Letters of Summer (2)

This is the second of the four ‘Letters of Summer’ composed by Rennyo Shonin in the last year of his life. This letter was written in May, 1498 and continues on from the themes explored in the previous epistle. What stood out the most for me in this letter was Rennyo Shonin’s exhortation to listen deeply to the readings of the Triple Sutras (the three Pure Land Sutras), and to understand the essential focus of this act of hearing the Buddha-Dharma according to the teaching of our tradition.

All who have come here today to the shrine of Shinran Shonin are here for the purpose of listening to the readings of the Triple Sutra. However, it appears to me that to attend these gatherings, wherever held and without the slightest desire to understand the meaning of the Sutras but attend only for the sake of appearances, is totally pointless. The readings of the Sutras are for the purpose of receiving the Shinjin-Faith of the Other-Power and through an understanding of the Dharma, to recognise the shallowness of one’s own faith and attempt to correct it. This is the true teaching of the Buddha-Dharma. To gather at the daily readings of the Sutras without understanding them is truly futile.

From you today, you must seriously understand the meaning if the Teachings and ask others about the erroneous concepts of Shinjin-Faith that you had formerly held and correct them into True Shinjin. If you should understand this well and listen carefully, it will be beneficial both to you and to others. I shall now explain the reason for this. Listen very carefully!

By “Anjin-Faith” is meant that no matter how deeply evil a person may be, by discarding all he sundry practices, by single-heartedly placing reliance on Amida Tathagata, and by placing total reliance on the life to come in this Amida, truly such a person becomes a follower of the Nembutsu who will have received that “Determined-Anjin” (Faith). Only after a thorough understanding of this can one express truly the Nembutsu of gratitude to Amida Buddha. Thus, in the Shonin’s “Wasan”, this essence is expressed as follows:

“To receive the Nembutsu for the Wisdom of Amida Buddha is the actualisation of the Power of the Vow of Dharmakara. Without this Shinjin-Faith from the Wisdom of Amida Buddha, how can one receive enlightenment.”

Unless one has received the determination of this “Shinjin-Faith,” there can be no expression of gratitude to the Grace of Amida Buddha. I am curious as to how you have felt about this point up to this time.

You should all be fully aware of the essence of what I have just written and should you carry it back home with you and by discussing Shinjin-Faith among yourselves, obtain the determination of this Shinjin-Faith, you will have gained the unalterable determination of the coming rebirth into the Land of Bliss.

With reverence, I remain

Latter part; 5th month, 7th year of Meio (1498)

 

Japan Days (4)

An hour before the morning service began, we gathered as a group of six to listen to a reading from an important Shin Buddhist text, and then to discuss our personal impressions of what we had heard. The basic structure of this eza (faith-meeting) was that by rote someone would read out aloud the passage and then give a short reflection on what the text, or what they saw as the essential message conveyed by that text, meant to them. Then we would each follow to give voice to our own reflections, not only on the reading, but also on what others had said. After everyone had their chance to say something the meeting would close with an informal talk to catch up on what we did the day before, though this could sometimes also give rise to a serious discussion on a event which had particularly touched the speaker in some way.

By way of a short example, one morning the meeting was lead by MM a young lady in her twenties. She read a chapter from a collection of writings by Venerable CT on the history and development of Shin Buddhism. This is a useful book for this type of study as each chapter is fairly short and discusses an individual topic. The group had been going through each, one by one, every morning. Today the reading was on the life of Jitsunyo Shonin, the fifth son of Rennyo Shonin and the child Rennyo had selected to be his successor. Jitsunyo Shonin was a quiet man who lacked confidence in taking on the office of Head Priest of the Honganji, an organisation which had grown so greatly under his father’s leadership and propagation. Jitsunyo Shonin was advised that he shouldn’t worry about what he saw as his own personal failings but that his main task was to continue transmitting the teaching of his father which was recorded in the many letters (ofumi) he had written. Taking this advice to heart Jitsunyo Shonin was able to realise the way in which he should continue to nuture the faith-movement revived by Rennyo Shonin and continue its development. [Note: this is a very rough translation that I have written from memory but I hope it reflects the basic message of the story].

Using this text as our starting point we talked, in varying ways, about how we in our very different lives understood this episode in the life of Jitsunyo Shonin. For example M-san related the difficulties she had in fulfilling the role and responsibilities she had inherited. Looking back at her life she recalled some of her own experiences which had been central in awakening in her the way she should follow in the light of Amida Buddha. For my own part I remembered times in which my future life course had become uncertain. and how through encountering the sincere minds of my Dharma-friends, I was able to find a solution to the deep seated problems which were preventing me from seeing the way forward. I also thought about the times in which I had lacked confidence in contributing to the life of our sangha in the UK.

In this way, what was on the surface an interesting historical account of a venerable figure in the past, became the gateway to a series of personal introspections that allowed us to look honestly, not only at problems which we had overcome, but also those which lay unilluminated and unreconciled beneath the surface of our everyday consciousness. It brought me to a much clearer understanding of my relationship with others and the unceasing activity of Amida Buddha that emerges through our encounter with the other. Personally speaking it also allowed me to experience a much closer and honest relationship with the members of our small group. Since then I have experienced a much more stable and deep connectedness with our Shin Buddhist community, both at home and in Japan.

Although it would be very difficult to replicate this type of Eza in our home Sangha, it has been interesting to discuss with Kyoshin ways in which to utilize the means of communication we have at our disposal to experience its spirit, if not its form, with a our small, geographically spread, sangha in the UK. This is something I am looking forward to exploring more and more in the future.

Namuamidabutsu

 

Notes: ‘Bearer of the Light’ (J2)

Jishin’s notes on pages 82 – 83

In the next few pages of chapter 3 Kakehashi examines in detail Shinran’s interpretation of the 18th Vow.

The Vow is comprised of two “gates”:

1) The gate of inclusion – Sesshu Mon
2) The gate of deterrence – Okushi Mon (this is commonly translated as the “exclusion clause”)

The intent of the Okushi Mon is to engender a “turning of the mind” (Eshin) – in those who have committed these offences. This point highlighted that the purpose of the gate of deterrence is an introspective one – to be examined from one’s own standpoint.

In the gate of inclusion three minds are established by Amida Buddha for the salvation of sentient beings:

1) Sincere Mind (Shishin) reveals the truth of the Vow
2) Entrusting (Shingyo) mind without doubt
3) Aspiring to be born (Yokusho Gakoku) wish to be born in the Pure Land

Three Minds are contained within the One Mind of entrusting (Shingyo) – “three minds are the one mind” (Sanshinsoku isshin)

The phrase “Saying my name perhaps even ten times” (naishi junen) establishes the saying of Amida’s Name (nembutsu) as practice. We entrust in the vow and say the nembutsu. This is the mind and practice selected and settled on by the Vow.

The Vow establishes the oneness of the birth of sentient beings and Amida’s enlightenment. See also the Anjin Ketsujo sho for a detailed treatment of this point.

Therefore, there is no Pure Land birth of any ordinary living being apart from Amida’s Perfect Enlightenment. Amida entered Perfect Enlightenment when the Pure Land birth of every living being was accomplished, and thereby Amida’s Perfect Enlightenment and our Pure Land birth were achieved simultaneously.

Amida’s directing of virtue is the activity (from the side of the Buddha) that confers people with the single mind of entrusting, the nembutsu which arises from this mind, and birth in the Pure Land.

Page 83 then goes on to look at the relationship between practice (nembutsu) and Shinjin.

Namuamidabutsu is both the Name of the Buddha and the Tathagata itself as it contains all its virtues. The Tathagata is manifested in the act of saying Namuamidabutsu. Hence it is called “Great Practice” (Daigyo). This practice arises from the mind of Amida Buddha not from the side of “ordinary beings”. The nembutsu is simultaneously the Buddha’s call to us - the “true and real Dharma” is the calling of Amida Buddha.

Shinjin is to hear without doubt. We hear the name and awaken Shinjin.

Namuamidabutsu is the essence of the cause for birth in the Pure Land. Shinjin is the acceptance of this cause. The cause of birth is true and real practice and Shinjin.

More on the relationship between Shinjin and practice in the next part.