Shaku Shingan: “You may have heard of how at O-higan in North America, it is often taught that we "must" attain the six perfections (paramitas).”
My answer: I know that some link Ohigan with the six paramitas (perfections). This is not good because we are not a self-power school.
The word “Ohigan” means “the other shore”. We also celebrate Ohigan at Amidaji but the meaning we attach to it is to remember the importance of birth in the Pure Land. This is what “going to the other shore” means.
The six paramitas were taught in the context of self-power practices so we can simply ignore this term. However, if we wish to use it then we must reinterpret it in the context of Other Power faith.On the path of self-power a bodhisattva in a...