Brief Outline of Shin Buddhism

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This introductory article is in two parts. The first is a brief survey of the main tenets of Shin Buddhism and the second addresses questions that are often asked by Australians who are inquiring about Shin Buddhism for the first time

The Hongwanji Buddhist Mission of Australia is affiliated with the largest Shin Buddhist congregation, Jodoshinshu-Hongwanji-ha ('True Pure Land School, Denomination of the Temple of the Primal Vow'). Shin Buddhism is a mainstream Mahayana school and was founded by Shinran (1173-1263). The Hongwanji developed from a temple built at the site of Shinran's mausoleum.

For Shin Buddhists, the true nature of things is a lively wisdom and compassion that resonates in the lives of ordinary people. This wisdom and compassion takes form as Amida Buddha.

'Amida' is derived from two Sanskrit words:Amitabha (Immeasurable Light) and Amitayus (Immeasurable Life). Sanskrit is the classical language of India where Buddhism first arose. 'Amida Buddha', means, therefore, 'Immeasurable Light Buddha' and 'Immeasurable Life Buddha'.

Amida is not limited to a specific point in history although knowledge of him first arose from Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, who appeared in India around the sixth and fifth century B.C. Shakyamuni gained enlightenment after a long quest for the solution to the problems of spiritual evil and suffering in the world.

As a result of his enlightenment, Shakyamuni was able to address the needs of each person who came to him to listen to his teachings. To ordinary people, especially those who were unable to follow him in his monastic way of life, he explained how Amida Buddha could bring everyone, without exception, to Buddhahood which is the highest level of human fulfilment.

The final objective for Buddhists is to become a buddha because buddhas have perfect understanding, are completely free of attachments and therefore always act in ways that are genuinely beneficial. This objective meets the highest aspiration of the human heart. We remain spiritually and morally immature and ill-at-ease until we are fully developed and perfected human beings, full of love, kindness and freedom from fear and anxiety.

Amida as a Budhisattva made vows in relation to us, people stranded in the realm of ignorance. These are the vows of immeasurable light and immeasurable life.

Light is wisdom or understanding, and life is the compassion that results from perfect understanding. Amida Buddha's understanding is so complete that when he thinks of us he knows us exactly as we are and, indeed, accepts us as we are because of his perfect understanding.

Amida also vowed that his Name would be heard "thoroughout the ten directions," (Larger Sutra 7) that is, everywhere, and that those who say his name, entrusting themselves to him, will be born in the Pure Land and attain Buddhahook (ibid.).

This is how it is that the proximate focus for Shin Buddhists is nembutsu, the Name of the Buddha, Namu Amida Butsu, which means "I take refuge in Amida Buddha". Shinran gives a very succinct definition of Shin Buddhism which we find in several places, for example in his poems (wasan): "Nembutsu jobutsu kore Shinshu"; "Attaining Buddhahood through the nembutsu is the true essence (Shinshu) of the Pure Land way" (Hymns of the Pure Land 71).

Although the names of ordinary people can have immense power, Amida Buddha's Name has limitless power. The name of someone we love may evoke fond memories and longing but the Name is the reality Amida Buddha in our lives and our consciousness. All of Amida Buddha's virtueg, his Life and Light, are embodied in his Name.

Namu Amida Butsu is the Japanese pronounciation of the original Sanskrit phrase, Namo 'mitabhaya buddhaya, which was also transliterated into Chinese characters and pronounced Namo 'mito fo. The six Chinese characters are still the main written form of the principal image in Shin Buddhist temples and home shrines. Indeed, the correct iconic representation of Amida Buddha is really his written Name: Namu Amida Butsu. In Shin Buddhism, if statues and pictures of Amida Buddha are used, these are actually graphic representations of the Name.

In fulfilment of Amida's vow that his Name would be heard everywhere, Shakyamuni praises his Name in over two hundred sutras but especially the three Pure Land sutras which form the basic canon of Shin Buddhism. Those who accept Amida's 'Primal Vow' say the Name in gratitude for the remainder of their lives. The term 'Primal Vow' refers to the totality of all of Amida Buddha's vows but focuses mainly on his vow that those who sincerely and calmly entrust themselves (Shinjin) will attain Buddhahood. This is the eighteenth of his forty-eight vows.

Nembutsu people live in the Light and Life of Amida Buddha and see their own reality as distinctly different from his. Because Amida is fully enlightened, we become ever more deeply aware of our own profound ignorance: a kind of blindness which is a sense of being trapped and unable to overcome the evil oppression of our ego-centricity.

Shin Buddhism encourages us to heed the bidding of Shakyamuni in the Larger Sutra, and to relinquish all of our spiritual needs to Amida Buddha, by accepting his Mind which leads us to Buddahood. As this happens, our life becomes a joyful adventure, characterised by a sense of indebtedness.

As we grow in the way of Nembutsu, we become aware that Amida's pure wisdom and our foolish nature are mutually inclusive. We begin to realize that the true nature of things is an integral part of our own existence.

Shin Buddhism calls this insight into Namu Amida Butsu, 'ki-ho ittai': the identity of Dharma (Amida Buddha's Primal Vow) and those who entrust themselves. Namu is ki: the entrusting heart; and Amida Butsu is ho: the Dharma - the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha." (Gobunsho IV.11 et. al.)

The difficulty many of us have is accepting that we are really taken in by wisdom and compassion just as we are unable to become good or better people. Yet the nembutsu can be with us in all situations, joyful or painful, without exception. This is why Amida has given us his Name. This is why his Primal Vow is also called "The Universal Vow". Shinran refers to the Primal Vow as the "Great Ocean" because it takes in and accepts all people, no matter who they are, just as countless life-forms live in, and depend upon, the ocean. Shinran demonstrated from the writings of Mahayana sages, down through the ages, that nembutsu is "the call of the Vow that commands us to trust it" (Kyogyoshinsho II.34).

Shinran's personal teacher, Honen, said in his major work, Senjakushu, that the nembutsu is the supreme teaching of the Mahayana because it is easy to keep in mind and easy to say. The person whom Amida accepts in his Great Vow is not the person we show to the outside world but the person we ourselves would rather not see.

The person who awakens to Amida's Mind - in other words, accepts his Primal Vow - is born in the Pure Land. However, since the time of the great Shin Buddhist master Shan-tao, who lived in seventh-century China, it has been clearly understood that the Pure Land is, in fact, Nirvana or Buddhahhood - the complete realization of human fulfillment.

A Buddha is free of all attachment and aversion and has realized the true nature of things: wisdom and compassion. For this reason, he or she understands other people perfectly and moves to free them from the delusions that keep them in suffering and anxiety. So it is that, in Shin Buddhism, our goal does not end in self-absorbed bliss but in reaching out to others to help them as well.

Amida Buddha, in his Twenty-Second Vow, initiated the grace of 'returning' (genso) to this world to help others. This attitude is reflected in the present life of Shin followers. Shinran said that the nembutsu of those who have accepted Amida's Primal Vow carries with it the intention: "May there be peace in the world and may Buddhism prosper" (Goshosokushu). Shin Buddhists take on a special obligation to work for harmony and understanding among people and to honour and preserve the Buddha's teaching.

Because Amida's Vow "embraces all, forsaking none" Shin Buddhism has always adopted an egalitarian view of human relationships and seeks to serve society and attend to the needs of the disadvantaged.

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This has been a very brief outline of some key points in Shin Buddhist teaching. However, the Shin Buddhist way of developing a genuine understanding of the teaching is through "hearing the Dharma" (monpo). We must "hear" the cause and result of Amida Buddha's Primal Vow.

In order to "hear", we should study Shin scriptures and listen to Shin teachers. We listen for deep meaning and do not merely cling to the words. Although language is an important vehicle in conveying the teachings, it can be ambiguous and misleading when dealing with subtle and profound realities. This is why every school of Buddhism insists on a thoughtful approach to life