“It is like a wax seal impressed on the clay; as the wax seal is destroyed, the letter is formed. When one’s life ends, one is born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.”
Master Tao-ch’o, An-le-chi (Anrakushu) (1)
Shinjin is neither enlightenment nor a form of "higher consciousness" in the here and now. At the core of our faith is the knowledge that we are incapable of any such attainments. Shinjin, however, brings the certainty that the roots of our evil karma have been cut, putting an end to the cycle of miserable transmigration so that at the end of this lifetime, we shall be reborn in the Pure Land. This is due solely to the attainments of Amida Buddha.
As inconceivable as this may seem, I simply know that at the end of my life, I will be reborn in the Pure Land as an enlightened being, with all the powers of a Buddha, capable of returning to this world in whatever appropriate form to help and guide those I hold dear or with whom we have strong karmic bonds. These strong bonds were born in previous lives and are still active in the present, but will no longer take root in a future existence in Samsara.
"...there is no being around us, in this world or in other worlds, to whom we can say that we have no karmic debts to pay. Contemplating on that and the above, we can understand more deeply the urgency to escape samsara and attain Buddhahood for our sake and others."
-Reverend Josho Adrian Cirlea
I remember my teacher Reverend Josho once saying that being hated by somebody was a good thing because their hate would create karmic links that would enable us to help and guide them when we return as enlightened beings in the future.
Karmic bonds are created as much with our family, friends and significant persons who we love, as with deeply challenging relationships. Persons who in our successive existences, we wronged or who wronged us through the three poisons of hate, anger or lust. Once in the Pure Land, through Amida Buddha's benevolent grace, we will be endowed with the capacity to guide other beings, even if it means our having to return to the Hell realms, to resolve the karmic debts created by our ignorance, blind passions and delusions.
When problems arise in my personal life with significant others I find it helpful to remind myself of Shakyamuni's teachings on the laws of karma and how easily the deceitful nature of my mind and emotions can, in one split second, transform the bliss of a moment into a living hell. When I'm overwhelmed with anger and resentment against someone, I find it sobering to remember that, at some point in my previous existences, this person was my family, a child, a father, a mother or a sibling. Although, I do not have the wisdom to resolve the problem today, saying the Nembutsu in these moments brings me solace in the thought that, through Amida Buddha's infinite benevolence and wisdom, I will be able to do so in the future.
As for here and now, nothing has changed, I continue to try the best I can to live a meaningful life, but burdened still by my lot of ignorance, blind passions and delusions, I continue to fail miserably. I continue to suffer and I continue to cause suffering.
I'm still entangled by my mental and emotional demons, I still harbour malevolent thoughts. Blinded by craving, I continue to trip and fall into the same self-created traps in which I transgress every precept.
Yet, despite these limitations, entrusting myself to the Primal Vow, I am grateful for the presence of Amida Buddha's gift of shinjin which brings the certainty that the walls of this prison created by my unenlightened mind will dissolve at the end of this life.
The gift of shinjin is way beyond what a pathetic being like me could ever imagine or hope for and as ever, this awareness spontaneously brings the Nembutsu to my lips.
“According to the true essence of the Pure Land way, one entrusts oneself to the Primal Vow in this life and realizes Enlightenment in the Pure Land; this is the teaching I received.”
To entrust in the Primal Vow in this life amounts to the same as saying the Nembutsu – Namo Amida Butsu – with complete faith and gratitude in Amida. Namo means “to take refuge” and also it means “homage to”, so it’s an expression of faith and gratitude[1].
There is no other meaning related to the Nembutsu in our Jodo Shinshu teaching."
- Shinran Shonin chapter 15 of Tannisho
The other day I read this passage the other day by Reverend Josho,
The Name we say as Nembutsu in the formula of Namo Amida Bu or any other way (Namo Amituofo/Namo Amitabha, etc) contains the Enlightenment of Amida Buddha himself (His “wisdom of inner realization“) which includes all the 32 innate qualities that I talked about at chapter V, and all His manifestations for the sake of saving sentient beings (His “external activities”). More than this, by listing other Buddhas and Enlightened Bodhisattvas (Buddhas who manifest as Bodhisattvas) Master Honen implies that in fact the inner realization (Enlightenment) and activities (manifestations) of ALL Buddhas are included in Amida’s Name. The names given there, Amida, Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, Samantabhadra, Manjushri, Ksitigarbha or the Enlightened Ones of the Pure Land, etc, do not indicate a closed list, but are a hint to the fact that all Buddhas are included as those names are connected with many other Buddhas, too.
Therefore, there is NO practice and no teaching that is not included in the Name of Amida. Although we cannot follow all teachings and practices through our own power, if we rely on Amida Buddha and say His Name in faith we automatically fulfill all Dharma Gates because all are included in the Nembutsu.
People of faith know that shinjin is real, that it is the real presence of Amida Buddha, His Primal Vow and the manifestation of all His Virtues and Merits and therefore, the Pure Land is a real place where we will go after our death. Through responding by saying His Name in faith, we equally understand that all Virtue and Merit remain His and can in no way whatsoever be appropriated by our unenlightened minds. Shinjin changes our future but in the "here and now" we remain stuck in the quagmire of our ignorant minds. At best shinjin, can inspire us to try to do better in the time we have left in this world. By responding to Amida's benevolence with the Nembutsu we acknowledge the reality of the miraculous COHABITATION of Amida's Enlightenment with our unavowable karmic evils, as Josho explains,
The Name of Amida brings our salvation without us knowing how it works, just like a plane will take us to destination even if we are ignorant peasants who know nothing about flying technology.
Because we know that we are "ignorant peasants who know nothing about flying technology" we can easily accept that our gaining any virtue in the "here and now" is impossible and that it is only the Power and Virtues of Amida Buddha's Vow that can take us to His Pure Land at the time of our death.
In the words of Master Rennyo,
"When it is stated that one's karmic evils are all cancelled at the moment of awakening a single thought of shinjin, it means that one's birth in the Pure Land is settled by the power of the single thought of shinjin and that one's transgressions do not create hindrance to Birth; therefore, they are as good as non-existent. As long as we live in the Saha world, our karmic evils are not exhausted. Are you, Junsei, already enlightened and so are you free of transgressions? It is stated in the scriptures that one's karmic evils are cancelled at the moment of awakening a single thought of shinjin. You should ask yourself over and over again whether you have attained shinjin or not, instead of questioning whether you still have karmic evils or not. It is up to Amida to save you after He has destroyed your karmic evils or to save you while leaving them as they stand. You should not inquire into this problem. Remember that shinjin is of paramount importance." Thus the Shonin emphatically stated."(2)
When does our salvation take place? In this life or after death? (video discussion)
Things you may find interesting
Collection of Passages on the Land of Peace and Bliss - AN LE CHI by Tao-ch’o, translated by Zuio Hisao Inagaki, Horai Association International, Singapore, 2015, p.62
from Rennyo Shonin Goichidaiki-kikigaki - "Thus I have Heard from Rennyo Shonin", translated into English by Hisao Inagaki Sensei
Articles by Reverend Josho Cirlea
Also
Chapter 26 – Tao-Cho – 4th True Pure Land Master, by Heng Ng