Two pilgrimages for two friends

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A few days ago, I was sitting in front of the statues of Amida and various Buddhas that I keep in my room to remind me of the 17^th Vow[1] and the protection they offer to people of shinjin (faith)[2], when I was overwhelmed with a strong sense of devotion and energy. Looking at each of their holly faces I said in a strong voice - I am the dog of Amida, I am the dog of the Buddhas.
 
A dog is loyal (in my case to Amida and all Buddhas), a dog fiercely protects what he loves (the Dharma and Sangha), a dog can walk many miles and resist cold and heat without complaining if he is given a task by his master. A dog is, I think, a good symbol for my pilgrimages on foot.
 
This time I had two pilgrimages: one to a friend and another to a dog’s grave.

Be careful how and to whom you speak about Amida Buddha

Click here for the Spanish version

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.”[1]
 
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.”[2]
 
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[3].
 
Master Rennyo said:

The transmission and importance of the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo)

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

 “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.”[1]

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.

The audience accepted the Smaller Amida Sutra in faith – commentary on section 14

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“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.”[1]

On the expression “good men and women” from the Smaller Amida Sutra

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on 

the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress 

and under constant revision - 

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.

The reason for Shakyamuni’s appearance in our world and why His teaching on Amida Buddha is the most difficult to accept in faith - commentary on section 13

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“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.”[1]
 
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[2]. As He taught the story of Amida and His 48 Vows (among which the 18^th/Primal Vow is the most important) in the Larger Sutra, that discourse is Shakyamuni’s true reason for His appearance in human form[3]:
 
“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[4], 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.”[5]