Not trusting in people while thinking of humbly accepting shinjin is a mistake!

 “I trust in Shinran Shonin, and therefore trust in the Infinite Life Sutra” 

  --- Hirokku Eishun sensei (岗英俊师) 

The Name of the Primal Vow propounded by the Infinite Life Sutra is not something that bombu can possibly trust in. Touching the Infinite Life Sutra, it is simply the Name of the Primal Vow! “Relying on the Name of the Primal Vow, just by this single honorable power we are taken to be born in the Pure Land,” while discarding everything else! Eishun Sensei said bombu would not be able to trust in the Infinite Life Sutra, which he referred to as the Name of the Primal Vow, but “(he) trusts in Shinran Shonin, and therefore trusts in the Infinite Life Sutra.” Please keep these words in mind. 

Not trusting in people while thinking of humbly accepting shinjin is a mistake! It does not matter how much great Dharma teaching you have listened to, books you have read, difficult words you have remembered -- these have nothing to do with shinjin! Without trusting in people, it is impossible to humbly accept shinjin.

Zuiken
(An extract from Talk on Hymns of the Pure Land Masters)

Shinran Shonin

When fish are hauled out of water

A student called Two-Three-Four could not answer a question from his teacher in school. Fellow traveler Hirata shared with the student the Buddha-Dharma. 

Two-Three-Four was moved and wrote the answer for the question as follows: 
“When fish are hauled out of water, they will die no matter how you treat them. Fish will only survive in water.” 

We discover Buddha like fish discovers water (Namo).

“We rely on the Buddha to live.” How many people out there are aware of this themselves? The wisdom of Namo is the master of the six syllables. The six syllables are the Buddha; relying on the Buddha we humans are shone upon and protected. Such an object (person to be saved) is only savable with the one-thought moment of Amida Buddha. Ahh, how embarrassed I am, how embarrassed I am!” 

“Namo” is Sanskrit, which is translated as “take refuge” in China and “the saving Buddha” in Japan. Just hear the salvation of Amida Buddha. 

The moment when we are informed “Ah! (I see..) ’ is “Namo.”

by Hirata Ariwa (平田有和)

Note: Madam Hirata was a myokonin of Zuiken's time. She benefited a lot from Zuiken's dharma teaching and owed him great respect. Her speeches, thoughts and poems were collected into Zuiken's book titled The Ship of Vows of Great Compassion. 

Seeking shinjin within while turning your back on Amida Buddha

Seeking shinjin within while turning your back on Amida Buddha, and not beholding the Buddha; such shinjin is not acceptable! 

Speaking of shinjin, just seeking it within is not acceptable! 

Speaking of shinjin, it concerns us accepting it humbly; and speaking of accepting it, you seek it within, keep looking inwardly: Do I have shinjin? Have I not accepted it? To investigate like that is the proof of your not having accepted shinjin.

Zuiken 

(an extract from Talk on Hymns of the Pure Land Masters)

This Very Special Great Vow (betchi no gugan)

Concerning shinjin, what can we do about it? 

What on earth can you do about it? Your (true) features when born, the same old you just like before hearing the Dharma! Doesn’t it mean that I won’t be able to attain birth? Yes, it does. You won’t make it (birth)! As you (this good-for-nothing) won’t make it, it only requires the Tathagata to fasten the lock of the Vow-power around your waist and pull you along. The Pure Land is not devised for unordinary people.

  

Isn’t it like gold ingots falling from heaven (a windfall)?

Indeed. If you cannot listen to or are deaf to this very special great Vow (*betchi no gugan 別異の弘願), you won’t be able to enter the White Path of the Primal Vow. It is the 18th Vow that surpasses the ordinary causes and effects of our world! It is *shukuzen! Even so, you are still invited to try listening with astonishment.

Zuiken (an extract)

*betchi no gugan 別異の弘願 The very special great vow. Amida's vows distinguish themselves from those of other Buddhas in that they promise salvation for ordinary beings filled with evil passions. In this sense, the term specifically refers to his eighteenth vow. The term comes from Shan-tao's Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra, in the section on the "Essential Meaning" (Gengibun 玄義分). See hongan; hongan no mon. [AK.; KG.6]

*shukuzen Karmic virtue; stored merits in one's past lives.

Please read: Amida's Primal Vow Accords with the Nature of Beings

Essay 153

The taste of discarding shinjin
--- Pondering over death!

In the Dharma passage, “Delusion is the nature of ordinary beings. Apart from delusion, there is no mind in us,” “there is no mind in us" signifies that the mind is entirely delusion. 

We are notified of this thanks to the deep benevolence of the Buddha. To know “Oh, so that's how it is!” on hearing it is rather easy. To know is easy; however, to be notified of it is very difficult. “Knowing it” is a far cry from “being notified of it.” To know does not have any power. To be notified of it means to be notified by the Tathagata. 

When being notified of this, you will realize that “adorning” your mind is not at all needed. What use is it to adorn your mind, to design, to struggle, to believe that you have acquired shinjin? It does not help even a little. 

If you truly know “apart from delusion, there is no mind in us” you will realize that “what you think, remember, know, believe, and that you have acquired shinjin, are none of their business.” “These are none of their business but you just can’t help hearing (the Dharma)” because it is the pleasure and joy of Dharma savored by a Nembutsu person from hearing the unsurpassed virtue power of the Tathagata, apart from their great joy (of shinjin), as long as they are alive. To hear is (the working of) the immeasurable power and virtues of the Tathagata; not to hear is also (the working of) the immeasurable power and virtues of the Tathagata. To be always mindful of the immeasurable power and virtues of the Tathagata or not, is the point of difference between entrusting and non-entrusting.

Zuiken

Essay 159: Fail to distinguish what is important and not important

Concerning the Buddha-Dharma, most people fail to distinguish what is important (weighty) and not important (light). Why do I say this? Because you keep going around with your mind whether or not you have attained shinjin. This troubled mind is still the same old self spinning around, since you place the emphasis of "How? How?" on yourself without paying attention to the Buddha’s Primal Vow of "Should [you] not be born there," which is the virtue-power of Namo Amida Butsu, the Great Enlightenment of the twofold benefit.

Not paying attention is the proof of your contempt.

Not paying attention to what should be, attending to trifles, and neglecting the essentials －this means that you fail to distinguish what is important and not important.

Zuiken (An extract) 

The Tathagata of unhindered Light filling the ten quarters

“O World-Honored One, with the mind that is single, I take refuge in the Tathagata of unhindered Light filling the ten quarters” (Namo Amida Butsu).

“The Tathagata of unhindered light” is Namo Amida Butsu, “with the mind that is single, I take refuge” is also Namo Amida Butsu. Therefore, the Shonin says,

“It cannot be grasped by the mind or by words,

So take refuge in the Honoured-one beyond conceptual understanding.”

Zuiken (An extract)

It is truly the power of the Primal Vow

Birth is not achieved after we have studied the Buddha-dharma, heard the Buddha-dharma, and humbly received shinjin; it does not happen after we have first accomplished ourselves. It is in our current, altogether or completely unaccomplished state, that birth is achieved. Therefore, it is truly the power of the Primal Vow. 

Zuiken

Birth through saying the nembutsu

“Birth through saying the nembutsu” refers to “birth through shinjin (faith-mind).” 

Zuiken

We have been saying the nembutsu deliberately ...

We have been saying the nembutsu deliberately in order to acquire shinjin, until today.
We wish to attain birth with the power of saying the nembutsu.
To this day, to this moment,
We have been saying the nembutsu assiduously. 
Isn't it shallow?
Our father of compassion is right here and
that's my honourable shinjin.
Both words and thoughts perish. 
Together with Namo Amida Butsu 
We walk side by side.

Zuiken

The Tathagata trusts that you can definitely be saved

The Tathagata trusts that you can definitely be saved. This shinjin (faith-mind) and compassion of the Tathagata as it stands penetrates my mind, is my anjin, also my shinjin. 

Zuiken (an extract)

It is the Primal Vow at work to align with us

In your heart of hearts, have you ever raised a thought of plea for help from the Buddha, “Amida Buddha, I beg of you”? If you do, that’s self-power, and that's not in accordance with the Primal Vow. Then, what is to be done to align with the Primal Vow? As we are working our will to align with the Primal Vow, and hence we can never be in perfect alignment. In fact, it is the Primal Vow at work to align with us.

The person who entrusted themselves to Amida Tathagata will definitely be born in His Pure Land

The world greatest sage is Sakyamuni Buddha. Sakyamuni Buddha is the manifestation-body of Amida Tathagata. The Buddha says in the Sutra (the Larger Sutra), “The person who entrusted themselves to Amida Tathagata (the Primal Vow and the Name) will definitely be born in His Pure Land.”

Amida Tathagata is the compassionate parent.

If we are born there, Amida Tathagata and Sakyamuni Buddha will hold our hands and joyfully says, “Ah….you have finally come!”

After that, we will become Buddha instantly. This is commendable. 

Unmistaken Salvation and Birth

The salvation of the Primal Vow-power is unmistaken, hence my birth is unmistaken. Bombu's doings are purely mistakes. 

The Posture of Amida and Sentient beings Becoming Buddha in Unison is Namo Amida Butsu

The photo of a hanging rokuji myogo scroll  is credited  to Rev Sinkin Fujihara.

Amida Tathagata established the Primal Vow to become Buddha in unison with sentient beings. As the Primal Vow implies, the posture of Amida and sentient beings becoming Buddha in unison is Namo Amida Butsu. The Buddha-wisdom and Great Compassion that we "ashamedly" accept with reverence is shinjin.