tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580569388141809017.post8794626479448788910..comments2023-05-12T19:07:35.469+03:00Comments on AMIDAJI INTERNATIONAL TEMPLE 阿 弥 陀 寺: Some short explanations on nembutsu before shinjin and the meaning of Other PowerJosho Adrian Cirleahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02267565293117701846noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580569388141809017.post-44838275373499339402010-02-05T22:33:37.102+02:002010-02-05T22:33:37.102+02:00Thanks to my Dharma brother Rev Josho Adrian Cirle...Thanks to my Dharma brother Rev Josho Adrian Cirlea. He is a true priest, and a reliable teacher of the Dharma, and I commend him and his writings to everyone. <br /><br />Regarding the subject of saying the Nembutsu before or after receiving SHINJIN, here are some basic points that are worth stating over and over again:<br /><br />1. Saying the Nembutsu won't save anyone. As a practice to generate karmic merit, it is INEFFECTIVE in our Dharma age, just like all practices to generate karmic merit are ineffective. Master Shinran's most basic teaching is that all practices meant to generate karmic merit and thereby lead us to attain Buddhahood are not workable for us. All of the many self-powered Dharma gates are CLOSED - including the self-powered Dharma gates of the various schools of Pure Land Buddhism.<br /><br />2. The only EFFECTIVE way to gain the karmic merit needed to attain Buddhahood in our Dharma age is to RECEIVE it as a free gift from the living Buddha Amida. When we listen deeply to the Dharma, answer all our questions and resolve all our doubts, thus clearing the channels of faith, Amida then gives us the incomparable gift of SHINJIN - and as part of that gift we are given the full store of His own karmic merit. That gift changes our karmic destiny, so we can attain Buddhahood IMMEDIATELY at the end of this lifetime. And our natural response to receiving that gift is to gratefully say THANK YOU AMIDA BUDDHA. That is the TRUE Nembutsu - the Nembutsu of gratitude.<br /><br />3. Even if you have not yet received the gift of shinjin, and are still in the process of listening deeply to answer your questions and resolve your doubts, if you feel led to say the Nembutsu, then by all means say it. It is Amida Himself who is leading you, as He works below the level of your own awareness, in the depths of your own consciousnessness, to call you to Himself.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00180458944388328884noreply@blogger.com