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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
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