(also known as Shin Buddhism in the West)
A school of Japanese Pure Land
Jodo Shinshu (also known as Shin Buddhism in the West) is a school of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism founded by Shinran Shonin (1173-1262). This tradition emphasizes salvation through faith alone rather than relying on one’s own efforts to attain enlightenment.
The teaching is based on the Three Pure Land Sutras – The Larger Sutra of Eternal Life, The Amida Sutra and the Meditation Sutra – the primary being the Larger Sutra in which Amida Buddha made his Original Vow to save without any discrimination all sentient beings who call his Name in true faith. The essence of this faith in Shin Buddhism lies in awakening – awakening both to one’s own karmic reality as an unenlightened being and the unconditional love of Amida Buddha. These are two aspects of the same reality: true faith. Our awakening is expressed through the act of pronouncing Amida’s Name – Namu Amida Butsu – meaning “I take refuge in Amida Buddha”, which is known in this tradition as the nembutsu. The nembutsu in this form is the ‘right act’ that ensures us of birth in the PureLand and our subsequent Enlightenment. Pronouncing the name is therefore an expression of our gratitude to Amida, and to everyone and everything which has led us to encounter his saving Vow.
Amida Buddha is called The Buddha of Infinite Light and Eternal Life. Infinite Light represents wisdom illuminating the darkness of our ignorance and Eternal Life represents his compassion, for as long as there are sentient beings caught in the wheel of suffering, he will remain to bring them to his Pure Land.
Shinran Shonin named seven patriarchs who transmitted the PureLand teaching – from India: Nagarjuna (c. 150-250) and Vasubandhu (c.300-400), from China: T’an Luan (476-542), Tao-ch’o (562-645) and Shan Tao (613-681) and from Japan: Genshin (942-1017) and Honen Shonin (1133-1212). Their most important works cited by Shinran Shonin are: The Discourse on the Ten Stages (Nagarjuna), The Treatise on the Pure Land (Vasubandhu), The Commentary on the Treatise on the Pure Land (T’an Luan), Passages on the Land of Happiness (Tao-ch’o), The Exposition of the Meditation Sutra (Shan Tao), The Essentials for Birth in the Pure Land (Genshin) and Passages on the Nembutsu Chosen by Amida Buddha in His Original Vow (Honen Shonin).
Shinran Shonin encountered his master Honen at the age of 29 and it was through this encounter that he was led to an awakening of faith in Amida Buddha. Before encountering his master Shinran Shonin studied as a monk in the Tendai tradition on MountHeie, considered the epicentre of Buddhist learning at that time. Through his sincere efforts in performing the various practices, he was ultimately led to realise the shortcomings of the human condition in bringing about one’s own enlightenment. Following this realisation, he undertook a 100 day retreat at Rokkaku-do temple, where on the 95th day he was visited in a vision by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (in the form of Prince Shotoku), advising him to seek out Honen Shonin.
Prior to Honen Shonin, the PureLand teachings had always existed as part of, but not independent from, other traditions such as Tendai and Shingon. With the formation of the Jodo Shu school by Honen Shonin, however, emphasis was given to pronouncing the nembutsu with pure faith and setting aside all other practices. Shinran Shonin remained his follower for six years until the two were separated through exile during the oppression of the nembutsu teaching in 1207.
Another important figure in the history of Shin Buddhism is its eighth leader, Rennyo Shonin (1415-1499). During this time many divergent teachings were spreading and the school was in danger of fragmenting. As part of his propagation of the Shin Buddhist teaching, Rennyo Shonin composed a series of Letters, known as Ofumi, which were sent to Shin Buddhist temples and followers, clarifying the original teachings of Shinran Shonin. Because of this Rennyo Shonin is seen as the restorer of the tradition. These letters are still read aloud today in daily services.
Daily serviceat a Shin Buddhist temple consists of reciting the nembutsu and chanting sutras, various teachings such as Shinran Shonin’s Hymn on the Right Faith in the Nembutsu (Shoshinge) and Japanese Hymns (wasan). These services (otsutome or
gongyo) are performed not as a way of generating merit for oneself or others but with the heart of gratitude for all that has been done for us by the Buddha and those around us.
