice of dana. Again, there are some wherein birth comes through observance of the precepts. In other lands, the practice for birth is patience, in others it is zeal, and in others it is meditation. Again, in other lands, the birth practice is attaining wisdom such as faith in the supreme reality. There are also lands wherein birth comes through the bodhicitta, others, through the six acts of mindfulness; and others, by chanting sutras; and again with others, by dharani recitation. Further, there are lands wherein birth is attained by performing various practices such as erecting stupas and making images of the Buddha, offering food to sramanas, being dutiful to parents, and venerating teachers and elders. Also, there are lands wherein birth is obtained by the whole-hearted recitation of the names of the buddhas of those lands.’

‘To conclude that a certain practice is thus allotted for birth in the land of a certain Buddha is a general interpretation. However, viewed more precisely, this is not definitive. In some Buddha lands birth is obtained by many practices, while in many others it is obtained by a single practice common to all. In this way, we find that the practices for birth are many different kinds. It is not possible to discuss them all in detail.’

‘Here in the 18th Vow, Dharmakara selected to cast aside various practices, such as the above mentioned dana, observance of the precepts, and lastly filial piety, and selected to make his own the whole-hearted recitation of the Buddha’s name.’

In the many different buddha lands there are many different practices that Shakyamuni taught for birth that can be done by sentient beings. Some are just one type of practice; some are a combination of practices. Now when we look deeply into these practices, such as dana, precepts, etc., we begin to realize our true ability to perform these practices as bonbu (ordinary sentient beings). This is not to say that these practices aren’t any good, or that they would not help us lead more compassionate and rewarding lives, but they are practices that are very difficult to perfect, and that is why Dharmakara chose a practice (the nenbutsu) which enables everyone to be born in his pure land without fail.

Keep to the Nenbutsu. Recite Amida's Name with True Faith (sanjin). All else will fall into place.

So, put away that cushion for the time being and take up the nenju and recite the Buddha’s Name.

The Senchakushu Chapter 3, Part 4

2009-09-13T09:06:00.005-04:00

Creating Amida’s Pure Land

Master Honen writes: that ‘to select’ means to ‘take up some while rejecting others.’ What this means is that Dharmakara rejected (put aside) all the evil aspects of the human and the heavenly beings in the 21 billion Buddha lands and took up only their good aspects; he rejected the ugly features of these lands and took up the beautiful ones.
In the context of the Larger Pure Land Sutra there is also the notion of “to select”, (Larger Sutra)…”made his own the purifying practices through which the 21 billion buddhas established their marvelous lands.”

“To Select” and “Make His Own” are two different forms, but their meaning is the same. “It follows then that he rejected the impure practices and took up the pure ones.”

There are many who have been critical of Master Honen. It is evident that he was abused and slandered while alive and this continued even after his death. A major hurdle, for many, is his position of Senchaku, the selection and rejection of Buddhist teachings and practice. Honen’s main mission was to put Faith at the forefront of his teaching. Master Honen felt that if we did not establish a firm faith (anjin) then it would be extremely difficult for us to be born in the Pure Land. Once established though, we with a firm faith can begin to incorporate other buddhist teachings into our practice, faith through Nenbutsu, as long as they support the Nenbutsu. (Our link to Amida). If these practices other than the recitation of Nenbutsu become a hindrance to our practice, we should let them go.

Honen had a mission. A mission to peer through the dense jungle that is Buddhist Thought and Practice and to make it a Dharma Door in which all can pass through. The more I practice and come to understand this great man’s teaching, universality and compassion, the more I see its utter beauty.

Just as Dharmakara had selected and rejected certain features in many different Buddha lands, Honen himself also selected and rejected certain Buddhist teachings in order to present to us a teaching just as beautiful.

Honen had seen the misery surrounding him, in plagues, sickness, disasters, the death of parents, children and friends and along with a Buddhist establishment that separated themselves from the common people he made it his mission to search out a buddhist dharma in order to help and save all people through the love and joy of Amida's Compassion.

We should all bear in mind that Honen, even though he saw the need for change, never said a disparaging word toward others and their practices. He simply searched out a way of Nenbutsu as a path for all people, regardless of our ability.

Let us all be grateful!

Rev. Urakami's Passing

2009-09-13T09:02:00.002-04:00

The passing of Rev. Urakami brought great sadness to me. I was informed of his death a couple of weeks ago by my good friend and teacher Rev. Ishikawa. I had written Rev. Urakami some months ago, letting him know how his translations of Honen’s writings and The Three Pure Land Sutras meant so much and how his book, ‘Sayings of Saint Honen’ introduced me to Master Honen. I hope he read my letter before his passing.

Bishop Kenjo Shanti Urakami, 75, of Honolulu, died June 10, 2009. Born in Japan. Educator/minister at Jodo Mission of Hawaii. Survived by wife, Akiko; son, Ejo; daughters, Takako Barrell and Seiko Urakami-Oyama; two grandchildren.

For those unfamiliar with his work please visit:

http://jodomission.netfirms.com/pL_institute.htm

The Seven Article Pledge

2009-09-06T15:53:00.001-04:00

In a post on e-sangha, some time ago, my friend Stephen (Rev. Hodo) a Jodo Shu Priest in Japan made a comment about how he did not want to expand on a conversation on Nichiren, due to his following of the Seven Article Pledge.

It occurred to me at that time that the Seven Article Pledge are wonderful Jodo Shu Precepts in and of themselves. They cover many of the bases that the ordinary five precepts hold, but are given to us from Master Honen.

If we use these as guidelines to our life of living the Nenbutsu, we would always stay true to the teachings of Master Honen and the Jodo Shu (Nenbutsu) path.

Master Honen created this pledge in 1204 to push back the strong forces from Mount Hiei, (Tendai and Shingon) who were putting pressure on him and his sometimes over zealous followers, who might have behaved in ways that would invite criticism from the Buddhist Establishment at that time.

The Seven Article Pledge

1) Refrain from denigrating other buddhas and bodhisattvas and from attacking Shingon and Tendai, for you are not versed in any of their teachings.

2) In your state of ignorance, refrain from indulging in disputes with men of wisdom or when encountering people with other religious practices.

3) Toward people of other persuasions or practices, refrain from saying, with your mind ignorant and biased, that they should abandon their practice. Refrain from wanton ridicule of them.

4) Refrain from saying that there is no observance of the clerical precepts in the nembutsu path, from avidly encouraging sexual indulgences, liquor, or meat eating, from occasionally calling those who adhere to the precepts men of indiscriminate practice, and from the teaching that those who believe in Amida’s original vow have no reason to be afraid when committing evil deeds.

5) As an ignorant being who is unable to distinguish between right and wrong, you should refrain from deviation from the scriptural teachings, from what is not the teachings of your master, from arbitrarily putting forward your own doctrines, from needlessly seeking out disputes, from being laughed at by the wise, and from leading the ignorant astray.

6) In your state of ignorance, refrain from delighting so much in rhetoric, since you know nothing of the true teachings, from expounding various heresies, and from converting ignorant priests and lay people to various heresies.

7) Refrain from expounding heresies that are not the Buddhist teachings and from regarding them as the true teachings. Refrain from the deception of calling them the teachings of your master.

Honen's 145 Topics

2009-09-06T15:49:00.001-04:00

Honen Shonin’s Dialogue on One Hundred Forty-Five Topics

Translated by Joji Atone, PH.D. and Yoko Hayashi, M.ED.

Q(1): In the renovation of aged temples and stupas (Buddhist Monuments), is kuyo (a veneration ceremony of making offerings) necessary?

A: Making offerings to the temples and monuments is not absolutely necessary, but it is not a bad idea to observe such a service because it would be an act of merit. However, omission is not sinful or wrongful.

Q(2): Is the inaugural ceremony of “opening the spiritual eyes” of an image of a Buddha the same as a veneration ceremony of the making of offerings?

A: They are actually different ceremonies: however, people have considered them to be the same. First, “opening the spiritual eyes” meant that the sculptor of that image placed eyes in the figure of a Buddha upon completion of his work. This is called the “physical opening of the eyes.” The priest then chanted the mantra (sacred verses) of Shingon to “open” the eyes. Then the mantra of Buddha Mahavairocana was chanted by the priest, which conferred on the image all the virtues of the Buddha. This completion ceremony is called the “spiritual opening of the eyes.” Second, “making offerings” apply to the offering of flowers, incense, foods, a taper, and some other precious things to the image of a Buddha.

Q(3): For attaining Ojo (birth in the Pure Land), is it necessary to observe meditation on the ultimate reality?

A: This is said to be a concept espoused by Monk Eshin (942-1017), but is an unnecessary practice. Usually, it is a meditative practice not easily pursued by us common people, and I do not think that it is necessary for the attainment of Ojo. Therefore, it is a practice with no merit.

Q(4): In relation to the above, it is taught that one must realize the universal state of the void of all existence. Would this be the “contemplation of sunya (voidness)?” If this is so, it seems to be taught that in order to practice the contemplation one must be detached from all attachments to this worldly life. I came here that you would teach me the fundamentals of this meditative practice.

A: It is all meditation on the noumenal aspects of reality and quite impossible for us to observe. Even priests could not gain this meditation despite long years of study. Those who lack understanding, such as women in particular, would find it an impossible task. It needs not be said that learning about this practice is of no value.

Q(5): Others have suggested that I should chant the names of the Past Seven Buddha’s who appeared in this world. If I do as they say, would I be absolved of all my sins? I ask this question because everything you say is reliable.

A: You need not do as you have described. It is hoped that you will be absolved of your sins through the recitation of Nenbutsu.

Q(6): Is it true that to be negligent of an ignorant master will detract from all that has been learned and make it impossible to receive the divine protection of the Buddha?

A: One must never be neglectful of a master. Nothing surpasses the depth of benevolence bestowed by one’s master.

Q(7): If I recite Nenbutsu with all my heart, will Nenbutsu alone help me to achieve Ojo in the Land, even though I am not reformed and lacking in any sort of practice?

A: It is the nature of common people to experience distractions, which are impossible for them to control. But if you recite Nenbutsu wholeheartedly Amida Buddha will cleanse your sins and make you achieve Ojo. Even sins more serious than illusory thoughts will be eradicated by the recitation of Nenbutsu.

Q(8): Is dharani (a mystic phrase) described in a sutra what we should receive from the priest in the ceremony in which purified water is sprinkled over the head of the devotee?

A: The dharani that is described in the Hokkekyo (Lotus Sutra) is justifiable in the ceremony; however, the dharani performed by the priest in the ceremony is different from the dharani in the Lotus Sutra. I do not remember clearly the contents of the dharani you have mentioned.

Q(9): What does it mean to “meditate upon the mother of Shakyamuni Buddha” as taught in the Fugengyo (Sutra of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra)?

A: I do not remember such a concept.

Q(10): People say that a new born baby is impure for the first hundred days and that it would not be right to take the baby to a Buddhist temple and a Shinto shrine?

A: The impurity of a new born baby for the first hundred days does not matter. It does not mean that the baby is physically soiled. There are others who are unclean as well.

Q(11): It is taught that if one practices One Million Recitations of Nenbutsu one hundred times, one will be assured the attainment of Ojo. What happens if one does not live long enough to do so many recitations?

A: This, too, is a mistaken notion. Reciting One Million Nenbutsu one hundred times will assure Ojo; so will ten recitations; so will even a single utterance of Nenbutsu.

Q(12): It is said that the Amidakyo (Smaller Sukhavati-vyuha-sutra) should be recited one hundred thousand times. What are your thoughts?

A: This also means that one should go as far as possible. It means that one should recite the Sutra as many times as one can.

Q(13): Is it permissible to recite just as many daily Nenbutsu as one can without a predetermined goal?

A: It would be more desirable to set a daily goal, as without a goal one tends to get lazy.

Q(14): Is it permissible to recite Nenbutsu with leeks, onions, garlic and meat on one’s breath?

A: Nothing affects the recitation of Nenbutsu.

Q(15): Before having toki (a religious meal) during the Six Days of Observation of the Precepts for lay people, should one attempt to observe religious abstinence, perform one’s absolutions, and put on freshly laundered clothing?

A: It is absolutely not necessary to do so.

Q(16): I am taking medication every seven days. What should I do if a seventh day falls on the Six Days of Observance of the Precepts?

A: It cannot be helped. It is not a sin to take medication.

Q(17): Should one practice the Six Days of Observation of the Precepts throughout one’s life, or just for a number of years?

A: The decision is yours. There is no hard or fast rule.

Q(18): In the daily recitation of Nenbutsu, what is the appropriate number of repetitions?

A: The initial goal is ten thousand recitations, which increases to twenty, thirty, fifty, sixty and one hundred thousand. Referring to these goals, you may repeat as many as your heart desires.

Q(19): How many times should one recite Amidakyo (Smaller Sukhavati-vyuha-sutra) in a day?

A: Master Zendo stated that reciting the Sutra one hundred thousand times during one’s lifetime guarantees Ojo. At fifteen times a day, one will be able to recite the Sutra one hundred thousand times in twenty years. Thirty times a day will take you ten years.

Q(20): It is taught that a strand of Five-Colored (blue, yellow, red, white and black) Thread is placed in the left hand of Amida Buddha when one is about to expire. With which hand should I hold the thread?

A: Holding in both hands would be fine.

Q(21): It is said that burning writings of the Name of Amida Buddha which are no longer in use, or burning unused teachings of the Buddha in order not to handle them disrespectfully would be sinful. What do you think of burning them while chanting Buddhist passages?

A: There are several passages to chant appropriate for this purpose. The essential thing to remember is that the teachings of the Buddha must be revered. If you wish to burn such writings, do it in a place that is clean and pure.

Q(22): In the ceremony for receiving the Buddhist precepts, we ask certain masters to become our wajo ( a master who gives the precepts) and ajari ( an eminent master); however, I do not fully understand the roles of these two masters. What do they mean?

A: Wajo is a master who instructs us in the teachings of the Buddha within the ceremony of receiving the Buddhist precepts. Ajari is the master who specifically bestows, the precepts; he is referred to as Katsuma Ajari.

Q(23): Is there merit in the observation of a religious meal for purification? Should one observe this practice without fail?

A: There is merit in this practice, especially during the Six Days of Observation of the Precepts. The important thing to remember is that it is not necessary to observe this practice if one is seriously ill. Under these conditions, if one recites Nenbutsu frequently, one will detach from the delusive worlds of birth and death to attain Ojo in the Pure Land. This is due to the power of Nenbutsu.

Q(24): When life comes to an end should one hold the Five-Colored Thread in the same hand position (the manual sign of meditation) as Amida Buddha? Or should one hold the Thread in both hands?

A: It is not absolutely necessary to emulate the manual sign of meditation. Just join your palms together in homage, holding the thread between your palms.

Q(25): It is not always possible to see the picture of Amida Buddha, even when one is up close to the image. Is it permissible to hold the thread from a distance?

A: You may be close, or at a distance, at your convenience. Distance does not matter.

Q(26): After death, is Ojo in the Pure Land possible without seeing the picture of Amida Buddha, holding the thread and reciting Nenbutsu? What if I only hear Nenbutsu recited by others?

A: You will attain Ojo whether or not you should hold the thread, whether or not Amida Buddha comes to welcome you, as long as you are reciting Nenbutsu. However, to attain Ojo by listening to others’ recitation of Nenbutsu is reserved only for the extremely devout practitioner.

Q(27): Long after having departed from the delusive worlds of birth and death with my fervent wish not to be reborn in the Delusive Triple Realms again, and having been born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, is it true that I may return to this world of suffering if my karmic ties to the Land of Ultimate Bliss come to an end? I hope to become a sovereign, to be reborn in the world of heavenly beings, and especially to detach myself from the Delusive Triple Realms. What kind of acts make me return to this world of anguish again?

A: These are all mistaken beliefs. Once one is born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, one will never come back to this world of suffering. All who are in the Land realize Buddhahood. There are some who will come back for the purpose of offering guidance to others. However, they are not beings who transmigrate in the delusive worlds of birth and death. In order to depart from the Delusive Triple Realms and to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, there is no more surpassing practice than the Nenbutsu. You should devote yourself to the recitation of Nenbutsu.

Q(28): When a preceptor asks a woman to observe the precepts in a service, what should she say, if she does not want to promise unequivocally to observe them, due to an uncertainty about breaking them in the future? It is said that she should make a promise to observe them for some time when a preceptor asks. Is this true?

A: There presents no problem. Even if she breaks her promise later, it is proper to say, “I will observe them,” with a desire to commit at the time of receiving the precepts.

Q(29): Should one gild an image of a Buddha and make offerings to the image?

A: This is not necessary.

Q(30): How would it be to make others recite daily Nenbutsu when one neglects the daily recitation?

A: It is not necessary to ask others to do so.

Q(31): People say that to refold a sutra in scroll form into a book bound with string is sinful. Is this true?

A: Such an act is not sinful.

Q(32): Is it sinful to remove and give away a sutra that is presented to the image of a Buddha on the alter?

A: It is virtuous to spread the teachings of the Buddha.

Q(33): Is it sinful to remove and read a single volume from a set of the scriptures?

A: It is not a sinful act.

Q(34): Must an image of a Buddha be enshrined in an alter with one making offerings?

A: Not at all.

Q(35): Should one worship other people in accordance with the Hokkekyo (Lotus Sutra), which teaches us not to take others lightly?

A: The true meaning of this concept is difficult to understand for people today.

Q(36): It is said that it is not necessary to observe religious abstinence for a deceased child of seven. What does this mean?

A: There is no such thing as ‘religious abstinence’ in Buddhism. This is an idea that is commonly perpetrated.

Q(37): To apply glue to an image of the Buddha is to defile it. What should one do?

A: It is true that glue is unclean. However, there is no suitable substitute for the job.

Q(38): Is it wrong for a nun to take medicine?

A: Medicine necessary to cure an illness is acceptable, but she should not take medications when she is well.

Q(39): People say that it is sinful to precede one’s parents in death. What does this mean?

A: In this world of suffering, mortals are powerless over whether or not children precede parents in death.

Q(40): Is it meritorious to accumulate virtuous deeds during one’s lifetime?

A: This is commendable.

Q(41): If one has received protection from another’s prayers, should one make offerings.

A: That would be unnecessary.

Q(42): Is giving to one who deceives others a sinful act?

A: It would be sinful.

Q(43): Is it necessary to make offerings to the Buddhist Scriptures while reciting it?

A: Just reciting suffices.

Q(44): Should one make offerings to the Scriptures after reciting one thousand sets of the Scriptures?

A: That would not be necessary.

Q(45): While praying for repentance should one use banners and adornments to embellish their alter?

A: Adornments are not necessary. The important thing is that one concentrates on repentance from the depths of one’s heart.

Q(46): How should one make offerings of flowers and incense to an image of the Buddha?

A: According to ritual, prayers should be offered at dawn. Flowers may be offered in a vase or strewn before the altar. Incense should be burned without fail. However, if it is impossible to follow the ritual, so be it.

Q(47): Should one receive instructions on reading the Scriptures from a priest?

A: If you are able to read, you need not receive instructions from a priest.

Q(48): In order to listen to a sermon must one always visit a temple?

A: It is not necessary to be in a temple; however, absence may bring negative results. Just quietly recite Nenbutsu.

Q(49): How would it be to put your afterlife in the hands of kami (gods-shinto)?

A: Nothing surpasses placing your future in the hands of Amida Buddha.

Q(50): Is it sinful to be a sekkyoji (an itinerant preacher as one’s career)? People say that one who desires to become such a man’s wife is also sinful. Is this true?

A: Essentially, to become an itinerant preacher is virtuous. However, the itinerant preacher in the Period of the Decline of the Dharma would be sinful. One who becomes his wife in this Period would also share in his sin.

Q(51): Is it sinful to collect aromatics such as musk and clover?

A: Collecting such essences would be sinful. (Maybe there is a typo-I’ll look into it)

Q(52): How about one’s wife receiving instruction in sutra chanting from a man?

A: There is no problem with this.

Q(53): Is it true that one should not meet the eyes of someone who has renounced the priesthood and returned to secular life?

A: There is no such teaching. This is incorrect.

Q(54): If one leaves the priesthood and returns to secular life, but not by personal choice, how sinful is this?

A: His sins would be negligible.

Q(55): At the time of worshiping at a shrine or a temple, is it better to observe religious abstinence in order to purify oneself for one day or three days?

A: Belief is the basis for your action. There is no dictated number of days for abstention; however, three days are naturally better than one day.

Q(56): Is it sinful to compose poetry?

A: It depends. It may be sinful, or it may be meritorious.

Q(57): Is the consumption of sake sinful?

A: Rightfully, we should not drink wine, but it seems to be a custom of present day life. It cannot be helped.

Q(58): Is it an eccentric who partakes of fish, poultry and meat?

A: My answer is the same as the previous one.

Q(59): Is it commendable to observe religious abstinence for one hundred days after one becomes a nun?

A: It is, indeed.

Q(60): If an image of a Buddha is created, must one make an offering of the Scriptures to the image?

A: It is not necessary, but the Scriptures may be offered.

Q(61): People say that virtuous acts of merit must be accumulated to one’s utmost limits. Is this true?

A: This need not trouble you. It would be acceptable to endeavor to do as much as you possibly can.

Q(62): Should one prepare both an image of the Buddha and the Scriptures at the same time?

A: It is not necessary to do so. You may prepare each separately.

Q(63): When one holds a Buddhist crosier should one chant verses?

A: That would not be necessary. If you have time for verses, recite Nenbutsu even once. When a nun walks with a crosier in her hand, she should chant verses to disperse insects around her.

Q(64): What of visiting a shrine or a temple on the day of someone’s death?

A: It is all right to do so. It can also be done on the anniversary date of death.

Q(65): Will one utterance, or ten recitations of Nenbutsu eliminate the sin of a person who has committed the Five Grave Offences and the Ten Transgressions?

A: There is not doubt that one will be exonerated.

Q(66): Even if one does not encounter a virtuous teacher at one’s time of death, will Ojo be possible through the daily practice of Nenbutsu?

A: Whether or not you meet a virtuous teacher, whether or not you are in control of circumstances at the end of your life, the recitation of Nenbutsu makes Ojo possible.

Q(67): People say that to slander the true Dharma is a sin graver than the Five Grave Offenses. Is this true?

A: This is not a common occurrence.

Q(68): Should the head of the deceased be shaved?

A: This is not done as a rule.

Q(69): I cannot rid myself of illusory thoughts. What should I do?

A: You should recite Nenbutsu with the utmost care.

Q(70): How would it be to loan things I have prepared for my final moments to someone else before I use them?

A: You may do so without a problem.

Q(71): Who is most appropriate for the entwining of the Five-Colored Thread?

A: It would be fine to have little children doing the entwining.

Q(73): What would happen if a cotton swab which has been used for administering medicine to a dying person is left without washing?

A: This presents no problem.

Q(74): How about if one who aspires Ojo is dressed appropriately, but finds oneself in an unsavory place?

A: It is permissible. You should dress appropriately especially when you observe the eight precepts.

Q(75): Is it alright to recite a sutra during menstruation?

A: There should be no problem with this.

Q(76): How is it to think ill of Amida Buddha when one’s prayers are not answered?

A: You must never think ill of Amida Buddha. His graces are earned through one’s karmic relationship and the existence of one’s own faith. Whether in this world or the next, there is nothing that surpasses total reliance on Amida Buddha.

Q(77): Will the undesirable effects of eating garlic and meat dissipate in seven days? Why is dried venison said to be tainted?

A: Garlic is alright after the odor is gone. It is not true that dried meat is tainted.

Q(78): Is it permissible for a woman to recite a sutra as an offering to kami gods during her menstrual period?

A: You need not exercise restraint even toward kami. There is no religious abstinence for purification in Buddhism.

Q(79): Is it true that visiting a temple and a shrine during the first hundred days after delivering a child causes an inauspicious thing?

A: My answer is the same as the previous one. There is no such abstinence in the teaching of the Buddha.

Q(80): Should one abstain from eating fish when one is in the process of reading a chaper of the Lotus Sutra?

A: It is justifiable to eat.

Q(81): Is it possible to receive the Buddhist Scriptures without Juzu (prayer beads) and kakeobi (the read colored ceremonial sash for religious abstinence)?

A: There is no problem with this.

Q(82): Is it true that legumes and red beans are not eaten during the observation of religious meal?

A: Refraining from them is not necessary.

Q(83): Is it acceptable to recite Nenbutsu, awake or lying down, without cleansing one’s mouth?

A: It is all right.

Q(84): Is it sinful to receive alms from a devotee?

A: If a priest partakes of food offered after reciting a sutra, it is acceptable. If he receives alms without prayer, his sin would be grave.

Q(85): What about the saying that one will turn into a snake if one eats food that has been offered to deities?

A: A Shinto ritualist and priest may eat because they devote themselves to serving deities. If consumption is minimal by a lay person, it would not be a grave sin.

Q(86): Is it sinful to eat food meant for a Buddhist priest?

A: It may or may not be. However, to consume food meant for the Buddha, or to eat food which someone offered to the Buddha for the purpose of establishing a karmic relationship with Him would be sinful.

Q(87): Is it sinful for one who stays in the proximity of the Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple and Shiten’oji Temple and eat a priests food, to then pray for one’s future life?

A: This is all right if one continuously recites Nenbutsu?

Q(88): In the morning of a religious meal, is it permissible to gather a great amount of food?

A: It is permissible.

Q(89): How about weaving clothing in the early morning before a religious meal? Is this justifiable?

A: You may do so.

Q(90): After observing the Buddhist Precepts, for how many days should I perform religious abstinence for purification?

A: Any number of days which are personally satisfactory is fine.

Q(91): Is it meritorious to listen to a sermon?

A: It is meritorious.

Q(92): What of a Nenbutsu practitioner worshiping at a shrine?

A: It is permissible.

Q(93): One should transfer the merit of sutra chanting towards Ojo at a shrine and a temple. However, someone said that it is also justifiable to transfer the merit of the recitation of Nenbutsu towards Ojo instead of sutra chanting. Is this acceptable?

A: It is all right.

Q(94): Is it a sinful act of sessho (taking life) for me to eat fish without praying for repose of it?

A: This would not apply to the taking of life.

Q(95): Should one cleanse the prayer beads one has in hand while taking a dose of medicine?

A: You may or may not do so, as you wish.

Q(96): It is said that both Senju Kan’non (Bodhisattva with a thousand arms) and Yakushi Nyorai (Buddha of healing) practice religious abstinence for purification. Is this true?

A: They do not.

Q(97): Is it permissible to eat leeks and garlic during the Six Days of Observance of the Precepts for lay people?

A: It would be better not to do so.

Q(98): Should one keep food pure when one consumes a religious meal?

A: According to the rules of practice, one does not necessarily need to cleanse food or observe religious abstinence before taking a meal. A plain carton will suffice as a container of the meal. Concerning verses read during the period of a religious meal, women need not chant verses, but merely recite Nenbutsu. If you miss a religious meal without any particular reason, recite Nenbutsu at another time.

Q(99): Should a ceremony on the third anniversary of a death be performed?

A: It is not imperative.

Q(100): At the time of a religious meal, must one include vegetables with saba (a small amount of rice offering)? Should this rice be tossed upon the house, placed in an earthenware container, or received in my own plain plate?

A: You may do whatever you wish.

Q(101): Is it sinful for women to harbor envious feelings?

A: Women are born due to the effect of eons of retribution. They are indeed in pitiable circumstances.

Q(102): I have not entered the priesthood. Is Ojo still possible?

A: There are many lay people who attain Ojo.

Q(103): What of cutting into little pieces the Five-Colored Thread and distributing the pieces to many people?

A: The Thread should not be cut to distribute.

Q(104): What should I do if various angry thoughts surface during the recitation of Nenbutsu?

A: Distracting thoughts are truly wrongful. You must endeavor to recite Nenbutsu wholeheartedly.

Q(105): What of men and women who die without shaving their heads?

A: The essence is not hair but whether or not Nenbutsu was recited.

Q(106): It is said that for a nun to have a relationship with a man and to bear his child is tantamount to the Five Grave Offenses. Is this true?

A: It is not as serious as the Five Grave Offences, but it is indeed a grave sin.

Q(107): Is it sinful for a nun to allow her hair grow?

A: It will be a karmic cause for her to fall into the Three Evil Realms.

Q(108): Is it sinful to sell Buddhist Scriptures and images of a Buddha.

A: It is sinful indeed.

Q(109): Is it also sinful to sell people?

A: It certainly is.

Q(110): People say that on days when religious abstinence is observed, one must not trim one’s nails or have one’s head shaved by a female. What is the reason for these beliefs?

A: Such beliefs are erroneous.

Q(111): Is it sinful for myself and others to write odes to the dead and the deities?

A: If not done in excess, why would this be sinful?

Q(112): It is said that religious abstinence from Japanese wine should be observed for a duration of seven days. Is this true?

A: It is true; however, exceptions are allowed in the case of illness.

Q(113): After partaking of fish and poultry, should one shower to cleanse oneself before reciting a sutra?

A: It is proper to purify the body before the reading of Buddhist Scriptures. If one does not cleanse the body, merit and sin will blend into one another. However, it would be more meritorious to read, rather than not read the Scriptures, even without a cleansing.

Q(114): When a man and wife together read a sutra, should they first cleanse their bodies?

A: The answer is the same as above. A cleansing bath should be taken before the reciting of a sutra. A bath does need to precede the recitation of Nenbutsu. However, do read a sutra after a cleansing bath. Do it even if you recite a sutra daily.

Q(115): People say that offerings of a Japanese radish and citron are a hindrance to worship. Is this true?

A: There is no such effect.

Q: (116): What should be done with the hair that is shaved off a nun’s head when she enters religious life?

A: It may be blended into paper to be used for recording the Scriptures, or it can be placed in the bowels of a statue of a Buddha.

Q(117): What of a nun wearing navy blue silk?

A: That would be a grave sin.

Q(118): Is it true that both men and women should wash their hair, or at least the tops of their heads, prior to visiting a temple to worship?

A: There is no such requirement.

Q(119): Should one never harbor grudges toward Amida Buddha?

A: Under no circumstances should you be resentful of Amida Buddha. The grave sin of a devout person will be neutralized, but the small sin of a nonbeliever will never be eradicated. One should be ashamed of one’s lack of faith.

Q(120): On one day during hassen (the eight specific dates a year based on the Chinese sexagesimal cycle), should one refrain from going to a temple to worship?

A: There is no such thing. Amida Buddha never fails to hear you, regardless of time and circumstances.

Q(121): It is said that during moxibustion treatments one should refrain from visiting a temple to worship, and that clothing worn during treatments should be discarded. Is this true?

A: This, too, is a fallacious view. However, one should concentrate on the treatment and not leave the home. There is no religious abstinence in the act of burning moxa.

Q(122): People say that dying within three years after partaking of such foods as garlic and meat, prevents that person from attaining Ojo. Is this true?

A: This, too, is a fallacy. It is said that one who has partaken of any of the Five Pungent Vegetables (leeks, onions, garlic, scallions, and ginger) should not approach a dying person’s final moments but there is no reason to exercise religious abstinence for three years after having these foods.

Q(123): It is said that one who dies of a plague, and a woman who dies in childbirth are sinful. Is this true?

A: Such people will also attain Ojo through the recitation of Nenbutsu.

Q(124): People say that filial piety is for parents, and that children should not accept the piety of parents. Is this true?

A: This is an erroneous understanding.

Q(125): What is the duration of religious abstinence after childbirth? What is the usual duration of religious abstinence for purification?

A: In Buddhism there is no such abstinence. Popularly, it is said that one is impure for seven days or thirty days after childbirth. It is also said that religious abstinence takes fifty days. However, one may do as one’s heart dictates.

Q(126): Is it necessary to prepare the Scriptures and an image of a buddha in order to pray for one’s life after death?

A: Yes, it is taught. You must be prepared.

Q(127): Is it acceptable to force oneself to recite Nenbutsu after forgetting one’s daily Nenbutsu, or to force oneself to recite Nenbutsu beforehand, fearing one will miss daily Nenbutsu?

A: Forced recitation is permissible, but to do Nenbutsu before hand indicates laxity in one’s commitment; this is not acceptable.

Q(128): Who is more meritorious-a young priest or an old priest?

A: An older priest is more meritorious. A young priest is even more admirable.

Q(129): Should one chant the verse, “One who practices the Ten Bodhisattva Practices can attain Ojo,” while placing flowers on the altar?

A: There is no merit in doing so. Just recite the Nenbutsu.

Q(130): Is it wrong for a person to visit a shrine or a temple while practicing religious abstinence for purification reasons?

A: There is no problem with this.

Q(131): Is it wrong to take a route different from the one I took to visit a shrine or a temple on my trip home? How about one indulges in having fish and poultry?

A: Any route is all right, except when visiting Kumano Shrine.

Q(132): How does one go about chanting a verse used during a religious meal for purification?

A: Merely repeat Nenbutsu during the religious meal.

Q(133): Is it a sin for a woman to feel envy?

A: Just concentrate on Nenbutsu from the depth of one’s heart.

Q(134): It is said that to use paper made of ashes from the paulownia tree for the Buddhist and Shinto family altar is inappropriate. Is this true?

A: There is no truth to this.

Q(135): Should one endeavor to observe religious abstinence at a shrine or a tmple for three, or four days?

A: Observe it for three days.

Q(136): When practicing religious confinement to one’s home for three days, should one actually confine oneself for four days; if for seven days, confine oneself for eight days, before ending the confinement?

A: You may follow the practice of others in this ritual.

Q(137): It is said that prayer beads made of cherry or chestnut wood are tainted. Is this true?

A; There is no such truth.

Q(138): People say that sin committed by a Buddhist priest is especially grave. Is this true?

A: This is not necessarily so.

Q(139): What can one do if, during one’s lifetime in this world, one prays without proof of merit?

A: Not seeing proof of one’s prayers in this world does not mean that Amida Buddha is being untruthful. There is no proof because one’s actions are not in concert with one’s genuine heart. Therefore, if one’s actions truly reflect one’s sincerity, one should see proof of one’s prayers. If one worships Kannon (Bodhisattva Avalokitsevara) with all one’s heart, the answer to one’s prayers will be manifested. If sincerity is lacking, one’s prayer will not be answered. One whose karmic relationship with Amida Buddha was deep-rooted in a previous existence is even able to change karmic circumstances that were preordained. In times past, as well as in the present, those who do not have a solid karmic relationship with Amida Buddha will lament the lack of proof even for minor tribulations. But Amida Buddha should never be reproached. To truly serve Amida Buddha in this life and the next, one must endeavor to serve with a genuine heart. In this way one’s prayers will be answered in this world; in the next world, one will be born in the Pure Land. If one’s endeavors still do not result in proof, one should be ashamed of the state of one’s own heart.

Note: The following question was asked directly of Honen Shonin on the 14th of December of the 1st year of Ken’nin-1201.

Q(140): Is it true that Amida Buddha, when He comes to receive one in one’s final moments, will return without taking one if one is defiled?

A: If Amida Buddha arrives to take one who is defiled to His Pure Land, why would He return alone? Amida Buddha is not concerned with one’s purity or impurity. Purity and impurity are in the eyes of the beholder. The mere recitation of Nenbutsu is sufficient. One may be pure of heart, but without Nenbutsu, one reaps no merit. Forget all else and just repeat Nenbutsu. This fact has been proven many times.

Note: The following questions were posed in a letter to Honen Shonin.

Q(141): Is the act by family member of giving clothes and food to others while having thoughts of Ojo, consistent with the notion of making offerings to Amida Buddha, even if the family members may or may not be intimate?

A: With no thought for the depth of relationships, to give things to others in aspiration for Ojo has great merit. I made this very clear to the bearer of this letter.

Q(142): Is there merit in giving alms to a priest who has violated the precepts or to an ignorant priest?

A: In this period of the decline of the dharma, respect for priests who have violated the precepts or who are ignorant, is expected. I have clarified this thought for the bearer of the letter mentioned above also; please ask him for further explanation.

Note: The following questions were asked of Honen Shonin in person.

Q(143): During the daily recitation of Nenbutsu, which is more desirable---to recite 60,000 to 100,000 Nenbutsu as you thumb the prayer beads, or to recite 20-30,000 Nenbutsu while you carefully move the beads one at a time?

A: For an ordinary person, to recite 20-30,000 Nenbutsu according to prescribed ritual is a difficult task. However, the more Nenbutsu one repeats, the better because the ritual promotes consistent recitation of the Name of Amida Buddha. The number of the recitation is not essential. Multitude Nenbutsu encourages incessant practice. If one does not keep track of numbers, one may become lax; therefore, counting of the prayer beads encourages the recitation of a large number of Nenbutsu.

Q(144): Is the Shingon School’s ceremony of making offerings to Amida Buddha a proper rite?

A: Although there is only one Amida Buddha, His teachings have different interpretations. The Shingon School teaches that Amida Buddha resides in one’s own heart; they do not admit the existence outside of one’s heart. Jodo Shu, however, teaches that Bodhisattva Dharmakara realized Buddhahood and became Amida Buddha who now resides in the West. These two viewpoints differ greatly between the two schools.

Q(145): Which is more commendable—to recite Nenbutsu while ceasing evil acts and cultivating wholesome deeds, or to recite Nenbutsu with total reliance upon the Essential Vow?

A: It is a universal admonition among all buddhas to cease evil acts and to perform wholesome deeds. We who are living in the present day, however, do not have the capacity to adhere to this teaching. Therefore, all that we can do is to merely believe in the Essential Vow and to repeat the Name of Amida Buddha. He, without regard for whether one is learned or unschooled, or whether or not one who observes the precepts, will appear to take one to His Land of Ultimate Bliss. Please bear this in mind.

A Reply to a Nun

2009-09-06T15:45:00.001-04:00

A Reply to the Nun of the Second Rank in the Court of Kamakura

Translated by
Joji Atone, Ph.D. and Yoko Hayashi, M.Ed.

I have read your letter in detail. It is said that the virtue of the recitation of Nenbutsu is indeed profound and difficult even for a Buddha to expound upon it. It is also said that Shariputra, the most knowledgeable disciple of Buddha Shakyamuni, and Ananda, the most erudite disciple, admitted to their lack of knowledge regarding the merit of Nenbutsu in its entirety. The recitation of Nenbutsu has an extensive virtuous root. One such as I (Genku), could not possibly expound upon its merit.
I, Genku, have studied the numerous Buddhist Scriptures that have found their way to our country; I do not believe that the entire Pure Land Scriptures are in existence here. Even the Pure Land Scriptures from China cannot be fully elucidated in one or two years. Since you have asked, however, I will relate some thoughts to you.

The non-believers of Nenbutsu say that because the Lay Bonze of Kumagai and Saburo of Tsunoto are unschooled, I, Honen-bo, encourage them to practice Nenbutsu exclusively rather than to pursue practices other than the recitation of Nenbutsu. This is a totally mistaken belief. The practice of Nenbutsu does not discriminate between the learned and the unschooled. The Essential Vow made by Amida Buddha long ago was designed for the salvation of all sentient beings. It does not promote Nenbutsu for the unschooled nor other practices for the scholarly. The practice taught in the Essential Vow was established for all beings in the ten quarters. Nenbutsu does not discriminate between learned and the unschooled, the good and the evil, those in tune with the precepts or those who violate them, those of high or low status, nor between male and female. For those who lived in the time of Buddha Shakyamuni, those who lived after the demise of the Buddha, and even those who will live during the disappearance of the Three Treasures (the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha) after the Period of the Decline of the Dharma, lasting ten thousand years, Nenbutsu serves as the practice for Ojo in this world and in the realm we will inhabit after death.
Master Zendo was the manifestation of Amida Buddha. In his compassion for all sentient beings, Master Zendo pursued the study of the entire compilation of the Scriptures and encouraged the exclusive practice of Nenbutsu for them. Nenbutsu, as a skillful means for salvation, is the suitable teaching in this Period of the Decline of the Dharma. Have faith in the Essential Vow which one extensively exercises, totally comply with the heart of Master Zendo, and exhort the sole teaching of Nenbutsu; how can Ojo through Nenbutsu be limited to the unschooled? How can it be impossible for the scholarly to attain Ojo? If this was so, it would be contrary to the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha and a betrayal of the intent of Master Zendo. I, therefore, encourage all who come asking about the way to Ojo to commit themselves to the exclusive practice of Nenbutsu regardless of their intellectual abilities.
Those who attempt to discourage the recitation of Nenbutsu through such falsehoods did not hear the teaching for attaining enlightenment through the Nenbutsu Samadhi in their previous existence, and their next life will most certainly be destined to return to the Three Evil Worlds (The realms of hell, starving spirits, and beasts). Therefore, they tell the falsehoods as if they were true. Such irrelevant views are extensively described in the Holy Scriptures. For example, Master Zendo stated in Hojisan (Liturgy for the Rite of Desiring Birth in the Pure Land through Reciting Sutras and Circumambulation):

“There are people who give rise to the venom of hatred when they see a serious practitioner and who struggles to intrigue and create grudges. Such people seem blind by nature and have no intrinsic goodness. They destroy the teaching designed for the instantaneous realization of enlightenment and will sink into the Three Evil Worlds for a long time. Even though innumerable kalpas passed, which are much longer than the number of particles released in the explosion of the earth, they will never be released from the Three Evil Worlds.”

This passage refers to one who gives rise to the evil passion of anger upon witnessing a practitioner of Nenbutsu who desires to be born in the Pure Land; he contrives various evils schemes and ill advisedly causes termination of the exclusive Nenbutsu, succeeding in his malicious intent. Such a person lacks an eye for the teachings of the Buddha from birth and has no inherent goodness; he is in want of the seeds of virtuous roots. If such a depraved person recites the Name of Amida Buddha, it is possible to extricate himself from the delusive worlds of birth and death and to live eternally in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. However, the offense of belittling and attempting to destroy the teaching of Nenbutsu causes him to be mired interminably in the Three Evil Worlds. Such a person will not escape from the Three Evil Worlds for innumerable kalpas. Therefore, this type of person should be looked upon with pity. It is futile indeed to urge Nenbutsu upon one who is swayed by such thought, becomes neglectful in his exclusive practice of Nenbutsu, and harbors doubt about Ojo through recitation of Nenbutsu.
Those who have little karmic relationship with Amida Buddha and who have not discovered his thought of Ojo, will not believe in the teaching of Nenbutsu even if they hear it, will bring rise to wrath when they see the Nenbutsu devotee, and will get angry upon hearing Nenbutsu. They will also speak ill of Nenbutsu, which is not found in any sutra or commentary. You should understand this, and you must not deviate, no matter what you are told. You should not force Nenbutsu on one who does not believe in Nenbutsu. It is impossible even for Amida Buddha to sway the non-believer; it is well neigh impossible for a common devotee. Rather, look upon the non-believer as having been your father, mother, brothers, sisters, and relatives in your previous existence, summon your compassionate spirit, practice Nenbutsu yourself in the hopes that you will be born in the high grade of the high category of Birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, realize enlightenment, return once again to this delusive world of birth and death, and hope to welcome into the Pure Land all those who slander and hold Nenbutsu in disbelief. I implore you to thoroughly understand this.

(I) When you encounter the people who engage in cultivating wholesome merit through observing Miscellaneous Practices, think of it as the process by which wealth begets wealth. Firmly believe that you will attain Ojo through the wholehearted and exclusive practice of Nenbutsu, think of the other as one who is taking the long way and make an effort to establish a karmic relationship which encourages him to take the short way with you. To the extent that it does not interfere with you exclusive practice of Nenbutsu; it is acceptable to make an attempt at bringing in a Nenbutsu devotee.

(II) As you behold the people erecting a temple, structuring the image of a Buddha, engaging in the reproduction of sutras, and making offerings to a monk, you should encourage them to say that they must awaken unshakable faith in Ojo in the Pure Land and then keep up their effort to cultivate these sundry virtuous roots.

(III) There exist those who are unaware of the true meaning of Nenbutsu, who pray to a Buddha and kami (gods) for fortune in this world, recite and copy sutras and erect a temple. If you behold these people, you should encourage them as mentioned above. The cultivation of these sundry virtuous acts is acceptable if they are performed for the sake of Ojo in their next lives. Do not say that these acts are unnecessary. You should not consider them as a deterrent to the exclusive practice of Nenbutsu.

(IV) There are many implications in the recitation of Nenbutsu. However, the vocalization of the six characters, ‘Ma Mu A Mi Da Butsu,’ encompasses the merit of all religious practices. To believe in the Essential Vow, to utter His Name, to hold juzu (a string of prayer beads) in hand, and at all times, aspire the attainment of Ojo; these become the causal practices toward the certain attainment of Ojo in the Pure Land.
Nenbutsu practice does not discriminate among those who are walking, standing, sitting, or lying down; time, place, or condition; the purity or impurity of one’s mouth and body. This practice of Nenbutsu is, therefore, called the “easy Practice for Ojo.” We must remember, however, maintaining purity of one’s heart when Nenbutsu is recited should be foremost.
To put our total faith in the Pure Land results in the purification of one’s mind. It is my wish that you encourage others to recite Nenbutsu in this spirit. If you have this spirit all the time, there is nothing more to be said. You, too, should recite Nenbutsu exclusively, believe in certain attainment of Ojo, and be stalwart in your belief.

(V) Should you encounter a non-believer of the Nenbutsu practice, do not discuss the teaching of Nenbutsu. Neither should you engage in debate over doctrine with people who follow studies and practices other than Nenbutsu. You must not look down on, or slander, people who have views and leanings other than your own. It is lamentable that criticism will result in making the other a grievously sinful person.
Should there be a person who has the same heart as us, desiring Ojo in the Land of Ultimate Bliss and reciting Nenbutsu, think of him with no less compassion than that of our fathers, mothers, and masters have shown to us, however low his station is. If such a person is suffering in poverty, come to his aid. At all times, nurture everyone who shows the least bit of interest in the teaching of Nenbutsu. It should be done with the thought that these acts are a service to Tathagata Amida.
It is imprudent that some people speak about the teachings of the Buddha with a stance of wisdom vying with one another, even though one’s wisdom and practice have gradually waned since the demise of Buddha Shakyamuni. For one who does not peruse the compiled works of the Buddhist Scriptures and can not speak of other writing on Buddhism, to assume a stance of wisdom is analogous to the little frog in the well. I have collected and studied many Chinese and Japanese holy teachings. Reflecting on these teachings, a non-believer of Nenbutsu is one who committed grave offenses in his previous life and stayed in hell for a long while; this person will return to hell soon. Never believe the sayings of a thousand buddhas, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, as well as Tathagata Shakyamuni. Keep your heart as hard as a diamond and do not change your devotion toward the wholehearted and exclusive practice of Nenbutsu.

If anyone attempts to launch a debate on Nenbutsu, suggest that he come to me to learn the meaning of Nenbutsu. I could recommend various worthy documents concerning Nenbutsu to you, but this explanation suffices. For people in this delusive world where life is the endurance of pain, desiring a pure land other than that of Amida Buddha would be as futile as hunting without a bow or attempting to pluck a flower from a treetop when one has no legs on which to stand.
The exclusive practice of Nenbutsu is prayer for the present and the future. This is taught in the sutras. Encourage your kin to practice Nenbutsu throughout their entire life in order to realize the nine grades of Ojo in accordance to their abilities.

Sincerely yours.

Translator’s Note

The “Kamakura no ni’ I no zen’ni mairasuru gohenji (A Reply to the Nun of the Second Rank in the Court of Kamakura)” is found in the Wago Toroku (A Collection of the Teachings of Honen Shonin), compiled by Doko (1203-1290). This reply was written by Honen and sent to the nun holding the second rank in the court of Kamakura, Hojo Masako (1157-1225), the wife of Shogun Minamoto Sanetomo.
In his reply, Honen expounds the profound merit of Nenbutsu and the exclusive practice of Nenbutsu for Ojo which does not discriminate between the learned and the unschooled. He further instructs Masako regarding the proper attitude toward people who criticize and slander Nenbutsu and also encourages her to cultivate virtuous acts other than Nenbutsu (to the extent that the acts do not interfere with her performance of Nenbutsu). Honen’s five items of instruction noted in the letter half of the reply must be the answers to the questions posed by Masako.
The two names, the Lay Bonze of Kumagai and Saburo of Tsunoto, appearing in this reply are disciples of Honen. Kumagai no Jiro Naozane (1138-1207) was the feudal lord of Kumagai, a distinguished warrior in the battle between the Genji clan and the Heike clan which took place during the end of the 11th through the end of the 12the century. In 1192, Naozane fell out with Kuge Naomitsu over the boundary of their domains, entered religious life, took the name Rensei-bo, and became an ardent Nenbutsu practicioner under the mentorship of Honen. There is a famous tale that says that when he returned to Kumagai he would put the saddle on the horse backwards, riding facing the west, and travel to the east while facing the west in order to face in the direction of Amida Buddha and his master in the capital.
Saburo Tamemori (1163-1243) was also a warrior in Tsunoto (a suburb of Tokyo). In 1180, Tamemori joined the forces of Minamoto Yoritomo at the age of 18 and took part in a battle on Mt. Ishibashi in Sagami (Kanagawa Prefecture). When Yoritomo came up to Nara to attend the dedication service for the newly built of Todaiji Temple in 1196, Tamemori went along with his master. Arriving at the capital in Kyoto on the way to Nara, Tamemori visited Honen, and was deeply impressed by the teaching of the Nenbutsu. After the demise of Honen, Tamemori’s earnest desire for Ojo increased day by day, while at the same time his disgust with this defiled world of anguish grew. He committed disembowelment in 1243.
Interestingly, the Wago Toroku contains another reply by Honen to Saburo Tanemori, in which the content is almost identical to this reply to Masako.

Essential Discourse on Ojo Through Nenbutsu

2009-09-06T15:38:00.001-04:00

Essential Discourse on Ojo Through Nenbutsu
(A Translation of the Nenbutsu Ojo Yogisho from A Collection of Spoken and Written Teachings in Japanese by the Venerable Honen)
By Joji Atone Ph.D. and Mrs. Yoko Hayashi, M.Ed.

Ojo (birth in the Pure Land) through the recitation of Nenbutsu does not discriminate against those who may have committed the Ten Transgressions or the Five Grave Offenses. Ten recitations, or just one utterance, of Nenbutsu, accords us the welcome of Amida Buddha.
According to the teachings of the Buddhist schools on the Holy Gate, the attainment of Buddha hood was founded on the premise that practitioners possessed great potential and profound wisdom. These teachings were designed only for those capable of attaining the state of Sravaka and bodhisattva. It is now, however, the Period of the Decline of the Dharma; all beings are deemed sinners. Rather than attempting to practice difficult teachings it would be more expeditious to practice the easy recitation of the name of Amida Buddha in order to depart speedily from this delusive world of birth and death.
Shakyamuni Buddha is the source of every sutra and all commentaries on Buddhism. For this reason, it should not be difficult to attain Buddha hood through the practice of the Lotus Sutra or the Nirvana Sutra of Mahayana Buddhism. Various buddhas of the past, present, and future will have attained Buddha hood especially through the practice of the Lotus Sutra. The Tathagatas residing in the ten quarters have also realized enlightenment through this sutra. Therefore, it is most appropriate to recite the Lotus Sutra and the Nirvana Sutra. We common people, however, do not possess the capability to embrace the teachings of the Lotus Sutra that were intended for an audience of wise men destined to become bodhisattva and sravaka. It should be known that these teachings are deemed too difficult for us common people.
In contrast, the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha was made specifically for us who live in the period of the Decline of the Dharma; the merit of Ojo is certainly assured in this age. We need not lament the fact that we may be woman, nor need we rue our sinful karma as sentient beings with evil passions. It was the intent of Amida Buddha to save and welcome us sinful beings who are beyond salvation by both the buddhas of past, present, and future and the Tathagatas in the ten quarters through His Essential Vow. How fortunate we are for our encounter with His Vow. Therefore, if one firmly believes in the definite attainment of Ojo and recites Namu Amida Butsu, Namu Amida Butsu, the good and the sinful, man and woman, ten out of ten, or a hundred out of a hundred beings, will attain Ojo.

Q: Is the attainment of Ojo possible for all who recite Nenbutsu?

A: There are two types of Nenbutsu; tariki (Extrensic Power, I.e., Nenbutsu relying on power other than self-power), and jiriki (Intrinsic Power; I.e., Nenbutsu relying on self-power). Nenbutsu relying on power other than self-power makes Ojo possible; however, Nenbutsu by self-power without a strong desire for Ojo will never result in the attainment of Ojo.
Q: What does Extrinsic Power mean?

A: To have implicit faith in the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha, not looking back on one’s wholesome or unwholesome deeds accumulated in previous lives, and the repetition of Nenbutsu with the unshakable belief in the assurance of Ojo is called Nenbutsu relying on Extrinsic Power.
To illustrate, a fly may alight on the tail of a kirin ( a fiery horse in Chinese mythology). Should the fiery horse leap, the fly travels a thousand miles in an instant. Even a lowly and vulgar man who joins the caravan of King Cakravartin will be able to travel from Mt. Sumeru to the four continents lying in the ocean in the four cardinal directions from Mt. Sumeru in a day. These are examples of accomplishments possible through Extrinsic Power. Even a large boulder, placed on a ship, is quickly transported to the other shore. This is possible not by the mobility of the stone but of the ship. We do not, by our own power, attain Ojo. Ojo is realized through the power of Amida Buddha, to which we refer as Extrinsic Power.

Q: What is meant by Intrinsic Power?

A: Even if one possesses evil passions is determined to rid himself of these evil passions, to become enlightened, and to realize Buddha hood, and strives day and night, it is impossible for him to be rid of the evil passions for very long because he has been entrenched by the evil passions of greed and anger from the beginingless past. It si extremely difficult for us filled with the three poisons (of greed, ignorance and anger) to rid ourselves of evil passions of ignorance. It would be as formidable a task as chipping away at Mt. Sumeru with a needle or to empty the ocean with a ladle. Even if we were fortunate enough to chip away at Mt. Sumeru with a needle and empty the ocean with a ladle, for us, who have accumulated unwholesome karma with evil passions, innumerable kalpas of birth and death would not help us to attain Buddha hood. Being occupied by our thoughts every moment would cause us to fall in both the Three Evil Realms and the state of Eight Difficulties; and our every thought, awake and asleep, would be a bond that ties us to the six delusive realms and the four modes of birth in the illusive worlds of transmigration. Under these circumstances, no amount of practice or study would make the attainment of Buddha hood a reality. To attempt to attain Buddha hood by one’s effort is referred to as Intrinsic Power.

Q: Which is more superior: Nenbutsu recited by a holy man or that recited by a common man?

A: There is no difference at all, unequivocally, in the merit of Nenbutsu.

Q: This is still doubtful. The Nenbutsu of the Holy man, who is celibate and obtains sustenance by honest means, must be virtuous. In contrast, the Nenbutsu of those who enjoy the company of women day and night, the pleasure of wine, and who earn sustenance by dubious means would be less virtuous. How, then, could the merit of all Nenbutsu be equal?

A: There is no difference in the merit of the Nenbutsu. One has such doubts because he has not awakened to the true meaning of the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha. Long ago, when Amida Buddha, before Lokesvararaja, cast His eyes on the pure lands of two hundred ten billion buddhas and witnessed their majestic adornments, treasures, pleasures, and the pledges of these buddhas for the benefit of others, there were no means for us common people filled with illusory and aberrant thoughts to attain birth in those pure lands.
Master Zendo interpreted: “All Buddha lands are solemn and pure. Common man, however, with aberrant thoughts, would have difficulty attaining birth in these lands.” This means that although all Buddha lands are wondrous, common people, with aberrant thoughts, cannot be born there. Reflecting on oneself, we mouth sutras, prostrate ourselves in prayer; yet our hearts harbor extraneous thoughts and never, even for a moment, in concentration. Such being our situation, how can we depart from the delusive worlds of birth and death?
For innumerable kalpas, up to this day, we have lived in the Three Evil Realms and the state of Eight Difficulties, and have scorched ourselves in the raging fire of ignorance, never arriving at a time for extrication from this condition. This is indeed lamentable. Virtuous spirit fades from year to year, and unwholesome thoughts become more dominant from day to day. The ancients said, “Evil passions are like shadows; one cannot disunite himself from them. Enlightenment is like a moon reflected on the water; unreachable and unobtainable.”
For this reason, Amida Buddha pondered for five kalpas and made His profound Essential Vow, which does not discriminate between the pious and sinful, observing precepts and violating precepts, the layman and monk, and the schooled and unschooled. He attained Buddha hood with His all-encompassing compassion which saves all sentient beings equally. We need only firmly believe in His Essential Vow, recite Nenbutsu, and in an instant will meet with His welcome.
Among holy men who were long celibate, abstained from intoxicants, meat and the five pungent vegetables, who observed both the five precepts for the laymen and the ten precepts for Buddhist novices but had doubt in Nenbutsu and exercised other Buddhist practices with Nenbutsu, a mere one of one thousand holy men or three to five of ten thousand holy men may be welcomed by Amida Buddha. Master Zendo said that it was impossible for even one out of one thousand holy men to be welcomed. We should know how the practice of Nenbutsu should be observed.
There is nothing special about the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha. One needs neither concentration nor purification of his defiled body. It is certain that one, awake or asleep, who recites Nenbutsu with the implicit faith that the exclusive recitation of the name of Amida Buddha will bring the welcome of Amida Buddha at his time of death, will indeed be welcomed. Repudiate all reservations because you are a woman or because you are a layman; have implicit faith in the assurance of Ojo.

Q: Which is more worthy: Nenbutsu recited with purity of mind, or Nenbutsu recited when one is wrought with illusive thoughts?

A: There is no difference in merit.

Q: I still find this difficult to understand. Nenbutsu recited when one’s mind is in concentration is Nenbutsu with exclusive thoughts of the Land of Ultimate bliss and the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha. There, this is Nenbutsu of utmost purity. Nenbutsu recited with distracting thoughts, however, is an empty exercise of merely mouthing the name of Amida Buddha and of holding the string of prayer beads in hand while lacking the harmony of the three( physical, verbal, and mental) actions. This is considered to be Nenbutsu of impurity. How could these two types of Nenbutsu be equal in merit?

A: These doubts come from a lack of thorough understanding of the Essential Vow. Amida Buddha set out the ship called the Essential Vow on the great ocean of birth and death in order to save sentient beings with evil karma. It is like a ship transporting weighty rocks along with pieces of linen to the other shore. The supremacy of the Essential Vow is that there is no other meaning than that the Vow makes it possible for all sentient beings to realize Ojo through the mere recitation of the Name of Amida Buddha.

Q: Which is more superior in merit: just one utterance of Nenbutsu, or ten recitations of Nenbutsu?

A: They are the same.

Q: This, also, is a point I do not understand, because one recitation and ten repetitions are clearly different in number. How could they be equal?

A: The issue of one recitation and ten repetitions of Nenbutsu points to one’s time of death. Upon the arrival of one’s time to depart from this delusive world, one will attain Ojo with just one utterance of Nenbutsu as well as ten. There is no difference in merit, as both one and ten would result equally in Ojo.
The Essential Vow states: “If, when I attain Buddhahood, all sentient beings in the ten quarters who rejoice in faith with genuine hearts and who wish to be born in my land are not born there with just ten moments of being mindful of Amida Buddha, I will not realize enlightenment.” The meaning of this statement is described in the vow of Bodhisattva Dharmakara: “If, when I attain Buddhahood, all sentient beings in the ten quarters who desire to be born in my land of ultimate bliss recite Namu Amida Butsu ten times, or just once, are not welcomed, I will not realize enlightenment.” Therefore, the number of recitations is not the issue. The merit of Ojo is equal, as is clearly stated in the Essential Vow. How can there be any doubt?

Q: Which is more profound: Nenbutsu at the time of death or Nenbutsu in our daily life?

A: They are the same. Our daily Nenbutsu and Nenbutsu at the time of death are no different in merit. When we are visited by death, our daily Nenbutsu becomes Nenbutsu at the time of death; if our life is prolonged, Nenbutsu at death becomes Nenbutsu of daily life.

Q: It is said that one final recitation of Nenbutsu at the time of death is more worthy than wholesome karma accumulated for a hundred years. Is this so?

A: This critical statement indicates a lack of understanding of the previous answer. One final utterance of Nenbutsu at the time of death is more worthy than all the wholesome karma which overshadow one’s unwholesome karma, or all unwholesome karma which overshadow one’s wholesome karma. However, reciting the final Nenbutsu applies to a sinful person---not to the Nenbutsu devotee. This does not concern the Nenbutsu devotee who continually affirms his desire for Ojo in his daily life.
　
Q: When does one receive the merit of the protection of Amida Buddha? Do we benefit in our daily life or at the time of our death?

A: The merit of protection by Amida Buddha is received in daily life because one who is genuine in his belief in Ojo, holds no doubt, and awaits the coming of Amida Buddha, is the Nenbutsu devotee who embodies the Three Devotional Hearts. The Meditation Sutra teaches that one who is of the Three Devotional Hearts will be born with certainty in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Upon one who is resolute in the attainment of his goal, Amida Buddha casts eighty-four thousand rays of His light of compassion. He shines this light continually on the Nenbutsu practitioner in daily life and up to the final moment of that person’s life. He never abandons the Nenbutsu devotee. For this reason, it is called the Vow in which Amida Buddha abandons no one.

Q: Is there a difference between the Nenbutsu of the learned and the Nenbutsu of an unschooled person?

A: The Essential Vow makes no differentiation. Before Amida Buddha attained Buddha hood He vowed: “Including one who repeats my name a mere ten times, if all sentient beings in the ten quarters recite my name, I will come to welcome all of them.” This does not mean that He chooses the learned and abandons the unschooled.
The Wu-fui-fa-shih-tsan (Liturgy for the Rites of Desiring Birth in the Pure Land through Reciting Sutras and Circumambulation) states: “The learned observers of precepts are not chosen. The sinful in breach of precepts are not chosen. Many concentrated recitations of Nenbutsu transform adobe into gold.” This means that the learned, the unschooled, the observers of precepts, those in violation of precepts; all will attain Ojo by reciting Nenbutsu. One should set aside thoughts of wholesome or unwholesome deeds, rely on the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha, and concentrate on the recitation of Nenbutsu.
There is no better way than Nenbutsu to take leave of the delusive worlds of transmigration. Even those who disparage my writings will be in nine grades born on the petals of the lotus in the Pure Land by the recitation of Nenbutsu. Various aspirants for Ojo, through favorable and adverse conditions, will all become kindred spirits in the Pure Land of the Buddha.
Upon examination of the human potential for Ojo, Amida Buddha never discriminates, even against one who has committed the Five Grave Offences or grave sins, and never abandons women or icchantica (those who have no intrinsic goodness). Concerning practice, anyone who recites Nenbutsu just once, or ten times, can attain Ojo.
Nenbutsu doen not discriminate against women, who are said to be afflicted with the five hindrances and the three expectations for obedience. You should rely totally on the Essential Vow and devote yourself to the recitation of Nenbutsu. Without the power of Nenbutsu, birth in the Pure Land is difficult to achieve for good people and that much more difficult for the sinful.
Believe that five recitations destroy the five hindrances for a women, three recitations eliminate the three expectations of obedience, and one recitation will result in one being welcomed into the Pure Land at the time of one’s death. Recite the name of Amida Buddha while you walk, while you stand, while you sit, and while you lie down. Accept and avail yourself of all conditions regardless of time, place, relationships and believe in this Essential Vow.
Namu Amida Butsu, Namu Amida Butsu
　
　
　
　
　

Dialogue on Twelve Topics

2009-09-06T15:34:00.001-04:00

Dialogue on Twelve Topics
(A Translation of the Juni Mondo from A Collection of Spoken and Written Teachings in Japanese by Honen Shonin)
By Joji Atone, Ph.D. and Yoko Hayashi, M.ED.
　
Question: If a practitioner of another school asks, “Do you have the freedom to establish Jodo Shu (Pure Land School) in addition to the eight or nine already established?” How should I address the question?

Answer: The establishment of a “school” is not the intent of Shakyamuni Buddha. The name of a “school” is the result of deliberation based on the teachings of the sutra to which you aspire, resulting in mastery of its import. All other “schools” have been named by this process. The name, the Pure Land School, is established by a senior monk who was enlightened to the significance of the attainment of Ojo in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, on the basis of sutras that properly describe the Pure Land. Misconceptions are expressed by those who are not aware of this process.

Question: How should I address the comment, “It is not right to include the Lotus Sutra, Shingon, and other rituals in Miscellaneous Practices.”

Answer: Senior Master Eshin wrote A Collection of Essentials on Birth in the Pure Land, a complete compilation of the essentials of the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. In Chapter 9 (entitled “Various Practices for Ojo”) of 10 chapters he discusses many Mahayana texts, as well as the Lotus Sutra and Shingon. “Various Practices” and “Miscellaneous Practices” are two different descriptions with the same meaning. These critics are not superior to Senior Master Eshin.

Question: Would fostering a relationship with a practitioner who is cultivating wholesome deeds, based upon buddhas and sutras other than Amida Buddha and the Triple Sutras of Pure Land Buddhism, be considered Miscellaneous Practices?

Answer: To place one’s heart in the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha, then to attain faith in the certainty of Ojo; and in addition, to establish and foster relationships with various deeds of others, would not be Miscellaneous Practices. Rather, this becomes your own Auxiliary Practice. Understand that the Buddha taught us to praise and rejoice in the virtuous deeds of others.
　　
Question: Was the distinction of “Nine grades of aspirants who are born in the Pure Land” systemized by Amida Buddha for birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss?

Answer: The Nine grades of birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss” are not within the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha. Neither are they contained in one of His 48 Vows. They were the skillful means utilized by Shakyamuni Buddha in order to guide the masses. If it is taught that the good and the evil were to be born in the same place, those with unwholesome deeds would tend toward complacency; therefore, Shakyamuni Buddha established nine levels of ranking. Within the ranks of the nine levels, a good person proceeds to higher categories, and the sinners will fall into the lower, Shakyamuni Buddha explained. Attain birth in the Pure Land speedily and validate the truth of this rationale.

Question: Between an observer of precepts who is not a conscientious reciter of Nenbutsu and one who does not observe precepts but diligently recites Nenbutsu, who will progress to a higher, and who will fall to a lower level with regard to Ojo?

Answer: (Honen pressed down upon the straw mat on which he sat---) The fact that this mat is placed here raises the question of whether it’s torn or whether it is not torn. If there were no mat there would be no debate. Master Dengyo, the founder of the Tendai School, stated in the Lamp in the Period of the Decline of the Dharma, “In the Period of the Decline of the Dharma, there is no observance or nonobservance of precepts. There are merely monks in name only.” Why should there even be a debate on observance and nonobservance of precepts? Since the Essential Vow was promised for the very common man, please hasten to recite the name of Amida Buddha.

Question: Some practitioners of Nenbutsu daily recite the Name audibly, while others recite it in their hearts while counting its numbers. Which is preferable?

Answer: The vocalized Nenbutsu is the Name of Amida Buddha, and the meditative Nenbutsu is also the Name of Amida Buddha; therefore, both are the same path to Ojo. The Meditation Sutra states, “---with an uninterrupted voice, the person says Namu Amida Butsu, demonstrating ten moments of thought.” The Hymns in Praise of Birth in the Pure Land states,”---who call out my name at least ten times---.” If the voice can be heard, it would be considered the recitation of Nenbutsu in a loud voice. However, it is not desirable to recite so loudly as to make oneself a nuisance. Please understand that in essence, Nenbutsu should be recited vocally.

Question: How can I sustain the numbers of my daily recitation of Nenbutsu?

Answer: According to the interpretation of Master Zendo, you are sustaining your Nenbutsu if you recite it more than 10,000 times a day. However, to recite 10,000 Nenbutsu in a hurry and not to continue your recitation subsequently would be wrong. Day and night, the 10,000 should be repeated. To recite Nenbutsu three times during one meal is a desirable, sustained recitation of Nenbutsu. However, each individual is different by nature: we cannot look at everyone alike. If your intention is profound, the continuation of Nenbutsu will be maintained as a matter of course.

Question: A section on the Profound Heart in the Hymns in Praise of Birth in the Pure Land states, “Ojo, with certainty, will come to pass through ten repetitions or just one utterance of Nenbutsu---never entertain doubt, not even for a moment.” A section on the Profound Heart in the Commentary on the Meditation Sutra explains, “The Practice in which one recites Nenbutsu without cessation is called the Rightly Established Act.” Which teaching should I consider more suited to me?

Answer: The interpretation of “ten repetitions, or just one utterance,” is methodology in belief in Nenbutsu, and the interpretation of “the recitation of Nenbutsu without cessation” is the practice of Nenbutsu. Therefore, the teaching encourages you to believe that Nenbutsu makes possible birth in the Pure Land with one utterance and that you should practice the recitation of Nenbutsu for life. Basic to this teaching is that once you awaken within yourself the desire for Ojo, you should vow not to recant and to hold as your final vow your birth in the Pure Land.

Question: Is the teaching, “a single utterance of Nenbutsu,” as expounded in the Essential Vow applicable to one’s daily life as well as to a person in his final moments?

Answer: The issue of the “one utterance” as taught in the Essential Vow refers to the person who is close to the end of his life that he is not able to recite Nenbutsu more than once. If it were applicable to one’s daily life, there would be no reason to teach the “upper limit of a life long Nenbutsu Practice.” From this interpretation we can understand that “one utterance” is not the essence of the Essential Vow. Therefore, Master Zendo preached, “The practice in which one recites the Nenbutsu without cessation is called the Rightly Established Act, which is accord with the Essential Vow of that Buddha.” According to this interpretation of Master Zendo, it seems to mean that to recite Nenbutsu as many times as possible would be in accordance with the Essential Vow. The Essential Vow, then, must be understood as the Vow that saves all Nenbutsu practitioners, from the upper limit of life long Nenbutsu practice to its lowest limit, the single utterance. However, there is the matter of timing in our individual encounter with the Essential Vow. This is, as Master Zendo explained, “the Essential Vow for Ojo through Nenbutsu.”

Question: How am I to understand the issues of Jiriki (Intrinsic Power) and Tariki (extrinsic Power)?

Answer: I, Genku, am not of such lofty station to be allowed entry into the Imperial Palace. However, I had the honor of going there twice on the invitation of the Emperor. It was not my ability or competency that brought me this honor; it was due to the power of the Emperor. Can we doubt that by the power of Amida Buddha, in accordance with his Essential Vow, He will arrive to take us? If one should wonder how Amida Buddha will save the man who is sinful and ignorant, that person is one who does not know the meaning of the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha. Since the Vow was designed to expeditiously save just such sinful beings, when reciting the Name of Amida Buddha one must not have a figment of doubt. The term, Jippo-shujo (all sentient beings in the ten quarters), encompasses the schooled and the unschooled, the good and the evil, those who observe the precepts and those who violate them, male and female, and all people who exist a hundred years in the future after the Extinction of the Three Treasures (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha). If the practitioners of Nenbutsu after the Extinction of the Three Treasures were to be compared with the priests of this day, the priests are Buddha-like. After the Extinction of the Three Treasures the life span of man will be a mere ten years. Man will not have time to hear even the name of the Three Ways of Learning, namely, precepts, meditation, and wisdom. There will be no one to speak of these things; therefore, even knowing that they will be blessed with the coming of Amida Buddha, they will ponder over the method to abandon self to enter the way of the Buddha. Impending Ojo will be the absence of the aspiration for Birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss and the absence of the capability of reciting Nenbutsu. This is the reason for the name, Tariki-hongan (the Essential Vow that expounds the attainment of Ojo by total reliance on Extrinsic Power) as well as Chose no higan (the unsurpassed compassionate Vow).

Question: What is the right way to nurture the Three Devotional Hearts, one of which is the Genuine Heart?

Answer: There is no particular method for cultivation the Three Devotional Hearts. Amida Buddha vowed, “If all sentient beings recite my name, I will, with certainty, come to welcome them into my Pure Land.” For this reason, the Three Devotional Hearts will be yours as a matter of course if you firmly believe that Amida Buddha will come to take you, hold Amida Buddha in your heart and with sincerity call His name, and persevere till the very last utterance as if you have already attained Ojo. Regarding lay people, it is not necessary for them to think to this extent. They need simply to believe in Ojo in the Land of Ultimate Bliss through Nenbutsu and continuously repeat Nenbutsu; the Three Devotional Hearts will be theirs. This is why even those who may think that Nenbutsu is an exercise in futility will attain splendid Ojo if they continue to recite Nenbutsu.

Question: It is said that one’s final Nenbutsu is more powerful than a hundred years of practice. Does this mean that there is a lack of intensity in Nenbutsu in daily life?

Answer: If Nenbutsu is repeated with the Three Devotional Hearts, the worth of Nenbutsu is the same. The Meditation Sutra reads: “Those who possess the Three Devotional Hearts will be born in that land without fail.” The words, “without fail,” indicate that the daily recitation of Nenbutsu is the same as the final recitation.

2009-09-06T15:21:00.001-04:00

Dialogue at Todaiji Temple on Ten Issues
Posed by Shunjobo Chogen
(A Translation of the Todaiji Ju-Mondo from A Collection of Spoken and Written Teachings in Japanese by Honen Shonin)
Joji Atone, Ph.D. and Yoko Hayashi, M.Ed.
　
　
Q: Are the holy teachings of the lifetime of Shakyamuni Buddha found in their entirety in the teachings of the Pure Land School, or are they limited to the Triple Sutras of Pure Land Buddhism?

A: It is said that there are eight to nine Buddhist schools in Japan. The teachings of all schools are embodied in our Pure Land School, and they are divided into two categories: the Holy Gate and the Pure Land Gate. Within the Holy Gate are Mahayana Buddhism and Therevada Buddhism as well as Gonkyo (“expedient teachings” or true Mahayana teaching that directly reveals the intent of the Buddha). Within the Pure Land Gate are pure lands in the ten quarters and the Pure Land in the West.
In the teaching of Ojo in the Western Pure Land are Miscellaneous Practices and Right Practices, and within the Right Practices are Auxiliary Acts and the Rightly Established Act. The practice of the Holy Gate is said to be difficult, and the practice of the Pure Land Gate is said to be simple. Only those who are ill-versed in the meaning and substance of establishing a school would say that the holy teachings of the lifetime of Shakyamuni Buddha are limited to the Triple Sutras of Pure Land Buddhism.

Q: Are Right Practices and Miscellaneous Practices both rooted in the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha?

A: The Essential Vow is Nenbutsu. Amida Buddha, in order to save those abandoned by the buddhas and bodhisattvas in the ten quarters of the past, present, and future, contemplated for five kalpas, investigated the nature of those suffering in the Six Delusive Realms of Transmigration, and established the path to deliverance, This path entails the recitation of the name of Amida Buddha as taught in the Essential Vow.
To declare that one may observe Miscellaneous Practices and still rely on the Essential Vow would be to doubt the Five Wisdoms of the Buddha. If such a person were born in the Pure Land he would find himself isolated in a secluded corner and not benefit from the blessings of seeing Amida Buddha or listening to the Dharma. Those who espouse Ojo through Miscellaneous Practices are misguided individuals who lack the heart of enlightenment. They do not consider the intent of the Buddha and make statements just to receive praise from the monks on Mt. Hiei.

Q: Is the certain attainment of Ojo always possible for the Nenbutsu practicioner who possesses the Three Devotional Hearts?

A: Ojo is possible without exception. There are two types of the Three Devotional Hearts; the Three Devotional Hearts that encompass wisdom and the Three Devotional Hearts that encompass practice. The Hearts that encompass wisdom mean that those who are learned in various Buddhist schools may not be able to attain faith in the Nenbutsu by limiting their knowledge to the teachings of our Pure Land School. Therefore, they pore over sutras and commentaries, interpret their meaning, and attain faith in Nenbutsu.
The Hearts that encompass practice are the Genuine Heart (total dedication to Amida Buddha), the Profound Heart (Unshakable faith), and the Heart Aspiring Ojo by the Transference of Merit (the desire for Ojo). Therefore, the Hearts with practice point to devotion to Nenbutsu, unshakable faith, and desire for Ojo. Regarding the Five Aspects of Meditation and Four Exercises, one whose faith is unquestionable will, through no conscious effort, acquire the Three Devotional Hearts as a matter of course.

Q: Should a Nenju ( a string of prayer beads ) always be used in the recitation of Nenbutsu?

A: A Nenju must be held in one’s hands at all times. In song and dance there must be a beat to guide you in rhythm and timing. In recitation of Nenbutsu the Nenju is considered to be the score that guides your tongue and hands. However, if you do not rid yourself of ignorance, illusory thoughts will arise. This is like the relationship between a host and guests. When you hold the Nenju your intention should not be the eradication of illusory thoughts, but the counting of the number of recitations of Nenbutsu. Therefore, Nenbutsu is the host and illusory thoughts are the guests. The guests are free to come and go; however, one should not entertain illusory thoughts while reciting Nenbutsu. You would be terribly misguided should you utter slanderous remarks while holding the Nenju.

Q: If I worship this Great Statue of Buddha before me, will this Great Buddha, through His Compassion, dispatch me to the Pure Land?

A: Such a thought is unthinkable. There are three interpretations regarding the Three Treasures (the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha). First, the Incorporation of the Three Treasures into One. This is the interpretation that the Three Treasures are based on the principle of dharmakaya (the form of the ultimate reality of a Buddha) because all phenomena have their genesis in dharmakaya.
Second, the Individual Existence of the Three Treasures. According to this theory, the various buddhas in the ten quarters are considered to be the Treasure of the Buddha; their wisdom and teachings, the Treasure of the Dharma; and the disciples of the Three Vehicles, namely, bodhisattvas, Pratyakabuddha, and Sravaka, the Treasure of the Dharma.
Third, the Possession and Protection of the Three Treasures. This is the interpretation that the painted and carved images of a Buddha are regarded as the Possession and Protection of the Treasure of the Buddha; the scrolls of recorded sutras; as the Possession and Protection of the Treasure of the Dharma; and the painted and carved images of the Bodhisattvas, Pratyakabuddha, and Sravaka, as the Possession and Protection of the Treasure of the Sangha.
If the Great Buddha were to dispatch you to the Pure Land, the order of the three interpretations of the Three Treasures would be disrupted. The reason for this disruption is that the teachings of the Possession and Protection of the Three Treasures and the Individual Existence of the Three Treasures must be separate. It would be especially unimaginable that the principle image of the Great Buddha remain in this delusive world of anguish while the practitioner proceeds to the Western Pure Land.
However, to be captivated by Amida Buddha in the Pure Land, to construct an image of that Buddha, and to be truly devoted to that Buddha will bring you merit.

Q: Who is more superior---the wise who lives an ordinary life of the unschooled who seems to have the spirit of enlightenment?

A: One who may have some wisdom but who lacks the spirit of enlightenment, in comparison with the unschooled who is on the path to enlightenment, is infinitely less superior to one who may lack wisdom but possesses the spirit of enlightenment. Nenbutsu by such an unschooled person is in concert with the Essential Vow allowing that person to attain Ojo. One who possesses some wisdom but lacks the spirit of enlightenment is one who preaches the Dharma with tainted intent, who teaches deception and untruths and will certainly descend into hell. However, one who lacks wisdom but possesses the spirit of enlightenment will believe falsehoods to be truths, will fear that which need not be feared, and not fear that which should be feared. On the other hand, the wise one who possesses the spirit of enlightenment has the wisdom to pursue his goal and will attain Ojo in the most expeditious way.
It is wrong to compare the sighted with those without sight. If the spirit of enlightenment were equal, one with just a little wisdom is a billion times more superior to one with no wisdom. One without who pursues enlightenment is striving through hardships to attain his goal.

Q: Can a practicioner of Nenbutsu attain without exception the blessing of being embraced by the Buddha?

A: It will come to pass with certainty.

Q: It is said that once the Light of Amida Buddha embraces and saves the mortals, they become no retrogressive. Is this true?

A: This is a mistaken belief. The Light of Amida Buddha shines because we recite Nenbutsu. If the recitation of Nenbutsu ceases, upon what would Amida Buddha shine his light? If what you say is right, there will be no one who recites Nenbutsu even once. Who would doubt proof that there are few who attain Ojo and many who do not?
There should be no doubters.

Q: It is taught, in the section on the Essential Vow in the Larger Sutra, that “ten recitations” will result in Ojo; and in the section on the fulfillment of the Essential Vow, that “one utterance” will also result in Ojo. Are these Nenbutsu meant to be uttered during one’s lifetime or only at the time of death?

A: It is as I stated last year. The Holy Gate teaches that if one concentrates on one practice in his daily life, his sins would be nullified immediately and he would realize Buddha hood even if the practice is discontinued. The issue of “one utterance” and “ten recitations” was simply the skillful means devised by the Buddha to establish Nenbutsu relationships.
“One utterance” and “ten recitations” do not imply “order” in the teaching. In the more profound teachings of Kegon, Zen, Shingon, and Shikan Schools, order may well be preached. Sentient beings are by nature indolent. Reciting one Nenbutsu with a doubting heart, believing that this guarantees Ojo, and ceasing the recitation of Nenbutsu after a few more repetitions, is regrettable. “Ten recitations” applies to the period in contrast with the upper limits of lifelong practice of Nenbutsu. The lifespan continues to shorten for one who has encountered the teachings of Nenbutsu late in life.
This is why one hundred repetitions is abbreviated into ten; ten recitations are abbreviated into one utterance. If the robe that I Genku (Honen), am wearing is burned, all sin adhering to the linen threads may also be burned away. As long as the robe exists, the linen (sins) will continue to be. If, from long years past to the present, both one’s evil laden body as well as one’s heart remain unchanged, what would be the proof of the eradication of sin to make the attainment of Ojo possible? One who eliminates one’s sins has become enlightened, and one so enlightened emanates a golden glow. In the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha He vows that He desires a golden glow to emanate from all beings. However, who, indicating a Nenbutsu practitioner, emanates gold before the end of life? Without assuming wisdom, believe that there is no turning back after one awakens within the self a desire for enlightenment, and await the end of life.

Q: Is Amida Buddha who arrives to welcome the Nenbutsu devotee into the Pure Land at the time of death regarded as a “rewarded” Buddha?

A: One who attains Ojo through Nenbutsu is greeted by a “rewarded” Buddha. One who attains Ojo through Miscellaneous Practices is greeted by a “transformed” Buddha. Even if one practices Nenbutsu, if one involves himself with Miscellaneous Practices or harbors even a shadow of a doubt, he will be greeted by a transformed Buddha who obliterates the “rewarded” Buddha.
This Dialogue is the Record of Genku’s Replies to Questions by Master Chogen of Todaiji Temple on the Thirteenth of March in the Second Year of Kenkyu (1191).
　

The Senchakushu-Chapter 3, Part 3

2009-03-25T20:17:00.003-04:00

Master Honen begins this next section with a question and answer:

Question: When and under what buddha's guidance did the Tathagata Amida make these vows?

Master Honen answers with a quote from the 'Wu-liang-shou ching' or Larger Sutra: The Buddha said to Ananda, 'In the distant past, very long, immeasurable, unthinkable, and uncountable kalpas ago, the Tathagata Dipamkara came into the world, and taught and emancipated countless sentient beings, enabling them all to achieve the Buddha Way. Then he entered nirvana. Next there came into the world a Tathagata Pratapavat, and so on, and the next Tathagata was called Lokendra.
These buddhas, fifty-three in all, having passed away, Tathagata Lokesvararaja came into the world. At that time, there lived a king. When he heard the Buddha preach the Dharama, his heart was filled with joy, and he was aroused to aspire for the unsurpassable supreme enlightenment. Leaving his country and abandoning the throne, he took up the ascetic practice of a sramana and called himself Dharmakara. Brilliant and learned, he had no equal in all the world. He went to the Tathagata Lokesvararaja...
Then the Buddha Lokesvararaja described to him in detail the good and the evil aspects of human and heavenly beings in the lands of twenty-one billion buddhas and also the coarse and refined aspects of those lands. Then, in accordance with Dharmakara's request, he actually showed them all to him. Having heard the discourse of the Buddha on the magnificent pure lands and having seen them all, the bhiksu Dharmakara made his unsurpassable and truly admirable vows. His heart being quiet and tranquil and his will detached, he was unsurpassed in all the world. For five kalpas he pondered and selected the purifying practices needed in order to establish a superior buddha land.
Ananda then asked the Buddha, 'How long was the Buddha's life span in that [Lokesvararaja's] land?' The Buddha answered, 'That Buddha's life span was forty-two kalpas.' Eventually, the bhiksu Dharmakara made his own the purifying practices through which the twenty-one billion buddhas established their marvelous lands.

An older translation of the Larger Sutra states: The Buddha then selected from among the good and evil of the human and heavenly beings living in the twenty-one billion buddha lands and also selected from among the beautiful and ugly features of those lands in order to help Dharmakara select what he had desired in his heart.

What Master Honen is touching on here is the idea of selecting and rejecting or putting aside. After Lokesvararaja shows Dharmakara all the different buddhas lands and the beautiful and ugly features, Dharmakara then selects from among them only the pure and beautiful and rejects the impure and ugly. We will dig deeper into what Master Honen is telling us, next time.

The Senchakushu-Chapter 3, Part 2

2009-03-09T07:15:00.002-04:00

I was reading a nice little book called, Sayings of Saint Honen, by Rev. Kenjo S. Urakami. There is a great passage by Master Honen Honen regarding the Supreme Vow of Amida (18th) that I thought would go well with the previous post:

Amida Buddha raised the Forty-Eight Vows to purify his Buddha Land and to perfect the people in his Pure Land when he was called Hozo Bosatsu (Dharmakara Bodhisattva) in the presence of the Buddha called Sejizaio Nyorai (Lokesvararaja Buddha).
One of them (18th) is designated for all sentient beings to be born into his Pure Land. This is called the Supreme Vow of Amida Buddha for the birth into his Pure Land.
It is stated in the first volume of ‘The Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life’ (Larger Sutra): ‘I will not accept perfect enlightenment, unless when I attain Buddhahood, beings of the ten directions who sincerely believe and rejoice wishing to be born into my land and who meditate on me (recite my name) up to ten times will be able to be born in my land.’
‘Hozo Bosatsu became Amida Buddha and is now in his Pure Land. You should know that this important Supreme Vow is true and real. People will be received into the Pure Land without fail by reciting Amida Buddha’s name.’
The Nenbutsu does not mean to meditate on Amida’s Buddha’s Dharma Body nor does it mean visualizing Amida Buddha’s body’s great signs, but to recite Amida Buddha’s name wholeheartedly.
All practices except Nenbutsu are inferior to the Supreme Vow even though they are excellent practices, as the Vow does not include them.
If you wish to be received into any particular Buddha land, it is proper for you to follow that particular Buddha’s Vow. Therefore, if you wish to be received into the Pure Land of Amida Buddha, you must comply with the Supreme Vow of Amida Buddha.

The Senchakushu-Chapter 3, Part 1

2009-03-08T10:03:00.002-04:00

Passages Concerning the Tathagata Amida’s Original Vow, Which Promises Birth Not for Other Practices But for the Nenbutsu Alone.

Master Honen begins chapter 3 with a quote from the Wu-liang-shou ching (Sutra of Immeasurable Life), it says: ‘When I attain Buddhahood, if all sentient beings in the ten directions who aspire in all sincerity and faith to be born in my land and think of me [i.e., recite my name] even ten times are not born there, then may I not attain supreme enlightenment.’

Master Honen then adds a quote from Master Shan-tao’s Kuan-nien fa-men (Dharma Gateway of Contemplation), which interprets the above quote. Shan-tao states: 'When I become a buddha, if all sentient beings in the ten directions who desire to be born in my land and recite me name at least ten times are not born there through the power of my vow, then may I not attain supreme enlightenment.'

Again Master Honen quotes Shan-tao, but this time it is from his Wang-sheng li-tsan (Hymns in Praise of Birth), it states: ‘When I become a buddha, if all sentient beings in the ten directions who recite my name at least ten times are not born, then may I not attain supreme enlightenment.’ That buddha is now in his land, having already attained Buddhahood. Therefore, we should surely realize that the weighty promise of the original vow was not made in vain; if sentient beings practice the Nenbutsu, they will certainly attain birth.

So the question might arise, as to why Master Honen leads off chapter three with 3 different quotes regarding birth in Amida’s Pure Land? Honen’s teachings hinge on birth in the Pure Land through recitation of the Nenbutsu (The 18th Vow). Master Honen sees the Nenbutsu as the only way for us foolish beings to attain birth. There might be many different practices to attain birth, but only one that is directed by Amida, and available for everyone (The Nenbutsu). Honen himself has selected this path by reading and re-reading the entire Buddhist canon and finally coming to Master Shan-tao’s commentary on the Meditation Sutra. (This will become apparent in Chapter 16 of this work). The reason for recitation over visualization also becomes clearer as the Senchakushu moves along.

Master Honen ends this section with his own opinion: ‘All buddhas make two kinds of vow, general and special. The general ones are known as the four universal vows. The special ones are those such as the five hundred great vows of Shakyamuni and the twelve superior vows of the Tathagata Bhaisajyaguru. The forty-eight vows now under consideration are the special vows of Amida.’

Four Universal Vows:

1) however innumerable sentient beings may be, I vow to save them
2) however inexhaustible the disturbing passions may be, I vow to extinguish them all
3) limitless though the Dharma is, I vow to master it all
4) however difficult it is to attain enlightenment, I vow to attain it.

The Senchakushu-Chapter 2, Part 5

2009-03-02T15:09:00.002-05:00

In the introduction to the Senchakushu, there is an important section, written by the ‘Senchakushu English Translation Project,’which tells us the relationship between the Nenbutsu and other practices. It divides the thinking on Senchaku (Selection) into four stages:

1) To reject the practices of the Gateway of the Holy Path and take refuge in the Gateway of the Pure Land.
2) To reject the miscellaneous practices of the Gateway of the Pure Land, which pertain to pure lands other than Amida’s. Also, among the five right practices pertaining to Amida’s Pure Land, to concentrate on Nenbutsu recitation, setting aside the other four right practices as auxiliary acts. At this stage, the Nenbutsu is singled out as the sole practice leading to birth in the Pure Land. These developments in the idea of Senchaku are presented in chapters 2, 7, and 12 of the Senchakushu.
3) After gaining the firm establishment of faith, to re-appropriate the miscellaneous practices of the Pure Land path and the four auxiliary acts among the right practices as aids to the practitioner in Nenbutsu recitation. This third stage can be seen in chapter 4 of the Senchakushu, where Honen says: ‘The manifold practices were expounded to encourage one toward the Nenbutsu. The first is that the Nenbutsu is encouraged by good practices that are similar in being related to Amida. The second is that the Nenbutsu is encouraged by good practices that are different in being not related to Amida.’
4) After achieving birth in the Pure Land, to re-appropriate the various practices pertaining to the Holy Path. This stage is indicated in a number of Honen’s works. For example, in the Nenbutsu taii, he states: ‘Sentient beings in the age of the final dharma, being incapable of attaining any goal through manifold practices, should first rely on the power of Amida’s vow and attain birth in the Pure Land through the recitation of the Nenbutsu. After achieving birth in the Pure Land and seeing Amida Buddha and bodhisattvas Kannon and Seishi, they should learn the holy teachings and attain enlightenment.’

The Senchakushu-Chapter 2, Part 4

2009-03-01T14:41:00.002-05:00

Master Honen continues by giving us a question and answer pertaining to ‘miscellaneous’ sutras (other than Pure Land) that contain both pure and miscellaneous distinctions.

He then goes on to list important masters of the past who also divide the practice of Birth in the Pure Land into two kinds:

Tao-Ch’o
1) birth through Nenbutsu
2) birth through myriad practices

Dhyana Master Huai-kan
1) birth through Nenbutsu
2) birth through various practices

Honen quotes Master Shan-tao:
‘If people practice the Nenbutsu constantly in the above mentioned manner until the end of their lives, then ten of ten and a hundred out of a hundred will attain birth. Why is this so? It is because this practice keeps away other miscellaneous karmic conditions and enables one to achieve Right Mindfulness. It is because it agrees with the intent of the Buddha’s Original Vow. It is also because it does not contradict the teaching. Further, it is because it accords with Shakyamuni’s words.’

As for those who cast aside the wholehearted practice and perform miscellaneous practices:
1) it is rare for even one or two out of a hundred to attain birth.
2) their practice is disturbed by miscellaneous karmic conditions
3) they lose Right Mindfulness
4) their practices are not in agreement with the Buddha’s Original Vow.
5) they differ from the teaching.
6) they are not in accordance with Shakyamuni’s words.
7) their desire to dedicate their merits toward birth are not sincere and true.
8) the passions of greed, anger, and wrong views arise and obstruct them.
9) they lack repentance and contrite hearts.
10) they do not continually remember their indebtedness to Amida Buddha.
11) pride arises in their hearts, and though they engage in practice, they always have the desire for fame and self-benefit.
12) their Hearts are filled with self attachment, and so they do not enjoy close intimacy with their fellow practitioners and religious teachers.

‘Why do I make these assertions? It is because I have myself recently seen and heard that everywhere practitioners, whether monks or laity, differ from one another in understanding and practice and, in particular, with regard to the right and the miscellaneous practices…
It is my desire that all those aspiring to the Pure Land should ponder this well. Those who already in this lifetime desire birth in the land should unfailingly exert themselves in the performance of this practice, whether moving or standing still, whether sitting or lying down; they should conquer their own egos and should never cease practicing, day and night, until the end of their lives. To practice thus all through life may appear to be somewhat painful, but when life comes to an end, at that very moment they will be born into that land, where they will continue to enjoy the bliss of the unconditioned Dharma throughout the length of eternal kalpas. Until they attain Buddhahood, they will never again have to pass through the cycle of birth and death. Is this not a joyful thing? One should take careful note of it.’

Master Honen ends Chapter two with his own words: ‘The following also is my own opinion; I believe that anyone who reads these words ought to cast aside the miscellaneous and take up the exclusive practice. Why should anyone cast aside the exclusive and right practice, by which a hundred out of a hundred attain birth, and stubbornly cling to the miscellaneous practices, by which not even one out of a thousand attain birth? Practitioners ought seriously to ponder this.’

The Senchakushu-Chapter 2, Part 3

2009-02-26T07:17:00.002-05:00

Master Honen begins with describing the advantages and disadvantages of the two kinds of practice:

He quotes Master Shan-tao: ‘If we perform the rightly established and the auxiliary practices (acts), our heart always remains intimate with and near to Amida, and we never cease to remember him. Hence these are called uninterrupted. When we perform the other miscellaneous practices, however, our concentration is always liable to be broken. Even though we can indeed be born by dedicating the merit of such practices to that end, they are called estranged miscellaneous practices.’

Now, Master Honen begins to compare the ‘right’ from the ‘miscellaneous’ practices:

1) intimate vs. estranged
2) near vs. far
3) intermittent vs. uninterrupted
4) necessary to dedicate merit vs. unnecessary to dedicate merit
5) pure vs. miscellaneous

With respect to the first, intimate vs. estranged:

Intimate-'means that those who perform the rightly established and the auxiliary acts are brought into exceedingly close intimacy with Amida Buddha.'

To quote Master Shan-tao from his Kuan wu-liang-shou ching shu:
‘When sentient beings arouse themselves to practice and always recite with their lips the name of the Buddha, the Buddha will hear them. When they constantly and reverently bow down to the Buddha with their bodies, the Buddha will see them. When they constantly think of the Buddha in their hearts, the Buddha will know them. When sentient beings remember the Buddha, the Buddha, also, remembers them. In these three acts, the Buddha and sentient beings are not separate from each other. Hence they are called the intimate karmic relations.’

Estranged-refers to miscellaneous practices.

Honen states: ‘When sentient beings do not call the Buddha, the Buddha does not hear them. When they do not offer prostrations before the Buddha, the Buddha does not see them. When they do not think of the Buddha in their hearts, the Buddha does not know them. When they do not remember the Buddha, the Buddha does not remember them. In these three acts, the Buddha and sentient beings are separate from each other. Hence they are called estranged practice.’

With respect to the second, near vs. far:

Near-'means that those who perform the two, rightly established and the auxiliary practices, are very close to Amida Buddha.'

Far-refers to those who perform the miscellaneous practices. ‘If sentient beings do not desire to see the Buddha (Amida), he will respond to their lack of desire and not appear before their eyes.’

With respect to the third, uninterrupted vs. intermittent:

Uninterrupted-'means that those who perform the two, the rightly established and the auxiliary acts, never cease to remember Amida.'

Intermittent-'means that those who perform the miscellaneous practices will constantly find their concentration on Amida broken.'

With respect to the fourth, unnecessary to dedicate merit vs. necessary to dedicate merit:

Unnecessary to dedicate merit-'for those who perform the two, the rightly established and the auxiliary acts, even though they do not deliberately intend to dedicate the merit of these practices toward attaining birth, their practice by its very nature forms the karma for birth.'

Necessary to dedicate merit- 'for those who perform the miscellaneous practices can make them serve as sufficient cause for birth only when they intend their merits to be dedicated to this end.'

With respect to the fifth, pure vs. miscellaneous:

Pure- 'means that the two practices (acts), the rightly established and the auxiliary are purely directed toward birth in the land of Sukhavati (Pure Land).'

Miscellaneous- 'refers to those practices that are not purely directed toward the land of Sukhavati. They are practices leading to the realms of human and heavenly beings, to the three vehicles, or to births in other pure lands.'

Master Honen states at the end of this section: ‘Hence, practitioners longing for the Western Land should necessarily cast aside the miscellaneous and perform the right practice.’

The Senchakushu-Chapter 2, Part 2

2009-02-23T19:36:00.003-05:00

Next, Master Honen and Master Shan-tao begin to tell us about:
1) right acts
2) auxiliary acts

Right Act (Rightly Established Act)-Reciting the Name of Amida

Auxiliary Acts: All Other Right Practices:
1) reading and reciting sutras-Pure Land Sutras
2) contemplation-Meditation Sutra
3) doing prostrations-To Amida Buddha
4) giving praises and offerings-To Amida Buddha and His Pure Land

The Right Act and the Auxiliary Acts here all apply to Pure Land Practices.

Master Honen answers a question:

Question: ‘Why, among the five kinds of practice, is only reciting the name of the Buddha called the rightly established act?’

Answer: ‘It is because this is in accord with the intent of that buddha’s vow. That is to say, reciting the name of Amida is the practice specified in the original vow of that Buddha. Therefore, one who dedicates oneself to this practice is carried forward by the power of the Buddha’s vow and will certainly attain birth in the Pure Land. The meaning of the Buddha’s original vow will be made clear below. Next, we will discuss the miscellaneous practices. Above, we read the following words: ‘Besides, these two kinds of right practice, the rightly established and the auxiliary practices (acts), all the other good practices are collectively called miscellaneous practices.’

Miscellaneous Practices-Are all other Good Buddhist practices (Other than Pure Land) that are categorized under:
1) miscellaneous practice of reading and reciting sutras
2) miscellaneous practice of contemplation
3) miscellaneous practice of doing prostrations
4) miscellaneous practice of reciting the holy names
5) miscellaneous practice of giving praises and offerings

The Miscellaneous Practices here, apply to all other Buddhist Practices, both Hinayana and Mahayana.

Master Honen states: ‘In addition to these five, there are also countless numbers of other practices, such as dana (giving) and observance of the precepts. All of these should be included under the name of miscellaneous practices.’

Note: Master Honen is not discouraging anyone not to abide by the precepts, etc. What he is doing is asking us to put aside all other practices for the time being, concentrate on the Rightly Established Act of Nenbutsu, then incorporate the Auxiliary Acts of the Pure Land. This is to establish faith in Amida, his Vows and the Pure Land. This is Honen’s road to faith.

The Auxiliary Acts can help one establish faith in Amida and his Pure Land, but according to Master Honen's advice, once should revere the recitation of Amida's name above all. These auxiliary acts help support our Nenbutsu practice.

The Senchakushu-An Important Point

2009-02-18T07:44:00.002-05:00

Master Honen and Master Shan-tao never dismiss other practices as not worthy or not being able to bring enlightenment to the practitioner. All Buddhist practice will eventually create the casual conditions for enlightenment. The main reason that Master Honen wrote the Senchakushu, was not for the monk seated in the temple, but for the common person, the farmer, the housewife, you and me. It was for those people, that Master Honen came down from Mount Hiei. For us who eventually come to terms with our ability to practice all those difficult ‘miscellaneous’ practices. To give up our ego’s and embrace Amida. And when we eventually do come to this realization, we see that the Nenbutsu becomes the only practice for us. And as we practice, with faith and devotion in Amida, we begin to see that it is all we ever needed.

Master Honen, throughout the Senchakushu is establishing the way of faith, through Nenbutsu, the practice. He has sought out the way of practice for us. For those of us who cannot maintain the five precepts, or a steady meditative practice. He found that through Amida’s vow (18th), we (ordinary people) can achieve birth in the Pure Land (Ojo), become bodhisattvas and then through our own vows help to save all sentient beings on our way to Buddhahood.

Amida Buddha has already achieved buddhahood for us. Although we are never static beings, for we are ever in intimate karmic relation with Amida through the Nenbutsu. Our birth in the Pure Land is already secured. But, because we move from practice to practice, from birth to birth, we remain ignorant and plunge back into samsara once more. But, through the tremendous practice and vows as Hozo Bodhisattva, Amida established his pure land out of many different buddha lands. Just as Master Honen has selected the right practice from miscellaneous and auxiliary practices for us, Amida has selected the pure and true, from many different buddha lands. It is this land, which Shakyamuni recommends, in the Larger Sutra, and we only need to realize how fortunate we really are.

The Senchakushu-Chapter 2, Part 1

2009-02-17T20:12:00.001-05:00

Master Honen ended Chapter 1 with his two main thoughts:

1) Describing the ‘difficulty’ of the Holy Gate and the ‘easiness’ of the Pure Land Gate.
2) Establishing the Pure Land lineage.

We now begin Chapter Two, entitled, ‘Passages That Relate How Master Shan-tao Set Up the Two Kinds of Practice, the “Right” and the “Miscellaneous,” Rejecting the Miscellaneous and Taking Refuge in the Right.’

Master Honen begins the chapter with a quote from Shan-tao’s Kuan wu-liang-shou ching shu (Commentary on the Meditation Sutra):

As to establishing faith with respect to practice, we should first note that practice is of two kinds. The first is Right Practice and the second is Miscellaneous Practice.:

Right Practice:
1) Consisting in performing only the kinds of discipline derived from the sutras on birth in the Pure Land. They are single mindedly and wholeheartedly reading and reciting the:
a) Kuan wu-liang-shou ching (Meditation Sutra)
b) A-mi-t’o ching (Amida Sutra)
c) Wu-liang-shou ching (Sutra of Immeasurable Life)
2) Single-mindedly and wholeheartedly thinking of, contemplating, and meditating on the two principal and dependant rewards in that land;
3) When doing prostrations is in order, single-mindedly and wholeheartedly prostrating oneself before Amida Buddha;
4) When reciting holy names is in order, single mindedly and wholeheartedly reciting the name of that buddha; and
5) When giving praises and offerings is in order, single mindedly and wholeheartedly giving them to that buddha.

Master Shan-tao continues: ‘Further, within these right practices there are two types. The first is to recite single mindedly and wholeheartedly the name of Amida, whether walking or standing still, whether seated or lying down, without considering whether the time involved is long or short and without ceasing even for an instant. This is called the rightly established act. It is so called because such a practice accords with the intent of Amida’s vow. The other acts, such as doing prostrations to the Buddha, reading and reciting the sutras, are called the auxiliary acts. Besides these two kinds of right practice, the rightly established and the auxiliary practices, all the other good practices are collectively called miscellaneous practices. If we perform the rightly established and the auxiliary practices, our heart always remains intimately with and near Amida, and we never cease to bear him in mind. Hence these are called uninterrupted. When we perform the other miscellaneous practices, however, our concentration is always liable to be broken. Even though we can be born by dedicating the merit of such practices to that end, they are called estranged miscellaneous practices.’

Master Honen will continue to explore Shan-tao’s thought throughout this chapter and he will deal specifically with Right Practices, Auxiliary Practices and Miscellaneous Practices.

Honen's Letter to Lay-Monk Naozane

2009-02-14T15:34:00.002-05:00

I recently came across a wonderful letter from Master Honen to a Lay-Monk Disciple named, Naozane. I thought I would share it with you:

I was so pleased to receive your letter. Indeed, since last I received a letter from you or saw you I was very worried, and I am very pleased at what you have written. Please read what I am going to write about 'just nenbutsu.'
Nenbutsu is the practice of the Buddha's Original Vow. Because observance of precepts, recitation of sutras, incantations, contemplation of buddha-nature, and so on are not the practice of that Buddha's Original Vow, those who seek the land of Boundless Bliss should without fail first cultivate the practice of the original vow, and then in addition to that, if they want to add other practices, they may do so. Also, to cultivate just the nenbutsu of the original vow is alright. Those who seek the land of Boundless Bliss without cultivating nenbutsu, cultivating only practices other than nenbutsu, will not be able to attain rebirth in Boundless Bliss...
Also, sexual relations with women is definitely a violation of the precept forbidding sexual relations. And disinheritance of one's children is definitely a violation of the precept forbidding anger. Because the observance of the precepts are not in the original vow, you should observe them only as much as you can manage...To utter just nenbutsu thirty, fifty, or sixty thousand times a day with all your heart is the practice certain to achieve rebirth. Other good works are for when you have time to spare from nenbutsu. But if you utter sixty thousand nenbutsu a day, what other practices need you do? If you diligently, with all your heart, cultivate thirty, or fifty thousand nenbutsu per day, then even if you violate the precepts a little that ought not prevent your rebirth...
However, even though the practice of filial conduct is not in the Buddha's original vow, your mother is eighty-nine years old. What you are fully prepared and waiting for, the death of your mother, will probably happen this year or soon. It is very sad. But whatever happens should not pose a problem for you. You are the only one who is waiting with her, and you must without fail continue to wait with her...

We will continue with Chapter Two of Master Honen's Great Work, 'The Senchakushu', next time.

The Holy Gate and the Pure Land Gate

2009-02-09T07:04:00.003-05:00

There is a nice follow-up piece from Master Honen's 'Ganso Daishi Gohogo' that goes well with the end of Chapter 1, of the 'Senchakushu.':

Someone once said to Honen Shonin, "Your every utterance of the name of Amida Buddha is in accord with the intent of Amida Buddha." Honen Shonin asked, "what do you mean?" He was then told, "Since you are a learned priest, you fully understand the merits of the name of Amida Buddha and have distinctly mastered the profound meaning of the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha."
Honen Shonin replied, "You do not yet believe in the Essential Vow. The recitation of the name of Amida Buddha taught in the Essential Vow was designated for all people, including the woodcutter, grass trimmer, farmer, water carrier-regardless of class or knowledge. If one firmly believes that even an illiterate attains birth in the Pure Land through reciting the name of Amida Buddha, sincerely desires birth in the Pure Land, and repeats the name of Amida Buddha unceasingly, he is considered to be the ultimate devotee for birth in the Pure Land. If we can detach ourselves from the delusive worlds of the transmigration of birth and death by pursuing wisdom, why would I, Genku (Honen), have abandoned the Holy Gate to follow the teaching of the Pure Land Gate?"
Honen Shonin further stated, "It should be known that the practice of the Holy Gate endeavors to extricate one from the delusive worlds through the pursuit of wisdom, and the Pure Land Gate teaches one to return to a state of guchi* in order to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss."

*Guchi-literally means ignorance of foolish. This Japanese term, however, carries the crucial notion of the Pure Land view of man. It indicates the total recognition of the essence of man-how deeply one's mind is consumed by unwholesome passions. This kind of introspection is an important presupposition for cultivating the Pure Land faith.

The Senchakushu Chapter 1, Part 4-Text and Outline

2009-02-08T19:07:00.002-05:00

Continuing in Chapter 1, Master Honen quotes Tz’u-en, from his ‘His-fang yao-chueh.’ Tz’u-en states:

1) Shakyamuni appeared and benefited all those who were related to him by karma.
2) He extended his teachings to accommodate people’s different nature’s and capabilities.
3) Those who met Shakyamuni were each led to enlightenment through one of the three vehicles.
4) He encouraged those whose merit was slight and who were lacking in proper karmic practice to take refuge in the Pure Land.
5) Shakyamuni stated to those people that anyone who engages in this practice will be saved by the merit and virtue of Amida’s vows.

Master Honen responds: ‘One who would learn of the Pure Land School should first of all understand the import of the above passages. Even though a person may have previously studied the Gateway of the Holy Path, if one recognizes that one’s capacity is unequal to the Holy Path and has a will to learn the Gateway of the Pure Land, one should abandon the Holy Path and take refuge in the Pure Land. An example of one who did this was the Dharma Master T’an-luan, who abandoned his lecturing on the four satras and devoted himself solely to the Pure Land. The Dhyana Master Tao-Ch’o set aside his propagation of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra and began exclusively to propgate the practice of the Pure Land of the West. Such was the case with the wise and learned masters of old. Why, then, should we foolish people in the age of the final Dharma fail to follow their examples?’

We can see that Master Honen has firmly established the argument for letting go of the Holy Path of the sages and taking up the Pure Land Way. For us, foolish Human Beings, there is really no other way. No matter how we wish it to be otherwise.

At the close of Chapter 1, Master Honen established the Pure Land lineage by naming the Pure Land lineage from Shakyamuni.

The Senchakushu Chapter 1, Part 3-Text and Outline

2009-02-02T20:24:00.002-05:00

Master Honen Continues: ‘Turning next to the gateway of birth in the Pure Land, we find that here too there are two teachings. First, there are those that directly expound birth in the Pure Land. Second, there are those teachings that only incidentally expound this birth.’

The first, ‘those that directly expound birth in the Pure Land,’ is set forth in the Three Sutras and One Sastra.

Three Sutras:
1) Wu-liang-shou ching (Larger Sutra)
2) Kuan wu-liang-shou ching (meditation Sutra)
3) A-mi-t’o ching (Amida Sutra)

One Sastra:
1) Wang-sheng lun (Treatise on Birth in the Pure Land) by Vasubandhu

Next, Master Honen answers the question regarding other instances where the phrase ‘Three Sutras’ can be found. He gives many examples.

The second, ‘those teachings that only incidentally expound birth in the Pure Land’ are from sutras such as the Avatamsaka, Dharani Sutra, etc.

Master Honen goes on to mention that Tao-Ch’o was not the only Pure Land Master to set up the two gateways of the Holy Path and the Pure Land Path. He mentions T’an-luan, T’ien-t’ai, Chia-ts’ai, Tz’u-en and many others who all have the same view.

At this point in chapter 1, Master Honen quotes T’an-luan, from his Wang-sheng lun chu (Commentary on Vasubandhu’s Treatise on Birth in the Pure Land): ‘On reverently reflecting on what the bodhisattva Nagarjuna said in his Shih-chu p’i-p’osha lun, I would say that there are two paths by which the bodhisattvas may seek the stage of non-retrogression: one is the ‘way of difficult practice,’ and the other is the ‘way of easy practice.’ The way of difficult practice is a way of trying to reach the stage of non-retrogression in an age of the five defilement's, when no Buddha dwells in the world. This is difficult to do. This difficulty takes many forms, and I would like to mention a few of them to exemplify what I mean.’
'First, there are the merely apparent good deeds of non Buddhists that bring confusion into the true Dharma of the bodhisattvas. Second, there is the self-interest involved in the sravaka’s discipline that interferes with great compassion. Third, there is the evil done without reflection, which destroys the excellent virtues of others. Fourth, there are the good results stemming from deluded thinking, which corrupt pure and undefiled practice. Fifth, there is self power alone and not being held by other power. These are things everywhere to be seen. To follow this way of difficult practice is like travelling over land on foot: it is very painful and hard.’
‘The way of easy practice is to desire birth in the Pure Land only by means of faith in the Buddha. Being thus carried along by the power of the Buddha’s vows, we shall be able to attain birth in the Pure Land. The Buddha’s power will sustain us and enable us to enter into the company of those who have attained the stage of genuine assurance of the Mahayana. This is the stage of non-retrogression. It is like sailing over the water by boat: it is very pleasant.’

Tan-luan in the above quote mentions five defilement's when no Buddha dwells in this world. He speaks of: good deeds from non-buddhists that bring confusion into the true Dharma of the bodhisattva, the self interest of sravakas, evil done without reflection, good results resulting from deluded thinking and self power without other power. All good acts are mixed with poison. All practices of the Holy Path are limited according to the ability of the practitioner. Only the Pure Land Path is complete and whole, as it is, requiring only total reliance and devotion in Amida Buddha.

Master Honen states: ‘In this context, the way of difficult practice is the Gateway of the Holy Path, and the way of easy practice is the Gateway of the Pure Land. ‘Difficult practice’ and ‘easy practice,’ and ‘Holy Path’ and ‘Pure Land’: the pairs of words differ, but the meaning is actually the same. Master T’ien-t’ai and Chia-ts’ai share the same view. We surely ought to be aware of this.’

In closing, Master Honen has first separated the Holy Path from the Pure Land Path and then the Difficult from the Easy. In his argument he offers the teachings of esteemed Buddhist Masters to support his position. Master Honen is asking us to truly reflect on our ability to perform these difficult practices.

The Senchakushu Chapter 1, Part 2-Text and Terms

2009-01-31T12:51:00.003-05:00

Master Honen Categorizes the Buddha’s Teachings

Master Honen in Chapter 1 of his Senchakushu begins to lay the groundwork for his teaching. He starts by classifying the Buddha’s teachings and then separating them into two distinct paths.

Honen states in his Senchakushu: ‘The following is my own opinion: Daring to ponder these matters, the ways of categorizing the Buddha’s teachings differ among the various schools and sects.’

The Holy Path

The Hosso School divides the lifetime of holy teachings of the Buddha into three Periods: the teachings of existence, the teachings of Emptiness, and the teachings of the Middle.

The Sanron School divides the holy teachings during the Buddha’s lifetime into two canons: one for bodhisattvas and the other for sravakas.

The Kegon School formulated the five teachings that embrace the whole of the Buddha’s message into the Hinayana, the beginning, the final, the sudden, and the perfect teachings.

The Lotus School forms the four teachings and five flavors, embracing the whole of the Buddha’s teachings.

The Shingon School breaks it into the two teachings that encompass the whole of Buddhism. They are the exoteric and esoteric teachings.

Then Master Honen writes: ‘My present concern, however, is not to discuss the foundations of the various schools. Rather, turning to the Pure Land School, I will briefly clarify the matter of the two gateways. One of these is the Gateway of the Holy Path, and the other is the Gateway of the Pure Land.’

The Holy Path is divided into two parts:
1) Mahayana
2) Hinayana.

Mahayana is further divided into four parts:
1) Exoteric
2) Esoteric
3) Provisional
4) Real

Honen states: ‘In the 'An-le chi' only the exoteric and provisional teachings of the Mahayana are treated. Hence the Holy Path teachings refer to the circuitous of ‘gradual’ forms of practice that require many kalpas. From this we can infer that the Holy Path teachings also include the esoteric and the real. It follows, then, that the teachings of all eight contemporary schools, the Shingon, Busshin, Tendai, Kegon, Sanron, Hosso, Jiron, and Shoron, are also included in the Holy Path. We ought to be aware of this.’

Note: Master Honen is refering to the previous argument made by Master Tao Ch'o in his 'An-le chi.'

With regard to the Hinayana, Master Honen states: ‘Hinayana is the way for the Sravaka and the pratyekabuddha, as explained in the Hinayana sutras, in its monastic rules, and in its sastras. It is the way of realizing the truth by cutting off deluding passions, thereby attaining the ranks of sages and realizing their fruits. Hence we can infer here, as before, that the Holy Path also included the Kusha School, the Jojitsu School, and the various Vinaya Schools.’

Master Honen is begininng to seperate out the two distinct paths based upon practice and attainment of Buddhahood. The argument is made that the teachings of the Holy Path are gradual, and the attainment of Buddhahood can take many lifetimes. There are no derogatory comments made by Honen about the Holy Gate, but for him it is a matter of practice, a practice for everyone, and that points to the Pure Land Gate in which we will enter next time.

Terms:

Mahayana Schools:

Hosso-The teachings of this school derive from the Vijnaptimatrata (Consciousness Only) School of Maitreya, Asanga, and Vasubandhu.

Shingon-A very influential Japanese Buddhist Sect. It was founded by Kukai, who brought the esoteric teaching from China and established it as an independent sect. It was very powerful during Master Honen’s time. It’s teachings are primarily based upon two sutras, the Mahavairocana and the Vajrasekhara.

Busshin-Means ‘Buddha Mind.’ A previous name for the Rinzai sect, within the Chan or Zen School, established by Eisai in the Kamakura period. Eisai gave his sect this name because he taught that enlightenment is the realization of the Buddha Mind or nature that is hidden in every person.

Tendai-Or Lotus School. Which bases itself on the Lotus Sutra.

Kegon-A Buddhist School based upon the Avatamsaka Sutra. A very influential School. Third Patriarch is Master Fa-tsang.

Sanron-This school is based upon Nagarjuna’s ‘Madyamikakarika’, the ‘Dvadasanika Sastra’, etc.

Jiron-A Buddhist School based upon Vasubandhu’s ‘Dasabhumika Satstra.’ The founder of this school was Hui-kuang (468-537).

Shoron-This school based itself on ‘A Compendium of the Mahayana’ written by Asanga.

Hinayana Schools:

Note: Please keep in mind that these are Japanese Hinayana Schools at the time of Master Honen. Therevada did not have a stronghold within Japan at that time. So it is limited.

Kusha-A Buddhist sect based on Vasubanhu’s Abhidharmakosa. It enjoyed a brief existence during the T’ang dynasty. It never became fully independent.

Jojitsu-One of the 13 major Chinese Buddhist schools. The doctrines of Jojitsu were introduced to Japan along with those of Sanron.

Vinaya-One of the 6 sects of the Nara period in Japan. Founded by Tao-hsuan (596-667) in the T’ang Dynasty. It teaches the observance of the monastic precepts as a way of attaining Buddhahood.

Additional Terms:

Esoteric-The esoteric mystical teachings, said to have been directly revealed by the Tathagata Mahavairocana, which can only be comprehended by the initiated. Esoteric Buddhism holds that while nothing can be said of it verbally, it is readily communicated via esoteric rituals which involve the use of mantras, mudras, and mandalas.

Exoteric-Exoteric Buddhism holds that the ultimate state of Buddhahood is ineffable, and that nothing can be said of it.

Kalpa-The longest mythological time unit in ancient India. It inicates the period that would be required for a celestial woman to wear away a ten-cubic-mile-measuring stone, if she touched it with her garments once every three years.

Sravaka-means a hearer of the Buddha who seeks enlightenment for himself and is not able to enlighten others.

Pratyekabuddha-is understood to be one who strives to attain enlightenment by himself without teachers and who lives in lonliness and seclusion: a self-enlightened buddha.

The Senchakushu-Chapter 1, Part 1-Outline

2009-01-24T12:07:00.004-05:00

Tao Ch’o (Doshaku-562-645): The second of the five pure land patriarchs in China. He was first a scholar of the Nieh-p’an tsung (Nirvana School) but later turned to the Pure Land teachings. His commentary concerning the Pure Land Teachings, the An-le chi, was so important that he was eventually designated as one of the Pure Land Patriarchs. It was Tao Ch’o who originated the important distinction between the two gateways of the Holy Path and the Pure Land Path.

Buddha Nature: The potential for attaining buddhahood, or potential for enlightenment, innate in every sentient being.

Burning House Parable: The Parable of the Burning House appears in Chapter 3 ( the Hiyu Chapter ) of the Lotus Sutra. In this parable a scenario is presented where children are in great danger in a house on fire:

'One day, a fire broke out in the house of a wealthy man who had many children. The wealthy man shouted at his children inside the burning house to flee. But, the children were absorbed in their games and did not heed his warning, though the house was being consumed by flames.'
'Then, the wealthy man devised a practical way to lure the children from the burning house. Knowing that the children were fond of interesting playthings, he called out to them, "Listen! Outside the gate are the carts that you have always wanted: carts pulled by goats, carts pulled by deer, and carts pulled by oxen. Why don't you come out and play with them?" The wealthy man knew that these things would be irresistible to his children.'
'The children, eager to play with these new toys rushed out of the house but, instead of the carts that he had promised, the father gave them a cart much better than any he has described - a cart draped with precious stones and pulled by white bullocks. The important thing being that the children were saved from the dangers of the house on fire.'

In this parable the father, of course, is the Buddha and sentient beings are the children trapped in the burning house. The Burning House represents the world burning with the fires of old age, sickness and death. The teachings of the Buddha are like the father getting the boys to leave their pleasures for a greater pleasure, Nirvana.

A further interpretation is to see the the goat, deer, and ox carts as representing the early teachings of Buddhism, as the teachings of Hinayana Buddhism (the Mahayana term for the Buddhism that preceded it), and the cart pulled by white bullocks to 'The Lotus Sutra' which, when followed, leads to Buddhahood.

Five Defilements: 1) defilements connected with a given stage or period, ex. Age of degenerate dharma, 2) defilements of views or beliefs, 3) defilements of passions, 4) defilements of sentient beings, 5) defilements of life itself.

Anagamin: The third of the four stages of Hinayana enlightenment. At this stage the practitioner has eliminated all the nine illusions of desire and will not be born in the world of desire.

Arhat: One who has attained the highest of the four stages of Nikaya enlightenment, or one worthy of respect. Mater Honen regarded Mahayana Buddhism higher than Hinayana or Therevada Buddhism.

Five Bonds of the Higher Worlds of the Form and Formlessness: The five hindrances that still bind sentient beings to the higher worlds of form and formlessness. These five are: 1) attachment to form, 2) attachment to formlessness, 3) distraction of mind, 4) pride and 5) ignorance.

Five Bonds of the Lower World of Desire: The five hinrances that bind sentient beings to the lower world of desire. These five are: 1) desire, 2) anger, 3) believing the ego is real, 4) holding heritical views, 5) doubting the truth of the Dharma expounded by the Buddha.

In the 1st Volume of the An-le chi (Collection of passages on the land of peace and bliss) Master Tao Ch’o asks this question: ‘If we have buddha nature and we continually revolve in Samsara, even though we have met or encountered many buddhas, why do we fail to attain Buddhahood?’

According to Tao Ch’o, the Mahayana states that we have been unable to cast aside birth and death through the practice of one of the two excellent teachings.
1)The Holy Path
2)The Pure Land Path

Tao Ch’o then tells us that it is difficult to attain enlightenment through the Holy Path today. (And that was back in the 7th Century!)
Reasons are:
1)Shakyamuni’s time and influence has receded into the distant past
2)The ultimate principle is so profound and human understanding is so shallow.

Tao Ch’o then quotes the ‘Great Collection Sutra’: ‘We are now in the age of the final dharma, even if countless sentient beings should begin to practice and cultivate the way, not a single one of them would attain the goal.’ The gateway of the Pure Land is the only one through which we can pass to enlightenment.

This seems to be quite a statement from such an esteemed Buddhist Master. What is his insight into human nature?

Tao Ch’o gives further reasons in his understanding of sentient beings in samsara:
1)Sentient beings are not able to weigh their own spiritual abilities.
2)No one has yet contemplated suchness.
3)Or true reality.
4)Or ultimate emptiness.

Tao Ch’o writes that until now, ‘neither monk nor layperson has ever been able to reach these goals. It might be true that some are able to attain birth in the human or heavenly realm, but this benefit is only achieved by having practiced the five precepts and ten good acts. These people are very rare indeed.’ He then goes onto explain how people are really like. ‘They commit evil doings and sinful deeds without end. It is because of the buddhas understanding of our nature as sentient beings that with immense compassion they offer us the Pure Land Gate.’

Master Tao Ch’o at this point shows us the compassion of Amida Buddha, from the Larger Sutra: ‘If there should be a single sentient being who, even if he should have committed evil deeds throughout his life, recites my name ten times in succession as death draws near and yet fails to be born in my land, then may I not attain enlightenment.’

Tao Ch’o states: ‘For even if we have done evil all our lives, if he or she is able to practice Nenbutsu continually, attentively and single-mindedly, then all obstacles will spontaneously disappear and they will be born in the Pure Land. Why not take heed of this.’

There is a common theme that runs through the Senchakushu and an answer that Master Honen yearned for. Knowing the capacities of sentient beings, the time in which they lived, and the circumstances surrounding that time, how could they attain Buddhahood? What is the practice for them? What is their salvation? These questions brought Master Honen down from the mountain in a plain black robe. It was to administer his knowledge and understanding to the common people. He was a conduit in which Amida’s great compassion moved through.

Tao Ch’o’s quote in the beginning of Chapter 1 of the ‘Senchakushu’, is the set up for Master Honen’s Pure Land Gate. The Pure Land School and its patriarchs. Next time.

The Senchakushu-Chapter 1, Part 1-Text

2009-01-19T16:04:00.003-05:00

Passages That Relate How the Dhyana Master Tao-Ch’o, Setting Up the Two Gateways, the Holy Path and the Pure Land, Discarded the Holy Path and Took Refuge in the Pure Land Teaching

Master Honen begins his great work, 'The Senchakushu', not with his own words, but the words of Dhyana Master Tao-ch’o:

Question: ‘If all sentient beings have the Buddha Nature, and each of them from ancient times to the present must have encountered many buddhas, why then do they continue revolving in the circle of birth and death and fail to escape from this burning house?’

Answer: ‘According to the holy teaching of the Mahayana, it is actually because they have been unable to cast aside birth and death through [exercising one of] the two excellent teachings that they have not been able to escape from the burning house. What then are these two [teachings]? One is called the Holy Path, and the other is called birth in the Pure Land.'

'In these days it is difficult to attain enlightenment through the Holy Path. One reason for this is that the Great Holy One’s time has now receded far into the distant past. Another is that the [ultimate] principle is profound, while [human] understanding is shallow. That is why it is stated in the “Yueh-tsang-fen” (Moon Storehouse Section) of the Ta-chi (Great Collection Sutra), “In the age of the final dharma, even if the countless sentient beings should begin to practice and cultivate the way, not a single one of them would attain the goal.” We are now in the age of the final Dharma, that is, the evil world of the five defilement's. The Gateway of the Pure Land is the only one through which we can pass [to enlightenment]. Thus, it is stated in the Larger Sutra (Sutra of Immeasurable Life), “If there should be a single sentient being who, even if he should have committed evil deeds throughout his life, recites my name ten times in succession as death draws near and yet fails to be born in my land, then may I not attain enlightenment.”'

'Further, no one among all sentient beings is able to weigh [his own spiritual abilities]. If we rely on the Mahayana [doctrines of attaining enlightenment], then no one has yet contemplated suchness, the true reality, or ultimate emptiness. From the Hinayana point of view, one must enter into the Path of Insight and the Path of Practice, then one must [toil one’s way up] through [the stage of] the anagamin to [that of] the arhat, severing the five [bonds of the] higher [worlds of form and formlessness]. Until now, however, neither monk nor layperson has ever been able to reach these goals. True, there are those that enjoy the benefit of being born as human and heavenly beings. But this benefit is achieved only by having practiced the five precepts and the ten good acts. Now, however, even those who continue to observe these precepts and virtues are very rare.'

'But when we consider people’s evil doing’s and sinful deeds, are they not raging everywhere like the storm’s winds and lashing rains? It is because of these things that the many buddhas, in their immense compassion, urge us to aspire to the Pure Land. For, even though someone has done evil for a lifetime, if only he or she is able to practice the Nenbutsu continually, attentively, and single-mindedly, then all obstacles will spontaneously disappear and he or she will certainly attain birth in the Pure Land. Why, indeed, do we fail to take heed of these things? And why are we not determined to depart [this world for the Pure Land]?’

The Senchakushu and Invocation

2009-01-17T09:52:00.004-05:00

Master Honen composed his great work the ‘Senchaku Hongan Nenbutsu Shu’, or ‘Senchakushu’ in 1198. The idea came about from his patron and devoted Honen follower, Kujo Kanezane, who at one time, while Honen was ill, and he was afraid he would lose the Master, asked Honen to write down the main principles of his teachings.

All during the time that Master Honen was composing this work he was in deep Nenbutsu Samadhi. As one reads the ‘Senchakushu’, one can feel a deep religious sensibility. On the surface the Senchakushu can seem dry, almost unwilling to give up its treasure, but as one reads and rereads this great work, the words and thoughts of Master Honen begin to unfold.

We will begin to unravel this great work in future posts. Not as a scholarly study, per se, but as a devotional guide to practice.

Toward the end of the ‘Senchakushu’ Honen remarks: ‘Long ago, I a monk of humble accomplishment chanced to read this book (Commentary on the Kuan wu-liang shou ching) by Shan-tao and came to learn something of its teaching. Thereupon, I resolutely abandoned the other practices and took refuge in the Nenbutsu.’

The passage that effected Master Honen so strongly came from the 'Kuan wu-liang shou ching': ‘…to recite single mindedly and wholeheartedly the name of Amida, whether walking or standing still, whether seated or lying down, without considering whether the time involved is long or short and without ceasing even for an instant. This is called the rightly established act. It is so called because such a practice accords with the intent of Amida’s Vow.’

During the moment of discovery and joy, Master Honen was said to have remarked: ‘In an excess of rejoicing, although there was none to hear, I cried in a loud voice: ‘In the past, when Amida was still engaged in practice as Dharmakara Bodhisattva, he had already established this practice for persons of limited capacity like myself!’ Joy pierced me to the marrow, and my tears fell in torrents.’

We begin with an Invocation:

Homage to the Buddha
Homage to the Dharma
Homage to the Sangha
Amida!
Your compassion and wisdom
Like the warm rays of the sun
Permeate my bones and give me great joy.
May they shine upon us always
Leading us all
To the Other Shore.
During our short time on earth
Let us all take refuge in you, so we
Can be a vehicle for your compassion.
Saint Honen!
Your wisdom and compassion
Like the cool rays of the moon
Refresh our mind and give us hope.
May they shine upon us forever
Guiding us all
To the Nenbutsu.
During your short time on earth
You gave us your example, so we
Can be a vehicle for your wisdom.

Namu Amida Butsu!

The Light of Amida-Master Shan-tao Q & A

2009-01-13T06:47:00.002-05:00

Master Shan-tao says in his 'Kuan wu-liang-shou ching shu':

Question: 'If people engage in various practices and are careful to dedicate their merits toward birth, they all can attain it; then why does the light of the Buddha, which shines everywhere, embrace only those who practice the Nenbutsu? What is the meaning of this?'

Answer: 'There are three meanings. The first clarifies the intimate karmic relations with Amida. When sentient beings arouse themselves to practice and always recite with their lips the name of the Buddha, the Buddha will hear them. When they constantly and reverently prostrate themselves before the Buddha with their bodies, the Buddha will see them. When they constantly think of the Buddha in their hearts, the Buddha will know them. When sentient beings remember the Buddha, the Buddha will also remember them. In these three kinds of karmic acts, the Buddha and sentient beings are not separate from each other. Hence, they are called intimate karmic relations.
The second meaning clarifies the close karmic relations. When sentient beings desire to see the Buddha, he, in response to their desire, will appear before their very eyes. Hence, this is called close karmic relations.
The third clarifies the superior karmic relations. Sentient beings who recite the Nenbutsu and think of Amida are rid of the accumulated sins of many kalpas. When they are at the point of death, the Buddha together with the holy assembly will come in person to welcome them. Their evil karma cannot obstruct his coming. That is why this is called superior karmic relations.'

Master Shan-tao also states in his 'Kuan-nien fa-men (Dharma Gateway of Contemplation): 'Further, as we have indicated above, each one of the rays of light emanating from Amida's bodily marks, and so on, shines everywhere throughout the worlds of the ten directions, but the light of that Buddha's mind and heart illuminates only those sentient beings who think wholeheartedly of Amida, embracing and protecting them and never abandoning them. Nothing is said about it enveloping those who engage in any of the other, miscellaneous practices.'

We will talk about the 'Karmic Relations' with Amida in future posts.

The Land and Light of Amida Buddha

2009-01-12T07:02:00.003-05:00

Hisao Inagaki states in his, 'Three Pure Land Sutras-A Study and Translation':

'It should be clear that both Amida and the Pure Land are constituted of light, which embodies the Buddha-Wisdom. Although in samadhi one can perceive them as distinguishable, they are, in the final analysis, undifferentiated. In the ultimate state of existence, Amida as a person and the Pure Land as a spiritual environment merge into one-boundless pure light of wisdom pervading everywhere and giving true spiritual life to all beings.'

'Amida is a person who embodies both the ultimate principle of existence and the highest wisdom that realizes it. Through taking refuge in Amida we are illuminated by this wisdom, which, in effect, reveals our real nature in the light of truth.'

The Larger Sutra says: 'If sentient beings encounter his light, their three defilement's are removed; they feel tenderness, joy and pleasure; and good thoughts arise. If sentient beings are in the three realms of suffering see his light, they will all be relieved and freed from affliction. At the end of their lives, they all reach emancipation.'

Vasubandhu says in his 'Hymn of Aspiration for Birth': 'To describe Amida's light simply as a spiritual light is not enough. It is the wisdom that illumines everything and reveals its ultimate reality. It is also boundless Compassion, for it embraces all living beings and awakens them to Enlightenment.'

Now, Master Honen argues in his 'Senchakushu', that, those of other practices are not in accord with the Original Vow of Amida, and therefore Amida's light does not illuminate and embrace them. But the light is always there. Once we take refuge in Amida, embrace the practice of Nenbutsu, then we are in accord with the Original Vow of Amida, and are illuminated by his light.

Master Honen: Question: What meaning is there in the fact that the Buddha's light illuminates only practitioners of the Nenbutsu, but does not those who perform other practices?

Answer: There are two ways to understand this. The first pertains to the three types of karmic relations, such as the intimate karmic relations shown in the above quotation. The second pertains to the original vow. Because the other practices are not in accord with the original vow, this light does not illuminate and embrace those who practice them, but it does illuminate and embrace those who practice the Nenbutsu, because it is in accord with the original vow.

We will hear from Master Shan-tao next time.

The Light of Amida Embraces the Nenbutsu Devotee

2009-01-11T08:24:00.008-05:00

Below is a teaching by Master Honen. It is meant to spur the Nenbutsu practitioner in his or her cultivation:

The Meditation Sutra states, 'Each ray of light of Amida Buddha shines over the worlds of the ten quarters; those who practice reciting Nenbutsu, embraced by that light, are never to be abandoned.'
This passage means that the light of Amida Buddha shines over the devotees of Nenbutsu; it seems not to shine over those who engage in any other practice. Nevertheless, the light actually shines upon and embraces the latter if they aspire birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Why does Amida Buddha's light shine selectively only upon the devotees of Nenbutsu? Master Shan-tao explained, 'The color of the body of Amida is similar to that of a golden mountain. The rays of light emanating from His physical features shine over the ten quarters. However, the light illuminates and embraces only the practitioner of Nenbutsu. It should be known that this is where the influence of the Essential Vow is most evident.'
Since the vocal Nenbutsu is the practice of the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha, the light emitted by that Buddha shines upon those who practice Nenbutsu of the Essential Vow; therefore, the light of Amida Buddha makes a distinction and does not shine upon practitioners other than the Nenbutsu devotee.
Those who now desire birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss must practice Nenbutsu of the Essential Vow and must wish to be illuminated by His all-encompassing light. Nenbutsu is the most important practice for achieving Ojo. We must recite it often.

-taken from the Ganso Daishi Gohogo Vol. 1, Unit 26.

Master Honen's Poem (Tsukikage) Three Translations:

1) 'The light of the moon illuminates the whole world

Leaving no corner in darkness

Although the light will only permeate the heart

Of those who gaze upon the moon.'

2) 'Though the moon shines all over the world

Leaving no corner in darkness,

Only those who gaze upon the moon

Appreciate its serene light.'

3) 'There is no place where the moonlight

Casts not its cheering ray;

With him who has the seeing eye

Alone that light will stay.'

There is a phrase in the above teaching of Master Honen that appears to be in conflict with his poem: 'the light of Amida Buddha makes a distinction and does not shine upon practitioners other than the Nenbutsu devotee.'

Amida's light shines everywhere, universal, compassionately, it makes no distinction. The distinction is on the part of the practitioner only. It is only when we envelope the light into ourselves do we finally see the light of Amida's compassionate activity, merit and virtues. Only when we fully take refuge in Amida Buddha do we see this light. If I practice Zen Buddhism, I am not open to this light, even though it continues to shine everywhere.

We will dig further in future posts.

Nenbutsu as Superior Practice

2009-01-07T10:47:00.001-05:00

Master Honen writes in his Senchakushu:

The Nenbutsu is superior, and other practices are inferior. This is because into the name flow all of Amida’s uncountable virtues. That is to say, in the name are contained all the merits and virtues of Amida’s inner enlightenment, such as the four kinds of wisdom, the three bodies, the ten powers, and the four kinds of fearlessness. Also contained in it are all the merits and virtues of his outward activities, such as the major and minor bodily characteristics, the emanation of light, the preaching of the Dharma, and the benefiting of sentient beings. For these reasons, the merits and virtues of the name are incomparably “superior.” The other practices are not the same as this; each one of them produces only a limited portion of merit and virtue. For this reason they are called “inferior.”

In ‘Living in Amida’s Universal Vow’, there is an article by Allan Andrews, entitled. ‘Pure Land Buddhist Hermeneutics: Honen’s Interpretation of Nenbutsu’, in which he writes: He (Master Honen) reasoned that to call upon Amida’s name gains for the cultivator all the karmic merit of Amida himself-all the merit implied in his Buddha-wisdom and compassion and all the merit achieved in Amida’s use of these as well. Other practices, reasoned Honen, merely earn for the cultivator a limited amount of merit from the cultivator’s performance of the particular meritorious deed or act itself.

In my opinion (Gary), as much as we try and rely on other practices, for as much as we may want, they still are limited. If, as Master Honen says, all the merit of Amida is contained in the utterance of Nenbutsu, then all other practices fall on the cultivator in which they are done. In reality they are hardly ever complete and samsara becomes our destination once more. Only the Nenbutsu offers complete merit and virtue. Let us not squander this opportunity.

Four Kinds of Wisdom:
a) mirror wisdom
b) wisdom of equality
c) wisdom of wondrous insight
d) wisdom of carrying out duty.

In the Yogacara School the four forms of transformed consciousness emerge from the eight forms of consciousness when illusion is destroyed and enlightenment realized.

Three Bodies:
a) Dharmakaya: Dharma Body
b) Sambhogakaya: Bliss or Reward Body
c) Nirmanakaya: The Manifested Body

Ten Powers:
a) distinguishing right from wrong
b) knowing the results from every kind of karma
c) comprehending the various kinds of meditation
d) judging the inferiority or superiority of the capacity of people
e) perceiving the precise degree of every person’s understanding
f) discerning the superiority or inferiority of all peoples natures
g) understanding the law of rebirth
h) remembering everything in the past
i) knowing the birth and death of people throughout the three periods of time
j) rightly knowing how to extinguish every affliction in oneself and others

Four Kinds of Fearlessness:
a) the he (buddha) has realized the truth of all phenomena
b) that he has extinguished all desires and illusions
c) that desires and karma can be obstacles to enlightenment
d) that one can overcome all sufferings by practicing the Buddha’s dharma

The Steadfast Heart

2009-01-05T07:20:00.001-05:00

Master Honen describes all three devotional hearts, as one, the:

The Steadfast Heart

What should the Nenbutsu practitioner bear in his heart? The practitioner should recite the name of Amida Buddha exclusively while contemplating the fear of being transmigrated through the delusive worlds after death, aspiring birth in the Pure Land, and having faith that through Nenbutsu, Amida Buddha will come to receive and welcome him into the Pure Land at his time of death. There is nothing else but the recitation of Nenbutsu.
Put succinctly, the Three-fold Devotional Heart is nothing more than just earnest desire for birth in the Pure Land. The wish for birth in the Pure Land, truthfully and without pretension, is called the “Genuine Heart.”
The purity of this heart, which bears no doubt even for a moment that the vocal Nenbutsu leads Amida Buddha to come to welcome one at the time of death, is called the “Profound Heart.”
One’s desire to be born in that Pure Land and to transfer one’s accumulated merits of practice and wholesome deeds for Ojo are called the “Heart Aspiring Ojo through the Transference of Merit.”
In short, if one wishes for birth in the Pure Land with purity of heart, one will by nature embody the Three-fold Devotional Heart.

-Taken from the Ganso Daishi Gahogo, Volume 1, Unit 9.

Shan-tao's 'Mind That Dedicates Merit Toward Ojo'

2009-01-02T20:07:00.001-05:00

Master Shan-tao continues his teaching regarding, ‘The Mind that dedicates all merits toward one’s birth in the Pure Land':

‘The third is known as the mind that dedicates all merits toward one’s birth in the Pure Land and resolves to be born there. This mind dedicates the good deeds worldly and world-transcending achieved by one’s own physical, vocal and mental practices of the past and the present, and by taking appropriate delight in the good deeds worldly and world-transcending achieved by the physical, vocal, and mental practices of all other ordinary and holy beings: that is, by dedicating toward that end all merits of the good deeds achieved by oneself and others with a mind of true and profound faith. It is for this reason that it is called the mind that dedicates all merits toward one’s birth in the Pure Land and resolves to be born there.’
‘Those who dedicate merits and resolve to be born should be convinced that they can indeed attain birth by such a determined dedicating if it is done with a truly genuine mind. This mind, because of its deep faith, is as firm as a diamond; it will not be perturbed or destroyed by those who hold different views, studies, understandings, and practices. Go straight forward, decisively and wholeheartedly. Do not listen to the words of those other persons and vacillate, look hither and yon, fall into the realms of evil, and lose the great benefit of birth.’
‘Question: What should one do if those who have different understanding and practices and who hold various mistaken ideas come and create confusion by expressing various doubts and criticisms, teaching that one cannot attain birth? Or what if they should say: “You and all sentient beings have already for countless kalpas up to your present lives committed sins against all kinds of ordinary and holy people through evil karma of the body, speech and mind. You have committed the ten evils, the five heavy sins, and the four grievous deeds; you have slandered the Dharma, fallen into the sin of the icchantikas, broken the precepts, offended against proper teaching, and committed other sinful deeds. Such terrible sins have not yet been erased; they still bind you to the evil realms of the three worlds. How, then, can you, in a single lifetime of performing the meritorious practices and the Nenbutsu, enter into the land of no defilement and non-arising, attaining awakening and abiding long in the stage of non-retrogression?’
‘Answer: The teachings and practices of all the buddhas are more numerous than there are specks of dust and grains of sand. Equally varied are the potentials and karmic conditions of the sentient beings who receive them. For example, as people in the world can see with their own eyes and believe, light banished darkness, the sky encompasses all things, the earth can support and nourish living things, water both enlivens and irrigates, and fire produces and destroys. Such things are all said to illustrate the mutual relationship of all things. As our eyes can see, their variety is infinite. Why then should not the mysterious power of the Buddha’s Dharma bring many different kinds of benefits?’
‘To leave a gateway is to leave a gateway of the deluding passions; to enter a gateway is to enter a gateway of emancipating wisdom. In this way, every person should begin practice in accord with his or her karmic condition and so seek his or her own emancipation. Why then do you hinder and confuse me with practices that do not accord with my karmic affinities? The practice that I love is the one with which I have karmic affinity. But it is not the one you seek. The one you love is the practice with which you have karmic affinity, but it is not the one that I seek. For this reason, if each of us carries out the practice that accords with his or her own desires, we will all surely attain emancipation quickly.’

The Heart Aspiring Ojo Through The Transference Of Merit

2008-12-31T12:46:00.003-05:00

The Heart Aspiring Ojo through the Transference of Merit means to transfer with a genuine heart all of one's own meritorious physical, verbal, and mental virtues cultivated in the past and also in this life, for the singular purpose of attaining birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss of Buddha Amida.
This is called the 'Heart Aspiring Ojo through the Transference of Merit.' If one embodies the Threefold Devotional Heart, birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss is assured.

--Taken form The Ganso Daishi Gohogo, Volume 2, Unit 11.

Outline on Shan-tao's Profound Heart

2008-12-30T13:26:00.004-05:00

The Profound Mind is the Mind of Deep Faith

Deep Faith has Two Aspects:
1) To believe firmly and deeply that, now in this present body, one is an ordinary sentient being tumbling in the stream of cyclic rebirth (samsara) unable to find the karmic conditions for escape.
2) To believe firmly and deeply that Amida’s 48 Vows enfold all sentient beings with their embrace and that those without doubt, and those who entrust themselves to the power of these Vows will certainly attain birth.

Shan-tao further states:
1) To believe firmly and deeply that Shakyamuni Buddha, in the Meditation Sutra, expounded the three types of beneficial practice, the nine levels of beings, and the two good contemplative and non contemplative practices.
2) That Shakyamuni Buddha gave witness and praise to Amida Buddha and urged sentient beings to aspire toward that land.
3) That in the Amida Sutra, many buddhas of the ten directions, testified that ordinary people can assuredly attain birth, and that they encourage them to seek it.

Three Types of Beneficial Practice (sanpuku): According to the Meditation Sutra, they are:
a) Worldly meritorious acts, such as filial piety, reverence for one’s teachers and elders, and performance of the ten good acts (not to kill, not to steal, not to commit sexual misconduct, not to lie, not to exaggerate, not to slander, not to be double tongued, not to covet, not to be angry, not to hold wrong views).
b) Meritorious acts of observing the Buddhist Precepts, such as holding fast to the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha).
c) The beneficial acts of practicing the Buddhist way, such as awakening the bodhicitta (buddha mind), having deep faith in karmic causality, and reading and writing the Mahayana Sutras.

Nine Levels of People (kuhon): The classification of people in the Meditation Sutra. In the sutra those who attain birth in the Pure Land are classified into nine levels according to their innate capacities.

Contemplative Practices (jozen):
a) To visualize the sun (nissokan).
b) To visualize water (suisokan).
c) To visualize the ground of the Pure Land (chisokan).
d) To visualize the Pure Land’s jeweled trees (hojukan).
e) To visualize the Pure Land’s jeweled ponds (hochikan).
f) To visualize the Pure Land’s jeweled towers (horokakukan).
g) To visualize the Pure Land’s lotus blossom thrones (kezakan).
h) To visualize the image of Amida Buddha (zosokan).
i) To visualize the full body of Amida Buddha (Amidabutsukan).
j) To visualize Kannon Bodhisattva (Kannonkan).
k) To visualize Seishi Bodhisattva (Seishikan).
l) To visualize the entirety of the Pure Land as though one were born there (fuojokan).
m) To visualize the manifold aspects of Amida’s universal salvation (zosokan).

Non Contemplative Practices (sanzen): Good acts without meditation.

Master Shan-tao requests that all practitioners of deep faith:
a) Believe only in the Buddha’s words
b) Are without concern for their bodily life
c) Resolutely rely on practice: to cast aside that which the Buddha would have one cast aside, to practice that which the Buddha would have one practice, and to leave behind that which the Buddha would have one leave behind.

‘This is known as following the Buddha’s teaching and being in accord with the Buddha’s intention; it is known as following the Buddha’s vow. It is called being a true disciple of the Buddha.’ -Shan-tao.

Master Shan-tao assures all practitioners of deep faith that the buddhas will not lead sentient beings astray. The reasons are:
a) A buddha is one who has perfect great compassion.
b) A buddha’s words are always true.
c) Except for buddha’s, there is no one who is perfect in wisdom and practice
d) Every word that a buddha expounds expresses an authentic teaching, an authentic meaning, an authentic practice, an authentic understanding, an authentic karmic activity, an authentic wisdom.
e) A buddha’s teaching is a final teaching.

Master Shan-tao’s plea: ‘I now urge all those who have karmic affinity with birth to cultivate deep faith in Shakyamuni Buddha’s words alone and practice toward this end exclusively. One should not believe the teachings of bodhisattvas and others that are not in accord with the Buddha’s intent, should not arouse doubt, should not become confused and embrace delusion, and should not forfeit the great benefit of attaining birth.’

Shan-tao's Instructions on the Profound Heart Pt.1

2008-12-29T08:19:00.003-05:00

Honen quotes in his 'Senchakushu', Shan-tao's instruction on the Profound Heart (Mind). Shan-tao's instruction is taken by Honen from Shan-tao's own 'Kuan wu-liang-shou ching shu'.

Master Shan-tao states:

The second is the profound mind. The profound mind is the mind of deep faith. It, too, has two aspects. The first is to believe firmly and deeply that, now in this present body, one is an ordinary sinful being involved in transmigration who has for countless kalpas been always sunk tumbling in the stream of cyclic rebirth, unable to find the karmic conditions for escape. The second aspect is to believe firmly and deeply that Amida's forty-eight vows enfold sentient beings in their embrace and that those who without doubt or reservation entrust themselves to the power of these vows will certainly attain birth.
Further, it is to believe firmly and deeply that Shakyamuni Buddha in the 'Kuan wu-liang-shou ching' expounded the three types of beneficial practice, the nine levels of people, and the two good contemplative and non contemplative practices; that he gave witness and praise to the principal and dependent rewards of the Buddha Amida and urged people to aspire toward that land.
Further, it is to believe firmly and deeply that in the Amida Sutra the many buddhas of the ten directions, as numberless as the sands of the Ganges, testify that all ordinary people can assuredly attain birth, and that they encourage them to seek it.
Moreover, with respect to deep faith, I would wish and request that all practitioners single mindedly believe only in the Buddha's words and that they, without concern for their bodily like, resolutely rely on this practice: to cast aside that which the Buddha would have one cast aside, to practice that which the Buddha would have one practice, and to leave behind that which the Buddha would have one leave behind. This is known as following the Buddha's teaching and being in accord with the Buddha's intention; it is known as following the Buddha's vow. It is called being a true disciple of the Buddha.
Furthermore, I assure all practitioners that those who practice with deep faith according to this sutra will surely not lead sentient beings astray. Why is this so? Because a buddha is one who has perfect great compassion, and his or her words are true. Except for buddhas, there is no one who is perfect in wisdom and practice. The others still remain in the stage of learning. They have yet to remove the two actual and residual obstacles, and their vows have yet to be fulfilled completely. Even if ordinary people or sages ponder on the import of the many buddhas' teachings, they cannot reach a thorough understanding of them. Even if they do gain clear and correct understanding, they still by all means need the endorsement of a buddha in order to be certain.
If their understanding is in accord with a buddha's mind, he or she will give approval saying, 'So it is, so it is.' If it is not in accord with a buddha's mind, he or she will say, 'Your words are not in accord with my teaching.' When a buddha gives no sign, then those teachings are like words that are neither good nor evil; they are neither beneficial nor profitable. But if a buddha gives approval to something, then it is in accord with his or her authentic teachings. Moreover, every word that a buddha expounds expresses his or her authentic teaching, his or her authentic meaning, his or her authentic practice, his or her authentic understanding, his or her karmic activity, his or her authentic wisdom. These words, whether many or few determine the truth or falsehood of the teachings of others, whether they are bodhisattvas, humans or devas. Moreover, a buddha's teaching is the final teaching; what bodhisattvas and the like teach are known to be teachings that are not yet final. One ought surely to understand this. It is for this reason that I now urge all those who have karmic affinity with birth to cultivate deep faith in Shakyamuni's words alone and practice toward this end exclusively. One should not believe the teachings of bodhisattvas and others that are not in accord with the Buddha's intent, should not arouse doubt, should not become confused and embrace delusion, and should not forfeit the great benefit of attaining birth.
The profound mind is identified with deep faith because it involves a decisive determination of one's mind to practice in accord with the Buddha's teachings; it involves forever setting aside all doubts and falsehoods and never retreating or wavering in the face of all other interpretations, practices, different teachings, different views, and different contentions.

The Profound Heart (Mind)

2008-12-27T20:10:00.001-05:00

According to Master Shan-tao, first, we must believe that we are karmically evil mortals; second, we must believe in the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha.
This is because if only belief in the Essential Vow without the premise that we are karmically evil mortals is taught, many people who desire birth in the Pure Land would become perplexed and doubtful. Although people recite the name of Amida Buddha as taught in the Essential Vow, if they reflect on their unwholesome passions of greed and anger and on their commitment of the Ten Transgressions or the violations of the Buddhist Precepts, they would become self-denigrating and begin to doubt the teaching of the Essential Vow. They would logically conclude that even though the Essential Vow taught that birth in the Pure Land would be possible through ten recitations or just a single utterance of Nenbutsu, this Nenbutsu teaching is not meant for common people.
Foreseeing the misconceptions of people in the future, Master Shan-tao preached the above dual beliefs. He also clarified the premise that we are karmically evil mortals burdened by weighty unwholesome passions; however, if we believe implicitly in the Essential Vow of Amida Buddha and recite Nenbutsu just once, Ojo is, with certainty, assured.
I, Honen, believe that this teaching of Master Shan-tao is truly noble.

--Taken from Unit 10, Volume 2 of the Ganso Daishi Gohogo

Outline on Shan-tao's The Genuine Heart

2008-12-26T10:24:00.006-05:00

Sincere Mind, also means: Utterly Sincere Mind, Utmost Sincere Mind.

Utmost: Means True.

This expression is intended to make clear that the understanding and practice of all sentient beings carried out through physical, vocal, and mental activities must all be accomplished with a ‘truly genuine mind.’

Shan-tao’s advice: ‘one should not outwardly manifest the aspects of being wise, good, and diligent while inwardly embracing vanity and falsehood.’ Greed, anger, evil, falsehood, deceit, pretension are just some of the many defilements, in opposition to being wise, good, etc.

Shan-tao states that by their very nature these defilements are like snakes and scorpions. Even though we may practice these good deeds in our mental, physical and vocal activities, they are always mixed with poison (our defilements).

So in turn they are considered false and therefore cannot be considered ‘genuine’.

'Even if we strive day and night to practice as though we were brushing live coals from our head, it would still be considered mixing good with poison.' (Master Shan-tao is not telling us not to practice, but to understand our practice. To know that although we do practice daily, we practice without falsity.)

On Merit Practice Alone: ‘Even if we dedicate all the merits achieved from these practices to Birth in the Pure Land, they still would be mixed and impossible to achieve birth.’

Shan-tao goes on to explain that only Dharmakara as a bodhisattva was able to perform these practices with a truly genuine mind, because every thought, word and deed was carried out with a truly genuine mind. In other words at no time did Dharmakara through vocal, mental, or physical practices have any good mixed with poison. All his acts, whether for himself or others involved acts of compassion, never a moment of greed, anger, hatred, etc., and therefore can be deemed truly genuine.

Shan-tao then goes on to break down true genuineness into two kinds:

1) benefiting oneself
2) benefiting others

Practices in benefiting oneself and others:

1) One must subdue in oneself and others the manifold evils and discard the defiled lands.
2) One must diligently encourage and cultivate in oneself and others the good practices of both ordinary and holy ones.

Good Practices include vocal, physical, and mental practices.

Vocal Practice:
a) recitation of Nenbutsu
b) repentance
c) praising the good qualities performed by sentient beings
d) keeping our distance from those whose practices are not good, but being respectful and never rejoicing in their actions.

Physical Practice:
a) gassho-bowing
b) prostrations
c) making offerings
d) hold in contempt, despise and discard in oneself and others the principal and dependant rewards of birth and death and the three worlds.

Principal and Dependent Rewards: The principal reward refers to Amida Buddha himself, while the dependent reward corresponds to the landscape, adornments, and other characteristics of the Pure Land.

Birth and Death: Samsara

Three Worlds: Worlds of desire, form and formlessness.

Mental Practice:
a) to think of, contemplate and remember Amida as though he was before our very eyes.
b) to despise and reject in oneself and others, samsara (birth and death) and the three worlds.

Shan-tao concludes: ‘One must certainly reject with a truly genuine mind any improper practice through vocal, physical and mental activities; but, if an opportunity for good practice, through these activities presents itself one should perform them with a truly genuine mind. Whether concerning matters of the inner mind or of outer appearances, whether they are visible or hidden, one should by all means be truly genuine in everything.’

Master Honen’s advice, in his Ichimai Kishomon: ‘One who believes Nenbutsu, although he may have learned the entire teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, should consider himself an illiterate who knows not a single letter and conduct himself as if as unschooled as the men and women who shave their heads and observe religious discipline without foundation. Refrain from flaunting knowledge and devote yourself to the recitation of Nenbutsu.’

The word that comes to my mind while writing this is ‘Naturalness’. Being natural in our daily life. When we perform these good practices and have no pretension, having a genuine mind comes naturally, of its own accord.

Master Shan-tao's Cultivation of a Genuine Heart

2008-12-23T07:00:00.005-05:00

Master Honen gives a quote from Shan-tao's (Zendo) Commentary on the Kuan wu-liang-shou ching (Meditation Sutra), which supports Honen's thought on the 'Sincere Mind'. Taken from the 'Senchakushu, Chapter 8, Passages That Show That Those Who Practice the Nenbutsu Should Certainly Possess the Three Kinds of Mind.':

'Sincere means genuine. This expression is intended to make clear that the understanding and practice that all sentient beings carry out through physical, vocal, and mental activities must necessarily be accomplished with a truly genuine mind. One should not outwardly manifest the aspects of being wise, good, and diligent while inwardly embracing vanity and falsehood. Greed, anger, evil, falsehood, deceit, and pretension have a hundred facets. Their evil nature, difficult to eradicate, is like snakes and scorpions. Even though a person might practice the mental, physical, and vocal activities, these are said to be good practices mixed with poison. And so they should be called vain and false practice; they cannot be called truly genuine. If people should possess in their practice such a mind, even though they drive their bodies and minds and run about engaged in practice all hours of the day and night with the same compulsive haste as they would brush live coals from their heads, all of this should still be called good mixed with poison.
Even if they wish to be born in that buddha's Pure Land by dedicating the merits of these practices mixed with poison, it would certainly be impossible. The reason for this is that when Amida performed the practices of a bodhisattva, all throughout the preparatory stage, even at each moment or fraction thereof, he carried out all of the mental, physical, and vocal activities with a truly genuine mind. All of his practice, whether it involved acts of compassion toward others or striving for his own enlightenment, was truly genuine.
Further, there are two kinds of true genuineness; the first is truly genuine in benefiting oneself; the second is truly genuine in benefiting others. And also, within that which benefits oneself, there are two more varieties of true genuineness.
As to the first, one with a truly genuine mind must subdue in oneself and others the manifold evils and thus discard the defiled lands. Whether one is is walking, standing still, sitting, or lying down, one must personally resolve to subdue and discard the manifold evils, just as all bodhisattvas do. As to the second, with a truly genuine mind one must diligently encourage and cultivate in oneself and others the good practices of both ordinary and holy ones. With a truly genuine mind one should employ vocal practice to praise Amida and his principal and dependent rewards: Amida himself and his land. Also, with a truly genuine mind one should employ vocal practice to condemn and destroy in oneself and others the painful and evil things of the principal and dependant rewards of the three worlds and six realms. One should also praise the good practices done by all sentient beings through their mental, physical, and vocal activities. One should remain respectful but keep one's distance from those whose practices are not good, and one should never rejoice in their actions. Further, with a truly genuine mind one should employ the physical practice, joining one's palms, doing prostration, and making offerings of the four things to Amida and to his principal and dependant rewards. Also, with a truly genuine mind one should employ physical practice to hold in contempt, despise, and discard in oneself and others the principal and dependant rewards of birth and death and the three worlds. Further with a genuine mind one should employ mental practice to think of, contemplate, and remember Amida and his principal and dependant rewards as though they were before his very eyes. Likewise, with a truly genuine mind one should use mental practice to despise and reject in oneself and others the principal and dependant rewards of birth and death and the three worlds. By all means one must certainly reject with a truly genuine mind any improper practice through mental, physical, and vocal activities; but, if an opportunity for good practice through those activities presents itself, one should perform them with a truly genuine mind. Whether concerning matters of the inner mind or of outer appearances, whether they are visible or hidden, one should by all means be truly genuine in everything. Hence the expression, the sincere mind.'

Through Master Honen, Shan-tao explains the different practices of cultivating a 'genuine mind (heart). In the coming days I will give an outline of the above practices to be cultivated.

Honen's Four Distinctions for a Genuine Heart

2008-12-21T07:33:00.001-05:00

'There are four distinctions to be made in regard to having an utterly sincere mind (Genuine Heart). Firstly, there are some people who outwardly appear sincere, but inwardly are not. Secondly there are some who are false both within and without. Thirdly, there are those who do not appear outwardly to be sincere, but inwardly are; and fourthly, there are those who are sincere both in inward reality and in outward appearance. Of these four, the first two are lacking in this utterly sincere mind, and are to be rejected and called false. The other two classes are possessed of an almost sincere mind, and deserve the name of genuine followers. In a word, I think that the all-important thing is to have a true mind, whether one's outward appearance is good are bad.'

Master Honen goes on to give practical advice in answering a question.

'What is meant when we speak of a spiritual discipline that is simply the repetition of the Nenbutsu and the Three Minds (Sanjin)?

In reference to those other religious practices relating to the Pure Land, you shouldn't let your mind wander this way and that, but keep your mind fixed solely upon the one you are performing. Whether we consider the Original Vow of Amida, the teaching of Shakyamuni, the explanations of Shan-tao, or the opinions of many other teachers, the Nenbutsu, according to them all, is the essential thing in the practice which leads to Birth in the Land of Bliss.'

According to Master Honen, the Nenbutsu is the key element in all other Pure Land Practices that leads one to the Pure Land.

Sanjin (Three Minds) Study

2008-12-20T06:59:00.001-05:00

I have drawn up an outline of the previous post from the Ganso Daishi Gohogo, Unit 9, Volume 2, entitled, 'A Genuine Heart'. One of the Three Minds:

Genuine Heart also means 'Sincere Mind.'

Shijoshin: Genuine Heart
Shi: Truth
Jo: Quality of Being Genuine.

Being Genuine is the state of our Heart where there is an absence of any falsity. The heart that holds falsity produces passions of greed and anger and loses sight of Right Thought (One of the Noble Eightfold Path).

Greed: 1) greed satisfied with small gratification-this greed does not result in suffering for the Nenbutsu practitioner. 2) greed that is unsatisfied even with enormous gratification-The Pure Land teachings prohibit entertaining this latter greed. The Nenbutsu practitioner should recite Nenbutsu keeping this in mind. (Right Thought) Only then is the Nenbutsu genuine.

Anger: This unwholesome passion will be tolerated if one venerates our elders and nurtures our subordinates. ( I am sure there is a better way to translate this portion. I can only assume that if we venerate our elders and nurture our subordinates that we are also practicing Right Thought, Right Action, Right Speech, etc. and therefore anger becomes less likely to occur.)

Ignorance: Indicates a misguided heart. As we need to strive to liberate ourselves. 1) detest the triple worlds of birth and death, Three Worlds, a) desire, form and formlessness, Six Realms, b) hell, heaven, hungry ghosts, animals, humans and devas; 2) aspire for birth in the Pure Land; 3) treasures our precious belief in Ojo; 4) devotes oneself to a life of service.

Minimal Ignorance will not be an obstacle to the attainment of Ojo.

The cultivation of these attitudes will rid us of a heart filled with falsity based upon our greed, anger and ignorance and result in the emergence of a truly Genuine Heart.

Master Honen's Advice: To shun the evil passions of this delusive world of birth and death and to recite Nenbutsu exclusively, these are the True Practices of a Genuine Heart.

The Genuine Heart

2008-12-18T07:37:00.002-05:00

Master Zendo (Shan-tao) interpreted Shijoshin (the Genuine Heart) to mean: "The term shi refers to truth, jo is the quality of being genuine, (and shin mean hearts); therefore, Shijoshin means, a truly genuine heart. Genuineness indicates the state of the heart in which there is an absence of any falsity or evanescence. The Heart which holds falsity and evanescence produces the evil passions of greed and anger and loses sight of right thought." All evil passions arise from greed and anger, which are considered to be the mother of these passions.
Concerning greed, there are two categories; greed that may be satisfied with small gratification, and greed that may be unsatisfied even with enormous gratification. The Pure Land School prohibits entertaining the later greed of the evil passions. The Nenbutsu practicioner should recite Nenbutsu keeping this in mind. Only then is Nenbutsu genuine.
Greed that may be satisfied with small gratification does not result in suffering for the Nenbutsu practitioner. The evil passion of anger would be tolerated if one venerates our elders and nurtures subordinates. The evil passion of ignorance indicates a misguided heart. We need to strive to liberate ourselves from such an evil passion. If one detests the delusive worlds of birth and death, aspires birth in the Pure Land, treasures one's precious belief in Ojo, and devotes oneself to a life of service, then one can be free from the evil passion of ignorance. Minimal ignorance will not be an obstacle to the attainment of Ojo. The cultivation of these attitudes will rid us of a heart filled with falsity and evanescence based upon greed and anger and result in the emergence of the truly genuine heart. This is referred to as the heart that aspires enlightenment in the Pure Land School. In short, to shun the myriad evil passions of this delusive world of birth and death and to recite Nenbutsu exclusively are true practices of the Genuine Heart.

-taken from Unit 9, Volume 2 of the Ganso Daishi Gohogo.