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In reference to saying anything about Amida
Buddha to other human beings, Master Rennyo said:
„In
particular, act with extreme caution, as this is a time when people
determinedly strain their ears to hear anything that can be distorted and
spread in slander.”
Whatever we say about the Nembutsu teaching, it can always be misinterpreted if we say it to those who are not karmically
mature and not opened to it. Master Rennyo called those who are not karmically
mature and not open, to be people without stored good from the past. Thus he
instructed:
„In
teaching others, one must determine the presence or absence of good from the
past.”
The "stored good from the past"
represents our good karma from past lives and this life which manifests itself
as an opening or receptive state of mind towards the message of the
Primal Vow of Amida Buddha. A lot of people hear the teaching about the Primal
Vow or Amida’s Name but few are opened to it. This openness is very important
in our tradition and is the manifestation of good stored from the past.
Master
Rennyo said:
“Thus
have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove monastery of
Anāthapiṇḍada’s Garden at Śrāvastī, together with a large assembly of twelve
hundred and fifty monks who were all great arhats well known to the people.
Among them were great disciples such as the elders Śāriputra, Mahāmaudgalyāyana,
Mahākāśyapa, Mahākātyāyana, Mahākauṣṭhila, Revata, Śuddhipanthaka, Nanda,
Ānanda, Rāhula, Gavāṃpati, Piṇḍola-Bhāradvāja, Kālodayin, Mahākapphiṇa,
Vakkula, and Aniruddha. He was also accompanied
by
many Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas, such as Dharma Prince Manjuśrī, Bodhisattva
Ajita, Bodhisattva Sweet-smelling Elephant, and Bodhisattva Constant Endeavor,
and by innumerable devas, including Śakra, lord of the gods, and many others.”Although
in front of Shakyamuni there were many monks, enlightened Bodhisattvas and
gods, He addressed to Shariputra, which means that he was the one to whom the
Buddha directly transmitted this sutra.
“When the Buddha had delivered this
sutra, Śāriputra and all the monks, together with beings of the whole world,
including devas, humans, and asuras, rejoiced at what they had heard and
reverently accepted it. Having worshiped Him, they departed.”
As you
have probably noticed if you carefully read this sutra, there is an expression –
“good men and women” that appears in sections 5 and 12: “a good man
or woman who hears of Amitāyus (Amida), holds fast to His Name” - section 5,
“all good men and women who hear this sutra and
hold fast to it” and “good men and women of faith” –
section 12.
“Of faith” is the key element of this
expression and we should rely on it to understand its meaning and role in the
Amida Sutra.
“Śāriputra, just as I now praise
the inconceivable virtue of other Buddhas, they also praise my inconceivable
virtue, saying, ‘Śākyamuni Buddha, you have accomplished an extremely difficult
and unprecedented task. In this Sahā world, during the evil period of the five
defilements – those of time, views, passions, sentient beings, and lifespan –
you have attained highest, perfect Enlightenment and, for the sake of sentient
beings, have delivered this teaching which is the most difficult in the world
to accept in faith.’
“Śāriputra, you must realize that I
have accomplished this difficult task during the period of the five
defilements. That is to say, having attained highest, perfect Enlightenment, I
have for the sake of the world delivered this teaching, which is so hard for
[people] to accept in faith. This is indeed an extremely difficult task.”
According to Shinran Shonin’s interpretation, the reason for Shakyamuni Buddha’s coming to this world was to teach about the unconditional salvation offered by Amida. As He taught the story
of Amida and His 48 Vows (among which the 18th/Primal Vow is the
most important) in the Larger Sutra, that discourse is Shakyamuni’s true reason
for His appearance in human form:
“The Larger Sutra reveals the true teaching. It is
indeed the right exposition for which the Tathagata (Buddha) appeared in the
world, the wondrous scripture rare and most excellent, the conclusive and
ultimate exposition of the One Vehicle, the precious words disclosing perfect,
instantaneous fulfilment,
the sincere words praised by all the Buddhas throughout the ten quarters,
the true teaching in consummate readiness for the beings of this day. Let this
be known.”
In
sections 6-11, Shakyamuni invokes the witness of all Buddhas in the eastern
direction, southern, western, northern, nadir and zenith who all praise “the
inconceivable virtues of Amitayus (Amida)” that He himself praises:
“Śāriputra,
just as I praise the inconceivable virtue of Amitāyus, so do the Buddhas in the
eastern direction […]southern direction […] western direction […] northern
direction […] in the nadir […] in the zenith as numerous as the sands of the
Ganges River […] While dwelling in their own lands, they extend their long,
broad tongues and, encompassing with them the universe of a thousand million
worlds, pronounce these words of truth: Sentient beings should accept this
sutra entitled ‘Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection by All
Buddhas.’”
The
inconceivable virtues belong to the Name of Amida Buddha (Amitayus/Amitabha)
and the above passages are in harmony with His 17th Vow in which He
promised that all Buddhas will praise His Name:
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