AI

NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 Introduction

In spring of 1944, at the age of sixteen, I volunteered to join the Japanese Imperial
Naval Air Service and was trained as a fghter pilot. Months before the end of the
Pacifc War, still a teenager, I watched as one afer another of m comrades too of
in an airplane loaded with explosives and just enough fuel for a one-wa trip. Teir
orders were to crash their planes into allied warships and aircraf carriers in a des-
perate, last-ditch attempt to win an unwinnable war.

I
Te treatment meted out to ami aee pilots in training was cruel and brutal.

K A
We were constantl beaten, trained onl to obe and die. We were brainwashed,
told that to give up our lives was a great honor and that through our sacrifce we

N
A LY
would not onl save our sacred nation and serve the emperor but be granted

R
immortalit . Still too oung to ma e the list, I new it was onl a matter of time

I N N
before m turn came— et deep down I pra ed to live, as did m comrades. All of

H SO
the doomed pilots tried to fnd meaning in that desperate situation. I well remem-

R S
ber that as their onl companion on that fnal fight, man chose to ta e along the

R
E
boo Tannisho and the message of Shinran.

FO MB
Afer the war, m life fortunatel spared, I turned m attention to that small
boo and its great teachings. M encounter with them transformed m life and

ME
flled me with renewed purpose. I still grow hot with anger when I thin of how m
friends and I were deceived, instilled with the idea that throwing awa our lives was
somehow beautiful. Yet I am grateful be ond words to have been granted the
happiness of nowing the truth. I have dedicated m life to deepening m under-
standing of, and sharing with others, the same und ing principles that were a ra of
bright hope to those ouths setting of on their dar and hopeless journe s.
Sixt -fve ears have gone b since Japan’s defeat. With the collapse of the old
Imperial Japan and the advent of a new era, the nation went through a time of
wholesale ph sical and spiritual reconstruction. New values replaced the old ones.
Te emperor was not a god at all, it turned out, but a mere human being. Japanese
people were not divine or special, either, but brothers and sisters of the whole human
race with freedom to choose for themselves how to live and, more importantl , fnd
out wh to live. Instead of resigning themselves to blea fate, the could sow the
seeds of future happiness. With these ideas as a mainsta —ideas rooted in the
teachings of Shinran—Japan rose from the rubble and found courage to go on.
Shinran’s ideas are trul liberating. He pointed out that to attain enduring
x

happiness is the purpose of life, and that such happiness can be attained while we
are et alive. He preached the absolute equalit of all people and the infnite pre-
ciousness of a single human life. Tis truth became the mainsta of the Japanese
spirit in the postwar era, underl ing contemporar Japanese political, economic,
and educational s stems, as well as other cultural felds. Tis connection helps to
explain Shinran’s stead rise in prominence since the war. Even though he lived over
seven hundred and ff ears ago, in 1995 a popular television show dedicated an
entire program to Shinran as the historical fgure who was studied, discussed, and

I
admired more than an other during the twentieth centur in Japan.

K A
Interest in Tannisho continues to grow. Man postwar writers, thin ers, and
newsma ers have focused on stud ing its philosoph , and until ver recentl as

N
A LY
man as ten commentaries were published each ear. Te sheer number of commen-

I R
taries on this amaeing boo tells us both how beloved it is and how m sterious.

N N
What is the source of Tannisho’s mesmerieing appeal? Wh do the words of

S H SO
Shinran go on captivating readers’ minds and hearts? Let me brief explain the
bac ground of this treasure from the late thirteenth centur .

R E R
“Even a good person can be born in the Pure Land; how much more so an evil

FO MB
person!” Tese unforgettable words are from Section III of Tannisho. Te boo is flled
with similarl haunting statements and challenging concepts. Yuien (1222–89),

ME
one of Shinran’s leading disciples, is believed to be the author. Te title, which
means “Lamenting the Deviations,” refers to Yuien’s sorrow about common misrep-
resentations of Shinran’s core teachings and his determination to set the record
straight.
Chronologicall , Tannisho falls squarel between two other widel read gems of
medieval Buddhist literature: An Account of My Hut, a contemplative essa on the
transienc of life written in 1212 b reclusive mon Kamo no Chomei (ca. 1155–
1216), and Essays in Idleness, a collection of musings on a variet of topics b priest
and scholar Ken o (d. 1352?). Of the three, Tannisho is particularl renowned for a
literar st le of such beaut and econom that man people have been inspired to
commit the entire wor to memor .
Strange as it ma seem, despite its iconic status Tannisho has been widel nown
for less than a centur . Five hundred ears ago, the boo was put under seal afer the
priest Renn o forbade readers from showing it indiscriminatel to the uninitiated.
Ten even Shinran scholars and followers grew war of the boo , and ver few
people new of its existence until it happened to come under renewed scrutin
in the late nineteenth centur . Toda Tannisho is inseparabl connected with the
 Introduction xi

teachings of Shinran and is considered an apt introduction to his thought. It con-

tinues to provide spiritual comfort and strength for countless readers, just as it did
for m comrades long ago.
Just as Renn o foretold, however, Tannisho has proved a two-edged sword. For
example, the passage quoted above, with its assertion that salvation belongs “all
the more so [to] an evil person,” inspired some to proclaim earl on that since Amida
loves evildoers, the more evil we do, the better! Shinran’s teachings thus came under
fre for “creating evildoers.” Even toda , Shinran scholars, not to mention ordinar
readers, are prone to ma e fundamental errors of interpretation. As Renn o well

AI
new, the core truths of Tannisho ofen prove elusive to those without proper
guidance.

NK
Te peril of approaching Tannisho unaided is real. Intended originall as a hid-

R A LY
den treasure for the inner few, in the hands of the wrong reader the boo is li e a

N N
raeor, capable of inficting grievous harm. Te onl wa to prevent an outcome of

I
H SO
bitter regret for oneself and others is to read Tannisho armed with a full understanding

R S
of Shinran’s thought.

R
Tannisho commentaries abound. Regrettabl , the tend to ofer freewheeling

FO MB E
interpretations that emphasiee the authors’ personal experiences and beliefs. In
Unlocking Tannisho, I have drawn on Shinran’s magnum opus, Teaching, Practice,

ME
Faith, Enlightenment—which he continued to rewrite and polish throughout his
life—as well as man other of his wor s in an efort to see Tannisho in its original
light and so clarif its true meaning. I believe that rel ing on Shinran’s own words
is the best wa —the onl wa —to get to the bottom of this cruciall important
text.
Now through this English-language version of m translation and commentar ,
Tannisho embar s on et another journe . I am grateful to Juliet Carpenter and
man others for their unstinting labors in helping to bring Shinran’s words to readers
around the world. Te opportunit to engage in dialogue about Tannisho with
readers is something I loo forward to ver much. Ever one’s comments and criti-
cisms are sincerel welcome.

Kentetsu Ta amori
Spring 2011
 Translator’s Foreword

Tannisho (“Lamenting the Deviations”), a beloved thirteenth-centur text of seminal

importance in True Pure Land Buddhism, is far from eas to understand. To dissemi-
nate its profound message, Kentetsu Ta amori undertoo to render the original into
clear, modern language and also to discuss and resolve common misunderstandings
that have long clouded its interpretation. To assist with each of these goals, the English
version of his boo follows a rather unusual format, as explained below.
Part One contains m translation of Ta amori’s groundbrea ing, amplifed rendi-
tion into modern Japanese of Tannisho (all except sections XI–XVIII, which are pre-

AI
sented in digest form). Ta amori has clarifed the true meaning of the classic in readil

NK
accessible language for our time. Notes alongside the text and a glossar at the bac of
the boo are added for the convenience of readers unfamiliar with Buddhist concepts,

A LY
terms, and personages.

R
N N
Part Two contains in-depth explanations of certain signifcant passages which,

I
H SO
though widel admired and ofen quoted, are frequentl misunderstood. While the

S
m sterious and beautiful language of Tannisho has alwa s drawn man readers and

R R
generated interest in Shinran, this uncommonl rich and difcult text is fraught with

FO MB E
dangers of misinterpretation. Here Ta amori returns to the source—Shinran’s own
words—in order to illuminate the true meaning of some of the most important and

ME
most generall misinterpreted passages of Tannisho.
Scattered throughout Part Two is a second English translation of Tannisho, one
that aims to preserve the ambiguities and resonance of the original text. Te clarifca-
tions necessaril refer to this close translation, as Ta amori cites the original frequentl
to show how errors have crept into popular understanding of Shinran’s thought. Afer
reading Part Two, readers are urged to return to Part One to reacquaint themselves with
Ta amori’s rendition that resolves ambiguities while maintaining the grace and integ-
rit of the original.
Perhaps a word is in order on the overall construction of Tannisho. Of the wor ’s
eighteen sections, the frst ten are direct transmissions of the words of Shinran as remem-
bered and recorded b the writer, believed to be a disciple of Shinran’s named Yuien. In
the remaining eight, the writer ta es Shinran’s teachings as a measure for the correction
of heretical ideas that had gained currenc at the time. Tere are two prefaces, one for
the entire wor and another for the latter half, as well as an epilogue with an account
of Shinran’s banishment. Some one hundred and ff ears afer the wor was frst
written, Shinran’s descendant Renn o (1415–99) appended a fnal brief warning against
 Translator’s Foreword xiii

showing the boo indiscriminatel to those with little grounding in Buddhism.

No longer hidden, Tannisho is a wor of singular beaut as well as deep spiritual
challenges and insights, a wor to be read and pondered and cherished. It is m hope,
and the hope of all who have aided in the creation of this English-language boo , that
man new readers will indeed use it to “unloc ” Tannisho.
Finall , I would li e to ta e this opportunit to than all those who wor ed with

AI
me so patientl and encouraged me, spending uncountable hours in deep discussion

K
and debate. Time and again, as he did previousl with You Were Born for a Reason

N
(Ichimannendo Publishing, Los Angeles, 2006), Ta amori went over m wor care-

A LY
full , reading and painsta ingl revising bac -translations. Afer discussion, I would

NR N
incorporate his changes into the English, which would again be bac -translated for his

I
H SO
approval. Te endless bac -and-forth was ofen exhausting, but Ta amori’s dedication

S
and enthusiasm fueled ever one’s energ and spirit. I would also li e to than Dr. Alfred

R R
Bloom and the other readers from around the world who too time to loo over an

FO MB E
earl version of the boo and ofer helpful comments and corrections. Needless to sa ,
an infelicities or problematic phrasings that remain are m fault alone. Lastl , I must

ME
than Bruce Carpenter, m husband, for his unfailing encouragement and support.

Juliet Winters Carpenter

Spring 2011
 Part One
Tannisho:
Amplified Translation

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 Preface
As I privatel cast m foolish mind over the time when Master
Shinran was alive and compare it with the present da , I cannot
help lamenting that there are deviations from what the master
taught us directl about true faith. I am concerned that doubts
and confusion will arise in the stud and transmission of his
teaching. How is it possible, without being fortunate enough to
encounter a good teacher, to obtain salvation through other-power
faith?1 Private opinion must not be allowed to distort the true 1Te faith bestowed b
Amida Buddha.
meaning of other-power.

AI
With this in mind I have noted down a few of Master Shinran’s

NK
unforgettable sa ings, which still echo in m ears. M sole wish is
2
to dispel the doubts of fellow Shinran followers.

A LY
2Tose who learn,
believe, and conve the

R
teachings of Shinran.
I
I N
H SO N
S
3
When, being saved b the inconceivable power of Amida Buddha’s 3Amida Buddha: Te

R R
4 master of all buddhas.
Vow, our birth in Amida’s Pure Land 5 is assured be ond an

FO MB E
doubt and the desire to sa the nembutsu 6 erupts within ou, in 4Amida’s pledge to save
all sentient beings into
that instant ou are clasped fast b Amida, never to be abandoned, absolute happiness

ME
thus entering into absolute happiness. Amida’s salvation ma es no without fail.

distinction whatever between oung and old or good and evil. 5 Amida’s Pure Land:
Te world of bliss
Know that faith alone is essential—faith in the truth of the Vow inhabited b Amida
with no possibilit of doubt. Buddha.

How is it possible that even an evil person can be saved merel 6Nembutsu: Te
recitation of Amida
through faith in the Vow? Tis is the true value of Amida’s Primal Buddha’s Name,
Vow: it was established precisel to save the monstrous sinner “Namu Amida Butsu.”

whose blind passions7 rage and whose sins weigh heav . It follows 7Blind passions: Lust,
anger, jealous , and
that an one saved b Amida’s Vow has no need to do good deeds other delusions of the
for the sa e of their salvation, because no greater good exists than heart that trouble and
torment us.
the nembutsu bestowed on us b Amida. Also, whatever evil such
a person ma commit, he is free from concern or fear, because no
evil can hinder salvation b Amida’s Vow.
Tis is what the master said.
4 PART ONE Tannisho: Amplifed Translation

II
You have come to see me all the wa from Kanto,8 crossing over 8A broad region
consisting toda of
mountains and rivers of more than ten provinces without regard To o and six other
for our lives, intending solel to verif the path to birth in the prefectures.
9
land of utmost bliss. But if ou suspect me of withholding 9Te land of utmost
bliss: Te Pure Land.
nowledge of some path to birth other than the nembutsu of
10
Amida’s Vow, or nowledge of some secret text, ou are greatl 10Te nembutsu of
Amida’s Vow: Te
mista en. nembutsu said without
If ou have so little faith in me, then go to Nara 11 or Mount a remnant of doubt in
12 Amida’s Vow.
Hiei. Tere are man fne scholars there, so go as them all about
Te old capital of
the essence of birth in the Pure Land.
11

I
Japan, south of K oto;

A
13
As for me, I simpl trust in the teaching of Honen: “Believe site of the infuential

K
temple Kofu uji.
in the Vow, sa the nembutsu, and be saved b Amida Buddha.”

N
Tere is nothing else.
12 Mountain on the

A LY
border between K oto
Some people claim that sa ing the nembutsu is an act that

R
and Shiga prefectures;

N
14

N
site of the head temple
causes people to fall into hell; but whether the nembutsu is in

I
of the Tendai sect of

H SO
fact the seed that will cause me to be born in the Pure Land or an Buddhism.

S
act for which I will fall into hell, I have no idea. Even if I fnd I 13Te founder of Pure

R R
Land Buddhism in
have been deceived b Master Honen and end up falling into hell

E
Japan (1133–1212),

FO MB
because of the nembutsu, I will have no regrets. and Shinran’s teacher.
For if I could attain buddhahood b carr ing out an other 14A realm of sufering

ME
practice besides the nembutsu, and then fell into hell for sa ing it, in the next life brought
on b one’s evil deeds.
I would feel regret. But as I am incapable of doing an good at all,
I have no other possible destination but hell.
Given that Amida’s Primal Vow is true, then the teachings of
15
Śā amuni, which concern onl the Vow, cannot be false. If 15Te historical Buddha
(ca. 560–480 BC).
the sermons of Śā amuni are true, then the commentaries of
Shan-tao,16 who explained them faithfull , cannot contain lies. If 16One of the most
important fgures in
the commentaries of Shan-tao are true, then how can there be an Pure Land Buddhism
falsehood in the sa ings of Master Honen, who conve ed them in China (613–81).
faithfull ? If the sa ings of Honen are true, then how can what I
sa be empt , since I have faithfull conve ed what he said?
Tis, in short, is m faith. Be ond this, whether to believe
in the nembutsu or discard it is entirel up to each of ou to
decide.
Tis is what the master said.
 5

III
Even a good person can be born in the Pure Land; how much
more so an evil person!
Although this is the truth, people commonl sa , “Even an evil
person can be born in the Pure Land, so naturall a good person
can.” Tis wa of thin ing seems reasonable at frst, but it goes
against Amida’s intention in ma ing the Vow. Amida Buddha saw
that human beings are each a mass of blind passions, desperatel
evil without a hope of salvation, and so he promised, “Entrust
ourselves to me; I will save ou without fail.” Yet “good people”
thin in their vanit that the can resolve the question of their
17

I
eternal fate through the good that the do, doubting the Primal 17Te question of their

A
eternal fate: Whether
Vow that Amida made afer he discerned how completel evil

K
the will sin into an
humans are. Such people have no intention of entrusting them- eternit of sufering or

N
selves entirel to Amida. Terefore the are not in accord with

A LY
gain everlasting
happiness.

R
Amida’s Vow; the are not objects of the Vow.

I N N
But even such people, once the have become astonished at

H SO
their true nature as perceived b Amida Buddha and lef the ques-

R S
tion of their eternal fate in his hands, are assured of birth in the

R
Pure Land afer death.

FO MB E
It is impossible for us, flled with blind passions as we are, to
18
free ourselves from the sufering of birth and death through an 18Te sufering of birth

ME
and death: Being born
practice whatever. Amida too pit on our condition and made and d ing repeatedl in
his Primal Vow with the purpose of ensuring that evil people will a c cle of sufering and
sorrow.
attain buddhahood. Terefore it is precisel evil people, those
who recogniee that the have no hope of salvation and so entrust
19
themselves to other-power, who are the real focus of Amida’s 19Te power of Amida
Buddha.
Vow.
Tis is wh the master said that since even a virtuous person
can be born in the Pure Land, so without question can one who is
evil.
Tis is what the master said. 20Te Buddhism of
sages: Tendai, Shingon,
Zen, and other
IV Buddhist sects whose
devotees underta e
ascetic discipline as
Concerning compassion, there is a diference between the Buddhism a means to
20 21 enlightenment.
of sages and Pure Land Buddhism.
Compassion in the Buddhism of sages means to ta e pit on
21Buddhism which
teaches salvation b
other people and on all beings, cherish them, and nurture them. Amida Buddha.
6 PART ONE Tannisho: Amplifed Translation

Yet however hard we ma tr , it is all but impossible to beneft

others as we would li e to do.
Compassion as taught in Pure Land Buddhism means quic l
being saved through Amida’s Primal Vow and becoming a person
of the nembutsu, 22 attaining the enlightenment of a buddha 23 in 22Person of the
nembutsu: One who
the Pure Land and, with a mind of great compassion, freel bene- sa s the nembutsu
fting others as one wishes. on having received
salvation from
In this life, however much we ma feel sorr for others and Amida Buddha.
want to do something for them in pit , ultimatel we cannot save 23Te enlightenment of
them. Te compassion of the Buddhism of sages is inevitabl lim- a buddha: Te highest
of the ff -two levels of
ited. Terefore, the onl wa to attain the thoroughgoing mind of enlightenment.
great compassion is to be saved through Amida’s Primal Vow and

I
become a person of the nembutsu.

A
Tis is what the master said.

K
V N
A LY
I NR N
I, Shinran, have never said the nembutsu even once for the repose

S H SO
of m departed mother and father. For when I remember m par-
ents, it comes home to me that all living beings have, over the

R R
course of endless c cles of birth and death, at some point been

E
FO MB
father or mother, brother or sister to me. So in the next life I must
become a buddha and help one and all, without discriminating.

ME
Were the nembutsu a good act that we carried out on our own,
we might direct the resulting merit toward our parents and so save
them, but it is not and we cannot. Yet if we just quic l abandon
self-power,24 which see s to fathom the Primal Vow, and obtain 24Doubts and
deliberations about
the enlightenment of a buddha in the Pure Land, then we can Amida Buddha’s Vow.
emplo the power of a buddha25 to help others, beginning with See also Glossar ,
“mind of self-power.”
those who share close ties with us, whoever the ma be and what-
Te power of a
ever world of sufering the ma be in.
25

buddha: A buddha’s
Tis is what the master said. power to guide sufer-
ing people to true
happiness.
VI
Among those who believe onl in Amida and sa the nembutsu,
there appear to be disputes about “m disciples” and “other people’s
disciples.” Tis is an outrage.
I, Shinran, do not have even one disciple.
Te reason is simple: if I could use m own devices to bring
people to listen to Buddhism and sa the nembutsu, I might well
 7

call them m disciples. But as attending to Buddhism and sa ing

the nembutsu occur solel through the power of Amida, for me to
claim an personal disciples would be the height of arrogance.
When conditions bring us together, we will be together, and
when the lead us apart, we must part. Meeting and parting hap-
pen according to an intricate web of causes and conditions. No
one should ever sa that if ou turn our bac on our teacher and
sa the nembutsu under someone else, ou cannot go to the Pure
Land. Are people who sa such things deluded into thin ing that
the faith bestowed b Amida comes from them, and that the can
withdraw it if the wish? Tis is a deplorable error. Such an absurd
claim must never be made.

AI
When we encounter the true salvation of Amida, the depth of
our debt to him becomes self-evident, and li ewise our debt to
our teachers.

NK
A LY
Tis is what the master said.

VIIR
I N
H SO N
R S
An one who is saved b Amida and sa s the nembutsu is bless-

R
E
edl free from all hindrances. Wh ? Because before one who has

FO MB
been saved b Amida, the gods of heaven and earth bow their
heads in reverence, and demons and heretics can no longer ofer

ME
an obstruction. No sin such a person ma commit, however
great, will cause him or her to sufer, nor can the results of the
greatest good such a person ma do possibl equal the jo of
salvation; thus an such person enjo s absolute freedom and
happiness.
Tis is what the master said.

VIII
Te nembutsu is, for those saved b Amida, not a practice or a
good deed. Since it is not uttered at one’s own discretion, it can-
not be called a practice. Since it is not uttered according to one’s
own judgment, it cannot be called an act of goodness. Since the
nembutsu derives completel from the power of Amida and has
nothing to do with the designs of the self, for those sa ing it who
are alread saved b Amida, it is not a practice or a good deed.
Tis is what the master said.
8 PART ONE Tannisho: Amplifed Translation

IX
“Although I sa the nembutsu, I feel no leaping, dancing jo . Also,
I have no wish to hurr to the Pure Land. Wh is this?”
I as ed the master these things fran l , and he replied, “Te
ver same thought has struc me. Yuien, ou feel the same wa ?”
Te master continued, “When I thin carefull about it, the
wonder that I—someone without a hope of salvation—am saved
ought to fll me with such boundless jo that I could dance for-
ever, but m ver lac of jo shows plainl that m birth in the
Pure Land26 is assured. 26Birth in the Pure
Land: Being born in
“It is blind passions that eep us from rejoicing when we natu-

I
Amida’s Pure Land as
rall should. Amida perceived long ago that human beings are a buddha. See also

A
nothing but blind passions. When we are made to realiee that the

K
Glossar , “birth.”

N
Primal Vow is for us, whose hearts are numb, we see all the more

R A LY
how precious it is.
“Further, having no thought of hurr ing to the Pure Land,

I N N
when we become even slightl ill we wonder forlornl if we will

H SO
die. Tis is also the doing of the blind passions. Tese worlds
27

S
27Te realms of
delusion and sufering.
where since time without beginning 28 we have died and been

R R
See also Glossar , “six

E
born, again and again, are places of sufering and pain; and et we

FO MB
realms of sufering.”
thin of this as our old home and fnd it hard to leave. Tat we 28Te eternit before
have no longing whatever for the Pure Land of Amida, where we one is born into the

ME
present life.
are sure to be born, shows the power and intensit of our blind
passions.
“And et, however reluctant we ma be to leave, when our
bonds to this world end and our strength to live fails, we will go
to Amida’s Pure Land. Amida ta es special pit on those who have
no thought of hurr ing there. Te more we are made to see our
wretched state, the more reassuring Amida’s great Vow becomes,
and we realiee that our birth in the Pure Land is assured. If I were
flled with bubbling jo and wished to hurr of to the Pure Land,
I might worr that as I had no blind passions, the Vow did not
appl to me.”
Tis is what the master said.

X
29Te nembutsu of
Te true meaning of the nembutsu lies in the absence of human other-power: Te
deliberation, for the wondrous nembutsu of other-power,29 where nembutsu spo en
through the power of
the deliberations of self-power have been annihilated, is be ond Amida Buddha.
 9

speech, be ond explanation, be ond imagination. It begars hu-

man understanding.
Tis is what the master said.

Preface to the Latter Half of the Boo

Bac when Master Shinran was alive, those who wanted to gain
the same faith as him and be born in Amida’s Pure Land traveled
all the wa from Kanto to K oto to receive teachings directl from
his lips, and so no great problems arose. However, I have heard
that latel , with the increasing number of people who receive

AI
teaching from Shinran’s disciples and sa the nembutsu, here-
tical views that the master never taught have come to hold great

NK
swa . Tis is lamentable. Below I will set forth those heresies and
errors.

R A L Y
I
XI
N
H SO N
R S
[Summary] 30

R
30As the heresies

E
addressed in sections
Although the “wondrous wor ing of the Vow” and the “wondrous

FO MB
XI–XVIII are rarel
wor ing of the Name” refer ali e to the power of Amida’s Vow, encountered toda ,
the are presented
some people sowed confusion b ma ing an issue of whether peo-

ME XII
here in digest form.
ple said the nembutsu believing in one or the other. Tis section
laments and refutes that heres .

[Summary]
Tis section laments and refutes the erroneous assertion that peo-
ple who do not stud important Buddhist scriptures and com-
mentaries cannot be born in Amida’s Pure Land.

XIII
[Summary]
Tis section laments and refutes the erroneous assertion that peo-
ple who are unafraid of evil—since Amida’s Primal Vow saves us
regardless of what evil we ma commit—are actuall ta ing pride
in the Vow and therefore cannot attain birth in the Pure Land.
10 PART ONE Tannisho: Amplifed Translation

XIV
[Summary]
Tis section laments and refutes the erroneous assertion that since
sa ing the nembutsu a single time will wipe out eight billion
31
alpas of evil, we must devote ourselves to sa ing it as man 31One alpa is
432,000,000 ears;
times as possible. the word is used to refer
to an inconceivabl
long period of time.
XV
[Summary]
Tis section laments and refutes the erroneous assertion that once

AI
we have obtained faith, we can achieve enlightenment in this life,

K
flled with blind passions as we are.

N
XVI
R A LY
[Summary]
I
H SON N
S
Tis section laments and refutes the erroneous assertion that those

R R
who have been saved b Amida must repent and experience a

FO MXVIIE
change of heart ever time the become angr , commit a misdeed,

B
quarrel with a fellow practitioner, or the li e.

ME
[Summary]
Tis section laments and refutes the erroneous assertion that an -
one who is born on the outer edges of the Pure Land will eventu-
all fall into hell.

XVIII
[Summary]
Tis section laments and refutes the erroneous assertion that afer
death, when we achieve the enlightenment of a buddha, the actual
siee of the buddha we become depends on the amount of our
donations to Buddhism.
 11

Epilogue
Te above heresies all arose apparentl because their proponents’
faith diverged from that of Master Shinran. He once told me the
following stor . Master Honen had man disciples, but it seems
that few of them had the same faith as him. Perhaps for this rea-
son, a debate once too place between Shinran and some of his
friends. A remar of Shinran’s set it of.
“M faith is the same as Master Honen’s,” he said.
32
Several of the disciples, including Sei anbo and Nembutsubo, 32Honen’s leading
disciples.
heard this and went into a rage, denouncing it as an afront.
Te demanded angril , “How can ou, a lowl disciple, sa that

I
our faith is the same as that of our master, who is foremost in
wisdom?”

K A
Shinran replied, “Had I claimed to possess wisdom as great as

N
A LY
Master Honen’s or learning as vast, our anger would be justifed;

R
but in terms of faith that leads to birth in the Pure Land, there is

I N N
no diference whatever. Our faith is one and the same.”

H SO
Unable to accept this response, the others continued to chal-

R S
lenge Shinran, demanding to now how he could sa such a thing.

R
In the end the were obliged to appeal to Honen for a ruling.

FO MB E
When he had heard the details, Honen said, “M faith is the
faith that is granted b Amida, and so is Shinran’s. Te are exactl

ME
the same. An one whose faith is diferent from this cannot go to
the Pure Land where I am going.”
From this stor it ma be gathered that even bac then, among
those who believed solel in Amida and said the nembutsu were
some whose faith difered from Shinran’s. I am ma ing the same
point over and over, but I have set it all down here in writing.
As long as life clings to m frame li e a dewdrop on a blade of
dr grass, I will go on listening to the doubts of those who have
accompanied me thus far and tell them what Master Shinran said.
But it weighs on me that afer I have lef this world, heresies of all
inds will run rampant. Tat is wh I have written down the mas-
ter’s words. When ou fnd ourself confused b the contentions
of people who spread false teachings such as those laid out here,
carefull examine the sacred writings that refect the late master’s
teachings and that he himself referred to.
Generall the scriptures consist of the truth, set forth exactl as
it is, and the provisional or expedient—that which leads us to the
truth. It was Master Shinran’s fundamental intention that in
12 PART ONE Tannisho: Amplifed Translation

reading the scriptures we should abandon the expedient and ta e

up the real, leave the provisional and enter into the true. Let no
one ever interpret sacred writings to suit himself. Be at utmost
pains not to misconstrue their true meaning. I have excerpted a few
important passages and included them in this boo as a guide.

Te master would ofen sa this:

Trough untold aeons of deep deliberation, Amida wor ed out

the Primal Vow. Its meaning is brought home to me through
refection, and I see that it was all for m sa e alone. How
than ful I am for the Primal Vow, which Amida bestirred him-

AI
self to ma e for m salvation, burdened as I am with evil and

K
sin be ond rec oning!

N
A LY
As I recall these heartfelt words of Shinran’s, I fnd them not at all

R
N N
diferent from this wise sa ing of Shan-tao’s:

I
H SO
S
I now m self to be one who continues even now to commit

R R
great evil, one who is sufering and lost. For countless aeons I

FO MB E
have been continuall submerged in the sea of sufering, con-
tinuall repeating birth and death, with never a chance in all

ME
eternit to leave this lab rinth.

I am humbl grateful for these words of Master Shinran where

he uses himself as an example, no doubt to awa en us from the
depths of delusion in which we slumber, dead to the depths of our
own evil and the greatness of Amida’s compassion and benevolence.
Trul , people ever where seem to sa nothing about the benevo-
lence of Amida Buddha, while focusing onl on issues of good
and evil. Master Shinran used to sa this:

I now absolutel nothing about good or evil. For if I could

now with certaint , as a buddha does, that an act was good,
then I would now good. And if I could now thoroughl , as
Amida Buddha does, that an act was evil, then I would now
evil. Tis world is as unstable as a burning house, inhabited b
human beings consisting of nothing but blind passions; all is
empt and foolish, without a grain of truth. Onl the nembutsu
bestowed b Amida is true.
 13

In realit , when I stop to thin about it, I m self as well as others

spea nothing but falsehoods. I must mention a sad fact: when-
ever tal ing or preaching about the mind with which we sa the
nembutsu, or the particulars of faith, in order to silence others
and drive our point home we attribute to the master words he
never said, swearing that he did. We must be especiall on our
guard against this deplorable tendenc .
What I have recorded here are b no means m own thoughts,
but as I lac sufcient understanding of the sutras and commen-
taries and am hardl acquainted with the depths of the scriptures,
some parts are bound to be strange. Nevertheless, I have sum-
moned to mind a small portion—barel a hundredth part—of
what Master Shinran used to sa , and set it down.

AI
How sad it would be if, despite having the rare good fortune of
sa ing the nembutsu, one were not born directl into the true

N K
Pure Land but instead lingered on its outer edge! So that there

A LY
ma be no diference in faith among fellow believers who have

I R
heard Buddhist truth and studied the teachings, I have ta en up

N N
m brush with tears in m e es and set down this record.

H SO
I will call it Tannisho. 33

S
Let it be ept from the e es of those with no understanding of
33(Lamenting the
Deviations)

R
Buddhism.
E R
FO M BShinran’s Exile
An Account of
34

ME
34See page 31 for details
on Shinran’s exile.
During the time when the ex-emperor Go-Toba (1180–1239)
was in power,35 a school of Buddhism based on the other-power 35From around the
twelfh centur in
nembutsu of the Primal Vow was spread far and wide b Honen. Japan, real power rested
Mon s of the temple Kofu uji in Nara despised him for this and not with the current,
but with the retired
petitioned the court, declaring Honen an “enem of Buddhism.” emperor.
Groundless rumors were spread that his disciples included wic ed
mon s who corrupted public morals. As a result, the following
convictions too place.
Honen and seven of his disciples were sentenced to exile, and
another four disciples were sentenced to death.
36 36Modern-da Kochi
Honen was exiled to a place called Hata in Tosa Province. As Prefecture.
punishment, he was stripped of his priestl status and assigned the 37Te author, Yuien, is
la name Fujii no Motohi o. He was sevent -six ears old. 37 incorrect here; Honen
was actuall sevent -fve
Shinran was exiled to Echigo Province 38 and, as punishment, at this time.
stripped of his priestl status and assigned the la name Fujii no 38Modern-da Niigata
Yoshieane. He was thirt -fve ears old. Prefecture.
14 PART ONE Tannisho: Amplifed Translation

Others who sufered exile include Jomonbo, to Bingo Prov-

ince;39 Chosai Zen obo, to Ho i Province; 40 Ko a ubo, to Ieu Modern-da
39

Hiroshima Prefecture.
Province;41 and G o u Hohonbo, to Sado Province.42 Two others,
Kosai Jo a ubo and Zen’ebo, were also ordered into exile, but the 40Modern-da Tottori
Prefecture.
former abbot, Jien, too them into custod and so the were 41Modern-da Shieuo a
spared. Prefecture.
Te people sentenced to exile were the eight named above. 42Modern-da Niigata
Tose sentenced to death include the following: Prefecture.

1. Saii Zensha ubo

2. Shoganbo
3. Jurenbo
4. Anra ubo
AI
NK
Tese sentences were passed b Soncho.

A LY
Having received this punishment, Shinran was now neither

R
N N
mon nor la man, so he too as surname the character toku,

H SOI
which means “a mon who violates precepts.” He formall applied

S
to the court to use this name. It is said that his petition is still ept

R R
in the Ofce of Records. For this reason, afer his exile he signed

FO Renn E
his name “Guto u 43 Shinran.”

BWarning
43Foolish mon who
violates Buddhist

M
precepts.
o’s
ME
44
44Appended some one
hundred and ff ears
afer Tannisho was
Tis Tannisho is an important sacred text of the True Pure Land written.
School. It should not be read b an who have wea bonds to
Amida Buddha, whoever the ma be.

—Renn o, 45 a disciple of Buddha 45Shinran’s descendant

and a prominent master
of True Pure Land
Buddhism.
 Part Two
A Guide to Tannisho:
Close Translation and Clarification of
AI
Easily Misunderstood Passages
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 Close Translation of
Section I of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 1
How Eas It Is to Misunderstand Tannisho

“Saved through the wonder of Amida’s Vow, I am certain to achieve

birth in the Pure Land”: When ou believe this, a mind intent on sa ing
the nembutsu arises within ou, and in that instant ou receive the bene-
ft of being held fast, never to be forsa en. (Tannisho, Section I )

AI
NK
A professor at the prestigious Universit of To o, someone con-

R A LY
sidered b himself and others to be a Shinran scholar of the frst
ran , once created a stir b misreading this frst section of Tannisho.

I N
H SO N
Writing for a high school textboo on Japanese histor , he made

S
the following claim: “Shinran taught that if ou sa the nembutsu

R
out of sincere faith in Amida’s salvation, a single recitation is

R E
46

FO MB
enough to guarantee birth in Paradise.” Tat started the trouble. 46See cop right page
for details on this
Newspapers received letter afer letter challenging this assump- professor’s publications.
tion. One writer went straight to the heart of the matter: “What

ME
if a person dies just afer being granted faith in Amida’s Vow, with-
out having said the nembutsu even once? Isn’t that person assured
of Paradise?” People waited eagerl for the great authorit to
respond, but when he did so, he was disappointingl dismissive:
“Whether this answers the question I don’t now, but please go
bac and read Tannisho carefull . Tat is ever thing.”
When we ta e his advice and read closel , we soon fnd these
words: “When ou believe this, a mind intent on sa ing the
nembutsu arises within ou, and in that instant ou receive the
beneft of being held fast, never to be forsa en.” Te “beneft of
being held fast, never to be forsa en” is salvation b Amida with
assurance of birth in Paradise. It is conferred when “a mind intent
on sa ing the nembutsu arises within ou,” in the ver instant
when ou believe. Tus it is obvious that birth in Paradise is
assured before the nembutsu is ever spo en.
Te professor’s stance trigered a livel exchange of opinions,
 1 Clarifcation of Section I of Tannisho (1 of 4) 19

47
with scholars of the True Pure Land School weighing in. Te 47Te school of
Buddhism founded
were unsparing in their criticism, declaring his interpretation b Shinran.
wrong and in need of revision. Although the professor had
remained silent, he soon withdrew his original interpretation and
ofered this correction: “When the inclination to sa the nembutsu
arises in ou, ou at once receive the beneft of being saved b
48
Amida, never to be abandoned.” Te ofending passage in the 48See cop right page
for details on this
textboo was rewritten this wa : “Shinran taught that salvation professor’s publications.
comes not b the nembutsu, but b faith alone.”
Tis is an issue that concerns the ver core of Shinran’s teach-
ing. How could such a fundamental error have come about? Because
the professor mistoo “When . . . a mind intent on sa ing the

AI
nembutsu arises within ou” to mean “when ou sa the nembutsu

NK
once”—even though there is a clear gap between the two. Apparentl
Tannisho is a boo that even a leading intellectual and eminent

A LY
Shinran scholar can get wrong. But this frst section, the one in

R
N N
which the message of the entire boo is compressed, is cruciall

I
H SO
important; its meaning must not be misconstrued. How it infu-

S
ences the whole of Tannisho cannot be ignored.

R E R
FO MB
ME
 2
Amida’s Salvation Happens in Tis Life

“Saved through the wonder of Amida’s Vow, I am certain to achieve

birth in the Pure Land”: When ou believe this, a mind intent on sa ing
the nembutsu arises within ou, and in that instant ou receive the bene-
ft of being held fast, never to be forsa en. (Tannisho, Section I )

AI
NK
Too ofen, Buddhism in the East is associated mainl with the

A LY
world afer death. And of people who give an thought to Amida’s

R
N N
Vow, man thin it simpl means the are going to Paradise afer

I
H SO
the die. Shinran rectifed these common errors b teaching that

S
Amida’s salvation occurs “now,” explaining clearl what that salva-

R R
tion is, and showing the true wa we can live life to its fullest.

FO MB E
Section I of Tannisho is an exceedingl important summar of
the heart of Shinran’s teaching; all eighteen sections are contained

ME
here in essence. It begins b disclosing the ultimate purpose of life,
which people throughout histor have sought to now: receiving
the salvation of Amida—the “beneft of being held fast, never to
be forsa en.” Tis is achieved “when . . . a mind intent on sa ing
the nembutsu arises within ou.” Moreover, the passage goes on
to proclaim that Amida’s salvation is for all people equall , with-
out discrimination.
Let us dig deeper to learn the timing and nature of salvation.
When does it ta e place? “When ou believe this, a mind intent
on sa ing the nembutsu arises within ou, and in that instant ou 49 In Teaching, Practice,
Faith, Enlightenment,
receive the beneft of being held fast, never to be forsa en.” Te Shinran uses the word
passage tells us plainl that salvation happens in this life instanta- ichinen to describe the
49 lightning swifness of
neousl , simultaneousl with the occurrence of belief. the occurrence of belief:
And what is the nature of this salvation? Te “beneft of being “Ichinen [an inconceiv-
abl small, irreducible
held fast, never to be forsa en.” Te words are simple and clear, fraction of time]
their substance deep and solemn. Te “beneft of being held fast, indicates the utmost
speed of the onset of
never to be forsa en” is Amida’s powerful salvation, but what exactl faith.”
 2 Clarifcation of Section I of Tannisho (2 of 4) 21

does that mean? Tis question is crucial. What change does salva-
tion bring about, and how? Unless these points are clarifed,
Tannisho will remain veiled in fog. Let us consider the matter.
Te phrase here translated as “held fast, never to be forsa en”
means literall “grasping, never abandoning,” while “beneft” means
“happiness.” Salvation is thus the “everlasting happiness of being
caught up instantaneousl and clasped frml b Amida, never to
be let go.” In brief, absolute happiness.
Pascal wrote that the purpose of life is happiness. Indeed, all
human activit —even suicide—is driven b the desire for happi-
ness or ease. But the pleasures we see are mutable, changing
in time to pain and sorrow or collapsing and disappearing in a

I
moment. Te jo s of marriage or a new home—how long will

A
K
the last? Tere is no nowing when one’s spouse ma fall victim

N
to illness or an accident or when love itself ma fade, causing the

R A LY
death of all one’s hopes. Bereaved wives mourn their husbands;
bereaved husbands grieve for their wives; parents rage at their

I N N
children’s betra al. We all must endure partings, in life as well as

H SO
S
in death, from those we love most. When the house it too a life-

R
time to build is reduced to ashes overnight, or esterda ’s happ

R E
FO MB
famil is torn apart b a trafc accident or natural disaster, people
sa , “I never thought this would happen to me.” Ten the loo
blan l up at the heavens. Realit is painful and overfowing with

ME
tears.
Te ind of happiness that is here toda and gone tomorrow is
full of uncertaint , li e treading on thin ice. Even if it continues
for a time, it is li e a last meal on the eve of execution: the end,
when all will be lost, is sadl near. Tese words from Renn o50 50Shinran’s descendant
and a prominent master
sound the warning bell. of True Pure Land
Buddhism.
At the moment of death, nothing one has previousl relied
on, whether wife and child or mone and treasure, will
accompan one. At the end of the mountain road of death, (The Letters, Fascicle 1,
one must cross the river all alone. Letter 11)

“If I fall ill,” a man thin s, “m wife or children will ta e care of

me, and as long as I have mone and possessions I needn’t worr
about food, clothing, or shelter.” In this wa , people rel on famil
and possessions in life, but in death there is no such thing to rel
on. Te journe of death is underta en na ed and alone, all
adornments stripped awa , and where does it lead?
Te shadow of death passing overhead causes jo to fade and
22 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

gives rise to the inevitable, agonieed question “Wh do I live?” At

such a time, Shinran’s assurance carries the ring of truth: life’s true
purpose is to gain the happiness of being “held fast, never to be
forsa en,” which does not change even at death’s precipice.
People still live lives of drudger and torment, chasing happi-
ness that is as feeting as a candle in the wind. Te need to be told
of the roc -solid existence of this ultimate happiness granted b
Amida. Once this ultimate happiness is theirs, people can enjo
complete jo and satisfaction an time and an where, savoring the
lasting pleasure of having achieved life’s cherished dream.
Here is Shinran’s jo ous testimon :

AI
How genuine, the true words of Amida that embrace us and
never forsa e us, the absolute doctrine that is peerless and

K
(Teaching, Practice,

N
transcendent! Faith, Enlightenment)

A LY
Tis is a cr of astonished jo as Shinran experiences the truth of

R
N N
Amida’s salvation: His life fraught with sufering has been instantl

I
H SO
transformed without an change in qualit or quantit , bringing

S
him from eternal dar ness into absolute happiness. It is this

R R
Shinran who described for us in detail the supreme truth of

FO MB E
Amida’s salvation, the truth that holds us fast and never lets us go.

ME
 3
“Te Sole Requirement Is Faith”

You should now that Amida’s Primal Vow does not discriminate
between oung and old or good and evil; the sole requirement is faith.
(Tannisho, Section I )

AI
NK
“Ever one who sa s the nembutsu will be saved”: there is a wide-

A LY
spread, mista en belief that this, in a nutshell, is what Shinran

R
N N
taught. Te above passage from Section I sets straight not onl

I
H SO
this common error but man others pertaining to the whole of

S
Tannisho. Tese words of Shinran trul are of boundless signif-

R R
cance. Let us examine the messages the contain.

FO MB E
First, the Vow “does not discriminate between oung and old
or good and evil.” Just as the sea refuses no river, there is no dis-

ME
crimination of an ind in Amida’s salvation. Old and oung,
those whom we judge to be good or evil—all ali e are saved
equall through the Vow.
Second, despite the above reassurance of nondiscrimination,
the statement ends with a stern reminder: “You should now that . . .
the sole requirement is faith.” Some ma interpret this to mean
that li e other religious leaders, Shinran preached the importance
of believing in some higher power. What he means here b “faith,”
however, is something fundamentall diferent, something trul
enlightening.
In general, pra ing for favors such as riches, restoration of
health, protection from disaster, or the well-being of one’s famil
is seen an expression of faith. Most people conceive of religious
faith as believing in a deit with deep, unquestioning conviction.
Yet if ou thin about it, such belief is unnecessar if there is
absolutel no room for doubt. No one loo ing out the window at
a beautiful blue s sa s he “believes” it’s a nice da ; no one who
24 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

has sufered third-degree burns sa s he “believes” fre is hot. When

something is so clear that there can be no doubt, we sa rather
that we “ now” it to be so. We onl sa we believe something
when there is, in fact, some underl ing doubt. Faith in the gen-
eral sense means clinging to a belief in the face of continuing
doubt and uncertaint . But the faith that Shinran calls essential to
salvation is nothing li e this.
What Shinran means b faith is the vanishing of all doubt con-
cerning Amida’s Vow. Let us use another analog to clarif the
diference. When an airplane runs into severe turbulence and
sha es violentl , the pilot ma announce, “It’s all right, fol s.
Tere’s nothing to worr about.” Passengers’ naging doubts and

I
fears will be put to rest onl when the plane ma es a safe landing.

A
Similarl , doubts about a promised rescue vanish when the rescue

NK
ta es place, and doubts about a promised gif vanish when the gif
is handed over. In the same wa , doubts concerning Amida’s Vow

R A LY
to grant absolute happiness vanish the moment a person is “held

I N N
fast, never to be forsa en” and actuall enters into that happiness.

H SO
Such faith is not something an one can generate on his own or

R S
tal himself into. When it arises, it does so solel as the gif of

R
Amida. Te faith bestowed b Amida is categoricall diferent

FO MB E
from all other faith because it is not beset b doubt. Tis faith,
called “other-power faith,” is peerless and transcendent. Shinran

ME
never taught an thing but other-power faith, and this is wh the 51Nirvana: Te same
essence of his teachings is nown as “salvation b faith alone.” level of enlightenment
Here are two representative statements from other writings of his: as Amida Buddha.

51 (Teaching, Practice,
Te true cause of Nirvana is faith alone. Faith, Enlightenment)
52
Faith alone is the cause of true settlement. (Hymn of True Faith)
52True settlement:
Nirvana ma be paraphrased as “birth in the Pure Land,” while Salvation b Amida in
“true settlement” means “becoming clearl settled in this life to this life; absolute
happiness.
attain buddhahood.”
53The Letters: A collec-
Renn o also made this unequivocal statement in one of his tion of letters written
Letters: 53 b Renn o, consisting
of eight letters in fve
Te essence of founder Shinran’s lifelong teaching is faith fascicles.

alone and nothing else. (Fascicle 2, Letter 3)

In his last testament he wrote:

Ah! M constant wish, morning and night, is that ever one
ma obtain faith while still alive. (Fascicle 4, Letter 15)
 3 Clarifcation of Section I of Tannisho (3 of 4) 25

Short though it is, this frst section that summariees all of Tannisho
refers again and again to faith:
“When ou believe this . . .”
“Once one believes in the Primal Vow . . .”
“You should now that . . . the sole requirement is faith.”
Clearl “faith” is of e importance in Shinran’s teachings. Let it
be remembered that an attempt to understand Tannisho in igno-
rance of other-power faith is as li el to succeed as climbing a tree
in search of fsh.

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 4
“No Need for Good, No Fear of Evil”:
What Does Tis Reall Mean?

Once one believes in the Primal Vow, no other good is needed, since
there can be no greater good than the nembutsu. Nor is there an need
to fear evil, since no evil can bloc the wor ing of Amida’s Primal Vow.

I
(Tannisho, Section I )

K A
N
Te passage above is particularl subject to misinterpretation. All

A LY
too ofen, people ta e it to mean that as long as the recite the

NR N
nembutsu, the don’t need to do an other good wor s to be saved

I
H SO
b Amida’s Vow, since there is no greater good than the nembutsu;

S
the further misinterpret the passage as sa ing that because

R R
Amida’s Vow has power over all evil, the don’t need to be afraid

FO MB E
of an evil the ma commit. Even in Shinran’s time, people evi-
dentl interpreted these words to suit themselves and committed

ME
evil without concern, for Shinran issued frequent warnings against
what was called “remorseless indulgence.” Here are two examples
from Lamp for the Latter Age, a collection of his letters and sa ings:
You must not do what should not be done, thin what
should not be thought, or sa what should not be said,
thin ing that ou can go to the Pure Land an wa .
You are apparentl sa ing that because we are b nature a
mass of blind passions, it cannot be helped if we ield to
desire and do what should not be done, sa what should not
be said, or thin what should not be thought; that indeed
we might as well follow our ever inclination. Tis is pitiful
in the extreme. It is li e ofering wine to a man who is still
drun , or telling someone still with poison in his s stem,
“Tere is an antidote, so ta e all the poison ou li e.” Such
a thing is be ond the pale.
 4 Clarifcation of Section I of Tannisho (4 of 4) 27

Tese passages conve his tears of sadness and anger at the dif-
cult of having the truth properl understood.
Ten what is the true meaning of the passage in question from
Section I?
“No other good is needed.” Tis means that one who is saved
b Amida’s Vow has no mind to perform good wor s in order to
ensure his birth in the Pure Land, since he has the great satisfaction
of nowing for certain that his birth there is assured through the
nembutsu granted b Amida. A person cured b a wonder drug
has no mind to see an other medicine; new medicine is needed
onl if the cure is incomplete. In the same wa , a person who is
saved has no possible need to do good wor s in order to be saved.

AI
Feeling such a need amounts to proof that one is not saved.
“Nor is there an need to fear evil.” To consider what this

NK
means, let us examine other words of Shinran’s.

A LY
I am incapable of doing an good at all, and so hell is m

R
N N
eternal dwelling-place.

I
(Tannisho, Section II)

S H SO
Once it was revealed to Shinran that he was the worst of sinners,
with no possible destination but hell, he could no longer fear an

R E R
evil. His situation was similar to that of a prisoner who, his death

FO MB
sentence fnalieed b the Supreme Court, has no judgment lef to
fear.

ME
One saved b Amida’s Vow 54is awa ened to the inconceivable
world of “twofold revelation” : it is revealed to him simulta- 54Faith that is be ond
ordinar comprehen-
neousl that be ond doubt he will go to hell for eternit , and that sion, in which the self
be ond doubt he will go to Paradise for eternit . It is onl natural that cannot be saved
and the self that is saved
that one in this state of mind would declare “Nor is there an are simultaneousl and
need to fear evil.” An one who feels anxious and fearful at the evil continuousl revealed
without a shadow of
he commits has not experienced the revelation that he is an evil- doubt.
doer destined be ond an doubt for hell.
Te passage quoted at the beginning of this chapter is a straight-
forward expression of the “unnamable, inexplicable, inconceiv-
able faith” Shinran received from Amida, a faith that is “peerless
and transcendent.” Most of the errors of interpretation that
Shinran corrects in Lamp for the Latter Age could never have arisen
55
in an who had direct nowledge of this great sea of faith. 55 Other-power faith.
Shinran’s deep sorrow is evident.
Because Tannisho is so easil misunderstood, Renn o issued a
stern warning against sharing it indiscriminatel .
 Close Translation of
Section II of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 5
Does Other-Power Mean Tat We Sit Bac
and Do Nothing?

Each of ou has come see ing me, crossing the borders of more than ten
provinces at the ris of our life, with one thing onl in mind: to as the
path to birth in the land of utmost bliss. (Tannisho, Section II )

AI
NK
Man people would sa the now good from evil, and feel no

A LY
pressing need to hear Buddhism. Even among those who listen to

R
N N
Buddhism, few realiee that Buddhist teaching concerns the cru-

I
56

H SO
cial matter of birth and death and how to resolve it. Irresponsible 56Te crucial matter of

S
birth and death:
remar s abound: salvation is based on other-power faith; we’re all Whether one will sin

R R
going to Paradise when we die an wa ; there’s no need to listen into an eternit of

FO MB E
sufering or gain
earnestl . Voices li e these are heard on all sides. everlasting happiness.
But the second section of Tannisho contains an account of a

ME
harrowing confrontation between Shinran and people who ris ed
their lives to hear true Buddhist teaching. Some bac ground under-
standing is necessar , so let us frst brief examine the course of
Shinran’s life.
Shinran was born in K oto at the end of the twelfh centur ,
just before the tumultuous Genpei War.57 He lost his father at 57 An epic confict
(1180–85) between two
four and his mother at eight. Astonished b the realieation that powerful militar clans.
he, too, was mortal and would be next to die, at age nine he
58
applied to and was inducted into the Tendai school of Buddhism 58 A school of Buddhism
founded b Saicho
at its head temple atop Mount Hiei in K oto. (767–822) in Japan.
Tendai mon s sought to follow Buddhist precepts and fght of It teaches practices
59 following the Lotus
worldl passions in order to achieve enlightenment. For the next Sutra.
twent ears, Shinran’s life of rigorous ascetic training on Mount 59Te same as blind
Hiei was a constant strugle with his blind passions. Tr as he passions: Lust, anger,
jealous , and other
would to subdue the raging dogs of his passions, the never lef delusions of the heart
him alone. He mused, “Te winds of mortalit ma blow this wa that trouble and
torment us.
at an time. If I go on as I am, I cannot escape eternal sufering.”
 5 Clarifcation of Section II of Tannisho (1 of 4) 31

Feeling the urgenc of his plight as death’s shadow crept ever

closer, he lost faith in the teachings of Tendai Buddhism and
resolved to leave the order.
Wondering if there was to be no salvation for him, no great
teacher to show him the wa , Shinran wandered the streets of
K oto li e a sleepwal er. Eventuall he ran into a friend from
Mount Hiei named Sei a u, through whose ofces he met Honen,
founder of the Pure Land School and a prominent man of the
times. Da in and da out Shinran devoted himself to listening to
Honen’s sermons, and one da , in a split second, he was saved b
Amida Buddha’s Vow. He was then twent -nine, and Honen was
sixt -nine.

AI
K
Oppression of the Pure Land School

N
A LY
Followers of Honen increased rapidl , their numbers swelling to

I R
include not onl samurai and common people but also scholars of

N N
the Tendai, Shingon, Zen, and other schools of Buddhism, as well

S H SO
as members of the aristocrac and nobilit . Fearful of the surge in
popularit of the Pure Land School, the other schools felt a sense

R R
of crisis. Te could not sit bac and idl watch as their supporters

E
FO MB
in the nobilit and aristocrac turned to Honen. Eventuall the
banded together and too the unheard-of step of directl peti-

ME
tioning the emperor.
In 1207 the Pure Land School was dissolved, teaching of the
nembutsu was prohibited, and eight people, including Honen
and Shinran, were banished. Four of Honen’s disciples, including
Juren and Anra u, were executed. Shinran too was originall
scheduled for execution, but than s to the intervention of the
former regent Kujo Kaneeane, his sentence was commuted to
exile in the northeastern province of Echigo.60 He was then thirt - 60Modern-da Niigata
Prefecture.
fve ears old. Honen was banished in the opposite direction, to
Tosa61 on the island of Shi o u. 61Modern-da Kochi
Prefecture.
Collusion between political and religious authorities led to this
brutal oppression never before seen in the histor of Japanese
Buddhism. Te persecution is referred to at the end of Tannisho.

From Echigo to Kanto and Back to Kyoto

Five ears later, in the snow and cold of Echigo, Shinran received
word of his pardon. He moved on to the eastern Kanto district,
32 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

setting up a simple hut in the village of Inada in Hitachi 62 where 62Modern-da Ibara i
Prefecture.
for the next twent ears he devoted himself single-mindedl to
teaching Amida’s Primal Vow. Afer turning sixt , he returned to
his native K oto and graduall began to concentrate on writing.
Most of his copious writings were done afer the age of sevent -six.
Afer Shinran lef Kanto, a number of events sowed confusion
among his followers there. Agitated b the profound upheaval in
their faith, several of them resolved to ma e the perilous journe
to K oto in order to meet directl with the master and ascertain
the truth.
Te journe would ta e a month or more. On the wa the
would cross over mountains, ford rivers, and be threatened b

AI
murderous thieves and bandits lur ing ever where. Tere was no

K
nowing if the would return alive. Each one who made the trip

N
did so trul “at the ris of [his] life,” determined to hear the

A LY
truth of Buddhism no matter what the cost, just as Shinran had

NR N
exhorted. All their lives, the remained faithful to the ever-

I
H SO
present voice of Shinran.

R S R
FO MB E
The Path to Birth in Paradise
Section II begins with Shinran’s blunt remar to the believers:

ME
“Each of ou has come see ing me . . . at the ris of our life, with
one thing onl in mind: to as the path to birth in the land of
utmost bliss.” Clearl , during his twent ears in the Kanto area
this path was all that he had taught.
What is the “path to birth in the land of utmost bliss”? It is the
Vow of Amida Buddha to all humanit : “I will enable ou to be
born in the Pure Land without fail.”
Te followers’ state of mind is full understandable as, their
faith in the Vow sha en, the sta ed their lives on a trip to attain
the fulfllment of nowing that the could go to the Pure Land
without fail.

Determination to Hear Buddhist Teaching

Tough the universe
should become a sea of fames,
he who crosses it to hear the Name of Amida (Hymns on the Pure
will achieve everlasting salvation. Land)
 5 Clarifcation of Section II of Tannisho (1 of 4) 33

Tis h mn b Shinran means that if ou eep on listening to Bud-

dhism “through hell and high water” and ou are saved b Amida,
ou are certain to achieve radiant, eternal bliss. Renn o’s teaching
was identical:
Buddhism must be heard
even if it means fghting one’s wa
through raging fames;
then what hindrance can there be
in rain or wind or snow?
Renn o further ofers this instruction on priorities.

AI
Buddhism must be listened to b setting aside the world’s
afairs. Tin ing that one should listen to Buddhist law (The Words of Rennyo

K
Heard and Recorded

N
when not occupied with the world’s afairs is shallow. During His Lifetime)

A LY
In other words, Buddhism is so important that it must be appre-

R
N N
hended even if it means dropping all our wor . Te assumption

I
H SO
that it is enough to ft Buddhism in between other things in life

S
shows a sad lac of understanding. Here Renn o describes means

R R
of living as “the world’s afairs.” Given that resolving the crucial

FO MB E
matter of birth and death is our true purpose in life, one can onl
marvel at the aptness of this pith phrase.

ME
Yet where on earth can these teachings of Shinran and Renn o
be heard toda ? Almost nowhere. No matter how carefull one
peruses Section II—or indeed all of Tannisho—the main point
will regrettabl be missed unless one is aware that Buddhist truth
must be heard even at the ris of one’s life.
 6
“Onl Sa the Nembutsu”:
Te Meaning of “Onl ”

As for me, I simpl trust in the teaching of m revered teacher: “Onl

sa the nembutsu and be saved b Amida Buddha.” Tere is nothing
more to it than this.

I
(Tannisho, Section II )

K A
N
A LY
Misunderstanding is rampant regarding what is meant b “Onl

I R
sa the nembutsu and be saved b Amida Buddha.” Man people

N N
ta e this to mean “Onl utter ‘Namu Amida Butsu’”—the s llables

S H SO
that compose the nembutsu—and so the assume that Shinran
was saved just b reciting the nembutsu. Tis is an error based

R E R
on superfcial nowledge. As we have alread seen, Shinran’s

FO MB
teachings stress that salvation comes from faith, and are for this
reason ofen summed up as “salvation b faith alone.” Section I of

ME
Tannisho, for example, states unequivocall that for salvation “the
sole requirement is faith.” Renn o also testifed to this point man
times. Here is a small sample from his Letters:
For birth in the Pure Land, all that is needed is other-power
faith alone. (Fascicle 2, Letter 5)

With other-power faith alone comes birth in the Pure Land. (Fascicle 2, Letter 7)

Onl attain other-power faith, and without a doubt ou

will be born in Paradise. (Fascicle 2, Letter 14)

Best nown of all is this declaration:

All his life, Shinran taught “salvation b faith alone.” (Fascicle 5, Letter 10)

Ten what does “onl sa the nembutsu” reall mean? Te word

“onl ” expresses amaeement at Amida’s unconditional, perfect,
and free salvation.
 6 Clarifcation of Section II of Tannisho (2 of 4) 35

Human beings have an innate resistance to the truth about

themselves. Being confronted with our evil nature that dooms us
to hell upsets us less than the loss of ten dollars. Told in no uncer-
tain terms that life has an end, one that ma come before tomor-
row, we are unfaeed, convinced we’ll be all right. In the same wa ,
when told that Amida saves us as we are, we rejoice less than we
would if we were handed a dollar bill. If we ta e ourselves to tas
for this insensitivit and tr to listen earnestl to the message of
Buddhism, we fnd deep within ourselves the mind of a stolid ox,
so glaeed over, drows , and vacant that it has no interest in hearing
a single word. In Shinran’s stri ing phrase, this is “the mind of a
corpse”—that is, a mind as unresponsive as a corpse.

AI
Even when we grumble, “I’ll never listen to Buddhism in a

K
million ears!” Amida responds, “I have full nown this about

N
ou all along; entrust ourself to me as ou are.” To an one who

A LY
hears this call, such compassion is nothing short of astonishing.

NR N
Te meaning of “onl ” in “onl sa the nembutsu” is this:

I
H SO
Knowing full well that ou can have no destination other than

S
63
hell, entrust the crucial question of our ultimate fate to Amida, 63Eternal sufering or

R R
eternal bliss.
leaving all in his hands. Tis is the unnamable, inexplicable,

FO MB E
inconceivable “onl ,” the silent voice that can and will reach the
ears of ever one, even the stone deaf. It expresses other-power

ME
faith, in which the believer and Amida Buddha gain life together
at the same time.
Tus “sa the nembutsu” means to utter the nembutsu in an
outpouring of gratitude rising from the jo of salvation. In Hymn
of True Faith, Shinran explains the meaning of the nembutsu this
wa :
Onl sa ing the Name of Amida constantl ,
respond in gratitude to the Vow of great compassion.
In other words, once we receive other-power faith we respond grate-
full to Amida’s benevolence, flled ceaselessl with the nembutsu.
The Letters of Renn o contains more detailed explanations:
Afer one is saved b Amida Buddha, the recitation of
the Name is an expression of infnite gratitude to Amida
for settling one’s birth in the Pure Land. Tis should be
understood. (Fascicle 5, Letter 10)
36 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

To be “held fast, never forsa en” means that one is saved b

Amida and will never be cast aside. Such a person is said to
have gained faith. Te one who has gained faith repeats
“Namu Amida Butsu” asleep or awa e, standing or sitting;
this nembutsu should be understood as an expression of
gratitude for Amida’s salvation. (Fascicle 1, Letter 7)

In Tannisho, the nembutsu is identifed in Section I as an expres-

sion of gratitude to Amida Buddha rising out of a “mind intent on
sa ing the nembutsu” and spo en in jo at having “receive[d] the
beneft of being held fast, never to be forsa en” (i.e., at having
gained faith).

AI
Te true meaning of “onl sa the nembutsu” must be under-

K
stood in the light of Shinran’s teaching that faith alone brings

N
salvation and the nembutsu is spo en in gratitude. Otherwise “the

A LY
sublime, all-complete teaching [that is] the essence of truth” will
be lost.

I NR N
S H SO
R E R
FO MB
ME
 7
Te Real Meaning of Shinran’s
“I Do Not Know in the Least”

I do not now in the least whether sa ing the nembutsu is trul the seed
for m birth in the Pure Land or whether it is an act for which I must
fall into hell. (Tannisho, Section II )

AI
NK
Some people unfamiliar with Shinran’s teachings deride this state-

A LY
ment, declaring that it shows the man literall had no idea whether

R
N N
sa ing the nembutsu would land him in paradise or in hell. Others

I
H SO
chastise him for giving no satisfaction to those who came to him

S
for answers at the ris of their lives. Te have it entirel wrong.

R R
It is indisputable that Shinran defnitivel declared the nembutsu

FO MB E
said without a remnant of doubt in Amida’s Vow the “path to
birth in the land of utmost bliss.” He taught that there is no wa

ME
to the Pure Land but b the wor ing of this nembutsu that arises
from faith. As proof, let us ofer several quotations from his writ-
ings that ma e this cr stal clear.
Attaining buddhahood through the wor ing of the other-
power nembutsu:64 this is true Buddhism. 64See Glossar , “other-
power nembutsu.”
M riad good acts of self-power are all a provisional gate.
Without nowing the expedient and the real, the true and
the provisional, (Hymns of the Pure
One cannot now the true Pure Land of Amida. Land)

True Buddhist teaching holds that the enlightenment of a buddha

—the highest of ff -two levels of enlightenment—is attained
through the wor ing of the other-power nembutsu. Self-power
Buddhism is an expedient means of leading all sentient beings to
the truth.
38 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

When we sa “Namu Amida Butsu,”

the benefts we gain in this world are boundless.
Te evil that causes the endless wheel of sufering 65 disappears,
and we are spared untimel death and the torments we (Hymns of the Pure
deserve. Land)
65Endless wheel of
Reciting the nembutsu brings an end to the evil that is the ulti- sufering: Trans migra-
mate cause of the sufering we have long endured, sparing us the tion. Endlessl repeated
brth and death in
calamities and premature death that we richl deserve and allowing m riad life forms.
us to live now and forever in perfect happiness.
Tose who slander the nembutsu
fall into Avici Hell 66

AI
to sufer great pain and torment without cease

K
(Hymns on the Three
for eight thousand alpas, it is taught. Ages)

N
A LY
Te sutras teach that those who disparage the supremel precious
66Te worst of all hells.

R
A realm of ceaseless
nembutsu will sufer terrible consequences. Such people are fated sufering.

I N N
to fall into Avici Hell, the worst of all worlds, a place of unremitting

H SO
sufering where for eight thousand alpas—a mind-bendingl

R S
long time—the must endure extreme agon without cease.

R
E
Shinran further explains in Teaching, Practice, Faith, Enlightenment

FO MB
that while the bodhisattva67 Miro u68 will not attain buddhahood 67A see er of true
happiness; one striving
for another 5.67 billion ears, “all those of the nembutsu 69 have

ME
to attain the enlighten-
attained the diamond faith70 bestowed b Amida and will there- ment of a buddha.
fore, at the moment of death, attain absolute Nirvana.” Unli e 68Miro u, “the Buddha
Miro u, those of the nembutsu attain the enlight enment of a of the future,” is at the
highest spiritual stage
buddha even as their life on this earth ends. but one, just short of
buddhahood.
For twent ears in the Kanto region, Shinran taught nothing
71
but the nembutsu of Amida’s Vow. Yet afer his return to K oto,
69Tose who sa the
nembutsu on having
a number of events too place to sha e the faith of those he received salvation from
Amida Buddha.
lef behind. One was the blasphemous insistence of the mon
Nichiren72 that an one who said the nembutsu would go to Avici 70Diamond faith: Faith
that is impervious to
Hell, the hell of greatest sufering. Nichiren stirred agitation an attac .
throughout Kanto b fanaticall spreading this lie. 71Te nembutsu said
Perceiving what was on the minds of those who, driven b without a remnant of
doubt in Amida’s Vow.
doubt and desperation, had come such a long distance to hear the 72Founder of the
truth directl from his lips, Shinran was sic at heart. Afer all he Nichiren sect (1222–82).
had taught them, now the sat before him afraid that the act of A vocal opponent of
Pure Land beliefs.
sa ing the nembutsu might land them in hell. He voiced his
grieved disappointment b sa ing bluntl , “How should I now!”
Te bitterness of this declaration is painfull apparent. Given the
 7 Clarifcation of Section II of Tannisho (3 of 4) 39

circumstances, no response could have been more appropriate. In

dail life, when as ed a glaringl obvious question, an one might
repl that wa , biting bac more irritated words. Even when the
answer is perfectl clear, if pushed too far we are apt to thrust
the questioner of with some such disavowal. B no means was
Shinran leading his followers on, afecting ignorance so that the
would conclude it was all right for them not to now whether the
nembutsu would lead to paradise or hell, since even he couldn’t
sa . Far from it!
Tannisho also contains these famous words: “Onl the nembutsu
is true.” Shinran, for whom the question of whether sa ing the
nembutsu would lead to paradise or hell was not an issue, gave the

AI
clearest possible expression to his vibrant, steadfast conviction. It

K
is eas to imagine the band of followers returning to Kanto in

N
high spirits, brimming with jo at their encounter with the hol

A LY
man’s supreme confdence.

I NR N
S H SO
R E R
FO MB
ME
 8
Because Amida’s Vow Is True

Given that Amida’s Primal Vow is true, the sermons of Śā amuni

Buddha cannot be empt words. Given that the Buddha’s sermons are
true, the commentaries of Shan-tao cannot be empt . If Shan-tao’s com-
mentaries are true, can the sa ings of Honen be false? If Honen’s sa ings
are true, how could what I, Shinran, sa be false?

I
(Tannisho, Section II )

K A
N
A LY
NR N
Surprisingl man people misread the opening of this passage as

I
H SO
“If we suppose that Amida’s Primal Vow is true . . .” But for Shinran,

S
there was no truth in this world apart from the Vow of Amida.

R R
Elsewhere he exclaimed in jo :

FO MB E
How genuine, the true words of Amida that embrace us and
never forsa e us, the absolute doctrine that is peerless and

ME
(Teaching, Practice,
transcendent! Faith, Enlightenment)

In this world as feeting and unstable as a burning house,

inhabited b human beings beset b worldl passions, all is
idleness and foolishness, utterl devoid of truth. Onl the
nembutsu is true. (Tannisho, Epilogue)

“Onl the nembutsu is true” is another wa of sa ing “Onl

Amida’s Vow is true.” Shinran’s faith in the truth of the Vow is
cr stal clear: all of his writings are full of exultation in it, and it is
indeed the starting-point for all his teachings. It is unthin able
that he would refer to the truth of the Vow in the conditional
mood, as a h pothetical case.
Here Shinran is defnitel declaring, “Because Amida’s Primal
Vow is true.” With that as a given, it follows that the sa ings of
Śā amuni, Shan-tao, and Honen, all of whom preached onl the
Vow, must be true; therefore Shinran, too, who has faithfull trans-
 8 Clarifcation of Section II of Tannisho (4 of 4) 41

mitted their teachings, can be no liar. Tis is supreme confdence.

Some ma pause here and scratch their heads. Afer all, to the
men from the Kanto area, it was precisel the words of Shinran
that carried the most authorit , and it was precisel Amida’s Vow
about which the were unsure. Te believed in it because of
Shinran’s assurances that the teachings of Honen, Shan-tao, and
Śā amuni were all true. Even so, to settle the doubts in their
minds, Shinran too the truth of Amida’s Primal Vow as his
starting point, ofering no proof or explanation. It might reason-
abl be as ed whether his approach was not bac wards.
For Shinran, saved in accord with Amida’s Vow, the clearest,
most undeniable truth in the world was the Primal Vow of Amida

AI
Buddha. Te serenit of his faith can be li ened to the moon

K
refected in the sea: no matter how the billows rage, that moon

N
will never be lost, never be destro ed, never vanish awa . Because

A LY
Shinran had a direct connection with the Primal Vow, even if the

NR N
teachings of Śā amuni, Shan-tao, and Honen had all proved

I
H SO
false, his faith in the Vow could never waver.

S
“Given that Amida’s Primal Vow is true”: Shinran’s abilit to

R R
ma e this fat, unhesitating assertion came solel from the clear

FO MB E
wor ing in him of other-power faith.

ME
 Close Translation of
Section III of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 9
“If Even a Good Person
Will Attain Salvation,
All the More So Will an Evil Person”

Even a good person will be born in the Pure Land; how much more so
an evil person!

I
(Tannisho, Section III )

K A
N
A LY
NR N
Tese well- nown words from Tannisho are, it is said, the most

I
H SO
famous words in the histor of Japanese thought. Teir con-

S
tent is so sensational that the have also given rise to enormous

R R
misunder standing.

FO MB E
Te assertions that “even” a good person can go to the Pure
Land and an evil person is all the more li el to be saved appear

ME
to lead naturall to the conclusion that the more evil a person
does in his lifetime, the greater his chances of salvation. In fact,
some followers embraced the idea of “licensed evil” and performed
acts of malice, giving rise to the criticism that Shinran’s teaching
encouraged vice. Tis deep-rooted misinterpretation lingers even
now.
Te onl wa to set the record straight is to delve into Shinran’s
understanding of a “good person” and an “evil person.” Otherwise
the most enthusiastic reading of Section III, and indeed of the
whole of Tannisho, will lead onl to empt learning, not true
understanding.
We constantl categoriee others as good or evil, basing our
judgments on common sense, law, ethics, and morals. But b an
“evil person” Shinran meant something completel diferent from
just an ordinar criminal or “bad gu .” It is a profoundl serious
meaning that ofers a transformative view of human nature. Sec-
 9 Clarifcation of Section III of Tannisho 45

tion II of Tannisho quotes Shinran as sa ing, “I am incapable of

doing an good at all, and so hell is m eternal dwelling-place.”
Te truth of this confession does not appl onl to Shinran. It is
the unfeigned truth about ever person who has ever lived, in all
times and places, as both Teaching, Practice, Faith, Enlightenment
and Tannisho repeat ofen and in strong terms.
Te sea of all sentient beings, from time immemorial until
this ver da and hour, is polluted with evil and lac ing in
a mind of purit ; it is false and deceitful, lac ing in a mind (Teaching, Practice,
of truth. Faith, Enlightenment)

All people, from those in remote antiquit to those who will

AI
be born in the far-distant future, are flled with wic edness,
falsehoods, and drivel; the human heart contains not an ounce

NK
of truth. Not onl that, we humans are braeen and shameless,

R A LY
impenitent toward others and unashamed in our own heart. We
have no hope of salvation for all eternit .

I N N
Te following passage from the second half of Section III drives

H SO
the point home:

R S R
It is impossible for us, who are flled with blind passions, to

FO MB E
free ourselves from the c cle of birth and death through an
practice whatever. Ta ing pit on our state, Amida made

ME
the Vow with the real intent of ensuring the evil person’s
attainment of buddhahood.
It was precisel because Amida Buddha saw that people are all a
mass of blind passions, evil without a hope of salvation for all
eternit , that he vowed to save them. Herein lies the true value of
the Primal Vow of Amida.
Shinran’s “evil person” thus refers to all humanit , whose evil
nature Amida Buddha unerringl perceived. “An evil person” is
simpl another wa of sa ing “a human being.”

What then does Shinran mean b “a good person”? Tis is some-

one who see s to do good in order to be saved, or who recites the
nembutsu in hopes of gaining salvation. Because such a person
believes himself capable of doing good if he onl tries, and imag-
ines he can eep on sa ing the nembutsu throughout his life,
Shinran sa s that he is a person who does “good through self-
power.” And because such a one doubts the power of Amida’s Vow,
46 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

which was made precisel for the evil person incapable of doing
an good at all, Shinran also uses the expression a “good person of
doubting mind.”
Such a person, one who is immersed in self-power with no
intention of casting aside prudence and discretion and entrusting
himself or herself full to Amida, cannot be an object of the Vow.
Tis point is explained in Section III as follows:
Tis is because people who see to do good through self-
power do not rel wholeheartedl on other-power and are
therefore not in accord with the Primal Vow.
And et Amida has vowed to brea through the conceit of such a

I
“good” person—one whose wrong views and arrogance blind him

A
K
to his own evil nature—and cause him to be born in the Pure

N
Land. It is because Amida will induce even a “person who does

R A LY
good through self-power” to be saved that Shinran said, “Even a
good person will be born in the Pure Land; how much more so an

I
evil person!”
N
H SO N
S
Te notion that the more evil we do, the more li el we are to

R
be saved, or that evildoing is the true cause of salvation, has no

R E
FO MB
place in Shinran’s teaching. For all people, good and bad ali e,
Shinran emphasieed nothing but other-power faith, which is the
gif of Amida Buddha. Te following two passages from Section

ME
III are unequivocal:
If people overturn the mind of self-power and rel on
other-power, the will attain birth in the land of true
fulfllment.
In other words, it is b casting aside the self-power which doubts
the efcac of the Primal Vow, and gaining other-power faith
instead, that we can be born in the true Pure Land.
Evil persons who rel on other-power are the ver ones who
have obtained the true cause of birth.
Both passages above contain the expression “rel on other-power,”
which also occurs in sacred writings b Shinran’s own hand:
Rel ing on the Primal Vow of other-power and leaving aside (Notes on “Essentials of
self-power: this is “faith alone.” Faith Alone”)

Here Shinran writes “rel ing on . . . other-power,” and in Tannisho

 9 Clarifcation of Section III of Tannisho 47

we read “if people . . . rel on other-power.” Renn o uses the

phrase “rel ing on Amida.” All of these passages refer to nothing
but other-power faith, which alone brings salvation.
Section III of Tannisho, while drawing an apparent distinction
between good and evil, shows that the entire focus of Amida’s
salvation is other-power faith. Tis focus is also clear from the
great declaration in Section I that Amida’s salvation “does not
discriminate between oung and old or good and evil; the sole
requirement is faith.” Tis surel is the essential point in Tannisho
that must be stressed and brought to people’s attention.

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 Close Translation of
Section IV of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 10
Te Real Meaning of
“Quic l Attaining Buddhahood”

Pure Land compassion lies in sa ing the nembutsu, quic l attaining

buddhahood, and then, with a mind of great love and compassion,
freel wor ing for the beneft of all sentient beings. (Tannisho, Section IV )

AI
NK
A LY
Te phrase “quic l attaining buddhahood” in the passage above

R
N N
has been criticieed as meaning “quic l d ing.” Tose who voice

I
H SO
this criticism doubtless do so in full awareness of Shinran’s consis-

S
tent teaching that the enlightenment of a buddha is obtained onl

R R
on being born in the Pure Land afer death. If “quic l attaining

FO MB E
buddhahood” is ta en literall , then it would follow that “Pure
Land compassion” cannot be achieved unless we quic l die. In

ME
that case, the criticism would be entirel justifed.
Yet to equate “quic l attaining buddhahood” with “quic l
d ing” is obviousl in error, since not ever one attains buddha-
hood when the die. Onl one who has met with Amida’s salva-
tion in this life and become assured of attaining buddhahood
upon d ing can be born in the Pure Land and achieve supreme
enlightenment. Tis was Shinran’s lifelong teaching. So it is clear
that “quic l attaining buddhahood” means “quic l gaining assur-
ance of attaining buddhahood”: in other words, quic l encoun-
tering Amida’s salvation now, during this lifetime.
Onl afer attaining supreme enlightenment in the Pure Land
can an one freel beneft other sentient beings from a heart of
great love and compassion. But what happens in the meantime,
afer one is saved b Amida and becomes able to achieve buddha-
hood? Shinran expressed the state of mind of such a person in
these words:
 10 Clarifcation of Section IV of Tannisho 51

Te grace of Amida’s great compassion

I must repa , though I wor m self to the bone.
Te grace of the teachers who led me (Song of Amida’s Grace
I must repa , though I wear m self to bits. and Virtue)

Te benevolence of Amida Buddha and the debt of gratitude

owed to teachers of the Vow can never be full repaid. Not even
sacrifcing oneself would sufce. All an one can do is weep at his
own laeiness for not ma ing a particle of recompense.
Te heart brimming with gratitude that nows no bounds can-
not help imitating the compassion of the Pure Land. When
Shinran was twent -nine, he obtained other-power faith and so

I
became assured of achieving buddhahood. From then on, with

K A
tears of gratitude, “mindful solel of the depth of Amida’s benevo-
lence and pa ing no mind to others’ derision,” 73 he lived a life

N
73From the postscript

A LY
to his major wor ,
of extraordinar devotion and gratitude to Amida—a life that Teaching, Practice,

I NR
bore no trace of the negative, indolent mindset that would put of

N
saving others until afer death.
Faith, Enlightenment.

S H SO
Let us examine the sixt -one ears of Shinran’s life from the
time of his salvation until his death at age ninet .

R R
At the age of thirt -one he bro e with Buddhist monastic tra-

E
FO MB
dition b beginning to eat fsh and b ta ing a wife, acts which
were unprecedented wa s of conve ing Amida’s great desire for

ME
the salvation of all people. Nevertheless, in so doing he aroused a
storm of controvers and was subjected to a barrage of denuncia-
tions as a madman, a devil, and a depraved mon . His brea ing of
these taboos led directl to his later banishment.
Normall mee , Shinran fought distortions of Buddhist truth
with unswerving resolve, willing even to forfeit his life if need be.
Tis ferceness led him ofen to instigate heated debates with his
fellow disciples. Te most noteworth of these clashes are nown
to posterit as the Tree Great Debates, one of which is men-
tioned in the postscript to Tannisho.
At the age of thirt -fve Shinran was exiled to Echigo, as is
well nown, but few now the real reason wh . Te main reason
was his insistence on Śā amuni’s teaching that one must leave
aside all other buddhas, bodhisattvas, and gods, and turn onl to
Amida74—the teaching that was the ver reason for Śā amuni’s 74Ikko sennen muryoju
butsu: “[Ofer] single-
appearance in this world. Shinran’s rejection of all other deities minded devotion to the
earned him the particular wrath of those in power. Man at the Buddha of Infnite
Life.” From the Larger
time considered Japan the “land of the gods,” and the rejection of Sutra of Infnite Life.
52 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

these traditional deities was seen as a despicable heres that would

turn societ upside down. Accordingl , the wrath of the highest
authorities and those in league with them came down on Shinran,
and he received a sentence of death, narrowl commuted to exile.
But as the sa ing goes, “though the wind blows from all sides,
the mountain remains frm.” Shinran lashed out at the self-delusion
of his attac ers with these scathing words:
From emperor to retainer, the rebel against Buddha’s teach-
ings and trample justice, giving anger free rein and commit- (Teaching, Practice,
ting great sin. Faith, Enlightenment)

Yet he also said this, rejoicing: “Had m great teacher Honen not

I
been sent awa b authorities, how should I have gone into exile?

K A
Had I not gone into exile, how could I have hoped to convert
the people of Echigo, who live in such a remote place? All this is

N
A LY
owing to m teacher.”75 Tere was not a trace of poignanc in his 75 From The Biography.
words.

I NR N
Afer fve ears of harsh exile, Shinran moved east to the Kanto

S H SO
area to continue preaching and teaching. One da the mountain
mon Bennen, who had sworn to ill Shinran, appeared before

R R
him in broad da light with drawn sword. Shinran “strode out to

E
FO MB
meet Bennen, swerving neither right nor lef,”76 then treated him 76 From The Biography.
as a friend and equal, gentl assuring him that were he in Bennen’s

ME
place, he too would have set out to ill Shinran, and adding that
illing and being illed were ali e opportunities to spread the
teachings of Buddha. Tis encounter with Shinran’s great and
compassionate faith had a transforming impact on Bennen, who
went on to become M ohobo, a disciple of Buddha and Shinran’s
devoted attendant.
Another time, while Shinran was preaching door-to-door, he
was denied shelter in a snowstorm b a man named Hino Zaemon,
who had contempt for Buddhism. Shinran calml slept in the
snow with a stone for pillow, and as a result Hino Zaemon, too,
found salvation and became his disciple. Such episodes can well
be said to exemplif “Pure Land compassion” in practice.
Shinran’s greatest trial came when for the sa e of the salvation
of untold billions he disowned Zenran, his frstborn child. On the
twent -ninth da of the ffh month of 1256, at the age of eight -
four, Shinran sent a letter to his ff - ear-old son ending their
relationship. Zenran was a heretic who not onl claimed that his
father had given him secret teachings in the middle of the night
 10 Clarifcation of Section IV of Tannisho 53

but also pra ed to the old gods of Shinto, told fortunes, and other-
wise desecrated the true teachings; realieing this, Shinran could
not loo the other wa . When Zenran remained deaf to repeated
admonishments, Shinran made the agonieed decision to sever all
ties with him, writing:
M grief nows no words, but from this da forth I am
no longer our parent, nor do I recogniee ou as m son.
Nothing could sadden me more. (Letter of Disownment)

Tis action brought harsh criticism, as people wondered what

ind of Buddhist teaching brea s up families and scofed that
an one unable to lead his own son to salvation could hardl hope

AI
to save others. It was perhaps inevitable that on top of suspicion,

K
censure, and persecution, Shinran would sufer name-calling and

N
derision. But had he overloo ed Zenran’s behavior out of mis-

A LY
guided parental afection and rejoiced alone in his own salvation,

NR N
resolving to do something about his son’s salvation onl afer

I
H SO
going to the Pure Land, what then? Untold billions, from the

S
time of Shinran on into the limitless future, would have missed

R R
out on salvation.

FO MB E
With tears of gratitude at his unpa able debt to Amida, on his
deathbed Shinran made this statement:

ME
M life at an end, I go to the Pure Land. But li e the waves
of Wa anoura Ba that endlessl come and go, I will return.
When one person is happ , now that there are two. When
two are happ , now that there are three. One will be me,
Shinran. (Last Words)

Till the ver end, Shinran devoted his life to the salvation of man-
ind. Yet he alwa s refected with painful awareness that as he
himself lac ed even a smattering of true compassion, to thin of
saving others would be presumptuous. Te true wor of leading
others to salvation could come onl afer he had achieved the
enlightenment of a buddha. Indeed, he will alwa s continue to
return among us, li e the ceaseless waves of the sea. Whether
happ or sad, we are never alone. Shinran is alwa s with us.
To review, when Shinran, in spea ing of “Pure Land compas-
sion,” refers to “quic l attaining buddhahood,” he is encouraging
us to quic l gain assurance of attaining buddhahood: let this
never be forgotten.
 Close Translation of
Section V of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 11
Funerals and Memorial Services
Are Not for the Dead

I, Shinran, have never once said the nembutsu for the repose of m
mother or father. (Tannisho, Section V )

AI
NK
Te idea that funerals and memorial services bring peace to the

A LY
departed is frml entrenched in man people’s minds.

R
N N
In ancient India, one of Śā amuni’s disciples inquired, “Is it

I
H SO
true that if we recite edif ing scriptures around the dead, the

S
will be born in a good place?” Te Buddha silentl pic ed up a

R R
stone and tossed it into a pond. As it san , he pointed to the spot

FO MB E
and as ed in return, “If ou wal ed around the pond chanting
‘Stone, rise! Stone, rise!’ do ou thin the stone would foat up to

ME
the surface?”
Te stone san of its own weight. Mere words could never
cause it to rise. In the same wa , instructed the Buddha, people’s
fate afer death is determined b their own actions ( armic power).77 77 See also Glossar ,
“law of arma.”
It is impossible for an ind of sutra reading to change the for-
tunes of the departed.
Te idea that sutra-reading could bring about the salvation of
the dead was not originall part of Buddhism. Te teachings of
the Buddha throughout his lifetime of eight ears were alwa s
for the living, falling li e rain on the hearts and minds of the suf-
fering. It is said that he never carried out an funerals or services
for the dead. From the start, Buddhism eschewed such worldl ,
formalistic rituals and ofered instruction rather about true eman-
cipation—turning awa from ignorance and achieving enlighten-
ment. Yet toda , man self-st led Buddhists ta e it for granted
that rituals of funerals, services, and sutra readings do beneft the
dead. Some superstitions die hard.
 11 Clarifcation of Section V of Tannisho 57

In the midst of such turmoil, the confession at the top of this

chapter resounds li e thunder from the blue: “I, Shinran, have
never once said the nembutsu for the repose of m mother or
father.” “Repose” refers to requiem services, which are carried out
in the belief that the will ensure the happiness of the dead.
Shinran lost his father at the age of four and his mother at the age
of eight; what must have been his grief when he thought of them?
Surel the image of his dead parents haunted him above all else.
Even so, he denies ever having said a single nembutsu on their
behalf. Of course, this statement refers not onl to the act of sa -
ing the nembutsu, but to all Buddhist services carried out with
the intent of ensuring the happiness of the dead. It ma thus be

I
rephrased: “I, Shinran, have never once said the nembutsu, read a

A
sutra, or held a memorial service to please m dead parents.”

NK
Shoc ing, ou ma thin . To priests who calml urge services
for the repose of ancestors’ souls, on the pretext that the dead

R A LY
appreciate nothing more than having sutras read on their behalf,

N N
and to la people who accept this is a given, Shinran’s pronounce-

I
H SO
ment is bafing. To man people it ma sound cold and callous.

R S
But with this sensational confession, Shinran, who revered his

R
parents more than an one, shattered the common people’s deep-

FO MB E
rooted illusion and showed them the true wa to honor their dead.
Te mon Ka un o (1270–1351), Shinran’s descendant,

ME
lamented the existence of mon s who made funerar and memo-
rial rites their main job, ignoring the fact that Shinran never
performed them. Let us quote Ka un o’s words:
Shinran used to sa , “When I die, cast m bod into the
River Kamo and feed it to the fshes.” Tis was because he
wanted to impress on people that the should care little for
the bod and ma e faith their top priorit . Terefore it is
wrong to ma e much of funerals. Te should be stopped. (Notes Rectifying Heresy)

Wh did Shinran ma e this shoc ing declaration? He did it to

instruct people that rather than worr about the disposition of
remains, which are li e the empt shell of a locust, the should
hurr above all to resolve the fate of the eternal self (acquire
other-power faith). Terefore, concludes Ka un o, rather than
give importance to funerals, it would be better to call a halt to
them.
Ka un o disinherited his son, Zon a u, for violating this
teaching of Shinran’s. In his Record of Memorials and elsewhere,
58 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

Zon a u actuall wrote such things as this: “Afer our parents

die, ou should strive to repa the debt ou owe them, ta ing
special care to carr out Buddhist services for the repose of their
souls.” “Te best wa to memorialiee our parents is to sa the
nembutsu on their behalf.” Such ideas are clearl subversive to
Shinran’s teaching that the practice of see ing the repose of the
dead should be entirel done awa with, and so it is ftting that
Zon a u was disowned.
Te Buddhist world toda is clearl violating Shinran’s teach-
ing, just as Zon a u did, and is in that sense sufering from a
sic ness unto death. Without prompt refection on the golden
words of Shinran, Buddhism will become an empt shell.

AI
Ten are funerals, memorial services, and gravesite visits mean-

K
ingless? No. To those who have heard Buddhist truth the are

N
occasions for than sgiving and rejoicing in Amida’s salvation, and

A LY
to those in ignorance of the truth the are chances to form bonds

NR N
with Amida, the Buddha of Infnite Life.

I
H SO
Year in and ear out, we read of signifcant trafc deaths. Told

S
that man thousands of people died in accidents the previous

R R
ear, we register no surprise but onl stare aimlessl at the statis-

FO MB E
tics, numb to the realit of death. Our desires eep us in a whirl-
wind of activit from morning to night, with no time to sit and

ME
contemplate the self. In the midst of such bus ness, attending a
funeral or neeling at a grave can provide a precious chance to
ta e a hard loo at one’s life: “I too must one da die. Am I not
idling m life awa ?”
Being forced to face the cold fact of one’s mortalit is sobering.
It is our hope that funerals and memorial services will be not
empt rituals but occasions to deepl consider the crucial ques-
tion of one’s ultimate fate—eternal sufering or eternal bliss—and
see liberation: the acquisition of other-power faith.
 Close Translation of
Section VI of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 12
No Disciples:
Shinran’s Love for One and All

I, Shinran, do not have even a single disciple. (Tannisho, Section VI )

AI
NK
Man Buddhist temple priests regard their parishioners as posses-

A LY
sions and fear their departure as a diminishing of assets. For tem-

R
N N
ples that rel on funerals and memorial services as a source of

I
H SO
revenue, prosperit hinges on the number of parishioners. Te

S
fewer the parishioners, naturall , the greater the burden shoul-

R R
dered b each famil . Patrons become disgruntled, wondering

FO MB E
wh , if oferings are a matter of free will, their donation to cover
temple expenses has to be so high. Te soon depart, switching to

ME
a religion that promises worldl benefts such as higher income,
better health, and safet .
Te masses are strugling in the welter of life’s distress. Caught
in the swirling waters of blind passions, the are searching for a
lifeline. Instead of being exhorted not to drin the mudd water,
the need to be rescued and given clear water to drin ; but because
the temples do not preach liberation from sufering, oung men
and women eep their distance and merel laugh at the notion of
pa ing ritual visits to a temple.
As the steep decline in worshippers leaves temples ever where
in dire straits, priests la aside their duties and go into business
until one can hardl tell which is their main occupation. Wearing
two hats is not enough to alleviate fnancial distress, however, so
the resort to scrambling for parishioners and curr ing favor.
When a renowned Buddhist preacher comes to the area, the go
into a dither. Fearful lest their parishioners desert them, the go
 12 Clarifcation of Section VI of Tannisho 61

on the attac , spreading calumn about the interloper and con-

niving to drive him awa .
Te advice column of one national newspaper in Japan con-
tained a letter from a woman in her ffies, troubled because the
head priest of her temple had told her that her late mother was
“pitiable,” implicitl pressuring her to hold a memorial service.
Such tactics, which ma stri e one as either ofensive bull ing or
the desperate shrie s of temples hemorrhaging supporters, are all
too common.
Wrongheaded clerg such as these are called to serious refec-
tion b Shinran’s words: “I do not have even a single disciple.”
Of course, that Shinran had man disciples is a matter of his-

I
torical record. We now from various historical documents,

K A
including a registr of the names of his disciples, that between
sixt and sevent people studied under him in intimate associa-

N
A LY
tion. Ten wh claim to have no disciples? Te statement rises out

R
of a deep self-awareness.

I N N
Shinran never loo ed on these people or an one as his disci-

H SO
ples. He was incapable of entertaining such a thought. On the

R S
surface it ma indeed appear that he opened others’ e es to the

R
crucial question of their fate for eternit , got them to listen ear-

FO MB E
nestl to Buddhist teaching, and so saved them; but Shinran new
diferentl , better than an one else.

ME
I do not now good from evil
or right from wrong.
I lac the slightest merc or compassion,
et out of a desire for honor and wealth, I want to lead others. (Hymns of Compunction)

Although he is totall ignorant and unqualifed to stand above

others, sa s Shinran, in his lust for recognition and riches he craves
being owtowed to as teacher; he is depraved and despicable. Tis
is the heartfelt confession of one to whom it has been clearl revealed
that he is trapped within the desire for fame and fortune.
Lac ing the slightest merc or compassion,
I cannot presume to beneft others.
If not for the ship of Amida’s Vow, (Hymns of Lament and
how should an one cross the sea of tribulation? Reflection)

Shinran ma es it clear that he has not a mite of merc or compas-

sion, and so could never lead an one to salvation; the salvation of
62 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

humanit is possible onl due to Amida’s great compassion. Tis

is the anguished confession of one who sees clearl both his own
evil, h pocritical nature and the Primal Vow that never judges,
never forsa es.
Te painful sea of birth and death nows no bounds.
Long have we been sin ing in its waters.
Onl the ship of Amida’s universal Vow
will ta e us aboard and carr us across without fail. (Hymns on the Masters)

Had his followers listened to Buddhism and been saved—gained

certaint of birth in the land of infnite light78—due to Shinran’s 78 Te land of infnite
light: Te Pure Land.
eforts, then the could be called his disciples. But since all is the

AI
doing of Amida’s great compassion, declares Shinran, for him to

NK
call an one his disciple is out of the question.
Dipping into the stream, Shinran new its source. He under-

A LY
stood clearl that having his e es opened to the question of his

R
N N
ultimate fate, listening with an impassioned spirit to Buddhism,

I
H SO
and receiving true happiness in this life were all due to the great

S
wor ings of Amida Buddha. He new that through profound

R R
bonds we are all born into this world as human beings, we are all

FO MB E
ali e nurtured b Amida and enjo wal ing in his supreme Wa ,
and we are all brothers and sisters with no distinctions of high and

ME
low. Terefore Shinran reaches out to the whole human race as
famil and fellow travelers.
In an age of rigid class divisions, Shinran manifested burning love
for all man ind, inviting one and all to join him in the supreme Wa
with these words: “I, Shinran, do not have even a single disciple.”
 Close Translation of
Section VII of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 13
What Happens
When We Are Saved b Amida?

He of the nembutsu is on the path of no hindrance. (Tannisho, Section VII )

AI
K
Tis famous line from the opening of Section VII has been the

N
A LY
subject of much commentar . Te “path of no hindrance” is vari-

R
ousl interpreted as the “absolute path where no impediment

I N N
exists” or the “one and onl passagewa where nothing forms a

H SO
barrier,” but few people reall understand what it is all about.

R S
Two sentences later we read, “Such a one is unafected b an

R
recompense for evil, and be ond the reach of ever possible good.”

FO MB E
Some readers actuall ta e this to mean that those who sa the
nembutsu are free of feelings of guilt, or will escape an negative

ME
outcomes of their wrongdoing. Tis is a misinterpretation of the
“path of no hindrance.”
To grasp the concept correctl , we must begin b afrming
that the ultimate goal of Buddhism is birth in the Pure Land.
Terefore, the hindrance spo en of here means an thing that will
prevent, or interfere with, such birth. Once we are saved b Amida,
whatever evil we commit for whatever reason cannot possibl afect
the diamond faith 79 of absolute certaint of birth in the Pure 79Diamond faith: Faith
that is impervious to
Land. Tis is wh Tannisho asserts that “such a one is unafected an attac .
b an recompense for evil” and avows that “he of the nembutsu
is on the path of no hindrance.”
Wh is it that even if we commit evil, our birth in the Pure
Land is unhindered? Section I of Tannisho sa s this:
Nor is there an need to fear evil, since no evil can bloc the
wor ing of Amida’s Primal Vow.
 13 Clarifcation of Section VII of Tannisho 65

Once we have encountered Amida’s salvation, whatever sin we

ma commit, there is no fear that our sinfulness will eep us from
birth in the Pure Land. Tose saved b Amida’s Vow are flled with
a settled conviction that birth in the Pure Land is certain—a con-
viction that no evil can sha e. It is because nothing can destro or
interfere with the world of other-power faith, a world be ond
description, be ond explanation, and be ond understanding, that
Shinran proclaims it the “path of no hindrance.”
At the same time, no practice, however diligentl carried out,
can ield an outcome comparable to the wonder of this world,
which is of all recompenses “supreme in the universe of ten direc-
tions,” or greatest in the cosmos. Tis is wh Tannisho declares the
world of other-power faith “be ond the reach of ever possible

AI
good” and proclaims that “there can be no greater good than the

NK
nembutsu” (Section I).
Ten who is “he of the nembutsu”? Te expression might

R A LY
appear to include an and all who intone “Namu Amida Butsu,”

N N
but this is not so. Just as tears, though scientifcall the same, ma

I
H SO
represent sadness or frustration or jo , the nembutsu ma be spo-

S
en in man diferent states of mind. For example, the words

R R
could be uttered as a luc charm when passing a grave ard at

E
FO MB
night, as an expression of grief on the passing of a loved one, or as
a line of dialogue in a pla .

ME
Some see sa ing the nembutsu as frst among various good acts
(“foremost of m riad good acts”). To others it represents far and
awa the greatest good (“exceeding m riad good acts”) and so the
devote themselves to it exclusivel . Shinran, who laid primar
importance on the heart of the one sa ing the nembutsu, lumped
these together as “people of self-power nembutsu.” He distin-
guished them from those who are so full of happiness at their
salvation that the cannot help sa ing the nembutsu in an outpour-
ing of jo . Tese he called “people of other-power nembutsu”—
that is, people who sa the nembutsu through the power of
Amida’s Vow.
Shinran’s “he of the nembutsu” alwa s refers to the latter, one
who has been saved b Amida and so attained other-power faith.
Tis is made clear in the following sentence, where he rephrases it
as “the one who has true faith.” Once we gain other-power faith,
nothing can stand in the wa of our birth in the Pure Land. Tis
is wh Shinran proclaimed that “He of the nembutsu is on the
path of no hindrance.”
 Close Translation of
Section VIII of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 14
Te Great Faith and the Great Practice

Te nembutsu is, for the one who has true faith, not a practice or an act
of goodness. (Tannisho, Section VIII )

AI
NK
Section I of Tannisho afrms that “there can be no greater good

A LY
than the nembutsu,” and Section II that there is no path to birth

R
N N
in Paradise other than the nembutsu. Te reader might well

I
H SO
assume that because the nembutsu is the greatest good of all, it

S
should be said (“practiced”) as ofen as possible. Yet here in Sec-

R R
tion VIII we read the surprising news that for the one who has

FO MB E
true faith the nembutsu is not an act of goodness or a practice to
devote oneself to. What can Shinran mean b this? Te answer lies

ME
onl in a correct understanding of the phrase “one who has true
faith.”
“One who has true faith” means “one who is saved b Amida.”
Te nembutsu said b the saved is “other-power nembutsu,” where
the one sa ing the nembutsu is brought to do so completel
through Amida’s intense desire. Te nembutsu said b those not
saved b Amida is “self-power nembutsu,” where the one sa ing it
does so to eep from going to hell, hoping that Amida will save
him for his diligence in repeating “Namu Amida Butsu.” Such
people see the nembutsu as a practice or good act to be performed
for the purpose of salvation.
With other-power nembutsu, all such self-power judgment is
annihilated and the individual is brought to sa the nembutsu
through Amida’s powerful Vow. Other-power nembutsu is “not a
practice or an act of goodness” that the devotee underta es on his
own, out of prudence or discretion. Rather, it is a practice and a
 14 Clarifcation of Section VIII of Tannisho 69

good act that is bestowed on the devotee b Amida Buddha, and

so it is also nown as the Great Practice.
Shinran elaborates on this as follows:
Te Great Practice is to utter the Name of the Buddha of
Unimpeded Light. 80 Tis practice encompasses all good
deeds and contains all sources of merit. 81 It is a treasure-
flled ocean of merit, the onl truth, that flls the practi-
tioner to overfowing with exceeding swifness. Hence it is (Teaching, Practice,
called the Great Practice. Faith, Enlightenment)
Te Buddha of
80
To paraphrase: Te Great Practice is to sa the Name of Amida Unimpeded Light:
Buddha, “Namu Amida Butsu,” which contains all good acts and Amida Buddha.

I
all sources of merit. In the instant of belief 82 the Name becomes 81Merit: Happiness and

A
that which wor s to
one 83 with the devotee, flling him or her with great goodness and

K
bring about happiness.
merit; it is a vast ocean of treasure, the one and onl absolute

N
82Te split second

A LY
source of goodness and merit. Tis is wh becoming one with the when all doubt in

R
Amida’s Vow is
Name and sa ing it is called the Great Practice. eradicated.

I N
H SO N
Let us review some central points from Tannisho. Section I declares
that for Amida’s salvation, “the sole requirement is faith.” In Sec-
83 Inseparabl one, li e
fre and charcoal in

S
a live coal.
tion VI, this faith is stated to be “faith bestowed b Amida”—that

R R
is, other-power faith. We are instructed in the same section that

E
FO MB
reciting the nembutsu on receiving faith is something we do onl
through Amida’s strong desire: we sa the nembutsu “solel

ME
through the wor ing of Amida.” Te faith and the nembutsu that
we receive from Amida are trul the Great Faith and the Great
Practice.
Te great virtue of Namu Amida Butsu enters through the ears
and achieves oneness with us, spreads through our entire being
and pours out through the mouth, fowing bac into the great
treasure-flled ocean of Namu Amida Butsu.
Feelings, whether of happiness or loneliness, are neither sup-
port nor hindrance. Going further, the believer does not rel on
belief, and the practitioner does not rel on practice. Faith and
practice that are granted b Amida Buddha become one with the
incomprehensible sea of the Vow. Te heart that believes and the
heart that chants the nembutsu are ali e the wor ing of Namu
Amida Butsu alone. Tat power is what moves the believer; the
one of true faith is subject to that power. Tis is wh the teachings
of Shinran are called “absolute other-power.”
 Close Translation of
Section IX of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 15
“No Desire to Dance in Jo ”:
Shinran’s Lac of Jo Is Onl Half the Stor

“Even though I sa the nembutsu, no desire to dance with jo arises

within me, and neither do I wish to hasten to the Pure Land. What
could be the meaning of this?” I as ed the master this, and he replied,
“I have wondered that ver thing. And the same thought has come to
ou!”

AI (Tannisho, Section IX )

NK
R A LY
I N N
Some people sa outright that it’s no wonder the feel no jo ,

H SO
since Shinran said he had no jo in his heart, either. Te even go

R S
so far as to declare that rejoicing is wrong. Here we see another

R
peril of reading Tannisho.

FO MB E
Tis section records a conversation between Shinran and Yuien
that is prone to distortion for the ver reason that the statements

ME
in it are so eas to identif with. It contains turns of phrase that
allow people to s mpathiee with Shinran and convenientl justif
the lac of penitence and jo in their own faith on grounds that
the inabilit to rejoice is onl natural.
Yuien confessed, “I sa the nembutsu, et I feel no jo that
ma es me want to get up and dance. I feel no desire to go quic l
to the Pure Land, either. How could this be?” Shinran’s repl to
this fran unburdening is straightforward: “I have as ed m self
that ver question. Te same thought has come to ou, has it!”
Shinran’s admission is the penitence of one who is saved b
Amida; it has nothing whatever to do with the discontent of phon
believers who, lac ing penitence and jo , pride themselves on
their jo less state. He continues:
“Even though our ties are cut to the worlds of sufering where
we have wandered for innumerable lifetimes, and we are saved
into a vast realm, we feel no jo ; we are perfdious and utterl
 15 Clarifcation of Section IX of Tannisho 73

be ond salvation. Isn’t it true, Yuien? What a comfort it is to now

that even as I am, I am Amida’s onl child!”
Recover from serious ph sical illness brings happiness. How
much greater must be the jo of someone who, lac ing hope of
salvation at an time, from the limitless past and on into the future,
is flled to overfowing with happiness that is “unnamable, inexpli-
cable, inconceivable,” as he is brought level with Miro u84 and made 84Miro u, “the Buddha
of the future,” is at the
the virtual equal of all the buddhas in the universe! Naturall such highest spiritual stage
a person should feel li e dancing for jo in heaven and on earth. but one, just short of
buddhahood.
What prevents this is the worldl passions that blind us with
desire and attachment. Maddened with these passions, utterl
ungrateful, the one who is saved can do nothing but feel contri-

I
tion for his evil nature. Shinran put it this wa in Teaching, Prac-

A
tice, Faith, Enlightenment :

K
N
How grievous! As I, most foolish Shinran, am swallowed in

R A LY
the vast sea of lust and troubled b the great mountain of
[desire for] fame and wealth, I neither rejoice in having

I N
H SO N 85
become one of the trul settled nor ta e pleasure in nearing 85 Te trul settled:
Tose who have been

S
the realieation of Buddha’s enlightenment. How shameful! saved in this life b

R
How sad!

R
Amida into absolute

E
happiness, becoming

FO MB
Some have criticieed these sentiments as self-tormenting, but assured of attaining
buddhahood whenever
surel the come from the heart. Yet behind this contrition lies life comes to an end.

ME
jo , as we can see in this quote from later in Section IX:
And et Buddha new this beforehand and called us “foolish
beings made of blind passions.” Tus, nowing that the
compassionate Vow of other-power is for us, who are such
beings, we fnd it all the more trustworth .
In the distant past, Amida Buddha made his Vow in full nowl-
edge that ever human being is nothing but a mass of blind pas-
sions. What can we do but feel profound gratitude? Again in the
epilogue to Tannisho, Shinran’s jo rings out:
Pondering the Vow of Amida, which rose from fve alpas
of contemplation, I realiee it was entirel for me, Shinran
alone. I am profoundl grateful for the Primal Vow through
which Amida resolved to save me, laden as I am with
unfathomable evil arma.
Trough untold aeons of deep deliberation, Amida wor ed out
the Primal Vow. Its meaning is brought home to me through
74 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

refection, and I see that it was all for m sa e alone. How than -
ful I am for the Primal Vow, which Amida bestirred himself to
ma e for m salvation, burdened as I am with evil and sin be ond
rec oning!
It is precisel because he new this profound jo that Shinran
said contritel , in full awareness of his blind obstinac , “I have
wondered that ver thing. And the same thought has come to
ou!”
People who have never crossed the threshold of Buddhism ma
ta e a narrow perspective—the ma “loo at the s through the
e e of a needle,” as the proverb goes—and defantl maintain that
jo lessness is onl to be expected, but Shinran’s admission belongs

I
in a completel diferent dimension. Tose who have not encoun-

A
K
tered Amida’s salvation are naturall impenitent and jo less; how

N
could it be otherwise?

R A LY
Te worldl passions also explain wh we have no desire to
hasten to the Pure Land, and wh when we sufer an ph sical

I N N
ailment we wonder forlornl if we will die. Although we live in a

H SO
S
realm of continual sufering, where we have been transmigrating

R
since ages past until now, that realm has become as dear to us as

R E
FO MB
an old home; we feel no longing for the Pure Land of peace, nor
an desire to go there quic l . Tis is our true nature.
Te blind passions rage li e a storm. Seeing their efects flls

ME
one with renewed assurance that Amida’s Vow was for oneself
alone, bringing home with even greater force the certaint of birth
in the Pure Land. Tat is the meaning of Shinran’s declaration,
“Knowing this, we fnd his Vow of great compassion all the more
trustworth , and realiee that our birth in the Pure Land is settled.”
Te more we come to see our inherent self as it reall is—numb,
unable to rejoice when it should—the more compelled we are to
exult in the wonder of salvation.
Shinran explained it using this analog :
Hindrances of sin become the substance of merit.
It is just as with ice and water:
Te greater the ice, the greater the water.
Te greater the hindrance, the greater the virtue. (Hymns on the Masters)

Amida’s salvation melts the recalcitrant ice of blind passions (“sin”)

into the water of the jo of salvation (“virtue”). Te greater the
ice, the greater the water; thus the ver Shinran who is the vilest
 15 Clarifcation of Section IX of Tannisho 75

and most depraved of sinners is indeed the happiest, most blessed

being alive.
In this analog , ice is the heart that should rejoice but cannot
(bonno, or blind passions), and water is the jo (bodai) of feeling
“his Vow of great compassion [to be] all the more trustworth ,”
and of nowing “that our birth in the Pure Land is settled.” Te
wonder of having one’s inexhaustible blind passions brought to

contained in the Buddhist phrases bonno soku bodai (“passion

turns to virtue”) and ten’aku jozen (“evil turns to good”).
Te more clearl Shinran sees his lac of a jo ful mind, the
more deepl he rejoices in his salvation. Tis is the great sea

AI
of faith—the world of faith that is granted b Amida Buddha,

K
a world where mind and words fail: “It is onl inconceivable,

N
(Teaching, Practice,
unnamable, inexplicable faith.” Shinran is flled to overfowing

A LY
Faith, Enlightenment)
with praise and devotion.

I NR N
S H SO
R E R
FO MB
ME
 Close Translation of
Section X of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 16
What Is “Namu Amida Butsu”?

Te concept of the nembutsu is no-concept, for it is unnamable, inex-

plicable, inconceivable. So said the master. (Tannisho, Section X )

AI
NK
Te word “nembutsu” appears so ofen in Tannisho that man

A LY
people are under the impression that the need onl sa the

R
N N
nembutsu and the will be saved—but that is a mista e. Section

I
H SO
I, in which the entire boo is encapsulated, states plainl that “the

S
sole requirement is faith.” Terefore, all subsequent mention of

R R
the nembutsu needs to be understood as appl ing to those who

FO MB E
have alread gained faith.
As we have seen, Shinran refers to the nembutsu spo en b

ME
those who are saved b Amida—those who have gained faith—as
“other-power nembutsu.” Te nembutsu described here in Sec-
tion X as “the concept of no-concept,” too, is clearl other-power
nembutsu.
Difering interpretations of this opening phrase have been
ofered b various commentators. Tese include: “the correct
understanding of the nembutsu is that it cannot be understood”;
“the purpose of no purpose”; “the logic of no logic”; “the inten-
tion of Buddha to free humanit from distorted thin ing.” In
fact, the word here translated as “concept” means human calcula-
tion—all our doubts, deliberations, imaginings, and nowledge
having to do with Amida’s Vow.
“I sa the nembutsu gratefull and live a life flled with grati-
tude, so surel nothing bad will happen to me.”
“I sa the nembutsu so much that surel I won’t go to a bad
place when I die.”
 16 Clarifcation of Section X of Tannisho 79

“I believe in Amida, so I’ll be all right when I die.”

“I can’t help m self in this life, but when I die, surel Amida
will save me.”
“Sa ing the nembutsu doesn’t move me. I wonder if ever thing
is all right.”
“M heart is wic ed, but Amida nows all about it, so I needn’t
worr .”
“I wonder if it’s true that just sa ing the nembutsu is enough?”
Tere is no end to such examples, all of which are the expression
of the mind that doubts Amida’s Vow. Such calculation derives
from the mind of self-power. So long as this self-power mind exists,
we cannot possibl encounter Amida’s salvation or enter into the

AI
realm of other-power.

K
Shinran instructs us, “Abandon self-power. Te intention to do

N
so is also self-power, so abandon that as well.” His teaching holds

A LY
frm on this point. He insists that we abandon self-power and

NR N
enter other-power.

I
H SO
“No-concept” is the state in which all trace of the mind of self-

S
power has vanished or been purged. Tis is wh Shinran said that

R R
“the concept of the nembutsu is no-concept” and that other-power

FO MB E
nembutsu, being the nembutsu of a mind purged of self-power
(imaginings and deliberations about Amida’s Vow) is “unnamable,

ME
inexplicable, inconceivable.”
Amida Buddha created “Namu Amida Butsu” to realiee his
Vow to save all beings into absolute happiness. Namu Amida
Butsu is nown as “the Name.” To understand the need for the
Name, let us use an analog from the medical world. Te mere
existence of principles for curing illness cannot save patients’ lives.
Te principles must be discovered, and a ph sician must prepare
medicine based on them. “Namu Amida Butsu” can be thought
of as a ph sic (miracle drug) created b the ph sician Amida
Buddha, the expression of his compassionate desire to ta e awa
the sufering of the human race and give lasting happiness to all.
Each human mind is deepl defled from untold ages past and
lac ing a grain of truth, unable to free itself from sufering. Ta ing
pit on the human condition, stirred b a passionate desire to save
human ind Amida spent unimaginabl long aeons disciplining
mind and bod with utmost fervor. What emerged is the cr stal-
lieation of all virtue (goodness) in the universe: the Name “Namu
Amida Butsu.”
80 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

In Teaching, Practice, Faith, Enlightenment, Shinran explains

the origin of the Name as follows:
Te sea of all sentient beings, from time immemorial until
this ver da and hour, is polluted with evil and lac ing in
a mind of purit ; it is false and deceitful, lac ing in a mind
of truth. Te Tathagata86 felt sorrow and compassion for 86Tathagata is one who
has attained buddha-
the sea of beings in afiction, and while for unimaginable hood. Here the refer-
aeons on end he carried out bodhisattva practices, not for a ence is to Amida
Buddha.
moment or an instant was his practice in the three modes
tainted or lac ing in sincerit . With purit of mind he
brought about the realieation of the perfect, unhindered,

I
inconceivable, unnamable, inexplicable supreme virtue.

A
NK
To paraphrase: Te human heart, from ages past till now, has been
and is stained with wic edness and lac ing in purit ; it contains

A LY
nothing but falsehoods and drivel, with not an ounce of truth.

R
N N
Amida Buddha was saddened and moved to pit b the sufering

I
H SO
and afiction of all beings. In his desire to save them, for a mind-

S
bendingl long time he maintained absolute purit of thought,

R R
speech, and action. With that pure and sincere mind he devoted

FO MB E
himself with all his might to discipline, bringing about the per-
fect, supreme virtue that cannot be named or explained or imag-

ME
ined: Namu Amida Butsu.

Renn o explained it in simple terms.

“Namu Amida Butsu” is written with onl six Chinese char-
acters, so it seems unli el to possess an great virtue. Yet
the virtue that lies within this six-character Name is supreme (The Letters, Fascicle 5,
and profound, without limit. Letter 13)

Te Name “Namu Amida Butsu” is so short and simple that no

one would suspect it of having great power, et it has the great
facult of conferring absolute happiness on us. Te power of
Namu Amida Butsu is as vast as the s .
In a split second Amida Buddha bestows on us the Name
“Namu Amida Butsu” so that we become one with it, a state
nown as “oneness with Buddha” (the mind of Amida Buddha
and the mind of the believer form a single entit ) or “complete
acquisition of Buddha’s wisdom” (receiving into oneself the full
virtue of the universe).
 16 Clarifcation of Section X of Tannisho 81

Shinran expressed his direct experience of this state in a h mn:

If an one in this evil, corrupt world
has faith in the Vow of Amida,
unnamable, inexplicable, inconceivable
blessing flls his being. (Hymns on the Masters)

An one at all who believes in the Primal Vow of Amida (receives

Namu Amida Butsu) brims over with happiness be ond speech or
understanding. Shinran is sa ing that just such blessing flls his
own being.
Fusion of the believer and Namu Amida Butsu—the Name
whose virtue is unnamable, inexplicable, and inconceivable—is

AI
faith that is unnamable, inexplicable, and inconceivable. No won-

K
der Shinran said that the nembutsu that pours from the believer’s

N
lips is itself unnamable, inexplicable, and inconceivable!

A LY
Te nembutsu is Amida Buddha’s wisdom, which begars

NR N
human understanding. Tis is wh Shinran said, “Te concept of

I
H SO
the nembutsu is no-concept.”

R S R
FO MB E
ME
 Close Translation of
the Epilogue of Tannisho

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 17
Te Realit of Self-Power
and the Ocean of Other-Power Faith

Concerning good and evil ali e I now nothing at all. (Tannisho, Epilogue)

AI
NK
“I don’t now the frst thing about good and evil. It’s be ond me.”

R A LY
A statement li e this from Shinran ma es us doubt our ears. Based
on this, some would even question his ftness to teach Buddhism.

I N N
But when ou thin about it, are our concepts of good and evil

H SO
reall immutabl valid?

R S
Concepts of good and bad var from one culture to another and

R
E
can shif over time within the same culture. In Japan, for example,

FO MB
it’s worse to be labeled a thief than a coward, but in the United
States “coward” bears a greater stigma. In Japan a punch is worse

ME
punishment than a slap, but in the West a slap is more humiliating.
And in prewar Japan the slogan of the da was umeyo fuyaseyo
(“bear children, swell the population!”), but nowada s an one
with a large famil receives expressions of s mpath . In fact, the
decline in Japan’s birthrate has become so extreme that the govern-
ment and corporations are engaged in feverish eforts to support
oung parents.
Over time, people and policies once hailed as good ofen fall
into disfavor. In the past, those who expanded their nation’s terri-
tor were hailed as heroes, but toda the are denigrated as
invaders. In feudal Japan, d ing for one’s lord or militar ruler was
revered as an expression of chu or lo alt to one’s superior, the
paramount samurai virtue, but from the late nineteenth centur
on the term was used onl in connection with d ing for the
emperor, and nowada s man Japanese have never even heard of
 17 Clarifcation of the Epilogue of Tannisho (1 of 2) 85

it. Until the end of World War II, phrases li e shuken zaimin
(“sovereignt resides in the populace”) and roshi byodo (“equalit
of labor and management”) were taboo, seen as expressing dan-
gerousl democratic ideals, and an one uttering them was liable
to be thrown in prison as a subversive or a Communist. But in
toda ’s Japan, the emperor and the laborer are ostensibl equal. In
some countries, a change of administration means a new constitu-
tion and general amnest for prisoners, impeachment and convic-
tion for esterda ’s power holders. In this wa , a nation’s values are
ofen turned on their head with the passage of time.
Even in the same place and time, opinions on right and wrong
do not alwa s coincide, but show great variation. Te Japanese

AI
Supreme Court is composed of ffeen veteran justices whose ver-

K
dicts are seldom if ever unanimous, more ofen coming down

N
10–5 or 7–8. Te same phenomenon occurs in courts around the

A LY
world. Justices each bring a unique perspective and set of impres-

NR
sions to their examination of the same briefs, and so disagree on

I N
H SO
whether the verdict should be guilt or not guilt —in essence,

S
good or evil.

R
Saving lives, can cause sufering to others. Te Great Hanshin

R E
FO MB
Earthqua e of 1995 was followed b a rash of suicides among the
elderl —people rescued from the rubble of their collapsed homes
onl to lament later on that, having lost ever thing the cher-

ME
ished, the would rather have perished in the fames. Daring res-
cues, which too place on the unquestioned assumption that
saving lives is alwa s good, ma exemplif good intentions gone
astra .
Honest is another cherished value but sometimes telling the
truth can be brutal:
“Your bab loo s li e a mon e .”
“Ever one will be relieved when ou die.”
“I onl married ou for our mone .”
Being entirel open can cause torment to others.
Shinran said, “I don’t now the frst thing about good and evil.
It’s be ond me.” Renn o, too, when as ed wh Shinran did a cer-
tain thing the wa he did, replied this wa :
I don’t now either, but even concerning things we do not
now ou should bear in mind that we follow what Master (The Words of Rennyo
Heard and Recorded
Shinran has done. During His Lifetime)
86 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

Our notions of good and evil are based on moral standards that
are in constant fux according to the time, place, and person. Yet
we ma e self-righteous, infexible, arrogant protestations li e these:
“M wa of thin ing is right.”
“I at least now right from wrong.”
“I refuse to believe what I cannot accept.”
We ta e the same superior attitude even toward Amida Buddha’s
Primal Vow. We will believe the Vow once we are satisfed that it
is good and right, we thin , and not until then. Shinran chides
the foolishness of all our attempts to weigh Amida’s unnamable,
inexplicable, inconceivable Primal Vow, in these words:

AI
No one, not even Miro u Bodhisattva, could fathom the
wisdom of Buddha.
(Lamp for the Latter

K
Age)

N
When not even the bodhisattva Miro u, who is one step awa

A LY
from the enlightenment of a buddha, can comprehend or imagine

NR N
the wonders of Amida’s Vow, how can ordinar , foolish humans

I
H SO
hope to understand Amida’s peerless wisdom?

S
Once one is saved and embraced b Amida’s unnamable, inex-

R R
plicable, inconceivable Primal Vow, self-power—the mind that,

FO MB E
obsessed with good and evil, tries to fathom the Vow—is purged.
Te believer is then neither desirous of good nor fearful of evil.

ME
Shinran’s admission that “Concerning good and evil ali e I now
nothing at all” is none other than an expression of this great sea of
faith.87 87Te world of other-
power faith received
from Amida Buddha.
 18
Te Universal Purpose of Life

In this world as feeting and unstable as a burning house, inhabited b

human beings beset b worldl passions, all is idleness and foolishness,
utterl devoid of truth. Onl the nembutsu is true. (Tannisho, Epilogue)

AI
NK
Shinran’s statement above is sweeping. Trul , ever thing in this
world is idle and foolish, without a particle of truth. Tannisho

R A LY
repeatedl ofers statements that den the value of all human enter-

N N
prise—antisocial, anti-moral statements that violate common

I
H SO
sense. But all reveal true faith.

S
Some nonreligious people are disgruntled b the word “faith,”

R R
feeling that it has no connection to them. But we all have faith.

E
FO MB
Broadl spea ing, “faith” does not appl onl to belief in the
supernatural. We have faith in our life, for example, believing we

ME
will live to see tomorrow, or in our health, believing we have ears
of health life ahead of us. Husbands and wives, parents and chil-
dren have faith in one another. People place faith in wealth and
possessions, or in honor and status. Marxists are people who
believe in the ideal of a Communist societ . What each of us
believes in is up to us, but life is impossible without believing in
something. Since living is believing, no one can be completel
lac ing in faith.
Te betra al of faith brings swif pain. Loss of health means
ph sical sufering; a sweetheart’s betra al means the agon of a
bro en heart. Men and women crushed b the death of a spouse,
parents anguished b the loss of a child, people whose wealth and
good name lie in ashes—all ali e exist in a dar vale of tears where
the light of faith has gone out. Te stronger our faith, the more we
sufer and rage at its betra al.
Our lives are a dail strugle, et we were not born into this
88 PART TWO A Guide to Tannisho

world to sufer. Tat is not wh we live. Ultimatel , the sole and

universal purpose of our lives is to see lasting jo and ma e it
ours. Surel , then, we ought to loo with the greatest of care into
the genuineness of what it is we place our faith in. To what extent
do we in fact ponder whether the things we trust are worth of
that trust or not?
Earthqua es, t phoon, lightning, fre, murder, injur , thef, ill-
ness, accidents, the deaths of loved ones, failure in business, la -
ofs: we live in a fragile world where an thing ma happen, an
time. “Te prosperous must decline,” remind the magisterial
opening lines of the medieval epic The Tale of the Heike. All at the
summit of glor are heading for a fall. Li ewise, the Buddhist

AI
sa ing “those who meet must part” reminds us that the jo of
meeting is alwa s followed b the sadness of farewell. Even if we

NK
overcome one trouble, we still live in an unstead world where

R A LY
hopes and trust are endlessl betra ed. In vivid language, Shinran
warns us that we inhabit a “world as feeting and unstable as a

I N
burning house.”

H SO N
Tough we ma manage somehow to escape natural disasters

R S
and sic ness, no one can escape the fnalit of death. What hap-

R
E
pens when we stand at death’s door? Wealth and fame fade as

FO MB
swifl as a fash of lightning. In the face of death, the greatest
ruler is stripped of all authorit , and no und ing light meets the

ME
e e. To those who still persist in the delusion that what the
believe in will last forever, Shinran’s words resound li e might
thunder: “All is idleness and foolishness, utterl devoid of truth.”
Tere are no exceptions.
Time and again it has happened that a respected communit
leader, someone who counsels others on the dignit of life and
exhorts people not to die but to live on with strength and courage,
sends shoc waves through societ b suddenl hanging himself.
Te suicides of the famous, meanwhile, tend somehow to be
glamorieed. But unless the solemn purpose of life is understood,
even debates over the right and wrong of suicide are themselves
mere “idleness and foolishness.”
Living in a world such as this is li e dancing on a live volcano.
Te impulse to escape the anxiet of such an existence b choosing
death is not incomprehensible. Against this bac ground, Shinran’s
grand pronouncement stands out all the more:
“Onl the nembutsu is true.”
 18 Clarifcation of the Epilogue of Tannisho (2 of 2) 89

His voice calls to us: “Ever one! Gain the endless jo of life found
in being frml clasped, never to be abandoned, and sa the
nembutsu: there is no ultimate reason wh ou have been born as
a human being but this.”
Enormous efort and man tears went into the writing of
Tannisho, solel to transmit this one message that Shinran preached
throughout his ninet ears of life.

AI
NK
R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
ME
 Glossary

Amida; Amida Buddha: Te Japanese pronunciation of the name of the buddha Amitābha
[Infnite Light] or Amitā us [Infnite Life]. (Troughout this boo , we have opted to use the
Japanese version of his name, rather than the Sans rit.) Amida is supreme among the
innumerable buddhas in the cosmos, all of whom achieved buddhahood through his power.
See also Primal Vow.

birth (ojo): Amida’s salvation. Composed of characters meaning “to go” and “to be born.”
Shinran taught that the word has two meanings:
1) futaishitsu ojo (literall , “salvation without loss of the bod ”): being saved b Amida into

AI
absolute happiness in this life.

K
2) taishitsu ojo (literall , “salvation with loss of the bod ”): going to Amida’s Pure Land at the

N
moment of death and being reborn as a buddha.

A LY
I R
blind passions; worldly passions (bonno): Lust, anger, jealous , and other delusions of the

N N
heart that trouble and torment us. Buddhism teaches that the human being is an agregate

H SO
of 108 blind passions; all humans are made of these passions, and nothing else.

S
R E R
bodhisattva: See er of true happiness; one who is striving to attain the enlightenment of a

FO MB
buddha.

ME
buddha: One who has attained the highest level of enlightenment in the cosmos. Buddhism
teaches that there are ff -two levels of enlightenment, the highest of which is called the
“enlightenment of a buddha.” Te onl human being on this earth ever to achieve supreme
enlightenment was Śā amuni. Buddhism further teaches that the cosmos contains innu-
merable worlds similar to ours, with as man buddhas as there are grains of sand in the
Ganges.

buddhahood: Te enlightenment of a buddha. Te highest of the ff -two levels of enlightenment.

Buddhism of sages (Shodo Buddhism): Tendai, Shingon, Zen, and other forms of Buddhism
in which devotees see to attain enlightenment through ascetic practices.

cycle of birth and death; transmigration:Buddhism teaches that from ages past, each of us has
been born and reborn countless times in a m riad of life forms. Just as a wheel eeps turning
without end, so all beings travel endlessl bac and forth among the various worlds of illu-
sion, in constant sufering. Buddhism teaches that becoming free of this c cle is the ultimate
purpose of human life.
 92

expedient: Essential means of leading people to the truth.

false teachings; heresy: In the context of Buddhism, this means teachings that go against the
law of arma. See also law of arma.

four modes of birth: Te four possible wa s that a sentient being ma be born. Tese are:
1) birth from a womb; 2) birth from an eg; 3) birth from moisture; and 4) birth b sud-
den appearance. Te phrase “four modes of birth” is used to refer to all sentient beings.

AI
Honen (1133–1212): Te founder of the Pure Land School of Buddhism (Jodo Shu), and

K
Shinran’s teacher. Known for his profound learning and saintliness, he was widel revered as

N
Japan’s premier Buddhist scholar.

A LY
I R
Hymn of True Faith (Shoshinge): A poem b Shinran in classical Chinese encapsulating his

N N
teachings on true faith.

S H SO
Hymns on the Pure Land (Jodo wasan): Poems b Shinran in praise of Amida Buddha and his

R
Pure Land.

E R
FO MB
Kakunyo (1270–1351): Shinran’s descendant and a prominent master of True Pure Land Bud-

ME
dhism who faithfull transmitted the teachings of Shinran.

kalpa: Said to be a period of 432,000,000 ears, “ alpa” is used to refer to an inconceivabl

long expanse of time.

Lamp for the Latter Age (Mattosho): A collection of Shinran’s letters and sa ings.

law of karma; law of cause and effect: Te universal truth, woven through all Buddhist doc-
trine, that our good actions bring us good results (happiness), and, conversel , that our bad
actions bring us bad results (unhappiness, disaster). Tis law dictates that ever thing that
happens to us—good or bad—is determined b our own actions. Tese actions include
actions of the mind (thoughts), actions of the mouth (speech), and actions of the bod
(behavior).

Letters, The (Gobunsho): A collection of letters written b Renn o, consisting of eight letters
in fve fascicles.
 Glossar 93

mind of self-power (jiriki no kokoro):Te human mind that see s to resolve the crucial matter
of the aferlife. It is the mind that endeavors to earn salvation through good deeds rather
than through reliance solel on Amida. It refers to doubts or deliberations about Amida
Buddha’s Vow.

Mount Hiei: Te site where Shinran practiced the Buddhism of the sages for twent ears. A
mountain on the border between K oto and Shiga prefectures; site of the head temple of the
Tendai sect of Buddhism.

Name (myogo): Te six-character “Namu Amida Butsu”（南無阿弥陀仏） , which manifests

I
Amida Buddha’s vast compassion. Trough the Name, Amida Buddha expressed his com-

A
K
passion in a form that human beings’ fnite minds can apprehend. It is the embodiment of

N
truth that removes sufering for all people and grants eternal happiness.

R A LY
nembutsu: Recitation of the words “Namu Amida Butsu.”

I N N
other-power —:Te nembutsu that is spo en through the wor ing of Amida Buddha. An

H SO
expression of gratitude for the salvation granted b Amida. See also other-power.

R S
self-power —:Te nembutsu that is spo en through one’s own eforts. See also self-power.

R
FO MB E
Nichiren (1222–82): Founder of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism, which emphasiees the Lotus
Sutra as the supreme scripture. Nichiren was a vocal opponent of Pure Land beliefs.

ME
Nirvana: Te Sans rit term “Nirvana” literall means “extinguishment” (of worldl passions).
In the context of True Pure Land Buddhism, it refers to the same level of enlightenment as
Amida Buddha.

other-power (tariki): Te power of Amida Buddha (and nothing else). Te wor ing of his
great compassion.

other-power faith (tariki no shinjin): Completel unli e ordinar faith, the faith which Shinran
taught is the gif of Amida Buddha, and so is called “other-power faith.” It is also nown
as “twofold revelation” and “true faith.” Shinran preached nothing but other-power faith.
See also twofold revelation.

path of no hindrance (muge no ichido): Absolute happiness. Te state of mind of one who has
been saved b Amida.
 94

Primal Vow; Amida’s Vow; the Vow (hongan): Amida Buddha vowed to save all sentient beings
into absolute happiness without fail.

Pure Land; Paradise (jodo; gokuraku): Te world of bliss inhabited b Amida Buddha, in
which there is no sufering.

Pure Land Buddhism (Jodo Shu): A school of Buddhism founded in Japan b Honen. Based
on the Larger Sutra of Infnite Life, the Sutra of Contemplation on the Buddha of Infnite
Life, and the Amida Sutra, it teaches salvation b Amida Buddha. Afer Honen’s death, Pure

AI
Land Buddhism split into several sects.

NK
Rennyo (1415–99): Shinran’s descendant and a prominent master of True Pure Land Bud-

R A LY
dhism. Trough his letters (collected as Gobunsho [Te Letters]) and sermons, he transmitted
Shinran’s teachings faithfull to a vast number of people across Japan, bringing about a

I N N
revival of this school. He wrote a warning to the reader at the end of Tannisho and also was

H SO
responsible for placing the text under seal.

R S R
E
Śākyamuni (ca. 560–480 BC): Te founder of Buddhism. He was born the son of a ing in

FO MB
Nepal, but at the age of twent -nine he lef home in search of lasting happiness. He achieved
supreme enlightenment at the age of thirt -fve and became a buddha. From then until his

ME
death at age eight , he preached the grace and compassion of Amida.

self-power (jiriki): See mind of self-power.

sentient beings: See four modes of birth.

Shan-tao (613–81): A mon who was one of the most important fgures in Pure Land Bud-
dhism in China and who helped to develop Pure Land teachings.

Shinran (1173–1263): Founder of the True Pure Land school of Buddhism. A disciple of
Honen. Te frst Buddhist mon to openl eat meat and marr , he taught true Buddhism
through which all people—not just mon s in mountaintop monasteries—can be saved. At
age 35, banished from K oto in a clampdown b authorities, he declared himself “neither
mon nor la man.” His life was devoted to teaching about Amida’s Vow. His main wor is
the monumental Kyogoshinsho [Teaching, Practice, Faith, Enlightenment].
 Glossar 95

six realms of suffering: Te realms of delusion through which sentient beings transmigrate.
Specifcall : hell (the world of extreme agon ); the world of hungr ghosts (insatiable desire);
the world of animals (the law of the jungle); the world of asuras (perpetual combat); the
world of human beings (a mixture of pain and pleasure); and the world of celestial beings
(ample pleasure that does not last).

sutras: Sermons delivered b Śā amuni during the fort -fve ears between his attainment

AI
of Buddhist enlightenment at age thirt -fve and his death at eight , as recorded b his

K
disciples.

N
A LY
Teaching, Practice, Faith, Enlightenment (Kyogyoshinsho) : Shinran’s magnum opus, which he

R
carefull refned throughout his life.

I N
H SO N
True Pure Land Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu): Te teachings of Shinran, who learned the teachings

R S
of Pure Land Buddhism from Honen. Although Honen had over 380 disciples, few under-

R
stood his teachings correctl , which is wh afer his death the school split into fve sects.

FO MB E
Shinran had no intention of setting up a new school of Buddhism, and established True
Pure Land Buddhism solel to transmit his master’s teachings faithfull . Tis sect thus con-

ME
tains no new teachings unique to Shinran, but continues the orthodox tradition of Pure
Land Buddhism.

true settlement (shojo): Salvation b Amida, in this life, to the ff -frst of the ff -two stages
of enlightenment. To become clearl settled in this life to attain buddhahood; absolute
happiness.

twofold revelation: Faith that is be ond ordinar comprehension, in which the self that cannot
be saved and the self that is saved are simultaneousl and continuousl revealed without a
shadow of doubt.

Yuien (1222–89) : One of the leading disciples of Shinran. Believed to be the author of Tannisho.
 Bibliography

Shinran. Hitanjukkai wasan [H mns of Lament and Refection]. In Shinshu shogo zensho [Te Sacred
Literatures of Shin Buddhism], Vol. 2. Edited b Shinshu Shog o Zensho Hensanjo. K oto: O agi
Kobundo, 1941. A collection of sixteen poems expressing sorrow over the author’s own evil.
———. Jodo wasan [H mns on the Pure Land]. In Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 2. A collection of 188
poems in praise of Amida Buddha and his Pure Land.
———. Koso wasan [H mns on the Masters]. In Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 2. A collection of 119
poems in praise of the seven masters in India, China, and Japan who faithfull taught Amida’s Vow,
ta ing them up in historical order and introducing their contributions to Pure Land teachings.

AI
———. Kyogoshinsho [Teaching, Practice, Faith, Enlightenment]. In Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 2. Te
author’s master wor , containing all of his teachings. Afer fnishing a rough draf in his earl ffies,

K
Shinran continued to refne it for the rest of his life, editing and amending it.

N
A LY
———. Mattosho [Lamp for the Latter Age]. In Shinshu shiryo shusei [Te Collected Texts of Shin Bud-

R
dhism], Vol. 1. Edited b Mitsu u i Ishida and Jor u Chiba. K oto: Dohosha, 1974. A collection of

I N N
the letters and words of Shinran.

H SO
———. Ondokusan [Song of Amida’s Grace and Virtue]. In Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 2. A poem on

R S
the author’s indebtedness to Amida and to the teachers who led him to salvation.

R
E
———. Shoshinge [H mn of True Faith]. In Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 2. A poem in classical Chinese

FO MB
encapsulating the author’s teachings on salvation.
———. Shozomatsu wasan [H mns on the Tree Ages]. In Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 2. A collection of

ME
poems teaching that Amida’s Vow is the sole path to salvation.
———. Yuishin sho mon’i [Notes on “Essentials of Faith Alone”]. In Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 2.
A commentar on “Essentials of Faith Alone” b Sei a u.
———. Zangi wasan [H mns of Compunction]. In Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 2. A pair of poems at
the end of the author’s Hymns on the Three Ages (Shozomatsu wasan).

Ka un o. Godensho [Te Biograph ]. In Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 3. Edited b Shinshu Shog o Zensho
Hensanjo. K oto: O agi Kobundo, 1941. A life of Shinran written b his great-grandson.
———. Gaijasho [Notes Rectif ing Heres ]. In Shinshu shiryo shusei, Vol. 1. A treatise correcting false
doctrine and revealing the true teaching.

Renn o. Gobunsho [Te Letters]. In Shinshu shiryo shusei, Vol. 2. Edited b Osamu Katata. K oto:
Dohosha, 1977. A collection of eight letters in fve fascicles. Tese lucid writings helped to dissemi-
nate Shinran’s teachings throughout Japan.

Rennyo shonin goichidaiki kikigaki [Te Words of Renn o Heard and Recorded During His Lifetime]. In
Shinshu shogo zensho, Vol. 5. Edited b Shinshu Shog o Zensho Hensanjo. K oto: O agi Kobundo,
1941. A record of the sa ings, homilies, and deeds of Renn o. Author un nown.
 Map of Places That Appear in the Text

RUSSIA

CHINA

NORTH Sea of Japan

KOREA
To o
SOUTH

I
KOREA
JAPAN

K A
N
A LY
Pacific Ocean

R
0 500 1000 m

I N N
0 200 400 600 miles

S H SO Sado Province

R E R
FO MB Sea of Japan

ME
Echigo Province

Hitachi Province

Kanto district
Ho i Province To o
Mt. Hiei
K oto Ieu Province
Bingo Province
Nara

Pacifc Ocean
Tosa Province
0 200 400 m

0 100 200 250 miles

 Timeline of the Development of Pure Land Buddhism

Japanese History World History

942 Genshin, author of Essentials of Birth

in the Pure Land, is born in Nara.

1020 Murasa i Shi ibu’s The Tale of Genji

appears and is one of the world’s frst
nown novels.

AI
K
1133 Honen, founder of the Pure Land

N
School of Buddhism, is born in the

A LY
western region of Japan.

I NR N
H SO
1173 Shinran is born in Kyoto.

S
1175 Honen founds the Pure Land School.

R R
1180 Genpei War (–85).

E
FO MB
1181 Shinran enters the priesthood at Mount
Hiei.

ME
1185 Establishment of the Kama ura
Shogunate, the beginning of a two-tier
power s stem shared between the
emperor, with his imperial court, and
samurai leaders.

1201 Shinran encounters Honen and, through

Amida’s Vow, achieves the purpose of
life. He then becomes Honen’s disciple.
1203 Shinran breaks with Buddhist monastic
traditions of vegetarianism and celibacy
by eating fish and taking a wife.
1204 Te Siege of Constantinople in the
Fourth Crusade and the decline of the
B eantine Empire.
1207 Exile of Honen and Shinran.
1215 King John of England seals the Magna
Carta.
 Timeline of the Development of Pure Land Buddhism 99

Japanese History World History

1256 Shinran disowns Zenran, his first-born

son.
1263 Shinran dies in Kyoto.

1271 Kakunyo, author of Notes Rectifying

Heresy and other important works, is
born in Kyoto.

I
1295 Marco Polo returns to Venice from his

A
travels throughout Asia.

NK 1299 Te Ottoman d nast begins in the

Middle East (–1922).

R A LY
I N
H SO N
R S R
FO MB E
1415 Rennyo, author of The Letters, is born

ME
in Kyoto.
1453 Te Fall of Constantinople; defeat of
the B eantine Empire b the Ottoman
Empire.
ca.1455 Te Gutenberg Bible is published in
1457 Rennyo becomes the eighth head priest German ; introduction of the movable-
t pe printing press in the West.
of the True Pure Land School.
1492 Columbus arrives in the New World.

1517 Martin Luther writes the 95 Teses,

which becomes the primar catal st for
the Protestant Reformation.
1521 Te Spanish conquest of the Aetec
Empire in Mexico.

1534 Henr VIII declares himself the supreme

head of the English Church.
1543 Nicolaus Copernicus formulates
1549 Christianit arrives in Japan. heliocentric theor .