In this passage, Sensei stressed that we shall not put any prerequisite for settling shinjin. He also pointed out that many misinterpret shinjin because they do not understand the meaning of Other-Power. On the other hand, many make an effort to ‘acquire shinjin’ as seem shinjin is something that we could gain and own. He warned that this ‘practice’ simply suggesting or exercising self-power. He wanted us to bear in mind that if we could effort to gain shinjin namely other-power then it will not so named as Other-Power. He warned us to not depend on any idea, such as shinjin, nembutsu and etc., before you could be comfortable with and 'say yes’ to your salvation. Shinjin is simply hearing the good news – Namu Amida Butsu – the testament of your salvation as promised in the Vow without doubts. When you hear of this news, it is meant for you and come for you and no other people, you just have to be confident and receive it as you always have in other things and ‘don’t look around’ as you are just this lucky man for such a BIG REWARDS! Hearing and receiving it as it is.
It happens that people always toy with the ideas of having to fulfill something for shinjin to come by. Sensei always phrase that ‘find shinjin in the Name (or the Vow) and no other places’. When you realize the significance of the Vow and the Name, mainly exists just for you and translates your consumated salvation by Amida Buddha, that is when the ‘one-thought moment’ of acceptance or acknowledgement of the truth, namely the awakening of shinjin. Therefore, Sensei in many places in this passage, taught us to listen only to the right sermons that really help our understanding of the significance of Namu Amida Butsu as well as the Vow which is one and non-dual, as the Name the testament of our salvation is manifested by the Vow which has been fulfilled by Amida Buddha.
In last part of this passage, Sensei as in many places in his writing, advised us to be humble and modest with respect to chomon. We must reflect our conceit and pride as it would bring us no way on route to shinjin. It is not a prerequisite as you might naturally cling to it again, but pride is something hinder you from seeing the great path if you always ‘think big’ of yourself and diminish the masters and sages. Please look at our Master Shinran and see how he respected the dharma that he had encountered, the words of his revered teachers particularly when he described how he listened in Honen’s teaching from the Tanissho. Also in wasan, Master Shinran disclosed that the 'characters' in the Contemplatation Sutra were unordinary beings. Those were bodhisattvas who incarnate and came to act in a drama in order to show us the path to liberation. Therefore, we shall also look at the seven masters and Master Shinran himself as unordinary beings as they could be all bodhisattvas or Buddhas that came to our aids for salvation. We shall be humble enough and thankful for their hardships in all this.
Melvin
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