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20071225

Shin Buddhism And The Value of Humility

I've never heard of Shin Buddhists founding an order, only discussion groups.

And, I'd like to think the founder Shinran never wanted to make a name for himself, because of what he had learned by becoming associated with Honen.

Even when offered the opportunity to head a temple late in life, he refused.

Yet, for lesser men, the ego is sometimes so hard to curb.

So, because in these times ordinary people in the West have been inculcated in the public school system to fear any religious or spiritual feeling, and remain ignorant of such things in general, the awakened may decide instead on a life of poverty and obscurity over a life seeking status and wealth.

In Shin tradition, it is more about people who are very ordinary; calling attention to one's good works is like bragging about one's merits.

If a founder of a Buddhist order, whose ordination is suspected to have materialized out of his imagination, was really deserving of his yellow robes, then his works will not declare this. Instead, it'd be shown by his humility when exposed to the light of public opinion.

I suppose that I talk like this because of my culture. For humility maintains anonymity.

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