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JODOSHINSHU IN A NUTSHELL

Jodoshinshu was founded by Shinran Shonin in Japan about 1224.     From a
doctrinal point of view, it is very simple.
Hozo Bosatsu (Dharmakara Boddhisattva, a Buddha-to-be) made 48 vows which he
promised to fulfill before he would attain enlightenment and become Amida
Buddha.    From the Jodoshinshu point of view, the most important is the 18th
vow, which goes:
    "If, after I have attained Buddhahood, sentient beings
    in the ten quarters who with sincere mind, faith serene,
    desire birth in this country of mine, recite my name even
    (up to or down to) ten times, are not born there, may I
    not attain the highest enlightenment.  Those who commit
    the five unpardonable transgressions and abuse the right
    dharma are excepted."
The 18th vow is called the "Causal Vow" because it is the cause for us
sentient beings to be born in the Pure Land.  It is also called the "Original
Vow" because it is the most important of the 48 vows and contains everything
in all the others.
"This country of mine" is the Pure Land, a perfect environment where we
sentient beings in this imperfect world who have to work for a living, care
for our parents and children, and do not have the time to go through the
practices required to attain enlightenment, will be able to work toward our
ideal environment for attaining enlightenment, with enlightenment itself.
The "my name" mentioned in the 18th vow is _Namuamidabutsu_, which literally
means "I rely on Amida Buddha."  Reciting "my name" implies accepting Amida
Buddha's 18th vow as the cause of our birth in the Pure Land.  The "name"
given to "my name" is Nembutsu.  To recite the Nembutsu means to recite the
name  _Namuamidabutsu_.
According to the 18th vow  those who recite _Namuamidabutsu_ will gain birth
in the Pure Land.    The phrase "(up to or down to) ten times" means just once or
an infinite number of times, i.e., the number of times does not matter.
From the wording of the vow, however, it seems that there are three conditions
that must be met when we recite the Nembutsu:
    1.  Sincere mind
    2.  Faith serene
    3.  Desire birth (in the Pure Land)
This has been the subject of much scholarly study within Jodoshinshu.  The
conclusion is these three "conditions" are all contained in the "mind of faith
(Shinjin).  This is formulated from sanshin isshin (the three minds are really
one).
The only requisite to birth in the Pure Land is reciting the Nembutsu with
"the mind of faith" (shinjin).
As indicated in the Causal Vow, Hozo Bosatsu said, "if... sentient
beings...are not born (in the Pure Land)...may I not attain the highest
enlightenment."  Since all sentient beings have not been born in the Pure Land
yet can we say that Hozo Bosatsu has become Amida Buddha (attained the highest
enlightenment) yet?
Clearly Hozo Bosatsu's enlightenment depends on the enlightenment of all
sentient beings (from a Jodoshinshu point of view, it depends on _my_
attaining birth in the Pure Land).  This is in the true Mahayana Buddhist
tradition of sacrificing your own enlightenment for the sake of others.
The Jodoshinshu interpretation of this part of the 18th vow is that all the
"conditions" for birth in the Pure Land have already been completed.  There
remains only our responsibility to have "sincere mind, serene faith, and
desire birth" in the Pure Land.  This is accomplished with the "mind of faith"
(shinjin).  But the mind of faith is not something we use our will to
attain;rather,it is that which is given to us by Amida Buddha.  Our response
to receiving the "mind of faith" (Shinjin), is Namuamidabutsu.
The remaining point to be considered regarding the 18th vow is the exclusion
of those who commit the "five unpardonable transgressions", which are:
    1.  Killing your father
    2.  Killing your mother
    3.  Killing an Arhat ( a person enlightened through the
        Therevada way)
    4.  Causing dissention in the Sangha
    5.  Shedding the blood of a Buddha
According to Zendo, the Fifth Patriarch of Jodoshinshu, this qualification is
not a part of Hozo Bosatsu's vow, but was added by the historical Shakamuni
Buddha to discourage men from committing evil deeds.
The Jodoshinshu interpretation of this qualification is that although the vow
clearly states that those who commit any of the five transgressions will not
gain birth in the Pure Land, Amida Buddha's compassion is so great he cannot
help but work towards birth in the Pure Land for even those who have committed
these evil deeds.
Just as a mother forgives her child who has disobeyed her, so Amida Buddha
forgives those who do bad.  This does not mean, of course, that because Amida
will forgive us we can do bad things without penalty.    As Shinran Shonin
has clearly pointed out, we do not take poison just because there is an
antidote.
The Jodoshinshuist's response to receiving the "mind of faith" (Shinjin) and
realizing that Amida Buddha's compassion and wisdom is directed event towards
those who commit the "five unpardonable transgressions", cannot be other than
Namuamidabutsu.
You may not feel the simplified outline of Jodoshinshu is simple, especially
when it is considered intellectually (with a human beings calculating mind).
But it is simple when you experience it.  This is the only important thing
about Jodoshinshu doctrine--your personal experience.
There are certain things that cannot be fully expressed in words, yet which
hold us and give us sustenance, regardless of how long it is considered
(thought about with our human calculating mind).  Here is where the
"religiousness" of Jodo shinshu arises.  This is the true use of doctrine in
Jodoshinshu.  You must consider doctrine with your heart, and not with your
mind.
Though Jodoshinshu is something to experience, and not to study, this does not
mean you should not pay attention in Dharma School or read about and study
Jodoshinshu on your own.  It only means that study _alone_ will not get you to
where Jodoshinshu is pointing (to the path of Shinjin).
Here are some books which will help create causes and conditions for your
receiving Shinjin:
    1. _The Awareness of Self_, by Gyodo Haguri
        (translator-Rev. William Masuda)
    2. _The Buddhist World of Awakening_, by Takamaro Shigaraki
        (translator Rev. William Masuda)
    3. _Bodhisattvas Everywhere_, by T. Sakakibara
    4. _The Buddhist Way of Life_, by Christmas Humphreys
These books are available for sale from the church office or to read/check out
from the church library.

LISTEN TO THE TEACHING

A cow lives in a meadow.  It eats grass and drinks water from a nearby stream.
The water that the cow drinks turns into nourishing milk and supports both her
calf and people who drink it.
In the same stream, where it flows by a thicket, lives a poisonous snake.  It
eats bird eggs and frogs, and when thirsty, also drinks the stream water.  But
in the case of the snake, the water is turned into deadly poison and used to
kill.
Although the water is the same, in one case it is the source of life, in the
other, death.
We also drink water.  Not only liquid water, but also the water of knowledge
and skill in performing various activities.  The knowledge and techniques we
acquire or "drink" can be turned to milk for benefit or into poison to harm.
How we use what we acquire depends on the attitude of our heart.  Let us
listen to the teaching that allows us to turn the water of knowledge in to
good uses rather than bad.

THE IDEAL

Some people are concerned solely about what those in their circle of friends
think and try only to avoid being caught in an illegal act.  Such people are
inferior.
Some people are concerned with living a good moral life so others will not
point an accusing finger at them.  Such people are average.
And then there are those who, always conscious of eternity and striving to
live within the sight of Buddha, are prudent in their speech and behavior.
What they think or how they act is the same whether they are alone or in a
crowd.  Such people are superior.  Let us try to be like them.

DESTROYING SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS

Superstitious beliefs develop in times of crises when we grasp at straws for a
solution.  When a satisfactory result occurs together with a nonrelated
action, we tend to believe the action was the cause of the satisfactory
result.    Many athletes develop superstitions for just this reason.
The basketball player who makes both free shots after rubbing a certain part
of the uniform just before shooting will tend to keep doing this until the
next time he makes both free shots, which makes him feel even more that the
rubbing is the cause of the skillful shot.
The next step from this type of superstition is a belief that a particular
form of worship or "faith" in something will bring material reward.    Here we
must positively assert that all such beliefs are pure superstition and cannot
be the guiding principle of your life.

When we are of sound mind and body, we can easily make proper judgements, but
when we are confronted with a crisis, we often revert to child-like
superstitious attitudes.  We should be on guard against this at all times.

PERSONAL QUIZ

1.  Do you have a good luck charm in your car to protect you from accidents?
Yes ( ) No ( )
2.  Do you feel uneasy if you walk under a ladder or if a black cat crosses
your path? Yes ( ) No ( )
3.  Do you believe Friday the 13th is an unlucky day? Yes ( ) No ( )
If you answered "Yes" to even one of the above questions you must rate
yourself as being superstitious.  The uneasiness with which you go through
life because of your superstition will not be helped by science, for even
pilots of modern jets have "good luck" charms in their cabins.
In the same way that a good medicine penetrates to the smallest cell of our
body and cures us from inside out, so true "faith" ,or Shinjin, will penetrate
to the lowest state of our consciousness and will remove our anxiety from the
innermost level of our being.
From the time of Shinran Shonin, Jodoshinshu has consistently rooted out
superstitious beliefs, and shown us the proper way to live.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO SEEK COMFORT;SUFFERING BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY

Our age is one in which we use machines to do what was formerly done by our
hands. Because of this life today is far more convenient than even 25 years
ago.  From things like cooking and washing, to getting around and
communicating with others, life has become far more comfortable.
When our technological age began, everyone looked to the future with
rose-colored glasses.  We all speculated on what we would do with our surplus
time when it became possible to buy a gadget which would cook our meals with
the flip of a switch.  "When mankind is released from physical toil and
household drudgery," we said, "we will be truly free, and live as men were
meant to."
However, contrary to our expectations, such a rose-colored time did not come
into being.  We seem to live in a time which is busier and more rude than
ever.  What happened?  We developed technology to live more comfortable lives,
and yet because of technology, our suffering has increased many times.
The car which was created to make transportation easier spurts out deadly
gases which make it dangerous to breathe.  The microwave oven which lets us
cook entire meals by pushing a button may be a dangerous source of radiation.
In all areas, our age is the richest in the history of the world.  We are
surrounded by a flood of technology and leisure, yet we are setting new
records for crime, traffic accidents, and the number of people needing
psychiatric help.
If our present age is one in which we use machinery to take the place of our
hands, the coming age is one in which we will use machines to take the place
of our minds or the logical processes.  It has been characterized as the age
of the information explosion.
Our newspaper has so many pages we cannot keep up with it.  The average number
of pages in the Los Angeles Times is over 100 daily and about 500 on Sunday.
We have our weekly magazines, technical journals, and bulletins from
organizations which we belong.  If we add to this trying to help children with
their homework (or doing homework if you are in school!), keeping up with all
the information constantly confronting us becomes an almost impossible job.
But there are still the radio and TV programs, particularly the commercials,
to overwhelm us!
A device has been invented to help us manage the huge amount of information
constantly being thrown at us.  As you know, this is the computer.    Even small
companies now make use of the computer to manage the details of their
business.
The Japanese National Education Television network has a program titled
"Diagnosing Japan" which makes use of a computer to look at Japanese life.
Once a computer was given information about modern Japanese society then
asked, "Will anxiety decrease in our society?"
The answer was not what they expected:    "Without a doubt, it will
increase," the computer answered.

ASKING THE COMPUTER HOW TO LIVE

A scientist once programed a computer to answer:  "In an uneasy age where we
are constantly flooded with information and dependent on machines to survive,
what is the best way to live?"
The computers answer was short and to the point:  "Select only those things
that are truly important."
isn't this a most suitable answer?  Whether it is a TV program, a book, a job,
or any thing--choose only the best or most important.
When we consider it, we always seem to be pushing off to one side the most
important question of our life that must be answered.  We evade this most
important question by raising the status of questions and problems of lesser
importance, and allowing them to take up our minds time.
When young, it is getting a date, playing sports, studies (sometimes!),
television; when we get older, it is worry about our health, our job or
retirement--there is no time when you will not worry about something.
But isn't there something that must be solved or decided before anything else?
Suppose there are five problems on a math test which must be solved in an
hour.  Where would you start?
"Start with the easiest problem.  Once you have solved that and know you will
get some kind of grade, you may be more able to concentrate on the next most
difficult problem better.  Leave the hardest until the very last, and if there
is any time left, try tackling it and go for 100%."  This is probably the way
you were taught to take a test in school.
However, the test you get in life must be solved in exactly the opposite way!
If you leave the hardest until the last, there is no assurance you will have
time to solve it.  This is how life is.  No one can foretell when the bell
ending the examination of life will ring.

Do not wait to solve the greatest problem....

Long before computers were even thought of, the statement above was repeated
over and over in the Buddhadharma (our religious teachings).

What is this "greatest problem"?
1.  What is the reason this person known as "I" was born?
2.  What should I base my life on?
3.  What happens when my physical body disappears?

There are some who answer the first question by saying, "My purpose in living
is to work."  Are they any different from ants who busily work each day?
There are others who say they work only to raise their children properly.  But
it is wrong to live your life through your children or anyone else.  Others
must lead their own lives.
The first thing you must do is to be able to answer the three questions above.
When you can, you have laid the base for a life which will continually unfold
and grow into something beautiful.  First you must learn to know your true
self.

THEREFORE "FAITH" IS REQUIRED

"It is quite possible to live without faith.  I am proof of that statement.  I
have a life which does no one any harm, and which no one can point an accusing
finger at.  This being the case why do I have to have faith?"  This is a good
question.  That is why someone asked it of the Buddha.  A good question
deserves a good answer.  But rather than giving a crushing logical refutation
to this question, the Buddha told a simple easy-to-understand story:
"Once there was a hawk.  During the fall months it captured insects and frogs,
and hid them in preparatation for winter.  Since this hawk was not very
intelligent, it used a cloud as a landmark to locate the hiding place.  'If I
come to this tree located under that round-shaped cloud,' it thought, 'I will
be able to find my store of food for the winter."  When winter came the hawk
went looking for the cloud under which it thought its store was located.
Since clouds do not stay in one place, the hawk could not find the store and
went hungry.
What did the Buddha mean with this story?
His point was that if you base your life on something that is impermanent,
your live will be a failure.
But it seems as if everything we rely on in life changes:
1.  OUR PHYSICAL BODY--it becomes ill and injured.  It becomes old and senile.
2.  WEALTH--it may increase, but it may also decrease.
3.  FAMILY--unfortunately they suffer the same fate as our bodies
individually.

SCIENCE CANNOT REPLACE RELIGION

There are those who believe that if science continues to advance, there will
be less need of religion.    They look with wonder at the constant progress of
science and technology, and feel that the time will come when everything will
be capable of being understood in scientific terms.  They thus find it easy to
conclude that since even the finest instruments are not able to detect it,
there cannot be a Buddha or a world of reality--the Pure Land.
However, this point of view can quickly be shown to be false.  Those who
believe that science can explain everything still have the problems of
stubborn parents, disobedient children, or that they do not enjoy their work.
Science will not help their indignation when they hear about things such as
the Watergate affair, or the inhumanity of the atomic bomb.    All these
problems are outside the sphere of science.
It is impossible for science and religion to encroach the area of the other.
Arthur Rubinstein is probably the worlds greatest pianist and George Foreman
the worlds greatest boxer(1973), but it would be meaningless to put them in
competition with each other to determine who is greater.
However, our life is based on religious consciousness--the world of the heart.
Have you ever been tormented by the law of gravity or the law that governs the
refraction of light?  Suffering arises because man's joy and anger, his grief
and pleasure have no connection with science.  A true scientist is very much
aware of this.  "A scientist who believes that science is all there is, is not
a first rate scientist."----Hideki Yukawa (Nobel Prize winner in physics).
Is it correct to say that something does not exist simply because it cannot be
seen with our eyes or measured with the most precise instruments?  Can we say
that because love cannot be measured, that it does not exist?  No!  When love
is expressed, it results in an act which can be seen, and move those who see
it.
Although the Buddha, the Buddha's desire (the Causal Vow), and the Buddha's
world (the Pure Land) cannot be seen with human eyes, they exist.  They exist
in my heart.    They are expressed in my "faith" which moves me, and this can not
only be seen, but have great influence.
The characters in children's cartoons on television make use of the most
advanced sort of technology.  A rocket ship is as commonplace as a car today.
Every convenience is available by only pushing a button.  But the most used
devices in these cartoons are ray guns to fight superhuman monsters and other
enemies.
In these cartoons with their far-out characters, good is clearly pitted
against evil.  They symbolically demonstrate that even in the most advanced
society that we can conceive, hostility, injustice, anxiety, and all the
problems that we are confronted with today will still be with us.    If
anything they will be greater because of technological advances.  This is
something we all should think about.

THE BUDDHA'S DISCOVERY

The Buddha was born in India, 566 years before the modern era.     Buddhadharma
was discovered by the historical Buddha and the sermons expressing his
findings were transmitted orally for hundreds of years before the were written
down and preserved in their present form which are called sutras, now the
common heritage of all people.
We use the word "discovered" to relate the teaching of the Buddha with the
Buddha himself.  This is because Buddhadharma is not something the Buddha
created after speculating on the matter.  Rather, he discovered the law which
runs through the universe, and what is most important, experienced it in his
own life.  This is why he is called the Buddha, which means "the Enlightened
One."  In this sense the "law" of Buddhadharma which he discovered is similar
to the "laws" of nature.
The law of gravity was discovered by Isaac Newton, but even if Newton did not
discover the law which shows the relationship between two masses, that law
would still be in effect and control the movement of all things in this
universe.  The one way in which the "law" of Buddhadharma differs from natural
law is that the Buddhadharma discovered by the Buddha was specifically in
answer to the question, "how do I overcome my present suffering?"
The Buddha expressed his discovery in logical systemizations which we call the
Four Noble Truths and The Noble Eight-fold Path.  They are further expressed
in other very sophisticated doctrinal formulations, but basic to all these
formulations is the "law of cause and effect", which can be said to be the
distinctive feature of what the Buddha discovered.

IF YOU ARE INJURED

Suppose you are injured by a piece of machinery at work.  You would probably
do one or more of the following:
1.Go to a doctor to be cured and wonder if you will get some compensation.
2.Think about the cause of your injury and that you should be more careful or
that the setup was bad , or that the machine was not well designed etc.
3.You might believe your injury was caused by superstition (Friday the 13th).
Because of recent revival of interest in the occult, you might even think you
had a curse put on you by an enemy.
4.You could feel that life is a struggle and the injury is only one more thing
you have to put up with.
5.Then you might consider the future; how to pay for the medical treatment,
the effect on your work and home life, etc.

WHAT DOES THE BUDDHA TEACH US?

What would the Buddha suggest in the above situation?  In a very well known
story, "The Parable of the Broken Arrow," the Buddha taught:
"Suppose you are suddenly struck by a poisoned arrow.  The members of your
family, relatives, and close friends crowd around and make arrangements to
remove the arrow and apply an antidote to the poison.
But what would happen if you stopped them, saying 'Wait!  Before you remove
the arrow I must know what sort of person would do this to me.  I must know if
it was a male or a female.  I must also know how the bow and arrow were made,
and the type of poison used.  Do not remove the arrow until you can explain
these things to me.'
If you had such an attitude, it is obvious the poison would seep through your
body, and you would die.    Similarly, there is no time to ask what the
structure of the universe is, whether we have an immortal soul, or whether a
Buddha exists or not.
First pull out the arrow, tend your wound, and then you may speculate on these
matters, if you wish.  But the answer to these speculations in no way
connected with healing your wound.

PROPER TREATMENT(CAUSE) RESULTS IN HEALING(EFFECT)

We have just presented an example in terms of an injury, but if you should
happen to get injured or become ill you must trust the doctor.  Although the
study of medicine has progressed a great deal, in comparison with an absolute
standard of healing, there is still much to learn.  However, since healing is
the specialty of doctors you must trust their judgment.  When the Buddha
became ill, he was cared for by Biba, the lord of healing.
Although we are all willing to endure the pain of a dentist's drill in order
to fill a cavity in our teeth, we feel no similar compulsion to seek
specialized help in filling the cavity of our heart.
Those with incomplete spiritual lives who are gifted mentally and physically
are worse off than those who are not so gifted because they will use their
talents to fill their emptiness.  This works to a certain degree, but it will
never carry you to enlightenment.
If your body becomes injured or ill, it will raise a temperature, and show
other symptoms of illness.  If your spiritual heart becomes injured or ill, it
also develops symptoms--greed, anger, a complaining attitude.  These are
symptoms all of us have.  We must seek the care of, and receive the treatment
prescribed by the doctor of the heart, the Buddha.

THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT

All things, without exception, arise from a direct cause which comes in
contact with the proper conditions.  This is referred to as conditional
causation (engi), and must be taken into account in order to arrive at a
correct decision.  The simplest way to understand conditional causation is
through an example.  A flower will bloom only after the seed (the direct
cause) comes in contact with soil, water, light, etc.(the proper conditions).
Only then will a beautiful flower blossom(the result).  If either the direct
cause(the seed) or the proper conditions(soil,water,light, etc.) is absent,
the result(flower) will not come into being.
According to the Buddha, conditional causation means "seeing things as they
are."
"Seeing things as they are" means understanding that if we work at it hard
enough, something will come of it.  It also means giving up manfully and with
good grace when we see that no amount of contriving will bring about the
result we seek.
In Japanese this "seeing things as they are", is often referred to as being
shikata ga nai (it can't be helped), that term which sansei and yonsei use to
deride the seemingly pessimistic point of view of their issei forebearers.
But Shikata ga nai is only the negative aspect of "seeing things as they are."
The positive aspect is seeing what must be cone, and getting up and doing it.
Thus although sansei and yonsei look down on the shikata ga nai attitude of
their ancestors, they should realize that their grandparents were really
"seeing things as they are" within the conditions of their times.
Now that social conditions have changed, it is possible to "see things as they
are" under different conditions, which presently means changing those things
which need changing.  And there are many.
Many of our brightest sansei and yonsei are happily moving in the direction of
social change, but it is to be hoped that they realize they do so by the same
"seeing things as they are" teaching of the Buddhadharma they either
consciously or unconsciously received from their parents.

SHINRAN SHONIN

Born near the ancient capital of Kyoto on may 21st 1173; a period of great
social unrest.  Lost both parents at an early age.  Became a monk at the age
of eight.   Studied Buddhadharma for 20 years at Mt. Hiei, the center of
Buddhist studies at that time.  At the age of 28, descended Mt. Hiei and
became a disciple of the monk Honen.     Attained the assurance of birth in the
Pure Land he had all his life.
Because of political pressure from other religious groups against  his master,
was exiled to the province of  Echigo.     From there immigrated to the then
frontier area of Kanto (general area of modern-day Tokyo) where he spread the
Nembutsu teaching.  Returned to Kyoto in his old age.
Wrote the Shoshinge (Hymn of True Faith) and many other works expressing the
absolute "Buddha-centered power" teaching of the Nembutsu.
The first monk to publicly take a wife, Esshinni, who bore him seven children,
among them Zenran and Kakushinni.
Died on January 16th, 1262 at the age of 89.
The above is a brief outline of Shinran Shonin's life.  If you wish to learn
more, we recommend SHINRAN: His Life and Thought , by Norihiko Kikumura,
published by The Nembutsu Press.
The 89 years of Shinran's life resulted in two major accomplishments which are
described in the next section.

     THE NEMBUTSU

Shinran Shonin's first achievement was to refine the essence of faith from the
various practices which existed in his day, and to express it in the form of
tariki (Buddha-centered power).
At that period of Japanese history, art, medicine, government,science, and
everything that would come under the general classification of culture, was
considered to be religious.  As these areas of activity and study began to be
investigated independently of their religious significance, however, the
sphere of religion became vague.
Shinran Shonin's predecessor scholar-monks had begun the process of discarding
the nonreligious elements from Buddhadharma, and  groped toward the idea of
"faith" (Shinjin).   The Shonin inherited this tradition, and carried it to
its highest development, that of faith based on absolute Buddha-centered
power. It is impossible to go beyond this level.   Anything further than the
point to which Shinran carried Buddhadharma will result in a "nonfaith"
deviation from the religious sphere.
The second thing Shinran Shonin did was to simplify Buddhism so that even
unenlightened persons such as you and I could participate in the teachings,
and gain birth in the Pure Land.
The teachings left by the historical Shakamuni Buddha are remarkable for their
wisdom and truth.   However, his teachings are intended for monks who have the
leisure that comes only from leaving home and family.  For a home owner with a
family to support they are extremely difficult to follow.
There are considered to be 53 levels of enlightenment in Buddhadharma.
However no matter how far you progress on the way to enlightenment, until you
reach the 53rd level it is possible that at any time you will fall back to the
lowest level requiring you to start all over again.
Shakamuni Buddha had a disciple named Shariputra who determined to pass
through all 53 levels and attain enlightenment through the way of dana (giving
freely everything he owned.)
A man once asked Shariputra for his eyes.    Shariputra hesitated, but
reasoned, "Even if I give one eye away, I will still have another left; that
should be sufficient."
He tore out an eye and gave it to the man.   But the man receiving the bloody
eye said it was dirty and throwing it to the ground stomped on it.   Seeing
this Shariputra lost his temper and immediately lost all the merit gained from
his long years of religious practice.

Until Shinran Shonin, everyone who wished to attain enlightenment had to
follow what is referred to as "The Path of Sages" (shodomon), in which the
devotee had to spend every moment of his life in his religious quest.
Shinran himself  diligently pursued this path for 20 years.   Regardless how
ideal this path     may be, we must seriously consider whether it is one that
we can walk.
Although we may be able to physically go through all the prescribed forms of
religious training which others can  observe, it is extremely difficult to
develop the heart which motivates these actions.   In  a later paragraph we
will describe what one person went through following the "Path of Sages".
"But for this ignorant Shinran..."  This is the attitude which Shinran Shonin
started.
"But"--this skeptical and doubting attitude toward our self is where our
spiritual enlightenment begins.   Where this    doubt is pierced, is where the
world of Nembutsu begins.   Or rather,when this doubt is wrapped in the Causal
Vow, is where the entrance to the Pure Land opens up.
Doubt is basic to the teachings of Jodoshinshu, for without it the experience
of the Causal Vow will not be had.   Experiencing the Causal Vow is usually
referred to as having "faith" in it.     There is nothing wrong with the word
faith except it can be understood as meaning to believe in something because
it is impossible to know about it.    But experience of the Causal Vow is
knowledge of  it.
This will be discussed in more detail later.

     HOW TO APPROACH THE GATE OF THE TEACHINGS

In order to decisively encounter the Buddha's true intentions (his  Causal
Vow), we must have a seeking heart.   Each of us must approach the gate of the
teachings ourselves, and enter in ourselves.  But how do we approach the gate
in order for it to open up for us ?
There are religions that require you to pray before the gate opens.   There
are others that require you to fast and perform ascetic rituals before you can
enter in.    Some religions require sitting in meditation, and yet others to
repent before you can enter.
How did Shinran Shonin approach the gate ?   His approach was to use his ears
. He entered into the gate of the teachings through hearing.
In  Japanese,the character "to hear" is written with the character for "ear"
placed inside the character for "gate", thus perfectly symbolizing the
Jodoshinshu way to approach the gate  of the teachings.
"Hearing" is both the beginning and the end of Jodoshinshu.  A follower of
Jodoshinshu always listens diligently, whether in the temple or at home,
whether the subject is religious or not, for it is not what is said that is as
important as what is heard.   A wise man can learn even from listening to a
fool.
The Japanese term used to refer to the way a Jodoshinshuist hears a sermon, is
monpo, written with the characters for "hearing" and "law" or "dharma".
A  Jodoshinshuist who does not "hear" is a Jodoshinshuist in name only, not in
heart or experience.
Although not a Buddhist, Confucious passed a stage where he "paid obedience to
my ears"(mimishitagau).   "At forty I was ignorant," he said.    "At fifty I
understood heavens will."    And when he reached sixty Confucious "paid
obedience to his ears," before attaining perfection at seventy.   This shows
the humble attitude Confucious had before realizing his goal, and illustrates
how important it is "to hear".
Just what is it that we listen for and how do we hear it ?

     WHAT DO WE LISTEN FOR ?

The world of religious awareness is not known through academic study, so there
is no need to memorize all the things you hear.
There are only two matters about which we should listen very carefully.  These
are:
             *    My heart

             *    Buddha's heart
Regardless of what passage we may select from a sutra, if we consider very
carefully, these two matters will always be found to be discussed.
No matter whose sermon we may listen to, if these two matters are not
discussed and we do not hear it, it is the same as if we did not hear the
sermon.
Since many of the Jodoshinshu ministers in the United  States and Canada were
born and raised in Japan, their English is not as good as many of you may
wish.  But you do not attend a Jodoshinshu service to speak English.   Try to
hear what is behind the words your minister is using.    This is the true
Jodoshinshuist's attitude.

     WHAT ARE WE ?

You have probably heard of Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico; some of you may
have been there.   Deep in the caves is a river where blind fish live.   These
fish have the remnants of eyes, but living in the pitch darkness of the
caverns for thousands of years has caused their eyes to atrophy from lack of
use.
If you were to ask these fish, "Don't you find it inconvenient not to see?"
they will undoubtedly reply, "What? What do you mean by seeing ?"  Because
they have not experienced what it is to see, they doubt there is such a thing.

Aren't all of us like these fish ?
Buddhadharma teaches that without exception all men have a sort of blindness.
But even if we are told this, it is very difficult for us to agree, and this
is how we are like the blind fish.   We differ because we are not completely
blind.  Rather than not being able to see anything, we see things in distorted
form because of the colored glasses we wear.    We wear these glasses from the
time we are born until the day we die.  Our glasses cause us to see things in
distorted form because they are dyed with the color of "egotism."
Since you and I cannot see except through the lenses of "egotism" we always
look at ourselves very tolerantly, but look at others very critically.
Whether walking along the sidewalk or driving down the street, we alone are
the center of interest to ourselves.    When  walking, drivers are a nuisance.
When we are driving, pedestrians are just something to try and avoid hitting.
Even  on those occasions when we are able to observe ourselves objectively,
and clearly recognize that we were the ones at fault, the judge deep in our
heart forgives us because of circumstances.  However, when it comes to the
other person, we are merciless in our criticism.
So far we have discussed the results of our egotistical attitude in relation
to other people.    But our attitudes become even more clear when we consider
our relationship with animals.  We speak of this insect as being harmful-
pest, or that bird as being beneficial;that meat is good to eat, or that eggs
are nutritious.  These judgements, harmful, pest, beneficial, good to  eat, or
   nutritious are all made in relation to how they affect  us .
Does an insect that is harmful to man consider itself to be harmful?    No.
It is only doing what is natural to it.    It is simply "insecting"!   From
the insects point of view, it is man who is harmful.
Have any of us performed a pure and simple "good deed" even once?   All of us
have helped others, but deep down didn't we do it after carefully calculating
what others would think of our act?  Or feeling self satisfied with "It feels
good to help others"?   It is extremely rare not to feel the smug satisfaction
of giving others a treat or a gift.
There is an old saying, "At times we can truly grieve over the disaster that
has befallen another, but only a heavenly being can truly rejoice over the
good fortune of another."  This is truly what we are like.  "To listen to my
heart," means the following:
            "The  person who is riding the fiery chariot of
            egotism and crossing the icy river of selfishness
            is none other than myself.
It  is important to realize that even those who do not "listen to their heart"
are able to live "good" lives;however, they live what seems to be a good life
only as seen through distorted lenses.  At the base of their lives is a large
cavity of which they are  not  aware.  In a poem, Shinran Shonin wrote:
           Because even the practice of good
           Turns into evil
           It is called "the fools practice."
lamenting the calculation and self conceit that lurks behind all of  our
"good" deeds.
Those who are not aware of the delusions of their heart are like germ
carriers. While performing what they think are good deeds, they do not know
that they are spreading germs  which    are harmful to themselves and others.
What should we do to stop this?  Should we throw away our egotism and renew
our heart?     It would be wonderful if we could.
Regardless of how deeply we reflect and strive to discard our ego in order to
live life selfishlessly, it is an impossible task!  It is like asking the
darkness to create the morning sun and light up the sky through its own
efforts.
Jodoshinshu teaches the truth.     Regardless of how distasteful and painful it
may be, if it is the truth about ourselves, we must listen.

WHAT IS THE HEART OF THE BUDDHA?

In Jodoshinshu, the only Buddha we have "faith" in is Amida, "the Buddha of
limitless wisdom and compassion."  When we are bathed in the light of
limitless wisdom, the state or condition of our heart as described in the
previous paragraph becomes very clear, which really means that right now Amida
Buddha's rays of wisdom are shining on us.
If the blind fish of Carlsbad Caverns are exposed to light for as long as they
have been deprived of it, their eyes will again begin to function and they
will be able to see.    Similarly, only through continuous exposure to the
light of limitless wisdom will the eyes of our heart begin to open up.
When Amida Buddha calls us, he does so by name.  The name he calls us by is
"evil and ignorant being full of base desires."  He cannot call us using the
term "good person".  In response to Amida Buddha's calling, unless we say "He
is referring to me," we will not understand his teaching.  We will think he is
referring to someone else, and his teaching will pass over our head.  But our
egotistically-colored glasses make it difficult for us to accept this form of
reference to ourselves.  In the next section we will discuss more what it
means to be "evil".
"True.  That is what I am like."  Shinjin (the "mind of faith") is nodding our
head in agreement to Amida Buddha's calling.  When we hear the truth of
Amida's call, it is natural for us to let it act in our life.  We are then
relieved of making any effort to bring about our own enlightenment, resulting
in "peace of mind" (anjin), which is the highest level possible for
Jodoshinshuists.
The term "mind of faith" is often misunderstood.  We may resolve to ourselves,
"Allright.  I will have faith," and feel that making this effort will result
in "the mind of faith."  but this sort of "faith" is only a hardening of our
ego, and is just another name for stubborness.
Since it was a bombu (an unenlightened person) who made the resolve to "have
faith", that "faith" may be broken very easily.  Then we will say, I went out
of my way to have faith, but nothing happened."  Or we may have faith which
borders on madness, in that it lies in the face of reason.
"Faith" in the Nembutsu is not like "faith" which is a hardening of the ego.
Rather, it is a breaking up of the ego by the strength of wisdom which is
limitless, and a path which we can follow to continually grow.
Here is the story of a man who met Amida in a dramatic way.
In the village of Aoya in Tottori Prefecture in Japan, there lived a farmer
named Genza Ashikaga.  One summer morning when he was 30 years old, Genza led
his horse to the mountains to gather grass.  After gathering and bundling the
grass, while loading the grass he could not carry on his own back on the
horses back, Genza's heart was suddenly struck open.  In his own words,
"Suddenly, I was led to understand."
What was it that Genza was led to understand?  The grass he gathered is Karma,
and that karma is too heavy for Genza to carry alone on his back.  But the
horse (Amida) is more than able to carry the load Genza cannot.  The horse
eats the grass he carries on his back and becomes a horse; Amida Buddha
carries Genza's karma and consuming it, becomes Amida Buddha.
Genza's view of the world changed completely.  From that time on until his
death in the late 1920's at age 88, he lived a full life.  He survived two
Fires in his home, and the insanity and later death of a child.  Yet he was
never discouraged and was always helping his neighbors.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE EVIL?

A fencing master was once asked, "If I study fencing for two hours each day,
how long will it take me to become an expert?"
The master replied, "It will take 5 years."
If I study for 4 hours each day, how long will it take?"
The master replied, "It will take 10 years."
"But if I practice as hard as possible for 8 hours each day, how long will it
take?"
"In that case," replied the master, "it will take a lifetime."
This story seems wrong because the more you practice, the faster you should
become an expert.  But in this story is the essence of Jodoshinshu teachings.
During his lifetime, Shinran Shonin was looked on by his disciples as being a
Saint.  There is    record of his direct disciple, Ren'i, having said that
Shinran was the incarnation of a Boddhisattva.  This is how Shinran was seen
by others.  But how did Shinran see himself?
In a poem written when he was over 80 years old, Shinran wrote:
    "Though I rely on the True Teaching of
    the Pure Land,
    The True Mind is difficult to acquire
    I have an ignorant and insincere body,
    And am absolutely without a Pure Mind."
Can there be a greater difference in how the same person was evaluated?  His
disciples considered him to be a saint; he considered himself to be a
hypocrite.
It is impossible to reconcile these two attitudes unless we understand the
standards Shinran set for himself.  The fencing master considered that a
person who was willing to spend only two hours a day in practice would not
have very high standards, and could convince himself that he was an expert in
only 5 years.  If one practiced 4 hours a day, his standards would be much
higher and at least 10 years would be required before he could be satisfied.
But if the student was motivated enough to practice 8 hours a day, he would
never be satisfied with his level of skill, even if he won all contests.
Similarly, because Shinron's conduct exceded the standards of others, he was
seen as a saint.  But Shinran's conduct was far below the standards he set for
himself.  Also, the more Shinran's conduct approached his already high
standards, the higher he saw they could be set.
Although people looking at Shinran could see him growing morally and
spiritually, he himself felt that in comparison with his constantly rising
standards (which always rose faster than his ability to achieve them) he was
falling behind, and thus his sense of "evil" (his consciousness of
imperfection) increased.
The reason we do not sense our "evil" nature as strongly as Shinran did, is
that we are not as severe with ourselves as he was.  The more severe we are
with ourselves, the greater will be our sense of imperfection, or "evil".
The sense of evil or "sin" in Jodoshinshu is different from "sin" in
Christianity.  According to Christian dogma, "Man is born in sin."  In
Jodoshinshu, however, this sense of imperfection or "evil develops only when
we strive to improve ourselves.

RELIGIOUS PRACTICE

What do you do if you wish to become a good basketball player?    You practice
baskettball.  And if you wish to be good at any sport, or study, you must
practice.
In order to do anything well, you must practice.  But what do you practice to
become enlightened?
In Buddhadharma, the word used to refer to religious practice which results in
enlightenment, is shugyo.
As some of you know, the Shugyo of the Zen school of Buddhadharma is
meditation (zazen).  The Shingon school emphasizes "finger movements" (mudras)
as the way to follow in attaining enlightenment.  The shugyo of the Nichiren
school is to recite the "sacred title" (daimoku) which is Namumyohorengekyo.
In that school, it is felt that the more often and earnestly you chant the
daimoku, the more material benefits you will receive.
What is the position of Jodoshinshu regarding shugyo?
Jodoshinshu is unique among all Buddhist schools in that from a doctrinal
point of view, there is no shugyo to perform, for all shugyo is contained in
the name Namu Amida Butsu.  Not only all shugyo, but also all good and all
benefits are contained in it.  The number of times you recite Namuamidabutsu
has no bearing on your birth in the Pure Land.
Jodoshinshu is a teaching for lay people; it is not a teaching for monks, as
all other Buddhists schools are.  In Japanese, to become a monk is referred to
as shukke, which is written as the characters for "leave" and "home", i.e., in
order to become a monk, you must give up all your possessions, leave home, and
spend your entire time and effort in the cultivation of enlightenment.
Is this possible for everyone?    And even if it were possible for all to leave
home, would all have the will power to do the difficult practice required?
Shinran Shonin became a Tendai monk in the year 1181.  Although no one is sure
what he did as a monk, there is little doubt as to the kind of shugyo he had
to do, for the Tendai monks today are very proud of the fact that the
religious practice today is the same as that first practiced by the founder of
the sect in Japan, Dengyo Daishi.
In the next section, you will read about the shugyo that a Tendai Buddhist
monk went through.

KAIHOGYO

Shocho Hagami is a modern Buddhist monk of the Tendai school who underwent the
very rigorous Kaihogyo shugyo still practiced on Mt. Hiei, the center of
Tendai training.  Kaihogyo literally means "around-peak-practice" and consists
of making one thousand circuits around the peak of Mt. Hiei.
Upon entering this practice, monk Hagami was given a short sword to commit
seppuku (the proper term for what is referred to in English as hari-kiri,
ritual suicide) if for any reason he was unable to walk the circuit when he
was supposed to.  No excuses are allowed.
Monk Hagami would not have been allowed time off if his parents were sick, or
even if he had broken a leg and was unable to walk.  A monk continued to
practice the Kaihogyo shugyo during World War II when all available manpower
was supposedly put towards the war effort.    The war was not good enough reason
to stop shugyo.
Regardless of the reason, if monk Hagami had been unable to walk the circuit
even once, he had to be ready to give up his life.
During the first several years of his shugyo, monk Hagami walked about twenty
miles a day over rough terrain with many natural obstacles.  During the last
few years, he walked over fifty miles every day.  This was in addition to the
normal routine each monk followed.

After the circuit was made 700 times, monk Hagami went through a special
shugyo within the Kaihogyo shugyo.  This special shugyo lasted nine days.
During this time he could not:
        1.  Eat any food.
        2.  Sleep lying down (he could rest in a chair)
        3.  Drink any water
Physiologically man is not susposed to be able to live more than two or three
days without drinking any water, but monk Hagami had to go for nine days
without it.  Not only did he have to forego any water during this period, he
had to draw water for the other monks to drink.
But this was not all.  After fasting, going without sleep for nine days, monk
Hagami participated in what is called a goma ceremony.  A fire was made and
monk Hagami ceremoniously placed sticks of wood about half an inch thick and
about a foot long into the fire.  The sticks of wood symbolized the "evil" in
himself to be consumed by the fire.
The goma ceremony was held in the dead of winter in an area without central
heating.  Monk Hagami was required to burn no less than 120,000 pieces of
wood. The stack of wood was over eight feet high; the fire it made created
flames which leaped ten feet into the air.  Although the part of monk Hagami's
body facing the fire felt as if it was burning up, the part of his body away
from the fire felt as if it was freezing.
When a doctor from the nearby city of Kyoto heard that monk Hagami was going
to undergo the austerities just described, he arranged to make regular
examinations to determine how the shugyo affected monk Hagami's bodily
functions.  On the nineth day, the doctor came to examine monk Hagami as
usual, and found him resting on his chair with his eyes closed.  The doctor
raised monk Hagami's eyelids and peered in, but getting no reaction, remarked
to his companion, "It seems as if he has died."
Of course, monk Hagami had not died; he was quite aware of the doctor and of
having his eyelids raised.  He was just so exhausted, his organs did not react
sufficiently to allow the doctor to conclude that life still remained.
Monk Hagami was 52 years of age when he completed this severe part of the
Kaihogyo.

You may wonder why anyone would want to undergo the type of shugyo that monk
Hagami did.  If you were to ask him he would probably say, "I did it because
my master ordered me to, and because it is the practice handed down to me from
Master Dengyo.  Now that I have completed the shugyo, however, I can state
that I benefited greatly from it."
That sort of answer is not very satisfying to those who have not experienced
shugyo, but perhaps it is all that can be said about the matter; unless you
have undergone it yourself, you cannot understand shugyo nor have any right to
comment on it.
However, it is possible to understand something about monk Hagami's shugyo.
Walking twenty or even fifty miles, around the peak of Mt. Hiei can be done by
anyone in good physical condition.  But it becomes shugyo rather than a
physical exercise because of the attitude with which this activity is done,
and the grind of doing it every day in addition to your other duties as a
monk.  When your physical efforts are maximized while the amount of rest and
nutrition you receive is minimized, you cannot continue through physical
strength alone; you must draw on your spiritual resources, which grow as a
result of being called upon.
Another way of looking at it is that we appreciate our health most when we are
ill.  That is, when we are ill, we have something to compare our health with,
and thus our health is experienced as precious.  Similarly, we can say that we
do not appreciate the sacredness of life as much as we should because we do
not have anything to compare it with.  Life is something that we have had all
our life and therefore take for granted.    Can you imagine what it would be
not to have life?
The state that differs from life is death.  But if we die, we cannot come back
to life no matter how much we feel we will appreciate it.  Monk Hagami's
shugyo can thus be looked at as a sort of "controlled death", a state which he
experienced and which he could compare with the state of life...
Please remember, however, that the above are only intellectual attempts to
understand monk Hagami's shugyo experience.  We cannot gain the exact same
insight from reading about it that we would get from experiencing shugyo.

THE JODO SHINSHU SHUGYO

Would you be able to undergo a shugyo like monk Hagami did?
Until Shinran Shonin's  time, all monks had to practice shugyo similar to what
monk Hagami did, but with Shinran's awakening to the true nature of the causal
vow, came the understanding that all shugyo is contained in it.  Because Amida
Buddha had undergone all the ascetic practices required when he was Hozo
Bosatsu, there is no need for us to undergo them to be awakened or saved.
Monk Hagami was very impressed with Shinran Shonin and the teachings of
Jodoshinshu.  He frequently spoke to Jodoshinshu groups, always remarking that
he could never have completed the Kaihogyo austerities through his own effort,
and that looking back he realizes that it was tariki (Buddha centered power)
that saw him through.

As already mentioned, there is no shugyo in Jodoshinshu because according to
doctrine, it is all contained in Nembutsu.  But that only means that there is
no special shugyo which we have to leave home to practice.  The other side of
this doctrinal formulation is that we do not have to do anything special
because everything that we do is shugyo.  The way we wake up in the morning
(can't we get out of bed less grumpy?  Or without our parents having to
yell?), the way we greet our parents <or children> (can't we be more cheerful
and cooperative?), the way we eat (do we have to rush?)., the way we go to
school <or work>, the way we work <including learning at school>,...there is
nothing that is not shugyo for a Jodoshinshu Buddhist.
As discussed in the previous section "WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE 'EVIL'", when we
practice living a better life, we realize that we can become even better.
If it were possible to measure "goodness," if we become better by a value of
one, our goal of goodness will increase to two.  If we act "better" by two,
our goal will become four, etc.  Although someone looking at us from outside
may feel that we are becoming a better person, in relation to the constantly
increasing ideal <goal> in our mind (which always increases faster as we
become better), we realize that we are falling behind or getting worse.
This is the Jodoshinshu sense of "evil" that we are always facing.

TRUE FAITH  (or TRUE ENTRUSTING)

In the last three sections we indicated the difficulty of religious practice
and the imperfection sensed by those who strive to become better.    As we
become aware of how much better we can become (and although we do become
better), because our standards increase faster than our attainments, we feel
as if we are getting worse.
If it stayed that way, we would soon despair of living!  We would become very
critical of the world and weary of living in it.    The famed author of the
story Rashomon, which was made into a prise-winning movie, Ryunosuke
Akutagawa, was a person who reached just that point of view.  He committed
suicide at the early age of 35, leaving the following note: "I am unable to be
responsible for the evils of this world..."
This note expresses the heart of a very sensitive artist; his standards for
the world exceeded that of the great majority of us.  But it lacks one thing.
The thing lacking is the saving grace which understands and accepts his sense
of "evilness" or imperfection.  This is why Amida Buddha's Causal Vow is so
important.
Whether it is our sense of "evil" that leaves us no choice but to accept Amida
Buddha's vow to cause our birth in the Pure Land, or whether it is Amida
Buddha's Causal Vow that allows us to see how imperfect and "evil" we are, our
sense of evil and Amida's Causal Vow are related to each other in a way that
makes them impossible to separate.
You have heard of the "irresistible force meeting the immovable object."  This
is a logical impossibility of course, for if there was an immovable object, by
definition that means there is nothing that can move it, i.e. that there is no
irresistible
force.    Or in the same way if there is an irresistible force then there can be
no such thing as an immovable object.
Amida's Causal Vow can be equated to either the immovable object or the
irresistible force.  Regardless of how "evil" you think you are, Amida's
compassionate vow to cause your birth in the Pure Land will overcome it
resulting in your birth there.  Further, it can be said that the greater your
awareness of your "evil" nature, the greater you will experience the wisdom
and compassion of Amida and the Causal Vow.
Those who do not feel a sense of "evil" or imperfection in themselves will
feel that it is their "right" to be born in the Pure Land, just as many
Christians believe they will go to heaven if they live moral lives.
Those who are aware of their "evil" nature find it difficult to believe they
will be born in the Pure Land because they do not feel worthy of it.  But
being worthy or unworthy has nothing to do with the matter--this is just a
measure of moral good or acceptance by society.
Regardless how you evaluate yourself, Amida is onesidedly working toward your
birth in the Pure Land.  This is what the widely quoted but little understood
phrase from the Tannisho means:  "Since even the good man will be born in the
Pure Land, how much more so will the bad man."
    Faith has two aspects; first, the firm conviction that we
    are evil beings ever drowning in the sea of birth and
    death.    Second, the unshakable belief that Amida Buddha's
    48 Vows welcome and embrace all sentient beings, and
    that we are certain to be born in his Land of Bliss.
                Zendo (Chinese:Shan-tao)
                Fifth Patriarch of Jodoshinshu
This passage is the fundamental explanation of "faith" in Jodoshinshu.    The
"conviction that we are evil beings" is the seemingly irresistible force that
comes in contact with the actual immovable object of the Causal Vow.
"Drowning in the sea of birth and death" is the seemingly immovable object
that comes in contact with the actual irresistible force of the Causal Vow.
Regardless of how strong our sense of "evil" or imperfection, Amida's vow to
cause our birth in the Pure Land is stronger.
We cannot experience the strength of the Causal Vow unless we come in contact
with it.  Sometimes this contact is through a head-on confrontation, but most
often it is a gradual awakening to the reality that we have been enveloped in
its power all along without being aware of it.
This is not just playing with words; it is an expression of an experience that
all Jodoshinshuists have gone through.  Have you?

AWAKENING TO WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT

How many days have there been when you could say, "Today I lived fully and
have no regrets about it?"  Count yourself lucky if you have even one.
Isn't your usual feeling, "One of these days, when I get __________(many
things can go here: older, out of school, on my own, retired, rich, etc.)
cleared up, then I will be able to live a fuller life"?  This means that you
are not living life to the fullest now.
There will always be work to do or something to be concerned about!  Waiting
until later before living life to its fullest will not work, because that day
will never come.

Our world today is one in which no matter how we hurry, we are always late.
Let us ask a person who is rushing by a few questions.
"Just why are you hurrying about, working so hard?"
"I work in order to eat."
"But why do you eat?"
"Because I will die if I don't."
"Then why do you want to live?"
"Well..in order to work."
A complete circle has been made and we are back where we started.  Lets try
something slightly different.
"You say you work in order to eat--eat to live--and live to work.  Then does
that mean if you are just able to eat that you will not die?"
That is it.  That is the most important consideration, how not to die.    We
are so busy this is what most of us have forgotten.    In Japanese the
characters for "busy" and "to forget" are both written with the characters
meaning "heart" and "to lose", only arranged differently.  That is what
happens when we are too busy--we lose our hearts.
The problem with us today is that our hearts are asleep regarding that most
important matter--how to not die.  A sleepy or drunk driver is extremely
dangerous, not only to himself but to others.  Are you aware that you are
driving your body around while asleep about what is most important?
Young people are much more understanding than their parents about living life
to its fullest.  The hippie movement in the 1960's represented an attempt to
change life styles and get out of the "rat race" to a fuller life.  But that
movement floundered because although the young knew that they did not care for
things as they were, they did not know what it was that they wanted.
Merely to escape without a goal to direct yourself to is to find yourself in
another type of trap.  True "escape" consists in finding freedom where you are
right now!    An enlilghtened person can never be imprisoned, even behind bars.
Let us awaken our sleeping hearts.  Buddhadharma and the Nembutsu within it
show us how to live a full and free life.
Starting today, let us listen to the dharma, the teachings, which show us our
true nature, and which awaken us to the infinite compassion of Amida Buddha.

The words above were written with the desire to present the Nembutsu teaching
as simply as possible.  Having come this far, I hope you will choose to
participate in your Karma, and not stop at this point!  The important thing is
the "mind of true faith" (shinjin), experience of the Causal Vow.    Look to
the people you know in your temple and strive to understand the teachings.
Participate in meeting the five conditions required by our religion to receive
shinjin:
    1.  Past conditions and circumstances leading one to the dharma
    2.  A "Good Teacher of the Dharma"
    3.  The Light of Amida Buddha
    4.  Shinjin ("faith")
   5.  Amida's name--Namu Amida Butsu


Amida is calling-----------will you answer?


NAMUAMIDABUTSUNAMUAMIDABUTSUNAMUAMIDABUTSUNAMUAMIDABUTSUNAMUAMIDABUTSU