MURYOKO
'Infinite Light'
Journal of Shin Buddhism
Harold Stewart
The Promise of Transcendence
Amida Buddha often implants the latest seed of Faith in the karma-defiled depths of the human heart long before we become aware of its underground influence at work within, transmuting our polluted nature to purity. But at last overt Faith breaks through the surface of consciousness: the Name appears spontaneously in the open and receptive Heart and, repeating its six syllables unprompted, awakens the promise of ultimate transcendence of our unworthy existence. We are then moved to offer thanks to Amida for the secret protection that, unbeknown to us, he has been giving us all along. When thus repeated out of pure gratitude, the Nembutsu becomes an inexhaustible fount of grace, a refuge from pain and worldly cares, a haven of peace and consolation. We need harbour no doubts as to whether or not Amida has already transferred his Heart of Faith to us, because the presence of the Buddha-nature indwelling in every being in itself assures us that, although it may still be unrealized, we all possess this share in Amida's nature. Progress through the Three Vows.
In his search for the Pure Land, the Shin pilgrim passes through three stages, which Shinran Shonin termed the Sangantennyu, or Upward Progress through the Three Vows, during which he recapitulates the historical development of Pure Land doctrine itself. The wayfarer begins with visualization of a Transformed Pure Land, the method enjoined in the Kammuryoju-kyo, or Amitayur-dhyana-sutra, corresponding to the Nineteenth Vow. But he soon realizes that this method is impossible for one of his spiritual capabilities and so discards it as a preliminary and provisional stage in his pilgrimage to the True Pure Land. Next, in accordance with the Twentieth Vow, as set forth in the Smaller Sukhavati-vyuha,, or Amida-kyo, he tries to practise the calling of the Nembutsu, only to come to a realization that this, too, is only an expedient means devised by Amida Buddha to lead him finally to the third stage. For both of these methods still require some effort on his part, and so implicitly assert a self, thus excluding him from the True Pure Land. Finally he arrives at the acceptance of Amida's Royal Eighteenth Vow as expounded in the Larger Sukhavati-vyuha, or Daimuryoju-kyo, and simply by relying on the Other Power of Amida with Pure Faith, is at once assured of his Rebirth.
There comes at last a stage in the spiritual quest when the pilgrim's membership in a religious institution, adherence to dogma and ritual, belief in cult and creed, obedience to moral precepts, and observance of ascetic regimen, which have hitherto been of inestimable help, can turn into forms of clinging and attachment to externals and so hinder his reception of Amida's boundless merit transferred solely through his Name. To enjoy the sweet kernel of the nut, one must first crack its hardened outer shell; for no matter how invaluable this may have proved for preserving the inner meat, the shell itself is inedible and affords no nourishment. So all such outward supports must finally be abandoned, and one's whole trust simply placed in the Other Power, if the Pure Faith that alone can save us from our selves is to be freely received from Amida.
There is an Islamic hadith, or tradition, which states that, at the beginning of the cycle, the faithful need to fulfil nine-tenths of the Koranic Law in order to reach Paradise; but near its end, only one-tenth is required of them. But Shin Buddhism holds that even this one-tenth is now, in the Final Age, beyond man's spiritual capacity, so that all ego-motivated meditation and individual desire to call the Name must finally be given up; for to cling even to this minimal practice constitutes a lingering thread of attachment to self-effort. Thus it falls short of total surrender (islam) and fails in unconditional self-abandonment.
Conversely, Amida's calling of his own Name through the devotee fulfils not only the obligatory one-tenth, but the other nine-tenths as well.
Although to outward appearances the devotee may still seem to be calling the Nembutsu, it is really Amida who does so, whereby its inward character is utterly changed. Henceforth the devotee can have no ulterior motive or aim in recitation of the Name beyond an expression of gratitude to Amida for what he has already received. Otherwise, his calling would be a contrivance of the ego and motivated by self-interest. He should ask for nothing by way of favour or reward, and since he has already received the highest spiritual gift, the promise of Rebirth in Jodo, he should expect no material benefits from calling the Name, else he risks being born in a closed lotus or in the Borderland of the Western Paradise. But aspiration to the Land of Highest Happiness does not conceal a disguised hedonism, because anyone who wishes to reach Jodo so as to enjoy the exquisite pleasures that it affords, and not in order to return and rescue all other beings from Samsara, is least likely to be reborn there.