With the Heart of Nembutsu

A person with the heart of the Nembutsu is like one whose body is possessed of its fragrance; the heart of Mahasthamaprapta is thus likened to a person possessing fragrance. Hence it is stated, he is called "one adorned with the fragrance of light." Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, possessing the heart of the nembutsu within his heart, is likened to a person imbued with incense. He therefore states, When at first I was in the bodhisattva stage I attained insight into the nonorigination of all existence with the heart of the nembutsu. Now in this world: now in this Saha world. I embrace persons of the nembutsu and bring them into the Pure Land: "Taking in persons of the nembutsu, I bring them into the Pure Land." - Shinran Shonin, Notes on the Inscriptions on Sacred Scrolls: The inscription in praise of Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta

"In the Surangama Sutra, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva tells of how he gained enlightenment through Buddha recitation, or continuous pure mindfulness of the Buddha, to obtain samadhi." - Wikipedia entry on Mahasthamaprapta - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahasthamaprapta

Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta recited the Buddha's name and reached nembutsu-samadhi by chanring the Buddha's name. His example was realized by Shinran to be the way of sages, the difficult practice.

Since the Jodo Shinshu path is the easy practice, an ordinary Pure Land practitioner is ever mindful of Amida out of gratitude for establishing the Primal Vow.

Amida's Primal Vow is that all sentient beings who hear His call will be reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss.

When the Shin Buddhist utters the Name-that-Calls, he has heard Amida calling to him from the Pure Land.

For Amida and the Pure Land of Bliss are right here in the Shin Buddhist's heart-mind.

The heart-mind is the bodhi mind, the True Mind, the mind embraced by Amida, always graced by buddha-nature.>

What is the Name-that-Calls? It is the Nembutsu that I softly change to keep Indra's Net bright and strong around the whole world.

What is Indra's Net but the compassion of billions of people to help sooth the suffering of billions more?

For Amida is both the Boundless Light of Wisdom shining on the Boundless Life of Compassion and the Boundless Life of Compassion enlightened by the Light of Wisdom?

Namu Amida Butsu

---

Original post: February 15, 2006 11:48 PM PST

Six More Sessions with the Psychotherapist

August 30, 2011: That means twelve more weeks of therapy (about 3 months).

So from November, I shall be on my own to cope with depression and anxiety, the result of the social isolation which starts around this time of year.

Though, my experience since age 2 has shown to me that the anxiety was learned from my parents, along with the depression from my mother.

While this is discounted by most people, I know it to be true for me.

This truth has freed me from believing that anxiety and depression are solely a biochemical reaction to longer nights and shorter days.

Instead, I feel that the social isolation is most likely a defense mechanism complicated by social anxiety.

Currently I feel fatigued, yet am willing to pause and reflect on the pluses for today.

Overall I am satisfied with the service I obtained from my local mental health centre.

Update 20130203.1213:

It now has been a year and four months since the end of psychotherapy at the local mental health centre.

Things have improved immensely since my medication was changed to gabapentin (200 mg twice a day) and cyclobenzaprine (10 mg at bedtime as needed).

In addition, it has been a couple weeks since finding and buying the following books:

• Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith by Thich Thien Tâm.
  
• Buddhism: An Introductory Guide to the Buddhist Tradition by John Snelling.
  
• afterzen: Experiences of a Zen Student Out on His Ear by Janwillem van de Wetering.
  

As for my behavior since getting those books, it improved immensely. Though I did commit errors due to the remnants of egocentricity, which arises when negativities unsettles my mind.

Sometimes my fears get the best of me. For example, yesterday I was called in to work to fill un for another worker who'd fallen ill due to stress.

When my shift supervisor called me, he passed on information on the night shift building security guard that he was of the opinion that the security company I work for was inferior to the company that he's worked for all his career.

Fearing having to meet up with him, I decided to drop off the key fob assigned to me by the day shift guard at the desk, unsecured and vulnerable to theft.

While meeting with the night shift guard, he said I should return the fob to him. When I indicated that I'd left it at the desk in an unsecured manner, he left to recover it.

Later on, he came down to ask if I had been in the stairwells since the sensors had alerted him to possible breaches in security. In response to his inquiry, I stated that I have never entered any of the stairwells that night. His reaction was to cuss under his breath, as he was expecting a curt "Yes Sir!" rather than what sounds like an excuse.

Overall though, despite being alerted of frequent friction with the night guard, I actually only saw him twice all night. Based on the gender of the worker I replaced early this morning from midnight to six, I suspect that he might have a hint of misogyny along with the associated egocentricity.

In my way of thinking, putting down another company to make the company you work for seem superior hints of a dysfunctional ego clinging to inferior and superior.

How unnecessary are comparisons!

Later on that night, while I was meditating, I made a point of placing both hands together to meditate on what I learned from the night guard.

Since my meditation is done for the benefit of all sentient beings, including myself, I am certain that the evil karma (misunderstanding instruction about the key fob) was burned off through Buddhist Recitation and meditation.

As you can see, the Buddhist practice of Buddha Remembrance and breath meditation are my two main forms of self-help which benefit not only me but all sentient beings.

However, I am not so vain as to believe Buddhism is superior to psychotherapy due to my "lone wolf" practice.

Chinese Pure Land Buddhist retreats will not help me as I am unable to sit zazen. However, I am sure that Google Plus actually has a wide spectrum of spiritually deep members.

In conclusion, this humble blogger (points to self) makes use of the Buddhist practice of book learning in addition to Buddha Recitation and breath meditation as self-help tools. For these tools help reduce anxiety and depression, but they uncover pure joy arising from the awakening of Bodhi Mind.

I am grateful to the Buddha for his Dharma, to Amida Buddha for the Pure Land where I will be reborn on death, and especially to Shinran Shonin for founding his True Pure Land Buddhism.

Thank you for reading this blog post!

Change

"Everything has its coming forth and passing away;
nothing can be independent without any change." — Shinran Shonin

"Everything" refers to life.
"Coming forth and passing away" refers to the ebb and flow of life.

The rest is straighforward. All of life is dependent on change.

Even The Evil Person Shall Attain Rebirth

But the people of the world constantly say, even the evil person attains birth, how much more so the good person. Although this appears to be sound at first glance, it goes against the intention of the Primal Vow of Other Power. The reason is that since the person of selfpower, being conscious of doing good, lacks the thought of entrusting the self completely to Other Power, he or she is not the focus of the Primal Vow of Amida. But when self-power is turned over and entrusting to Other Power occurs, the person attains birth in the land of True Fulfillment.

The Primal Vow was established out of deep compassion for us who cannot become freed from the bondage of birth-and-death through any religious practice, due to the abundance of blind passion. Since its basic intention is to effect the enlightenment of such an evil one, the evil person who is led to true entrusting by Other Power is the person who attains birth in the Pure Land. Thus, even the good person attains birth, how much more so the evil person!

-- Tannisho, Chapter III

All that the evil person needs to do is to turn about and cross over to the bodhisattva path, repenting of his evil ways.

Within context of Jodo Shinshu, evil refers to a person's motivation to do good with thought of fame and reward. Such moral calculations usually end up as one's stumbling block since such high expectations lead one to be dissatisfied the results of one's good actions.

For no good deed goes unpunished! :p

Yet those evil people who repent of their evil and follow the Buddhadharma are praised for changing their ways.

Even so, no one in this life can say for certain if a person will be reborn in the Pure Land. All one can do is have faith that one will be reborn in the Pure Land.

---

Reference:

Tannishp chapters I to X: http://www.livingdharma.org/Tannisho/TannishoChaptersI-X.html
Primal Vow: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primal_Vow

An Unconventional View of Shinjin

"If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and call my Name, even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. Excluded, however, are those who commit the five gravest offences and abuse the right Dharma." - the 18th Vow of bodhisattva Dharmakara

Of the 48 Vows that Amida Buddha fulfilled, the 18th Vow is most precious to Pure Land followers.

In Shin Buddhism it is known as the Primal Vow.

Shinran, the founder of Jodo Shinshu, the Japanese Buddhist school which evolved into the post-modern form of Shin Buddhism, advocated that birth in the Pure Land is settled in the midst of life.

As a Shin Buddhist, my birth in the Pure Land is settled in my lifetime. When I entrust myself to Amida Buddha, birth there is settled at that moment.

In my present life, my spiritual journey consists of Shinjin, which is faith, belief, devotion and godliness. The Shin Buddhist concept of Shinjin in English may be limited by the devotee's understanding of the definitions for the term:

1. Faith
2. Belief
3. Devotion
4. Clear heartmind

By saying the Nembutsu out of sincere gratitude, I place my faith in Amida's Primal Vow. For belief in both Amida Buddha and my rebirth in the Pure Land of Bliss is based on that Vow. Thus am I devoted to the Buddha.

For the essence of the first three definitions for Shinjin is expressed succinctly in the Name-that-calls.

Within the context of the Buddhist concept of no-self, clear heartmind refers to humility. Hence the concept of the Name-that-calls, which consists of saying the Nembutsu out of sincere gratitude with the belief that it is Amida Buddha calling. This is known as Buddha Remembrance.

Since Amida is the Buddha of the Pure Land, clear heartmind refers to the pure mind that promotes calm insight to perceive the spiritual essence of Buddha Nature.

With calm insight, one is able to see Amida Buddha and the Pure Land as spiritual concepts symbolizing the bodhisattva way, and out of devotion, purify the heartmind through mindful practice with the intent to awaken all sentient beings to Sakyamuni Buddha and his Buddhadharma.

For the devout Shin Buddhist, shinjin as clear heartmind implies one takes faith in Amida Buddha's Primal Vow, believes in Amida Buddha and his birth in the Pure Land, and is devoted to saying the Name-that-calls with sincere gratitude. Yet this clear heartmind is not derived from the concept of man as god but from faith in Amida's Primal Vow that the devotee will be born in the Pure Land.

Due to the Buddhist concept of no-self, clear heartmind is derived from the non-practice of Buddha-Remembrance. By saying the Name-that-calls with sincere gratitude, one calls out to Amida Buddha with the belief that Amida calling to them.

In Buddhist psychology, clear heartmind refers to spiritual qualities of the mind associated with a bodhisattva. With respect to shinjin, clear heartmind is associated with faith, devotion and belief.

Indeed, shinjin as clear heartmind consists of belief in Amida, devotion to Amida and faith in Amida's Primal Vow that one's birth in the Pure Land is fulfilled.

Pure Land Sects bring salvation to the masses

The Jodo-shu and Jodo-Shinshu sects (Pure Land Sects) were founded by Honen Shonin (1133 - 1212) and his disciple Shinran (1173 - 1262), respectfully. Both taught that anyone, whether noble or peasant, could attain salvation by faithfully reciting the name of Amida Buddha -- chanting the invocation "Namu Amida Butsu" with devotion would lead to rebirth in the Pure Land Paradise. The rapid spread in popularity of the Pure Land sects was a serious challenge to the institutionalized Buddhist monestaries of that day, who responded by condemning Honen and his followers to exile.

Shinran, Honen's disciple, continued to challenge the existing Buddhist authorities by declaring that meat-eating and matrimony were not contrary to the teachings of the Buddha (at the time, neither acts were allowed by the reigning Buddhist powers).

By stressing pure and simple faith over complicated rites and doctrines, and by allowing believers to enjoy worldly benefits with the promise of salvation in the afterlife, the Pure Land gained widespread popularity among the peasantry. Today, the Jodo-Shinshu sect, along with the Nichiren Sect (also founded in Kamakura Period), are the two leading sects of Japanese Buddhism.

Out of Deepest Faith (poem)

This mind, touched by Sincere Mind,
no longer is deluded,
but follows Shinran into hell,
out of deepest faith.
Namu Amida Butsu.

The Primal Vow: Liberation of All Sentient Beings

In 18th Vow, Dharmakara vowed:
"If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and call my Name, even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. Excluded, however, are those who commit the five gravest offenses and abuse the right Dharma." - http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/48-bosatsu-vows.shtml

Of those sentient beings who commit the five gravest offenses and abuse the right Dharma, Shinran wrote that when they repent of their transgressions, they step crosswise from the path to hell onto the path to the Pure Land.

All it takes is the willingness to admit to their mistakes, make amends and change their ways.

According to Kyo Gyo Shin Sho (KGSS) 6: 75 - http://www.shinranworks.com/majorexpositions/kgssVI-73_80.htm
Shinran did not object to uttering the Nembutsu out of repentance for committing one of the five gravest offenses.

The five gravest offenses consist of "Killing father, mother, monk, injuring the Buddha, and creating schisms in the Sangha (Hinayana Buddhism); vandalizing temples, statues, and scriptures, slandering the teaching, obstructing religious practices, violating the five precepts and committing ten evils (Mahayana Buddhism)." - http://www.livingdharma.org/Tannisho/TannishoGlossary.html

Regarding abuse of the right Dharma, in KGSS 6:80 Shinran states:
"there is no dharma that can be abused, for the right dharma cannot be practiced in the latter part of the semblance dharma-age and in the last dharma-age. What is there that can be called abuse of the dharma? There are no precepts to be broken. Who is there that can be called one who breaks precepts?"

Shinran wrote the above as part of the response to the question, "how do we know that the Nirvana Sutra and the other sutras prohibit breaking precepts during the right dharma-age and that this does not apply to monks of the semblance and last dharma-ages?"

Thus the exception becomes null and void in the real world.

All sentient beings "who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me (Amida), desire to be born in my (Amida's) land, and call my (Amida's) Name, even ten times" are to be reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss.

First this occurs as the belief that the Pure Land is right here in the Shin Buddhist's heart-mind.

With faith that the Pure Land practitioner will be reborn in the Pure Land comes the faith that Amida and His Pure Land are right here, right now in his heart.

In saying the Nembutsu sincerely and joyfully with single-minded devotion, be it once or even ten times, the Shin Buddhist turns belief in the Pure Land into faith in the Pure Land.

Thus by such practice, the Pure Land practitioner puts trust in Amida, out of desire to be born in His land.

In this way does the Primal Vow liberate all sentient beings.

Kyo Gyo Shin Sho: What Shinran Wrote

" I, Gutoku Shinran, disciple of Sakyamuni, discarded sundry practices and took refuge in the Primal Vow in 1201. In 1205 Master Genku, out of his benevolence, granted me permission to copy his Passages on the Nembutsu Selected in the Primal Vow. In the same year, on the fourteenth day of the fourth month, the master inscribed [the copy] in his own hand with an inside title, “Passages on the Nembutsu Selected in the Primal Vow,” with the words, “Namu-amida-butsu: as the act that leads to birth in the Pure Land, the nembutsu is taken to be fundamental,” and with [the name he had bestowed on me,] “Shakku, disciple of Sakyamuni.” That day, my request to borrow his portrait was granted, and I made a copy. During that same year, on the twenty-ninth day of the seventh intercalary month, the master inscribed my copy of the portrait with “Namu-amida-butsu” and with a passage expressing the true teaching:

“If, when I attain Buddhahood, the sentient beings of the ten quarters say my Name as few as ten times and yet are not born, may I not attain the supreme enlightenment. The Buddha has now actually attained Buddhahood. Know that the momentous Primal Vow is not in vain, and that when sentient beings say the Name, they unfailingly attain birth.”

Further, since my name “Shakku” had been changed in accord with a revelation in a dream, on the same day he wrote the characters of my new name [Zenshin] in his own hand. At that time, the master was seventy-three years of age.

Passages on the Nembutsu Selected in the Primal Vow was compiled at the request of the Chancellor, an ordained layman (Lord Tsukinowa Kanezane, Buddhist name Ensho). The crucial elements of the true essence of the Pure Land way and the inner significance of the nembutsu have been gathered into this work, which is easily understood by those who read it. It is a truly luminous writing, rare and excellent a treasured scripture, supreme and profound.

Over the days and years, myriads of people received the master’s teaching, but whether they were closely associated with him or remained more distant, very few gained the opportunity to read and copy this book. Nevertheless, I was in fact able to copy it and to paint his portrait. This was the virtue of practicing the right act alone, and the manifestation of the decisive settlement of birth.

Thus, suppressing tears of both sorrow and joy, I record the circumstances that have resulted [in my compilation of this work].

How joyous I am, my heart and mind being rooted in the Buddha-ground of the universal Vow, and my thoughts and feelings flowing within the dharma-ocean, which is beyond comprehension! I am deeply aware of the Tathagata’s immense compassion, and I sincerely revere the benevolent care behind the master’ teaching activity. My joy grows even fuller, my gratitude and indebtedness ever more compelling.

Therefore, I have selected [passages expressing] the core of the Pure Land way and gathered here its essentials. Mindful solely of the profundity of the Buddha’s benevolence, I pay no heed to the derision of others. May those who see and hear this work be brought - either through the cause of reverently embracing the teaching or through the condition of [others’] doubt and slander of it - to manifest shinjin within the power of the Vow and reveal the incomparable fruit of enlightenment in the land of peace."

The Primal Vow of Amida is for Myself Alone

In everyday life whenever we experience our human limitation in outbursts of anger, jealousy, hatred, lust and fear, it is the Buddha Dharma that reveals their true reality to us, making them transparent and showing us the unlimited life that flows below them. When this experience is verbalized, the spontaneous saying of Namu-amida-butsu occurs. The awakening to the limited self (namu) is made possible by the working of unlimited life and light (amida-butsu). Shinran expresses this in a deeply personal way: "When I ponder on the Primal Vow of Amida, established through five kalpas of profound thought, I realize that it is for myself, Shinran, alone" (Tannisho Epilogue). Here Shinran is not speaking as an unreflecting, egocentric being but is affirming the single one, irreplaceable and unique, who lives interrelated and interconnected with all beings. As such, each self is affirmed as manifesting ultimate significance and worth. -- How to Read the Tannisho

Comment:

Though I may be a selfish person, challenged both physically and mentally, what Shinran writes is how I feel too about the Primal Vow.

Thus the title of this entry reflects the True Self, which is described as "the single one, irreplaceable and unique, who lives interrelated and interconnected with all beings."

Thus, through deep meditation and reflection I realize that the Primal Vow was made to benefit each devotee, especially those who have regretted committing the five offenses and slandering the right dharma.

Namu Amida Butsu

Background

'Primal Vow [hongan]

The working of Amida Buddha (dharma-body as compassionate means) issuing forth as the profound desire, wish, or prayer from the deepest source of life itself, dharma-body as suchness, to free all beings from the weight of karmic evil in the ocean of birth-and-death. It is taught in the Larger Sutra, the Chinese translation ascribed to Samghavarman (Kosogai) of the Wu Dynasty (A.D.252), as the Forty-eight Vows of Amida, the most important being the Eighteenth Vow. The Sanskrit original, purva-pranidhana, implies that the Primal Vow, as the manifestation in time, from ten kalpas ago, of that which is timeless, existed prior to (purva) the earliest being, and that it is the basis and foundation of each being, leading it to its self-awareness from the bottomless depths of life..."' - The Collected Works of Shinran: Reading Tools

Bodhisattva Dharmakara made 48 vows of which the 18th is known as the Primal Vow.

The Eighteenth Vow

If, when I attain Buddhahood, the sentient beings of the ten quarters, with sincere mind entrusting themselves, aspiring to be born in my land, and saying my Name perhaps even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain the supreme enlightenment. Excluded are those who commit the five grave offenses and those who slander the right dharma.

Links:

How to Read the Tannisho: http://www.livingdharma.org/Tannisho/TannishoHowToRead.html

Dharmakara's 48 Vows: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/48-bosatsu-vows.shtml

Primal Vow:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jodo_Shinshu#Doctrine
Collected Works of Shinran: Reading Tools: http://www.shinranworks.com/readingtools/index.htm

Nembutsu: Other Power as Salvation

In Japanese Pure Land Buddhism however, there is an exclusive reliance on Other-Power. Reciting the Buddha's name with faith is all that is necessary, and Other-Power practices are seen as essentially useless. A person is totally reliant on the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha; essentially, the saying of the Buddha's name arises solely from the power of Amida's vows. This causes Japanese Pure Land to be more of a salvation-based form, unlike the classical Pure Land Buddhism that originally developed in China. - Pure Land Buddhism: The Path of Serene Trust

See also Jodo Shinshu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jodo_Shinshu

Links:
Pure Land Buddhism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land

Nembutsu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nembutsu

Jodo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jodo

For more readings commenting about the works of Shinran Shonin, founder of Jodo Shinshu, see: http://www.nembutsu.info/~indshin/readings.htm

Forty-Eight Diamonds (Poem)

As I swim onward toward the shores of the Happy Land,
my troubled mind torments me, and panic drags me under.
Suddenly, strong arms pull me out of the water.
I find myself upon the shores, thanks to my rescuer.
He gives me 48 diamonds and send me on my way
pointing in the direction of the Gateway to Happiness.

On my way to the Gateway, beggars ask me for alms.
At first I ignored the first one, and hid the diamonds.
But a demon came and beat me up without finding any.
So the next beggar, I gave one diamond
when he chased the demon away.
This happened 47 more times.

When I come to the Gateway, I see the Gate-keeper
and apologize for not having anything to give him.
He smiles at me and welcomes me in, anyway.
"48 diamonds you did keep safe from evil beings,
and 48 diamonds you did give out of gratitude to me."

These are the 48 Vows of the Truth-keeper, Dharmakara.
These become the Primal Vow of Amida, said Shinran.
Through them we become ever mindful of Amida.


This poem reflects on the 48 Vows of Amida, as mentioned in the previous entry, The Divine Ocean of Love.

Jodo Shinshu as social emancipation

There was this Japanese guy who was put into monk school as a young man, and was going to get this cushy assignment for a prestigious temple.

Yet he saw the corruption around him, with soldier priests who were in the priesthood because of connections, and who partied when they weren't guarding the priests from intrigue and politicking.

So he had one of those crises of faith, and got this dream in which either a Buddhist deity named Kwannon or the founder of Buddhist law told him to try out this priest who would eventually help bring Buddhism to the masses.

This guy went onto make a statement, "My faith is equal to my master's", only to have his fellow monks misinterprete it.

In those days, the master-disciple relationship was such that, by equating your faith with that of your master you were going against tradition, which says the master's faith is the highest of all.

Eventually, a couple of monks got executed and everyone else, exiled.

During his exile, this man passed Buddhism onto the people.

In those times, Buddhism was for noblemen and the peasants were considered unworthy -- though the real reason was to amass wealth from the peasants by being intercessors, which is similar to the corruption happening in the West in the Church.

The end result was an emancipation of the peasants and priests.

Priests could marry, too.

Whenever I read this story, I see the seeds of peace being sown.

Sadly though, this sect along with other Buddhist and Shinto sects were closely monitored by Japan's thought police during WW2.

It wasn't until after the war that that ban was lifted.

However, Jodo Shinshu was not as quick as Soka Gakkai in promotion of peace.

Perhaps this is because the evangelical Shin people are stuck in Japan.

Though the Vietnamese nembutsu people are hot on Pure Land.

Yugyoji - the Dancing Nembutsu

Yugyoji -the Dancing Nembutsu

Ippen's Dream 7/24/96rtf

Harold Stewart on Ippen

Ippen Shonin promoted Dancing Nembutsu, which combines elements of Shinto dance with the main element of Pure Land Buddhism, the Nembutsu, the mantra consisting of the phrase "Namu Amida Butsu" (pronounced 'nah-moo uh-mee-dah boots'). In English, the Nembutsu is translated as "Homage to Amida Buddha".

Nembutsu

This term has several meanings in the history of Buddhism, based on the various connotations of nen (meditating, thinking, pronouncing): meditating on the special features of the Buddha image, holding to the thought of the Buddha, and pronouncing the name of a Buddha. In Pure Land Buddhism from Shan-tao on, nembutsu has been considered to mean the saying of the Name. Honen emphasizes nembutsu as utterance of the Name to be the core of the Pure Land way. Thus nembutsu signifies the Name (myogo) as the manifestation of great compassion and the saying of this Name, Namu-amida-butsu. Shinran further teaches that the saying of the Name is none other than the Name (the call of Amida) working in persons and awakening shinjin in them. When they realize shinjin, it is expressed spontaneously as the nembutsu. Thus,

The practice of the nembutsu is to say it perhaps once, perhaps ten times, on hearing and realizing that birth into the Pure Land is attained by saying the Name fulfilled in the Primal Vow... There is no shinjin separate from nembutsu... There can be no nembutsu separate from shinjin. (Lamp for the Latter Ages)



"Saying the nembutsu" (shomyo) has in the past been rendered reciting, pronouncing, or uttering the nembutsu. "Saying the nembutsu," however, sounds most natural and ordinary, and thus is suited to the religious life of a Shin Buddhist. While there is nothing extraordinary about saying the nembutsu, the realization attached to it, involving one's whole being, evokes an entirely new universe of meaning.

What Deep Mind is

The Collected Works of Shinran Shorter Works Gutoku's Notes 2: "Deep mind is the deeply entrusting mind. There are two aspects. The first is to believe deeply and decidedly that you are in actuality a foolish being of karmic evil caught in birth-and-death, ever sinking and ever wandering in transmigration from innumerable kalpas in the past, with never a condition that would lead to emancipation. The second is to believe deeply and decidedly that Amida Buddha's Forty-eight Vows grasp sentient beings, and that allowing yourself to be carried by the power of the Vow without any doubt or apprehension, you will attain birth."