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Material and Spiritual Existence for the Shin Buddhist

In Shinto, there is no faith in the concept of the absolute one god who is the creator of both nature and human beings. The ancient Japanese had never divided material and spiritual existence, but considered that the both were inseparable, seeing everything to be spiritual. -- Jinja Shinto: The Concept of Kami http://www.jinja.or.jp/english/s-4c.html

Likewise too, in Jodo Shinshu - Shin Buddhism - material and spiritual existence are as one.

Though Amida Buddha is the object of worship, He is not the absolute one god and nor does he create both nature and sentient beings.

Rather, Amida made 48 vows which he kept, to create the Buddha world called the Pure Land of Bliss.

Thus the Pure Land has only a spiritual existence i.e. it exists in spirit and has many excellent qualities mentioned in the sutras.

For a Pure Land devotee, the mind purified by devotion to Amida through the Name-that-calls is at one with both material and spiritual existence.

In her heart-mind, the Pure Land of Bliss is here and now.

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