The Buddha warned us how ill-will can instantly incinerate the forest of merit built with great effort… (pg. 42)

So, I went back and found this quotation again in the book, but also some other excellent teachings I had forgotten before. This is the part I wanted to share.

On the previous page, Rev. Tagawa talks about how we can’t wash away what we’ve done, even if by mutual consent:

In the thinking consciousness, the experiences of our daily lives are quickly forgotten. We may read a novel with great passion, but undoubtedly after the passage of several years, it will be difficult to recall portions of the plot. However, even if completely forgotten on the side of the thinking consciousness, it is properly stored in the subconscious region.

We can say that in having this kind of store consciousness that preserves our entire past, our present selves exist atop that same storehouse, which serves as our foundation. In this sense, our past actions and experiences cannot be so easily washed away. But within the range of our memory we may tend to try to wash away the recollection of inconvenient events, to act as if they never existed. (pg 41)

Thus Rev. Tagawa summarizes:

Our present existence is constituted by the things we have done in the past, no matter how ugly they may be. The problem is what, exactly, we are perfuming into our ālaya-vijñāna [store consciousness].

This is where Buddhist practice comes in:

In the world of Buddhism, cultivation of a particular aspect of our spirit and body is often carried out in a traditional format within a set period of time, and we call this “practice”. But when we exert ourselves in the effort of valuing our daily life as it is, trying not to be sloppy in the three karmic activities of speech, body and thought, this is not simply called “practice”; rather it is labeled with the Buddhist technical term applied practice (Skt. pragoya). That means that, when, on the other hand, practice is not “applied,” we are doubtlessly carrying out our daily life in a sloppy way.

Applied practice refers to this kind of maintenance of continual mindfulness. For instance, in the Avalokiteśvara Sūtra [Ch. 25 of the Lotus Sutra], the term constant mindfulness appears often, adivising one to be continuously mindful of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. As a result, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara is gradually impressed strongly into the mind’s innermost depths, and the mindfulness of Avalokiteśvara is accumulated in the ālaya-vijñāna. We develop a focused spiritual power, which becomes a support and foundation for future practices. (pg. 42)

This last section, coupled with what’s said earlier, really had a strong impression on me. In my studies of Jodo Shu Buddhism, I recall that Honen strongly advocated exclusive practice of the nembutsu, reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name, which seemed strange to me. Afterall, the textbook explanation of Buddhism in the West is meditation, Four Noble Truths, and so on.¹ So why would Honen teach something like this?

As the Jodo Shu Research Institute shows in this article, Honen believed that exclusive practice was important in the early stages of a Pure Land Buddhist. As one develops the Three Minds and Four Modes of Practice, they cross a threshold (安心, anjin, “peaceful mind”) where their confidence in the Pure Land teachings and Buddhism becomes more firm, and that with the nembutsu as a bedrock, they expand into other practices as they see fit.

One of his disciples, Shinran, who started the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist sect, relied more on faith than overt practice, but the end-result is the same. Through reflection on the Buddha, and one’s own nature, they would sooner or later cross a threshold where they become fully aware of Amitabha Buddha’s light, and fully entrust themselves to it. He called it shinjin (信心, “entrusting mind”). As he states in the Tannisho:

XVI: Once true entrusting is settled, we realize that our birth is due to the working of Amida and not to our calculations. Even though we may do evil, even more should we think about the power of the Vow. Then, tenderness and forbearance will appear by virtue of “made to become so by itself.”

Although it’s not clear how much Honen and Shinran were influenced by Hosso/Yogacara thought, the Hosso was a dominant school in their day, and in established biographies, a young Honen frequently discussed matters of doctrine with eminent Hosso scholars. Likewise, Shinran was a monk for 20 years, and had to encounter its teachings more than once.

In any case, I believe there’s a kind of convergence of thought between what Rev. Tagawa says above, and what Honen and Shinran both believed. All three men may differ on details, but the idea is the same: we live under a heavy burden from our past deeds, and these deeds color our thoughts and deeds, even if we pretend they don’t happen. As stated in a previous post mentioned above, impressions from our actions generated new seed-impressions deep in our subconscious, which lead to actions which “perfume” the seeds, leading to yet more action and so forth.

Under this strain, it is no wonder that Honen and Shinran felt that most people would not be able to overcome this cycle, and encouraged people to take refuge in Amitabha Buddha. But I believe they also knew that Amitabha’s magnetism, the power of his compassionate vow, would in turn make a deep impression on the mind, and lead us in the right path. This is not due to our own efforts, but due to Amitabha’s nature.

In terms of doctrine, Honen’s approach with his emphasis on repeated recitation of the nembutsu focused on manifest action (nembutsu) in Yogacara-speak, while Shinran, with his emphasis on faith, focused on perfuming by Amitabha on the mind. But as the previous Hosso/Yogacara post shows, it’s an endless cycle. It’s just a question of where to start in the cycle for someone who begins following Pure Land teachings.

My first impression of Pure Land Buddhism ever was when I visited the temple of Chion-in in Kyoto Japan (a Jodo Shu temple) in 2005.² There, I watched a lone monk chant something before a statue of Amitabha Buddha, and although I didn’t understand very much, it left an impression on my mind that grew later when I got back to the US, and researched it more. From there, I became a follower, and started chanting the nembutsu too.

So, for me, the experiences of my life around Chion-in, the monk who was chanting that day, and the image of Amida Buddha are personal proof of the convergence of Yogacara/Hosso teachings and how they apply to Pure Land Buddhism.

Namu Amida Butsu

P.S. Posting way off-schedule, but meh. I’ve been meaning to write this one for a while.

¹ Most Western Buddhists are unaware that there is a strongly “Theravada” bias in what we Westerners call basic Buddhism. I believe this is more for historical reasons (British territories included mostly Theravada-influenced countries, not Mahayana ones), than anything sinister. Fact is, the Theravada teachings have been better translated and disseminated. However, I believe it’s important to flesh out what I call “basic Mahayana”, which includes all of the above, but with a shift in emphasis, and different vocabulary. Again, no big schism here, or any conflicts, it’s just that the two branches evolved differently due to conditions and geography.

² The snowy pictures on that Wikipedia are mine, by the way. Can’t believe it’s been almost 5 years now.

So, while reading the new book on Yogācāra or Hossō Buddhism in Japanese, I decided to skip ahead to last chapter after seeing something in the table of contents that caught my eye.¹ In the last chapter, Rev. Shun’ei Tagawa takes up the question about the Yogacara Buddhist approach to Enlightenment, which like any sect, involves seeing one’s true nature and gradually transforming this nature into one of wisdom and compassion. The final transformation is when one becomes a Buddha.

In Buddhism, Rev. Tagawa points out that there is a common debate about sudden versus gradual enlightenment. I’ve discussed this before when speaking about Master Yin-Shun, the Chinese scholar-monk who passed away a few years ago. Like Master Yin-Shun, Rev. Tagawa believes that the debate is somewhat irrelevant since sudden enlightenment could not occur with vast amounts of sincere preparation over a long time anyways, so is practically the same as gradual enlightenment.

But then, Rev Tagawa emphasizes this point:

Here Yogācāra Buddhism takes the gradualist approach. (pg. 120)

By gradualist approach, he spells out the traditional, Mahayana teachings:

• Cultivation of the Six Paramitas, or Six Perfections.
• “Treading the path of the human” as opposed to other states of rebirth.
• The Four Methods of Winning Over People.²

…among other things. The point, as he explains it, is that one works to accumulate good, honest works and effort. As he explains:

Based on the daily honest accumulation of goodness, enlightenment cannot but naturally spring up from within oneself. The rapid attainment of buddhahood can be considered as an end result of this long and continuous accumulation.(pg. 120)

Compare this to the words of Master Yin-Shun whom I quoted in another post from his book The Way to Buddhahood:

Without asking about sudden or gradual enlightenment or about when one will become a Buddha, one should just keep on cultivating. This is the normal way for bodhisattvas. (pg 346-347)

But how long can one expect this accumulation to take before really coming to fruition? Rev. Tagawa then describes the classic Buddhist formula of three great asaṃkhya kalpas. The Sanskrit term kalpa just means “eon”, but implies a really, really long amount of time. The term asaṃkhya (pronounced “asankhya”) can literally mean 1 x 10⁵⁶ in math terms (1 with 56 zeros after it), but is intended to imply something great and incalculable.

As the ancient formula in Indian literature explains an angel’s soft robe brushes up against a mountain of stone eight-hundred miles in width once every 100 years. The time it would take to wear down this mountain due to the angel’s robe brushing up against it every 100 years would be an asankhya.

So, essentially in the classic Mahayana Buddhist teachings, Enlightenment took 3 such vast, incalculable periods of time. Whether this is intended to be a metaphor or literal, the point is is that in “orthodox” Mahayana Buddhist teachings, the road to Enlightenment is near-infinite and incalculably long. Many readers who are interested in Buddhism may find this disheartening or may take offense, or simply refuse to accept it. Keep in mind that Yogacara Hosso Buddhism is not a separate sect within Buddhism, but as I explained in another recent post, represents a specialty scholarship tradition within in the wider Mahayana Buddhism. The point is, this is common knowledge within Mahayana Buddhism, not just exclusive to Yogacara, however it seems to have not been a prominent point while being translated to the West.³ You can see hints of it, for example, in the writings of the famous Zen master Suzuki Roshi, but I think most teachers who come to the West are hesitant to spell it out in those terms too much for fear of scaring off all their students. Can’t blame them since Buddhism is still so small here.

Anyways, in later Japanese Buddhism, and in modern reinterpretations of Buddhism, there are efforts to circumvent this belief in a very long road to Enlightenment, through special practices or teachings, but Rev. Tagawa takes these teachings to task:

We create a framework in which we take delight in simplicity and ease, valuing short-cuts and quick completions. Given this kind of quick-results oriented-framework that we have created in our daily lives, the Buddha-path of three asaṃkhya kalpas obviously cannot be accomplished….Hidden roughly underneath the feeling that seeks for convenience is a cheap frame of mind that seeks to avoid obstacles. The more things that can be avoided, the better. To try to hold onto this approach and at the same time seeking liberation in the quelling, elimination, and dispelling of the afflictions, seems to be extremely selfish, and an inappropriate attitude for traversing along the Buddhist path. (pg. 125)

Master Yin-Shun had something similar to say as well:

It is better to examine one’s own preparedness!…After making the resolution, they [such Buddhists] want to be enlightened suddenly and want to become buddhas immediately. Without examining themselves and their own resolve, they think that such and such is the great teaching that will enable them to become a buddha easily. This can be compared to wanting to become a leader and deciding to run for president without first pausing to examine one’s academic record and experience. (pg. 346)

I have to admit I agree with both men. My first experiences with Buddhism were with the Pure Land Buddhist teachings in Japan, and part of me really believed that without any striving I could become a Buddhist just by saying some words. Later, I gradually realized that this belief was rooted in a selfish desire not to put any effort into Buddhist practice, which in turn led to a long period of confusion where I gave up on the Pure Land Buddhist teachings, then dabbled around a lot.

However, after reading Rev. Tagawa’s writings, I found that this actually oriented me *back* into the Pure Land Buddhist teachings as taught by Honen in particular. Honen was very familiar with the Yogacara/Hossō teachings in his day, as the school was still quite prominent and among the elite groups in Buddhism at the time, and I believe Honen saw the teachings of the three asankhya kalpas as both literal, and a sign that most folks would not have the resolution to carry them through. In the famous Ohara Debate, Honen was quoted as saying:

“The teachings of them all are profound and of great value to me. If only people’s capacity were really equal to the requirements of the Dharma, they would attain salvation as easily as turning on their heels. But the fact is that a dull, ignorant person like myself is not fit as a container of such treasure. So I find it very hard to understand and very easy to go astray…”

Even Rev. Tagawa admits that the road is long and difficult for regular people:

It is, in fact, not so easy to maintain a perfect Buddhist lifestyle in our normal daily life. If we reflect on our life as one in which we should be aiming for enlightenment, it is something in which we continually move toward, and then retreat, from our goal.

I know this all too well from personal experience. Like the others, Master Yin-Shun in his book admits that many Buddhists may feel intimidated by the long road ahead, and like Honen of the Jodo Shu Buddhist sect, encourages people who lack confidence to seek rebirth in the Pure Land:

If, therefore, one is timid and finds it difficult to practice the Bodhisattva-way, fearing that one will fall into the Two Vehicles [i.e. backslide] or that following the karmic forces will cause one to drift apart from the Buddha Way, then chanting the name Amitābha Buddha is most secure! It is a wonderful skillful means that can best embrace and protect those sentient beings who are beginners so that they do not lose faith.

And later:

To strengthen the faith of beginners with timid and weak minds, the Buddha taught the easy path as a skillful means. There is no harm in being reborn in a Pure Land; when the power of patience is achieved, then one can practice the extensive difficult deeds of transforming sentient beings.

So, after reading the words of these great men, past and present, I think it really has helped me to understand the Big Picture of the Buddhist path, and also to help orient me into practices I know are in my control, like reciting the nembutsu, pouring efforts into the Pure Land as much as possible through good deeds and study of the Dharma. Thus, while the road is quite daunting, it’s also clear and straightforward and through Pure Land Buddhism I hope to get there.

Namu Amida Butsu

P.S. Like I stated in the previous post, knowing the greater Mahayana tradition puts a lot of things in better perspective in whatever Buddhist tradition you follow.

¹ Turns out Col. Mustard did it in the library with the wrench. I knew it!

² According to this helpful Buddhist dictionary the Four Methods of Winning Over People:

1. Giving either the Dharma or other gifts.
2. Speaking kind words.
3. Acting for their welfare or benefit.
4. Physically working alongside them.

This is I believe another Mahayana-Buddhist only list, but I could be wrong.

³ Also, it should be noted that in Vajrayana traditions, this three asankhya kalpas maybe understood to mean something different and that the road to Enlightenment may or may not be much quicker. Kukai, founder of Japanese Vajrayana or Shingon Buddhism, wrote a famous treatise called the sokushin jōbutsu gi (即身成仏義) or “Doctrine of Enlightenment in this very body” which states in the beginning:

Question: In the sutras and shastras it is explained that after three aeons one can attain enlightenment. Is there evidence for the assertion that one can attain enlightenment in this very existence?

Answer: The Tathagata has explained it in the Esoteric Buddhist texts.

–From : Kukai: Major Works by Prof. Hakeda

So, for the purposes of this post, I am not including esoteric or vajrayana Buddhism in the discussion other than to provide a contrast.

Essentially the mind can be broken into the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. Both can be further subdivided like so:

• The Conscious Mind:
1. Eye Conscious
2. Ear Conscious
3. Nose Conscious
4. Taste Conscious
5. Touch Conscious
6. Mind Conscious, or “thinking, emotion, will”
• The Unconscious Mind:
1. “Manas,” or the sense of self, continuity
2. The ālaya-vijñāna, or the “Alaya” Store Consciousness

Sense Consciousness

The five “sense consciousness” are just the parts of the mind that perceive things through various senses. When you see something, you are “conscious” of it through sight. Hence the term. It sounds like a funny term, but actually you hear these terms throughout Mahayana Buddhism, even popular texts like the Heart Sutra, where it enumerates the realms of sense conscious.

As Rev. Shun’ei explains, if you see a red flower, you are “conscious” of perceiving its red color, shape and so on. You might also smell the fragrance and thus you are perceiving it through the smell/nose consciousness as well.

It should be noted that these sense conscious realms only exist when you are perceiving something through the senses. If you don’t see the red flower, the eye consciousness of it is gone. Same with taste. If you are not actually chewing on a piece of food, you don’t taste it anymore, right?

Mind consciousness

In Buddhist terms, the mind is always treated as a sixth-sense, not something different than the other five sense we normally think of it Western thought. In the case of Buddhism, especially Yogacara Buddhism, the mind-consciousness is just that aspect of the mind that is actively thinking and feeling emotion. It perceives its own emotions and thoughts, hence it is just another realm of consciousness. When you perceive the red flower above, either by sight, smell, whatever, this is the part of the mind that says, “this is a red flower,” or “that smells good.”

However, the mind consciousness, like the rest, really has no lasting substance to it, hence we get into the subconscious stuff now.

The Manas or sense of self, continuity

Since the six senses, or six realms of consciousness above are all temporary and based on direct perceptions, the Yogacarin belief is that there is another layer to the mind that retains long-term impressions and such. Afterall, as Rev. Shun’ei explains, we can train the mind with practice to do something (like me studying Japanese), or wake up the next day and still remember who we are.

Thus, they used a Sanskrit term called manas which retains the sense of self or continuity. This latent part of the mind overlaps with the mind consciousness above, to retain a sense of continuity, which it also uses to develop a sense of self. Of course, in Buddhism, it is taught that there is no permanent, lasting sense of self, but the manas creates a sense of self, but in order to do this, it depends on the experiences accumulated in the Alaya Store Consciousness below.

The Store Conscious or ālaya-vijñāna

The most fundamental part of the mind is that which stores the impressions of every experience we’ve ever had since birth. The Sanskrit term, ālaya-vijñāna, “Alaya Consciousness” or “Store Consciousness” is just that part of the mind that passively retains every experience we’ve had, every impression and so on. In the old Mahayana Buddhist texts, they also use terms like “seed consciousness” and others, but they all mean the same thing: every experience in your life leaves an impression on you, and this in turns becomes the foundation of your sense of self, which in turn supports your active thoughts and colors your view of the world.

Summary

So, beginning with the fundamental Alaya Consciousness, the mind in the Yogacarin view is structured like so:

Alaya Consciousness (accumulated experiences) => Manas (sense of continuity, sense of self) => Mind Consciousness (active thought) => Sense Consciousness (distorted by your thoughts and prejudices)

These aspects of the mind, as explained in the Yogacara model, are pretty fascinating to me, because I’ve come to understand them from various sources, but not in such a systematic and connected way. The diagram in the book, if you should ever see it, maps these out much better. But it confirms my understanding that much of what we are really is just an accumulation of experiences, which in turn confirms the view that all phenomena are interconnected and empty (lacking distinct, intrinsic self). Afterall, if what the Yogacarins teach is true, then you can’t have a sense of self without external experiences, and you can’t really claim any views you have are really your own, since you’ve absorbed them from other sources like your parents, culture, and so on.

Fascinating stuff!

P.S. I was planning on doing this another night, but that Red Bull I drank around dinner-time, plus coffee, really gave me some motivation to finish this tonight. >:D Oh, and Happy 4th to everyone in the States!

P.P.S. If one believes that this kind of knowledge is splitting hairs and not relevant to Buddhist practice, I beg to differ. I think it provides a nice reference to things we may perceive by direct practice, but can’t quite put together in a proper framework. Dry scholasticism is not always making the most of Buddhism, but practice without solid knowledge of the fundamentals is equally short-sighted. Separately, I feel more and more that our understanding of Mahayana Buddhism in the West, especially its influence in East Asian Buddhism, is rather lacking. For most Westerners, including myself, most of our understand of “basic Buddhism” comes from Theravada/Abhidharma sources, which we then try to apply to Mahayana Buddhist teachings like Zen or Pure Land, which leads to terrible confusion. I know this from personal experience. The reason I believe is nothing sinister or out of bias, just that these sources have the benefit of better translations and further study. They’re more accessible to us.

Still, even something simple like Pure Land Buddhism doesn’t make a whole lot of sense until you get more familiar with the underlying Mahayana thought. The famous monks and founders of the time were deeply immersed in Yogacara, Madhayamika and Avatamsaka thought, but most of this has been obscured and forgotten in the West, leading to incomplete information and confusing mis-interpretations.

As we get more information into English, and other languages in the world, I feel this will help demystify why popular sects like Zen and Pure Land are the way they are. Time will tell.

• Madhyamika or “Emptiness” school
• Yogacara or “Conscious-only” school
• Avatamsaka or “Flower-garland” school

…I believe that Yogacara is the least understood of the three. I posted before how Master Yin-Shun, the famous Chinese scholar-monk, wrote that all three provide an important component to Buddhism overall, and complement one another, but until now I understood Yogacara very little.

The book I’ve been reading, by the head of Hosso school, Rev. Shun’ei Tagawa, has helped to clarify this somewhat. I’ve only read the first chapter, but he tries to draw some important analogies in how Yogacara views the mind and reality. He uses a famous Tanka poem to illustrate:

At the clapping of hands,
The carp come swimming for food;
The birds fly away in fright, and
A maiden comes carrying tea —
Sarusawa Pond. (trans. A. Charles Muller)

The last line, Sarusawa Pond, is apparently a famous pond in Nara, Japan, where one can see the temple of Kōfukuji, the head of the Hosso/Yogacara sect. The other lines show how the same event is interpreted by different people/living things. Later, he uses the analogy of Mount Fuji, and how each artist interprets it a little differently in their art.

In other words, Yogacara/Hosso Buddhism teaches that reality as we understand it is all defined by our minds, not the other way around. Raw sensory experience is immediately frozen and overlaid by our mind’s interpretation of things. We project our understanding of reality constantly, hence the somewhat pejorative term in Chinese Buddhism, “Conscious-only” school.¹

Rev. Tagawa then explains that the foundation of Hosso Buddhism is the Four Aspects of Cognition and the Three Kinds of Objects. The Four Aspects of Cognition are defined as:

1. The objective aspect (raw reality as-it-is)
2. The subjective aspect (sensory perception of reality)
3. The witnessing aspect (cognition of this perception)
4. The re-witnessing aspect (thoughts that follow cognition)

Or, to clarify what this means, Rev. Tagawa explains using the following analogy. If one checks their watch to see if it’s 7:30, the watch itself is the objective aspect, the act of seeing the watch is the subjective aspect, the trained-recognition that sees the hands of the clock displaying 7:30 is the witnessing aspect,² and the subsequent thought of “Oh, it’s 7:30, blah blah blah” is the re-witnessing aspect.

Another way to look at it is the Three Kinds of Objects:

1. Objects as they are themselves, raw experience.
2. Objects that are illusion (enough said).
3. Objects that are originally derived from raw experience, but falsely perceived.

The point of all this according to Rev. Tagawa is that we sincerely believe that our view of things is clear and not distorted, but in fact, we’re constantly projecting our understanding of the world on reality itself. Everyone does this, everyone has a distorted, limited view of reality. It’s just that each one of us forms our understanding of reality a little differently. The problem is our belief in the infallibility of our own experiences, not the experiences themselves necessarily.

Although the Hossō sect of Buddhism gradually lost influence, as did all of the original ‘six schools of Nara Buddhism’, the school is clearly alive and well, and its influence can easily be seen in later schools of Buddhism like Zen which talks a lot about the discriminating mind and so on, or Pure Land Buddhism, which relied on the works of Hosso scholars among others. Later schools simply strive to put into practice what pioneers like the Hossō school first laid out.

Yogacara/Hosso Buddhism, of the three branches above, focuses on the mind itself, where Madhyamika tends to focus on external reality (empty, impermanent), or Avatamsaka tends to focus on how things relate. Again, all three are aspects of the Mahayana tradition, but all make for a fascinating read for armchair philosophers like myself.

Additional information can be found in these links:

• The Mind according to Yogacara Buddhism
• Perfuming in the Mind
• Yogacara Buddhism in practice.

P.S. I will post more as I read more into the book. So far, I think Rev. Tagawa has done an admirable job keeping this difficult philosophy on the ground, and keep it practical, and Professor A.C. Muller has done a great job in translating it. That is no small task.

P.P.S. Updated Wikipedia’s article accordingly.

¹ The Yogacara’s name of “Conscious-only” was an insulting term first used by the Avatamsaka/Huayan school, but the name stuck, and lost its pejorative nature somewhat.

² If you grew up differently, and were never taught how to read time on a watch, would you still recognize the two hands as 7:30?

In any case, Kannon Bodhisattva is first introduced in the 25th chapter of the Lotus Sutra wherein the Bodhisattva is described as a great savior to those suffering in the world:

“Good son! If there were countless hundreds of thousands of billions of livings beings experiencing suffering and agony who heard of this Regarder of the Cries of the World Bodhisattva [Kannon], and wholeheartedly called his name, Regarder of the Cries of the World Bodhisattva would immedlately hear their cries, and all of them would be freed.”

–The Lotus Sutra, 25th Chapter, Gene Reeves translation

And so on. Thus in Japanese Buddhism, people often recite namu kanzeon bosatsu as praise of Kannon. In temples, people make offerings and pray to Kannon for any variety of things, from the mundante, to the deeply spiritual. This may seem strange to Westerners who perceive this as a form of Buddhist idolatry, but in fact it is in keeping with the Mahayana Buddhist notion that the suffering of others is our suffering as well. We cannot exist independently of others, so a Bodhisattva strives to help all beings before reaching full-enlightenment and Nirvana himself.

Later in the same chapter, the Buddha describes how Kannon Bodhisattva appears as a teacher in various forms to teach and lead others to wisdom and awakening:

“Good son, if living beings in any land need someone in the body of a buddha in order to be saved, Regard of the Cries of the World Bodhisattva [Kannon] appears as a buddha and teaches the Dharma [the Buddhist teachings] for them…For those who need someone in the body of a shravaka [a monastic disciple of the Buddha] in order to be saved, he appears as a shravaka and teaches the Dharma for them. For those who need someone in the body of a Brahma king [hindu god] in order to be saved, he appears as a Brahma king and teaches the Dharma for them.

“…such are the blessings attained by this Regarder of the Cries of the World Bodhisattva [Kannon] and the various forms in which he travels around in many lands to save the living. This is why all of you should wholeheartedly make offerings to Regarder of the Cries of the World Bodhisattva. This Regarder of the Cries of the World Bodhisattva, this great one, is able to bestow freedom from fear on those who are faced with a frightening, urgent or difficult situation. This is why in this world everyone gives him the name Bestower of Freedom from Fear.”

This passage is a very interesting one, and can probably be interpreted a few ways. Kannon can be seen as a great bodhisattva who has accumulated so much wisdom and merit, that he has transcended physical form to help all beings as they need it. Or, Kannon embodies the compassionate teacher in our lives, who has helped us grow as a person spiritually. Or, Kannon is us the Buddhist follower, who strives in his/her own way to benefit others. Many interpretations above, but they all agree that Kannon tirelessly strives to help others through wisdom and compassion, which are the essence of Buddhism. For this reason, among others, Kannon is a very popular figure of devotion from both lay people and clergy.

Lay people often recite short verses of praise before an altar such as namu kanzeon bosatsu (南無観世音菩薩, “praise to Kannon Bodhisattva”), or those in esoteric traditions might recite dharanis either taught by Kannon or mantras used in public services such as on arorikya sowaka. Some people also meditate upon image of Kannon in various forms too. All of these practices bring Kannon Bodhisattva to mind, and helps a disciple become one with Kannon in a sense.

This is the main altar at Sensoji Temple (a.k.a. Asakusa Temple) in Tokyo, featuring the statues of the Hindu gods Indra (taishakuten, 帝釈天) on the left and Brahma (bonten, 梵天) on the right protecting the Kannon statue hidden behind the red curtain.

This is also why you often see statues of Kannon Bodhisattva with 1,000 arms and 11 heads. Like so much else in Buddhism, artwork carries a lot of symbolic meaning, and here the artist is trying to portray how Kannon helps out so many, in such a variety of ways. One such example is this picture I took in 2005 at the famous Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto, with a small statue hidden up in the rafters:

Kannon is important to both Zen and Pure Land traditions, among many others. Kannon is a popular figure of devotion for his role in the Heart Sutra, a central text in both Zen¹ and esoteric Shingon Buddhism, while in Pure Land Buddhism (Jodo Shu and Jodo Shinshu), Kannon is seen as the attendant of Amitabha Buddha based on the Contemplation Sutra, and one of those who greets the devotee of Amitabha upon death.² In Tendai and Nichiren Buddhism, Kannon’s prominent role in the Lotus Sutra also makes him a popular figure of devotion there too.

However, even in Japanese folk culture, Kannon is so well known that many folk tales have been told over the centuries about people who were helped by Kannon after devoted prayer. One story from my daughter’s folk tale book tells the story of a man who was very destitute and unlucky, so one night he prayed fervently to Kannon for help. Kannon appeared and told him to walk out of the temple and after he trips and falls, he should grab the very first thing he can reach. He follows Kannon’s instructions and after he accidentally trips, he snatches a piece of straw. The man is disappointed, but as the story continues, the straw gets traded for three nectarines, then rolls of silk, then a magnificent horse and so on.

So Kannon is more than just a Buddhist figure, but something of a cultural icon in East Asia, not just Japan.

P.S. Big thanks to Johnl for the corrections on the Sensoji altar!

¹ Zen also has a unique devotional “hymnal” called the 10-verse Kannon Sutra, which I haven’t seen anywhere else outside that sect. Not sure of its origins.

² It’s no accident in the Contemplation Sutra that Amitabha is flanked by Kannon Bodhisattva (compassion) and Seishi Bodhisattva (wisdom). Those old Indian writers were trying to convey a lot in their colorful writings.

A long time ago, I [Yasu-san] was a gangster, and I thought I was really big stuff. “Yasu the drinker” they called me. In 1939 I was called up,¹ and being rather wild to start with, I did some horrible things in China. I raped Chinese women. I knew if it got out that I’d raped them, I’d be punished. So I killed them. In 1942 I became a squad leader. I had a guy under me who was utterly loyal to me. If I did something wrong, he’d feel the pain. Our position was bombed, and while we were pulling back to new positions, we went for more than twenty days without food. We turned into wild animals; but this guy, he would dig up tree roots and give them to me to eat. Everyone was frantic, searching for something for himself to eat; and I was completely shameless and ate whatever he gave me without a second thought. Before we made it into the next position, the enemy hit us again. This man of mine lay on top of me and protected me with his own body; it’s thanks to him that I’m alive. But I lost my hearing and my tongue froze up: I still had my voice but I couldn’t make any words. And all the flesh on my right hand was useless, so they discharged me. I cried. The guy who gave up his life for me was still in my thoughts, and I wanted to go back to the battlefield and fight. I hadn’t kept a single thing to remember him by: that’s the kind of guy I’d been. I couldn’t even spare the energy to blame myself for it. I was a wretched specimen, just clinging to my own life. I’m trying to make amends for that now. I’ve given up drinking and women. (pg. 115-116)

Miss Masuda then writes:

As he finished, he showed me his hand, its fingers curled up like a bear’s claw. Then he turned his back to me and fell fast asleep. I was ashamed I’d felt even the slightest bit wary of him.

Sometimes, when I read Pure Land Buddhist literature about people being wretched and filled with blind passions (bonbu 凡夫), I feel indignant and annoyed, but then when I read books like this, it reminds me of what people are capable of doing under difficult conditions. More importantly, this story serves as a reminder that change is possible even in the worst of people, if they are shown compassion. I think this is the nature of Amida Buddha’s Vow.

Namu Amida Butsu

¹ Contrary to what most people believe, WWII began in Asia years earlier, when Japan initiated a full-scale invasion of China in 1937 from its territory in Manchuria. This is the catastrophic Second Sino-Japanese War.

XIV

Some people say that one should believe that heavy evils of eight billion kalpas can be extinguished in the single utterance of nembutsu. This view refers to an evil person, guilty of ten vices and five transgressions, who has never said the nembutsu throughout life but who for the first time at the moment of death is told by a good teacher:¹ nembutsu uttered once shall extinguish the evils accumulated in eight billion kalpas, and nembutsu uttered ten times shall extinguish the evils accumulated in eighty billion kalpas, thus leading to birth in the Pure Land. Is the single utterance or ten utterances meant to suggest the relative weights of ten vices and five transgressions? if so, this refers to the utility value of nembutsu in extinguishing evil. This is far different from our understanding. The reason is that in the awakening of one thought-moment, having been illuminated by Amida’s light, we are endowed with true entrusting which is firm as a diamond; thus, we are already included in the stage of the truly settled. When our life comes to an end, all the blind passions and evil hindrances are immediately transformed into the realization of the “wisdom of non- origination.”

I had to quote the whole section as it all goes together. This section reminds me how silly it is to calculate the relative value of our Buddhist practice. It’s a trap we all fall into. We calculate and contrive how we can maximize our Buddhist prcatice, so we can attain enlightenment that much faster. If you recite the nembutsu, you think that be reciting it more often, or by adding visualization it will work that much better, or maybe if you add some sutra recitation before and after. If you meditate, you think to yourself that if you meditate 30 minutes instead of 20 minutes, you’ll get there that much faster, as if Enlightenment was just a matter of collection 10,000,000 Buddha experience points.²

In Jodo Shinshu and Jodo Shu Buddhism, this is known as self-power, where ego and contrivance come into play. In Zen, this would be the “small mind”, caught up in discriminating between ignorance and enlightenment. Whatever you call it, it’s the same thing: the grasping and craving of the mind. Whether it’s craving for sense pleasure, or for a better sense of self (i.e. fantasies of enlightenment) it’s the same grasping. Ajahn Brahm of the Thai Forest Tradition talked about it in his talk on “Is Nibbana Guarenteed?“

Elsewhere, I found a famous letter by Shinran himself in a collection of letters called the mattōshō (末灯鈔) or “Lamp for Latter Age”. This is letter 5 where he explains jinen hōni (自然法爾) or “made to become so”:

Honi signifies being made so through the working of the Tathagata’s Vow. It is the working of the Vow where there is no room for calculation on the part of the practitioner. Know, therefore, that in Other Power, no working is true working.

Jinen signifies being made so from the very beginning. Amida’s Vow is, from the very beginning, designed to bring each of us to entrust ourselves to it – saying “Namu-amida-butsu” – and to receive us into the Pure Land; none of this is through our calculation. Thus, there is no room for the practicer to be concerned about being good or bad. This is the meaning of jinen as I have been taught.

Rev. Kosho Uchiyama talks about the need to trust the zazen posture, rather than contriving to accomplish some state of mind, and here Shinran teaches the same thing with regard to the nembutsu. Instead of contriving a result from one’s Buddhist practice, trust in the Dharma, trust in the Buddha, and trust in one’s practice. The rest will be made to become so by itself. In Shinshu speak, Amida works through us.

Later in the letter, Shinran says:

As the essential purport of the Vow, [Amida] vowed to bring us all to become supreme Buddha. Supreme Buddha is formless, and because of being formless is called jinen. Buddha, when appearing with form, is not called supreme nirvana. In order to make it known that supreme Buddha is formless, the name Amida Buddha is expressly used; so I have been taught. Amida Buddha fulfills the purpose of making us know the significance of jinen.

This is a very profound view of Amida Buddha, and breaks us again from this notion of what the Buddha is and isn’t, does the Pure Land exist or doesn’t it? Rather than grasping and trying to discern the Truth, just trust in the Dharma, the Buddha and allow ourselves to be carried along by it. Until we do that, we’re still relying on self-power, on the calculating mind and so on.

Namu Amida Butsu

¹ Found in the Contemplation of Amitabha Sutra, the lowest grade of the lowest level followers.

² Been playing Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition with co-workers lately. Quite fun.

Enjoy!

This post is dedicated to Elise, who like me, discovered why religious debates, even among other Buddhists are fraught with peril. I wanted to cheer her up, and by coincidence I found a great quotation posted by Stephen, now Rev. Hodo of Jodo Shu Buddhism. This is a quotation of Honen in the famous biography, the gyōjōezu (行状画図) or “Illustrations of [Master Honen's] conduct”, posted online here. The Gyojo Ezu was composed after Honen passed away, but contains a priceless collection of sayings attributed to Honen, which are helpful since Honen left very few writings. The quote that Stephen highlighted in particular is found here:

It’s hard even for the Buddha [Amitabha], with all his power, to reach those people who stand adamantly against us. How much less influence are we likely to have upon them! So don’t waste your time in disputing with them. Instead, go to the Pure Land as soon as you can, and then come back to this world of birth-and-death to work for the liberation of all beings, including those who do riot yet believe, and who abuse us.

This also reminds me of a quote by Dogen of Soto Zen that I recently found in the shōbōgenzō zuimonki (正法眼蔵随聞記) or “Record of Things Heard From the Treasury of the Eye of the True Teaching”:

People who truly follow the Way would do well to conceal the fact that they are Buddhists. (V, 3)

I still have to learn this last point. :p

Namu Amida Butsu

P.S. Big thanks to Stephen, Rev. Hodo.

P.P.S. The Shobogenzo Zuimonki should not be confused with the main text Dogen wrote, the Shobogenzo. The Zuimonki is recorded informal sayings by Dogen, recorded by a disciple, while the real Shobogenzo is a long, long treatise written by Dogen in classical Chinese.

Eikando is very famous for its Pure Land art, including the famous “Amida Buddha Looking Back” statue, but also for its fantastic scenery. The folks at Eikando have recently been posting pictures of the spring scenery there at the temple and its gorgeous. I really encourage people to take a look if you have a minute.

Enjoy!

Namu Amida Butsu

¹ Other temples I love is Chion-in, which is where I first really awakened to Buddhism I think, and Sensoji, which is a popular tourist place (and famous Tendai temple), but somehow just always gives me a really good vibe.

I found a nice article there, written by Rev. Hossu Tsuboi Shunei, Chief Priest of the main temple Konkai-Komyo-ji (金戒光明寺) in Kyoto, Japan.¹

The article provides a nice overview of Jodo Shu Buddhism, history and so on. Most of this is already familiar to me, but I liked the section at the end:

You can call on Amida Buddha by simply reciting the nembutsu, “Namu Amida Butsu.” “Namu Amida Butsu” means “Amida Buddha! May my emancipation be realized!” Amida Buddha identifies people who recite “Namu Amida Butsu,” look and listens to them, and then keeps the presence of those people in his mind. (This is referred to as “intimate relations” or “terms”) Finally, Amida Buddha appears in front of the people (this is referred to as “close terms.”) Even though Amida Buddha may be invisible, Amida Buddha tries to give more assistance to such people. Such people will be able to reach the goal of returning to the Pure Land after their death.

Honen stated that as long as you lead a “such a life,” you will never be imprisoned by any worldly attachments. This life advocated by Honen means a life in which you can co-exist with the Buddha and can rely on the Buddha for help.

Despite the fact we have 6 billion people in this world, and are inundated with plenty of news and information and entertainment, it’s amazing how many people feel cut-off and lonely in this world. I often feel the same way, so it’s refreshing to read something like this, and remember the beauty of Amida Buddha’s vows, and how we are never really alone.

Namu Amida Butsu

¹ Better known as Kurodani temple, as it was called in Honen’s time.

Anyways, Kosho’s book does a nice job for me clarifying how to approach zazen, and how not to get hung up on trying to accomplish anything. I found this quotation helpful:

Doing correct zazen means taking the correct posture and entrusting everything to it.

I mention this because lately I’ve been getting stressed and flustered again over a few things, including Buddhism. Old-time readers know this happens to me from time to time when I get too caught up on expecting results, and concerned for the future too much. So last night I was reading another book by Rev. Ogui of the Jodo Shinshu organization the Buddhist Churches of America, called Zen Shin Talks which is something I read a few months back and really enjoyed. This is still one of my most favorite Buddhist books, as it weaves both Zen and Jodo Shinshu Buddhism together.

Recently, I wrote a review of that book where I quoted from Rev. Ogui:

Choose One Small Practice

People struggle to build up spiritual securities and happiness. They put energy into learning from different religious traditions. Sometimes people attend workshops and seminars. They spend time and money in this way. They keep attending and learning. Actually they don’t have to keep doing this.

Instead, choose one small practice and keep reflecting on it and doing it. Then you will understand everything. For example, in Christianity you are told to “love your neighbor”. Sincerely practice this and observe yourself when you see how difficult it is. From there, a spiritual gate will open up for you.

In another chapter, Rev. Ogui comments how people talk about Buddhism a lot, but often don’t practice it:

A large number of people call me on the telephone and say such things as, “I read a book on Zen meditation and I want to learn it,” or “I’m impressed with Buddhist teaching and I want to learn more about it.” Many of these people talk a lot, read a lot, plan a lot, but they never come to practice. Talking, planning, thinking, knowing are completely different from doing.

So, a lot of people interested in Buddhism fail to appreciate how important practice is over knowledge.

So, when I read this from Rev. Ogui after doing dishes last night, I decided, “ok, rather than stressing out about this, I’ll just sit for a little meditation, and just trust zazen like Rev. Kosho says“.

And that’s what I did. I just sat in meditation, without even bothering with a timer, or whether I “meditated enough”. I think I meditated about 10 minutes or so, but that’s not the point. I tend to get hung up on the idea that if I don’t meditate enough, I won’t accomplish anything, so this time I just trusted the zazen posture that Rev. Kosho said, and just sat.

Rev. Ogui is right. We tend to intellectualize Buddhism to much, contriving to gain something from it. Why do people spend so much money on meditation retreats and books? To gain something. Release from stress, inner peace, enlightenment and so on. Somehow, their minds are looking outward to things that will fix the the perceived lack in their minds.

However, I am reminded of Bencho’s saying from Jodo Shu Buddhism that:

People maintain that the best place for a life of retirement is the Kokawa Temple or Mount Koya [in Japan]. But as for me, there is nothing to compare with the bed from which I rise every morning.

Just make use of what you have, trust it, and don’t get expecting any gain from it. If you imagine yourself becoming an enlightened being, as opposed to what you are now, you’re missing the point entirely.

Namu Kanzeon Bosatsu
Namu Amida Butsu

P.S. This is not limited to Japanese Buddhism either. Ven. Sister Vamaya of the Theravada tradition has a nice Dharma talk about extinguishing the sparks ignited in our minds through practice and meditation.

¹ That was my first book on Buddhism 15 years ago when I was 16. Didn’t understand it at all, beyond the first chapter or two on meditation. There’s such a flood of Buddhist resources now in the West, but they’re not very systematic and organized. Frankly, I think most people are better off visiting temple first, and then reading about it later. Otherwise, it’s like putting the cart before the horse.

Why would I feel dismayed though? It seems kind of stupid to focus on this one thing, at the expense of his other great accomplishments, but then I remember something someone told me a while back: when we put all our ideals on our teachers, we get disappointed.

Honen, the founder of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, in his catechism was asked a related question:

Q(142): Is there merit in giving alms to a priest who has violated the precepts or to an ignorant priest?

A: In this period of the decline of the dharma, respect for priests who have violated the precepts or who are ignorant, is expected…

I thought about this statement a lot, and I think Honen is trying to get across two things:

1. If we start withholding respect to our teachers based on our own standards, it’s kind of selfish and arrogant. In a way, we believe we’re superior to them.
2. It puts a lot of focus on other people’s faults, and not enough on our own.

I’m reminded of a nice Bible quote, one of the few I can still remember after all these years:

Matthew 7:3, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”

Namu Amida Butsu

So, for all your readers who consider yourselves Buddhist, who are you grateful to?

I’ll name a few I am grateful to, in no particular order:

• Honen for demonstrating a Buddhist path anyone can follow.
• Kūkai for inspiring people to adhere to high standards of conduct.
• Yin-Shun for his fantastic scholarship in modern times, and for providing a great overview of Mahayana Buddhism, as well as his uncompromising teachings of the Dharma.
• Bhikkhu Bodhi for his excellent scholarship, sincere adherence to the Vinaya, and ecumenical efforts to bridge the gap between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.¹

Namu Amida Butsu

P.S. Apparently other Japanese Buddhist traditions celebrate this as well, though it goes by the name Eitai Kuyō (永代供養).

¹ With so many corrupt priests in the world, it’s very re-assuring to see men like Ven. Yin-Shun and Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi keeping the faith and precepts. They are an inspiration to the rest of us.

Kamakura was the medieval capitol of the military government during the Kamakura Period. This is the first time in history that the samurai were the real power in Japan, not the Emperor and the court nobles of Kyoto/Nara. It also represents a big turning in Japanese religion as well, when a lot of new sects arose around the same time in Japan: Pure Land Buddhism (Jodo Shu, Jodo Shinshu), Zen, Nichiren and reform movements within older sects.

The old quarter of Kamakura is most famous for the Great Buddha, or daibutsu (大仏), which I’ve visited twice so far:

The Buddha is actually Amida Buddha, not the historical Buddha, and the site of the Great Buddha was once a temple that was washed away in tsunami. I have visited here twice, and I never really get tired of it. It’s a nice open garden area, and people can climb up inside the Great Buddha statue. For someone of my height it’s pretty crowded inside, and the stairs are very steep, so you have to be careful.

Walking to the Great Buddha is interesting too from the train station. It’s a nice old road with lots of little shops and knick-knacks, and leads up to the Great Buddha from the beach. Another often-overlooked location is the temple of Kaikōzan Hasedera Temple, located off the main road on the left. I think it was about halfway up the road leading to the Great Buddha. This temple has a pretty interesting history by itself, as a home for a Kannon Bodhisattva statue that washed ashore, administered by the Tendai sect, but now an independent Pure Land temple. There’s quite a bit to explore here, with the subterranean cave below (housing various local gods from folk religion), plus an array of small statues of Jizo Bodhisattva, before finally seeing the great altars to Amida Buddha and to Kannon Bodhisattva.

Speaking of Bodhisattvas, here’s a picture I took of both Kannon and Jizo. Kannon stands on the left with the extra heads on top his main head (symbolizing his efforts to watch over the world), and Jizo stands to the right with his ringed staff, or shakujō 錫杖, that he uses to protect people, especially children.

Lastly, from the Great Buddha, you can head over to the massive Shinto shrine complex of Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū.* Like much of Kamakura, there’s a lot of history to this site, and for a long time the shrine blended both Buddhism and Shintoism, as was common in medieval days. During the Meiji Period, this blending was outlawed by the government, and all the Buddhist stuff was torn out in order to restore the shrine as an exclusively Shinto one.

The Shrine is very large, and houses a museum off to the right that still houses some fantastic works of art. It was here that I once saw an old mural depicting Hell and the Buddha’s Pure Land from the famous text, the Ojoyoshu. On my second trip there, we also stumbled upon a Shinto-style wedding occurring in the small pavilion before the main shrine. We watched as the Shinto priest, or kannushi gave a blessing to the bride and groom, as well as families who sat at opposite sides. Quite a rare treat.

From Hachimangu Shrine, you can walk directly out to the huge market street there. Kamakura has some excellent food, including some of my favorites like okonomiyaki and senbei.

But after all these trips, I still feel like I have only scratched the surface. Kamakura is a city with a lot of history and culture not obvious to travelers, so I recommend checking out the link I posted above, and try exploring some lesser-known sites. You might be surprised what you find.

Namu Amida Butsu

* – Japanese site here. Fancy.]]> http://jkllr.net/2009/04/07/happy-birthday-honen/ Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:41:40 +0000 Doug http://jkllr.net/2009/04/07/happy-birthday-honen/ Today marks the day in Jodo Shu Pure Land Buddhism that the founder, Honen, was born:

(Picture courtesy of Eikando Temple in Kyoto, Japan)

Honen was born in 1133, during a time when Japan’s older order and Heian court aristocracy was breaking down, causing a great deal of turmoil as new samurai clans fought for control. Because Buddhist institutions were tightly regulated in the past, corruption and collusion gradually seeped in, causing all kinds of problems, including Buddhist warrior-monks, monks with secret wives, monks who actively plotted with people in the government, and so on. Many well-meaning monks also wanted to help people as well, leading to many great founders of the time including Dogen (Soto Zen), Nichiren (Nichiren sects), though of these reformers and founders, Honen was the first.

Contrary to what history sometimes claims, Honen had no desire to usurp the current system, nor undermine other Buddhist institutions. Honen felt that people were falling through the gaps in those difficult times, and wanted to prove a point: that anyone who called on Amida Buddha’s name (the nembutsu) sincerely could attain rebirth in Amida’s Pure Land and become enlightened there, if unable to do so here. Pure Land teachings existed in East Asia and in India long before Honen, but usually there were conditions, such as women not being able to be reborn there, or that some bad acts committed would forever cut one off, or that one had to develop deep states of concentration, and so on. Honen took issue with this, and felt that the nature of Buddhist compassion should not make it so difficult for ordinary people to attain rebirth there. Otherwise, how could Buddhism be considered a religion to help all?

So, Honen taught people from the very elite families, to criminals and prostitutes that if they wanted to be reborn in the Pure Land, they could do so. No Buddhist would be left behind, in keeping with the Mahayana Buddhist notion of liberation for all beings great and small.

The problem is that people took his teachings out of context and felt that through his focus on the Pure Land only, and by focusing on the nembutsu only, that he did away with many things we take for granted in Buddhist teachings. But Honen replies to this saying:

So how can it be possible for the ignorant, whether monastics or laypeople, men or women, to ruin the [famous] Hosso, Sanron, Tendai, or Kegon schools by practicing the nembutsu? If people were to give it up, do you think that would promote the prosperity of any of the other schools? Would it enable them to understand the mysteries of the many schools any better if they lightly abandoned the practice of the nembutsu? Wouldn’t it rather be a great loss all around? (Traversing the Pure Land Path, page 143)

And, of the non-Pure Land teachings, Honen also said:

You shouldn’t think casually about not appreciating the excellent Lotus and Heart sutras. Even though you may believe in Amida Buddha, your faith is really one-sided if you despite the many buddhas or doubt Shakyamuni’s holy teachings. If your faith is not right, it is not in harmony with the mind of Amida Buddha, and it is certain his compassionate Vow [of rebirth in the Pure Land] has nothing to do with you. (ibid, page 143)

So, Honen simply wanted to bring Buddhism to a wider audience that at the time feared the end of society and felt hopeless. Throughout his life, Honen, even after being exiled by his detractors, remained faithful in his celibacy and monastic vows, and never refused to teach anyone who would listen.

In many ways, I feel Honen was the consummate Buddhist of his era, and I happily say “thank you” for his efforts. It was at the temple of Chion-in in Japan, that I first seriously awakened to the Buddhist path, and so Honen’s legacy continues on, even for an American like like, living in faraway Ireland, 800 years later.

Namu Amida Butsu

Cherry Blossoms are here!

This is the peak time in Japan when cherry blossoms, or sakura (桜), bloom. As I watch Japanese news almost daily online, they had a big camera feed on the famous Ueno Park in Tokyo, which was absolutely gorgeous and blooming with cherry blossoms.

Speaking of which, here’s a photo of some blossoms we saw just near our home in Blackrock, Ireland:

Now, the cherry blossom season is usually in April. That’s when Japanese often take part in the tradition of ohanami (お花見), which is when people gather under blossoms for a picnic and party. My wife and I used to do this every April at the University of Washington in Seattle, which has nice cherry trees too. Later, when our daughter was born, she would play with Daddy there too.

However, the picture taken above was in March, not April. I asked “Rie”, a Japanese friend here in Ireland, about that, and she said that some varieties of cherry trees bloom earlier than others. I can’t remember which variety she said bloomed first (Rie, can you help me here?)

The Buddha’s Birthday

April 8th marks the day in Japanese Buddhism when we celebrate the Buddha’s birthday. The holiday has a few different names including Hanamatsuri (花祭り), Kanbutsu-e (潅仏会) and Busshō-e (仏生会), but “Hanamatsuri” is by far the most common. This just means “flower festival”, because in the story of the Buddha’s life, flowers rained down as the infant Buddha declared that he alone was the World-Honored One.

Of course, the story is just a story, but like many stories in Buddhism, carries lots of symbolism. The historical account isn’t so important, because the message of the story is something timeless we can all appreciate.

I’ll talk more about the Buddha’s Birthday in a later post, or just read my post from last year.

Honen’s Birthday

An important holiday for Pure Land Buddhists, especially Jodo Shu Buddhists, is April 7th, which marks the day when Honen was born in 1133. This is known as Gōtan-e (降誕会), which is not to be confused with a similar holiday in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism to commemorate the birth of Shinran. Honen was quite a controversial person in his day. He attracted a huge number of followers from many walks of life, but he also attracted quite a few critics, both during his life and after.

A few years after his death, warrior-monks from the Tendai sect attempted to throw Honen’s body into the Kamo River, while Nichiren has some harsh words* for him. But many revered Honen for his sincerity, his desire to help others, and for teaching a simple message anyone in medieval Japan could follow, so April 7th is a special day too. I admire Honen quite a bit, so I will spend some time in upcoming posts to talk about him more.

Anyways, that’s all for now!

Namu Amida Butsu

* – I thought Rev. Ryuei wrote a nice, balanced account of Nichiren’s thought, and why he said what he said. Whether I agree with Nichiren or not is another point, but I enjoyed reading that article quite a bit.

In the One-Sheet Document, there is a line that says:

Even if those who believe in the nembutsu study the teaching which Shakyamuni taught his whole life, they should not put on any airs and should sincerely practice the nembutsu, just as an illiterate fool, a nun or one who is ignorant of Buddhism.

But it’s interesting to note that in the actual Japanese, where he uses the term 尼入道, or amanyūdō. The character “ama” (尼) means a Buddhist nun, while “nyūdō” (入道) means someone who’s just entered the path (of Buddhism).

So like Suzuki Roshi, Honen is warning Pure Land followers not to get arrogant, or proud of their path, but at all times to be humble, as if new students to the path. Honen is not sexist, which is very evident in his letters to women followers, plus his teaching of a direct Buddhist path for women,** but he’s trying to evoke the image of a young, innocent female follower who’s new to Buddhism, and both humble and willing to learn. By contrast, Honen was once quoted as saying “whenever a scholar is born, he forgets the nembutsu.”

This notion is also found in the One-Sheet document where Honen says:

Reciting the nembutsu does not come from studying and understanding its meaning. There is no other reason or cause by which we can utterly believe in attaining birth in the Pure Land than the nembutsu itself.

Honen, in very Zen-like fashion, is telling his followers to not just talk about the nembutsu or the Pure Land, but put it into practice by reciting the nembutsu dilligently and with sincerity and that in time the path would bear fruit. This is not unlike Suzuki Roshi’s comparison to getting wet in the fog:

Even though you try very hard, the progress you make is always little by little. It is not like going out in a shower in which you know you will get wet. In a fog, you do not know you are getting wet, but as you keep walking you get wet little by little.

So, for both Zen Buddhists and Pure Land Buddhists, the important thing is to return to the basics, stay humble, be patient (like someone in the fog getting wet little by little), and return to the humble mind of a new practitioner.

Namu Amida Butsu

* – Including the practice of reading aloud in English, not the liturgical Japanese used. I realize more and more how helpful it is to recite something in a language you actually understand.

** – First in the history of Japanese Buddhism at least. In the early scriptures, Buddhist nuns with Shakyamuni attained enlightenment all the time (just read the Therigata), but somehow in later Buddhism this idea was forgotten, and women were seen as unable to attain enlightenment directly unless they were reborn as a man. I have no idea why this is, so I will not speculate.

Also, I used to do a more elaborate where I would take refuge in the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha),* recite the Precepts, confess faults, read aloud multiple sutras, chant mantras, and so on. It was pretty complicated and over time I’ve found this difficult to keep up, since parenting is such an unpredictable life. After reading Rev. Ogui’s book Zen Shin Talks, I was struck by this parting words of advice:

Choose One Small Practice

People struggle to build up spiritual securities and happiness. They put energy into learning from different religious traditions. Sometimes people attend workshops and seminars. They spend time and money in this way. They keep attending and learning. Actually they don’t have to keep doing this.

Instead, choose one small practice and keep reflecting on it and doing it. Then you will understand everything. For example, in Christianity you are told to “love your neighbor”. Sincerely practice this and observe yourself when you see how difficult it is. From there, a spiritual gate will open up for you.

Gradually, I’ve pared down my practice more and more, except for taking refuge in the Three Treasures. But then I realized that reciting this every time is kind of formulaic to me, and becomes rote. Do I really mean it? Am I just doing this because people have been doing it for a long time, and that it’s an expression used in some of the sutras?

With this in mind I started wondering if I even need to keep reciting it every time. Here’s why.

For taking refuge in the Buddha, this is easy. As a Pure Land Buddhist, I take refuge in Amida Buddha every time I recite the Buddha’s name, or nembutsu. The textbook definition for this is we Pure Land Buddhists are essentially lazy and just want to be reborn in the Pure Land so we can enjoy life without problems. That’s kind of a joke, but I see that’s how people interpret Pure Land Buddhism. However, in Pure Land, Amida Buddha’s Pure Land becomes a lot more. The Pure Land becomes a focal point for us, especially those who don’t benefit from a good sangha, or great teachers from some other lineage. I don’t mean focal point as in meditation, I mean simply that aspiring to be born in the Pure Land and to meet Amida Buddha motivates us to live a wholesome life, rather than aimless, self-centered one. Also, as the Buddha of Infinite Life, one can always meet him, rather than lamenting that they were not born in the time of a Buddha. But also, in this life, Amida through the light of wisdom and compassion, guides me away from the self-centered life as well.

For taking refuge in the Dharma, this is also simple. Each night, I read aloud the Heart Sutra. It’s not a standard Pure Land text, but Rev. Ogui above printed it in the back of his book, and spoke about it a lot. The Heart Sutra isn’t even a genuine sutra of the Buddha, as recent scholarship shows that it was a hymn to condense the much larger 25,000-line Perfection of Wisdom Sutra. Nevertheless, the reason why the Heart Sutra is so popular is becomes it nicely condenses so many other teachings in Buddhism, hence it’s name. So, when I read it aloud in my native language, I am not just repeating words, I am trying to absorb the teachings and to grow from them. But also, when I read this or other sutras** aloud, these are traditionally treated as the words of the Buddha. Whether they are his real words or not is not important in the way historiography is in Western religions, because the message still reflects the Dharma, which the Buddha set in motion. So, in this sense, every time we read a sutra aloud, we’re taking refuge in the Buddha’s teachings, in other words, the Dharma. Also, on a daily basis, by reflecting on my own behavior, and also striving to follow the precepts, I take refuge in the Dharma this way as well (as well as taking refuge in Shakyamuni Buddha as the teacher).

For taking refuge in the Sangha this varies I think. For me, I get inspiration from Pure Land Buddhists like Honen and Shinran, not just in their words, but how they acted and treated others. So, by following the Pure Land tradition as they instructed it, I am taking refuge in the Buddhist community of which Shinran and Honen are a part. But also, when I read aloud the Heart Sutra from Rev. Ogui’s book, the fact that I use his book means I take refuge in him as a mentor and guide as well, hence I take refuge in the Sangha and draw inspiration from him as well. If you belong to a different tradition, obviously you would draw inspiration from different teachers, but the meaning is the same.

So, my ritual now consists of ringing the little bell at our altar, reading aloud from the Heart Sutra, or other sutras, reciting the nembutsu, and then wishing all beings well. It’s simple, but I find I get more out of this now, than the more elaborate stuff I did in the past. Thanks Rev. Ogui!

Namu Amida Butsu

* – In Japanese Buddhism, by the way, this is usually expressed as the formula:

• 南無帰依仏, namu kie butsu, I go to the Buddha for refuge
• 南無帰依法, namu kie hō, I go to the Dharma for refuge
• 南無帰依層, namu kie sō, I go to the Sangha for refuge

We do recite these at the Jodo Shinshu temple I knew back in Seattle, but I’ve also seen it recited at Shingon temple near there as well. Thanks to “Stephen” for the corrections on the kanji above.

** – Sometimes I read aloud the Amitabha Sutra instead because it’s also compact and summarizes the Pure Land path nicely, plus has some intriguing sections in it. I also sometimes read aloud excerpts from the Lotus Sutra because I love it’s message of full-buddhahood for all beings, and the Buddha as an eternal teacher (kind of like Amida, hm…)

Speaking of croaking, in question 3 you see the famous quote:

Constant repetition of the Nembutsu is also worthless-like a frog in a spring field croaking night and day. Those deluded by fame and fortune, find it especially difficult to abandon the nembutsu. Bound by deep roots to a profit-seeking mind, they existed in ages past, and they exist today. They are to be pitied.

Taken by itself, Dogen sounds like he’s insulting the Pure Land movement, which started with Hōnen about 30-40 years earlier. I admit I’ve never liked this quote especially when I first read it. But if you read the later questions in the Bendowa, I feel that you get a better view of Dogen’s viewpoint. The early questions are mostly just asserting that Zazen is superior to other practices, but the later questions seem to deal with more practical issues in Dogen’s time, and the state of Buddhism in Japan then. Japanese Buddhism at this time was still largely an aristocratic luxury, apart from the Nichiren and Pure Land movements, where special teachings and practices were limited to those who were literate, upper-class, and could join the priesthood.

Like Dogen, Honen in his writings criticized Buddhism of this era as well, complaining that while the teachings were superior, they were not capable of being widely practiced, and so they were not very practical. He advocated a Buddhist practice anyone anywhere should be able to practice, and Dogen appears to advocate the same approach in the Bendowa, question 13:

Q: Can a layman practice this zazen or is it limited to priests?

A: The patriarchs have said that to understand Buddhism there should be no distinction between man and woman and between rich and poor.

But what about his criticism of the nembutsu? It’s hard to tell who exactly he criticized in the first quote, considering that the nembutsu was understood differently by different groups (Pure Land vs. Tendai vs. Shingon for example), and each group had different motivations for practicing the nembutsu. But the key sentence I believe is Those deluded by fame and fortune, find it especially difficult to abandon the nembutsu.

I believe his criticism was less focused on the nembutsu as a practice, and more on the belief that one could just recite the nembutsu and that was it. Namely, people who had no real commitment to Buddhism, but wanted to secure their rebirth in the Afterlife in Amida Buddha’s Pure Land, while they persue a worldly life here.

Interestingly, within Pure Land Buddhism, a persistent belief arises where people believe they can lead a bad life because they’re assured of rebirth in the Pure Land by Amida Buddha. This is known as Antinomianism and Honen spoke sharply against it, as did Shinran.*

Also, Dogen, when asked about whether lay people can practice zazen (question 14), answers in this way:**

It simply depends on the will. Those who can discern excellence and inferiority will believe Buddhism naturally. Those who think that worldly tasks hinder Buddhism know only that there is no Buddhism in the world; they do not know that there is nothing that can be set apart as worldly tasks in Buddhism….

This last point is something that comes up a lot in Pure Land Buddhism. One of the reasons why Pure Land Buddhism flourished in Japan was its emphasis on living a normal lay while, while still devoted to the Dharma. As stated above, one didn’t live a callous and care-free life, but at the same time, Pure Land accepted that for most people, one couldn’t live a life where Buddhism was separated from their daily toil. Unlike the noble families of the Heian Period, one couldn’t just go be a monk for a while, and still maintain an estate. Most people had to work for a living, often doing detestable work. Honen’s famous story where he talks to a prostitute is one example where he tries to dissuade the lady from her lifestyle, but then tells her that if she can’t, she should at least take up the nembutsu. Or, when speaking to an elderly fishermen and his wife, he acknowledged they couldn’t quit their livelihood, and suggested to fervently take up the nembutsu as a practice. In Jodo Shinshu, this notion seems to go further, especially in Rennyo’s time, where one’s life becomes an expression of gratitude toward Amida Buddha and the nembutsu, such living a spiritual and morally respectable life.

So, I think Dogen’s criticism of the nembutsu is based on some common misunderstandings about Pure Land Buddhism, based off the more elitist, dilettante image of the aristocracy at the time. Dogen, like Honen and Shinran, was concerned about bringing Buddhist teachings to a wide audience, while maintaining its authenticity. All three intended on creating a kind of “everyday Buddhism”, and to bring Buddhism away from the aristocracy to regular people. In practice, their approaches do differ significantly, but at least in concept their aspirations were very similar.

Namu Amida Butsu

* – I have to admit, I thought Shinran made a better case than Honen. Honen’s criticism is accurate, but but in the quote I used, I don’t feel he made a clear case why, given that people can cite Dharma Decline and other excuses.

** – In my opinion, one big weakness in the Bendowa at least is that Dogen seems to take Chinese Buddhist stories at face value, including the largely debunked myth that zazen began with Mahakasyapa. Better scholarship has shown that the technique of Zazen as we know it, didn’t exist in the Buddha’s time. Honen and Shinran relied on the Chinese commentaries and teachings as well, but the irony is that Dogen repeatedly claims to be teaching something free from doctrine, unaware that at least some of what he’s transmitting is the product of Chinese Buddhism. This is more the reflection of the culture at the time, which was deeply indebted to Tang Dynasty China for its culture and religion, than Dogen’s actual teachings. It just goes to show that you have to carefully consider the culture of the writer, in addition to what he’s teaching.

Toward the end, Hattori covers basic Buddhist holidays in Japan, including Ohigan. I spoke on Ohigan at depth recently, but wanted to review some basic points as Professor Hattori explains it. As stated in the previous post, Ohigan stands for the Buddhist notion of crossing over to the Other Shore (i.e. Enlightenment), away from This Shore of impermanence, stress and dissatisfaction, and is traditionally observed during the spring and fall equinoxes because the weather is more pleasant and people more time to rest and reflect.

Professor Hattori adds:

Shayamuni Buddha [Founder of Buddhism] was born in this world, on this shore. Observing profoundly the sorry of this world of illusion, he reached that distant shore of nirvana. He showed all humankind the means of crossing the ocean of darkness to the realm of light on that shore, higan [彼岸]. These are called the six pathways (Skt. paramita, Jp. haramitsu 波羅蜜) to nirvana.

Often times in English, we call them the Six Perfections, but Hattori calls them the Six Pathways to Nirvana. In some ways I think this is more readily clear to me, even though the Sanskrit term does translate more closely as “perfection”. Here, what Professor Hattori is saying is that if one gradually perfects these 6 qualities, one will assuredly reach Nirvana and transcend all misery, but also create a lot less misery for other people. The Six Perfections are (with Sino-Japanese included):*

1. Generosity – danna (檀那)
2. Right Conduct – shira (尸羅)
3. Endurance – sendai (羼提)
4. Endeavor – biriya (毘梨耶)
5. Meditation – zenna (禅那)
6. Wisdom – hannya (般若)

For Generosity, Hattori explains:

This does not merely mean to give money, but to give support to others in various ways, such as with material goods, helping by physical strength or spiritual inspiration.

For Right Conduct, he says:

When we earn a great deal of money or rise to a higher position in society, we are prone to be lax and fail to maintain proper conduct. This is why the part of right conduct (sila in Sankrit) is set forth in the second paramita.

Of Endurance:

In the third, the path of endurance (ksanti in Sanskrit) shows us that we should be patient with each other to live together in humanity.

He explains Endeavor this way:

In the fourth, the path of endeavor (virya) teaches us that we should not be lazy but should make every effort to attain contentedness.

For Meditation he says:

In the fifth, the path of meditation (dhyana) suggests that we should not be upset by trivialities and the things of this shore, but should be calm as we consider and try to understand our problems.

And finally for Wisdom:

In the sixth, the path of wisdom (prajna) indicates that, since there are often misunderstandings among people and these misunderstandings lead us to hate one another because of false or wrong knowledge, we should endeavor to gain true or right knowledge.

I like this interpretation of the Six Perfections because it is practical, and true, and yet without the dry textbook explanation. Finally, Prof. Hattori says in closing:

The six paramitas constitute the universal way for humans to attain ultimate peace, but it is not easy for us to keep them in mind and carry them out, because we are busy living and working everyday. For this reason, we set aside a special day twice a year, in Spring and Fall, so that we may reconsider these teachings, reflect upon ourselves, and pay respect to the innumerable people from the past to the present who have come into our lives and in some way or other influenced it to be better. This is the basic concept of the higan observance.

Thanks Prof. Hattori!

Namu Amida Butsu

* – The above are actually just transliterations of the Sanskrit words, the regular, day-to-day Japanese words would be (in order):

1. fusé (布施)
2. jikai (持戒)
3. ninniku (忍辱)
4. sōji (精進)
5. zenjō (禅定)
6. chié (智慧)

The Japanese Buddhist holiday of ohigan starts around this time. It coincides with the first day of Spring and he first day of Fall, so there are two ohigan holidays each year. Since the weather is more mild, traditionally in Japan, devout people had more time to review their Buddhist practice and strive again. The name of ohigan is written as お彼岸 in Japanese, which means “the Other Shore”. This shore, in Buddhist literature, symbolizes life here with its impermanence and suffering, while the other shore represents things like Awakening, Enlightenment, or liberation from this world.

This is no less true in Pure Land Buddhism. In Pure Land Buddhism, one of the most important patriarchs was a Chinese monk named Shan-tao, or Zendō in Japanese (善導), who lived in the 8th century. He wrote a famous parable about the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha called the Parable of the Two Rivers and White Path, or niga byakudō (二河白道).*

I always liked this parable because of the way that Amitabha Buddha and Shakyamuni Buddha work together. Shakyamuni Buddha appeared in this world, pointing the way across to liberation, while Amitabha Buddha dwells in the Pure Land calling people across. They work in tandem, in other words.

With the Two Rivers and the White Path, you can see again that there is this notion of crossing to the other shore, which in this case is none other than the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha:

The wonderful painting above is from the temple of Komyoji** in Kyoto, which is closely associated with Honen, the founder of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan. Honen had been a devout follower of Shan-tao, despite being separated by 400 years. It also is the main temple for the Seizan-branch of Jodo Shu, founded by Honen’s student, Shoku, who is one of my favorite Buddhists in Japanese history.

So, for this coming Ohigan, you can reflect on the parable above, and the painting above and see how it might apply to your practice, regardless of whatever practice you follow.

Namu Amida Butsu

* – Found in Shan-Tao’s Commentaries on the Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra.

** – Japanese homepage here. Great pictures here.

This is an illustration of the Buddha’s Pure Land from a cute Buddhist short story originally written by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, called “The Spider’s Thread” (kumo no ito 蜘蛛の糸). In the story, the Buddha, while strolling through the Pure Land looks far down below at the hell realms, and sees a fellow named Kandata suffering terrible agony.¹ Kandata was a terrible person, but one time in his life, he spared a spider from being stepped on, so the Buddha decided to lower a spider’s thread all the way down to hell to rescue Kandata. Kandata snatched the thread and started climbing up, but then noticed others in Hell following him, hoping to escape too. Kandata was furious and kicked them off the thread, causing it to break, and so they all fell back into hell again. To me, Akutagawa is telling readers that working for one’s own salvation only is not in the true Buddhist spirit. Had Kandata allowed the others to climb the thread, they might have ironically reached freedom together.

In Japanese language, this Pure Land usually called jōdo (浄土), but in more poetic literature, you’ll see phrases like “Ultimate Bliss”, goku raku (極楽), or goku raku jōdo (極楽浄土), which is the “Pure Land of Utmost Happiness/Bliss/Joy”. The latter name is probably the one that most closely fits the original Indian Sanskrit phrase of Sukhavati.

The teachings behind the Pure Land come from many Buddhist sutras in the Mahayana tradition, though three are considered the primary sources:

• The Amitabha Sutra
• The Contemplation [of Amitabha] Sutra
• The Immeasurable Life Sutra

In classical Indian thought, the viewed the world as an infinite chain of continents stretching in all directions. In some, a Buddha existed to teach and purify that land. These would be called “Buddha lands” or “Pure lands”, created through their efforts, practice and good karma to serve as a refuge for all beings. But out of all these myriad realms, the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha has always stood out, and hence Pure Land Buddhism is the largest branch of Buddhism in East Asia, not just Japan. I say “branch”, not “sect”, because many groups across Asia and now the West follow some form of Pure Land Buddhism, and many times Pure Land is integrated with other groups, like Zen, Vajrayana, and so on. So, there is no single school, but more of a powerful phenomenon in Buddhism. In the texts above, the Pure Land is described as a magnificent place where people do not have to suffer, and that they can practice Buddhism under a living Buddha, and become enlightened as well. This is in contrast to the world we live in where practicing Buddhism can be difficult. It should be noted though that the Buddha also teaches in the sutras above that any effort here is greater merit, since it’s so hard to fight the tide of hatred, greed and delusion here, whereas in the Pure Land is very easy.

What makes the Pure Land such a popular object of devotion in Buddhism is Amida Buddha’s 18th Vow, which in the Immeasurable Life Sutra above says:

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.

Here, the Amida Buddha was not yet a Buddha, and yet, he made a great series of vows to rescue all beings from suffering, greed, hatred and delusion by giving them a refuge, even if they only call his name 10 times. Thus, in Buddhism you see the practice, both by monks and lay followers, of reciting the Buddha’s name. In practice, this may exist in tandem with other, more familiar practices, or as a stand-alone practice. The Buddha teaches in all of the sutras above that one need not stop there, but if one wants to be reborn there after death, then they should bend all efforts toward the Pure Land by cultivating good karma, practice Buddhism, and train the mind. If anything, it will help later when you are already born in the Pure Land to accelerate your Buddhist practice that much more so.

So, one can be reborn in the Pure Land very easily just by reciting the name of Amida Buddha, but at the same time the Buddha urges people not to stop there, but make the most of Buddhist teachings, and apply them more and more toward rebirth in the Pure Land. Besides getting closer and closer to attaining Enlightenment, the Contemplation Sutra in particular explains other benefits as well, namely more rapid progress on the path. The Pure Land, first and foremost, is a refuge for anyone who wants to go there, hence its great popularity, but at the same time, it is a very conducive place to practice Buddhism if hindered in this world. Many beings in the Pure Land are said to come back as Bodhisattvas and help others as well, so the process is kind of cyclical. True to Mahayana Buddhism, the idea is that ultimately all beings will be saved and transcend to Enlightenment together, even the worst beings living in the worst of the Buddhist Hells.

Now, one of the biggest question in East Asian Buddhism is though is this: what is the Pure Land and is it real?

This is question that Buddhist monks and scholars have wrestled with in places like India, China, Tibet, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, and now in the West. Every person has a slightly different view of what exactly the Pure Land is, and if you ask two people the same question, you may get different answers. Some view the Pure Land as in the mind itself, of one who is awakened. Some view the Pure Land more literally as a place of refuge, maybe in another world, dimension, whatever. Others see the Pure Land as this life itself (Nirvana = Samsara, in other words). There are many, many ways to view the Pure Land.

So, which is right? The truth is is that they’re all perfectly valid views, and one need not be afraid whether his view is right or wrong. All Buddhists who revere the Pure Land agree that one who recites the name of the Buddha, and to make sincere efforts to be reborn there will not fail to reap very positive results in the long-run.

Personally, I tend to vacillate between various views, but I find when I see a picture like the one shown above, it gives rise to very peaceful, wholesome, joyous thoughts. If I ponder the Pure Land in my own mind, and make an aspiration to be born there, I find it helps give me confidence along the Buddhist path as well. Whether the Pure Land is real or not is irrelevant. When one gives rise to good, wholesome thoughts, and recites the Buddha’s name, one cannot go wrong.

Namu Amida Butsu

P.S. As my background is Jodo Shinshu and Jodo Shu Buddhism (related sects in Japan), I tend to move back and forth between talking about the historical Buddha, and Amida Buddha. From our perspective, they are the same, just at different levels of understanding. By the way, the terms in Japanese are amida nyorai (阿弥陀如来) for Amida Buddha, and shaka nyorai (釈迦如来). Often, in spoken Japanese, Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha, is called shakuson (釈尊), or “Holy Shakyamuni”, instead. This is to differentiate him from the generic terms like butsu or hotoke (both: 仏, or 佛 in more traditional script).

¹ Buddhist hells are seen as a product of one’s own karma, not a divine punishment as seen in other religions. One creates their own hell in other words.

Honen’s Catechism is fascinating to me for a few reasons:

1. You get a window into 12th century medieval Buddhism. Not from eminent monks who wrote many treatises, but from practitioners who struggled to understand and to make sense of the variety of teachings. For us Westerners, I feel we’re reliving this experience as Buddhism is still new to us.
2. Some of the questions, such as 31-45, highlight the kinds of questions that new Buddhists today ask on forums. The questions may differ somewhat, but it shows how people who hear contradictory information, or are new to Buddhism worry about small details, fearing that they will fail. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there.
3. When Buddhism was first imported in Japan, it was a chaotic mess of texts, esoteric rituals, and treatises from India, and it took many centuries before people had the training and understanding to it all. So, even Honen can’t answer all the questions because some of these, but at the same time, he seems pretty unworried about many of these rituals. Take for example question 46:
   

   Q(46): How should one make offerings of flowers and incense to an image of the Buddha?

   A: According to ritual, prayers should be offered at dawn. Flowers may be offered in a vase or strewn before the altar. Incense should be burned without fail. However, if it is impossible to follow the ritual, so be it.

   So Honen, helped dispel a lot of confusion for this follower by helping him understood what mattered in Buddhism, and what was periphery rituals.

4. Lastly for Pure Land Buddhists, it provides a nice, simple reference to smaller questions that we might be too embarrassed to ask someone, or not significant to warrant a topic by themselves.

So, feel free to peruse the questions above. You may be surprised to see some questions similar to ones you might have yourself. I think it’s a healthy reminder that many generations of Buddhists have experienced the same challenges we have, despite differences in language, culture and history.

Namu Amida Butsu