Honen’s one-page testament

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin

with commentary

"The method of final salvation that I have propounded is neither a sort of meditation, such as has been practiced by many scholars in China and Japan, nor is it a repetition of the Buddha's name by those who have studied and understood the deep meaning of it. It is nothing but the mere repetition of the 'Namo Amida Butsu,' without a doubt of His mercy, whereby one may be born into the Land of Perfect Bliss.
The mere repetition with firm faith includes all the practical details, such as the threefold preparation of mind and the four practical rules. If I as an individual had any doctrine more profound than this, I should miss the mercy of the Two Honorable Ones, Amida and Shakyamuni, and be left out of the Vow of the Amida Buddha.
Those who believe this, though they clearly understand all the teachings Shakyamuni taught throughout His whole life, should behave themselves like simple-minded folks, who know not a single letter, or like ignorant nuns or monks whose faith is implicitly simple.
Thus without pedantic airs, they should fervently practice the repetition of the Name of Amida, and that alone."[1]

Commentary:
First Honen said what Nembutsu Path is not, that is, not a form of meditation, not a scholarly or esoteric way. Then he explained what Nembutsu is – a simple saying/repetition of the Name in faith. If one says the Nembutsu of faith in Amida then he is sure of birth in the Pure Land after death. This saying of the Name in faith includes EVERYTHING necessary for our birth there, as well as ALL Buddhist practices. If you say the Name of Amida then you don’t need to know what are “the threefold preparation of mind and the four practical rules” because they are automatically included and fulfilled in the Nembutsu of faith. This is why I don’t even bother to explain them.

Those who try to confuse the minds of people by saying that this simple saying of the Name in faith is not enough are not in agreement with the Primal Vow and the teaching of Shakyamuni about Amida. It is not that Amida and Shakyamuni refuse to bless them or save them, but they put themselves in a situation where these blessings and salvation cannot reach them. It is like closing one’s window and stopping the rays of the sun from entering one’s room.
The salvation offered by Amida takes place within the law of cause and effect. If we want to reach His Land, we need to follow the requirements mentioned in His Primal Vow. To follow the requirements of the Primal Vow (entrust to Amida Buddha, say His Name in faith and wish to be born in His Pure Land) is to enter into karmic connection with Amida (to be assured of His salvation). Those who don’t do that put themselves outside of the Primal Vow, and cannot benefit from the blessings and mercy of Shakyamuni and Amida.

Those who understand and follow this Path, no matter how smart or knowledgeable they are, should stay humble because the Nembutsu they say works only due to the Power Amida invested in His Name. As nothing from our unenlightened personality is involved in the process of our salvation, we have no reason to consider ourselves special. We should behave like simple-minded folks because we are indeed simple-minded folks in matters related with birth and death! What can an unenlightened mind truly know about anything when compared with the mind of a Buddha? We are all ignorant until we attain perfect Enlightenment and our limited knowledge cannot save us from the ocean of samsara. This is why we should not complicate ourselves nor put pedantic airs but have a simple faith in Amida and say His Name exclusively. Why exclusively? Because in His Primal Vow, Amida did NOT mention any other thing except the Nembutsu of faith and because He knows better than us what we need in order to reach the Land that He himself created for our sake.

Shinran Shonin, who was Honen’s disciple and continued His Dharma work, said in agreement with the testament of his master:

“If you imagine in me some special knowledge of a path to birth [in the Pure Land] other than the Nembutsu or of scriptural writings that teach it, you are greatly mistaken. I simply accept and entrust myself to what my revered teacher (Honen) told me, ‘Just say the Nembutsu and be saved by Amida’; nothing else is involved.”[2]

For Shinran, the logic of salvation was simple:

“If Amida’s Primal Vow is true, Shakyamuni’s teaching cannot be false. If the Buddha’s teaching is true, Shan-tao’s commentaries cannot be false. If Shan-tao’s commentaries are true can Honen’s words be lies? If Honen’s words are true, then surely what I say cannot be empty.”

Amidais a real, living Buddha and a Buddha never breaks His Vow. Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha of our time, knew about Amida and His Primal Vow and He taught about them in the Larger Sutra, urging us to accept that teaching in faith. Then, many Masters of India, China and Japan, including Shantao and Honen, also encouraged us to have faith in Amida and say His Name. That should be enough motivation for us, disciples of modern times, to do the same.

[1] From Coates and Ishizuka, "Honen the Buddhist Saint", pp. 728-29, English translation presented in "The Buddhist Tradition in India, China and Japan" by Wm. Theodore de Bary, NY 1969, p. 331
[2] Tannisho, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.662