Kyosho: The Essentials of Jodo Shinshu
Name: Jodo Shinshu Honpa Hongwanji
Founder: Shinran Shonin (1173-1263)
Buddha: Amida Buddha (Buddha of Infinite Light and Life)
Three principal sutras of Jodo Shinshu:
Daikyo - Larger sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life
Kangyo - Sutra of meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life
Shokyo - Smaller sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life
Teaching: Having awakened to the compassion of Amida Buddha and
rejoicing in the assurance of Buddhahood, we shall endeavor to live
the life of gratitude and service.
Tradition: The Honpa Hongwanji is a community of people joined
together by the gladness of receiving the Shinjin of Amida Buddha.
As Jodo Shin Buddhists, we shall seek to be humble and sincere in
words and in deeds, to be responsible citizens of our society and
to share with others the teachings of Jodo Shinshu. Understanding
fully the principle of causality, we shall not practiced
petitionary prayer and magic and do not depend on astrology and
superstitions.
Shinshu pledge - Seikatsu Shinjo
I take my refuge in the vow of the Buddha. Reciting his Sacred
Name, I will live through life with strength and serenity.
I adore the light of the Buddha. I will put my effort in my work
with self-reflection and gratitude.
I follow the teachings of the Buddha. Knowing I am on the Right
Path, I will spread the True Dharma.
I rejoice in the Compassion of the Buddha. I will respect and help
others and do my best for the welfare of mankind.
Homages - Kikyomon
Hard it is to be born into human life; now we are living it.
Difficult it is to hear the Teachings of the Blessed One; now we
hear them. If we do not gain emancipation in this present life, how
may we be freed from sorrow in the ocean of births and
deaths?
Let us reverently take refuge in the Three Treasures.
I go to the Buddha for guidance. May I always walk in the way that
leads to Enlightenment
I go to the Dharma for Guidance. May I be submerged in the depth of
the Teachings and gain Wisdom as deep as the ocean.
I go to the Sangha for guidance. May we all with one accord live
the life of harmony in the spirit of brotherhood, free from the
bondage of selfishness.
Even through myriads of kalpas, hard it is to hear such excellent
and profound Teachings. Now we are able to hear and receive them.
Let us try to understand the Tathagata's Teachings.
The Shin Buddhist Creed
I rely on Amida Buddha, with my whole heart, for the attainment of
Nirvana. I give up trust in my powerless self, and abandon all
practices that rely on the false ego.
I know that because of Amida's Boundless Compassion, I am assured
of re-birth the very moment I put my trust in him. I call his Name,
Namu Amida Butsu, in happiness and thanksgiving for the gift of his
Universal Vow.
I am grateful to Shinran Shonin and his followers for leading me to
this profound teaching. I will try to live, throughout my life,
according to the way of Nembutsu that they have taught.
Universal Love
Amida Buddha surrounds all men and all forms of life with Infinite
Love and Compassion. Particularly does he send forth loving
thoughts to those in suffering and sorrow, to those in doubt and
ignorance, to those who are striving to attain Truth; and to those
whose feet are standing close to the great change men call death,
Amida Buddha sends forth oceans of Wisdom and Compassion.
Eightfold Path
The Buddha-Dharma is the realization within one's deepest
consciousness of the Oneness of all life. For the attainment of
this the Buddha left for us the Eightfold Path which the Way of
prime importance.
Right Views - To keep ourselves free from prejudice, superstition,
and delusion, and to see aright the true nature of life
Right Thoughts - To turn away from the evils of this world and to
direct our minds towards righteousness.
Right Speech - To refrain from pointless and harmful talk and to
speak kindly and courteously to all.
Right Conduct - To see that our deeds are peaceable, benevolent,
compassionate, and pure; to live the Teaching daily.
Right Livelihood - To earn our living in such a way as to entail no
evil consequences.
Right Effort - To direct our efforts incessantly to the overcoming
of ignorance and craving desires.
Right Mindfulness - To cherish good and pure thoughts for all that
we say do arise from our thoughts.
Right Meditation - To concentrate our will on the Buddha. His Life,
and His Teaching.
May the sacred presence of Him who said he would abide in His
Teaching be our guide. May we follow, with faith and thanks His Way
and tread with unfaltering steps this Noble Path until we, too,
shall attain Enlightenment.
Golden Chain
I am a link in Amida Buddha's golden chain of love that stretches
around the world. In gratitude may I keep my link bright and
strong.
I will try to be kind and gentle to every living thing and protect
all who are weaker than myself.
I will try to think pure and beautiful thoughts to say pure and
beautiful words, and to do pure and beautiful deeds. May every link
in Amida Buddha's golden chain of love be bright and strong and may
we all attain perfect peace
"Shinran Shonin, our master in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, lived in
Japan from 1173 to 1263. Like ourselves, he lived in a time of war,
anxiety and great human suffering. In order to bring the freedom
and emotional release of the Buddhist message to the ordinary lay
people of his day, he greatly simplified the Buddhist
teaching.
Following the lead of his honourable teacher, Honen Shonin, Shinran
taught that Buddhist 'Enlightenment' could be attained through the
'Easy Path' of reciting the Name of Buddha, 'Namo Amida Butsu',
with a sincere mind aspiring for birth. The birth he spoke of was
'Birth in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha' at the time of our human
death.
Shinran taught that conditions in the human world had become so
corrupt that it was no longer possible for ordinary people to
achieve Enlightenment through their own efforts. Monks and holy
sages might be able to carry out sufficient religious practice in
the dark Age of Mappo (the age of decline); but most of us,
including Shinran himself, could not. We must rely on the
Transferred Merit coming to us across aeons of time from the Great
Practice of Amida Buddha.
Thus, the religious stories of Shin Buddhism all emphasize that
there is no 'self effort' practice necessary for us to be born into
the Pure Land at our human death, or to experience the 'Pure Land
Mind' during our human life. All that is required is the recitation
of 'Namo Amida Butsu' entrusting oneself to the power of the Primal
Vow."
NAMANDABU