A Standard of Shinshu Faith (complete free online edition)

update - click for the audio version on my youtube channel (work in progress)

A Standard of Shinshu Faith by Dr Ryosetsu Fujiwara was first published in 1963 by the Buddhist Churches of America and it contains a digest of the Anjin Rondai - Topics for Discussions on Faith, which is the doctrinal standard of the Nishi Hongwanji branch of Jodo Shinshu school. As the author himself said in the first part of the book:

"For the better understanding of Shinshu and for the prevention of unorthodox faith, the Nishi Hongwanji selected a certain number of special topics for discussion of Doctrine and of Faith. The latter, including 30 topics, is called 'Anjin Rondai' or 'Topics for Discussion on Faith.' The original is not so easy to understand because of its classical terminology and expressions. So the writer has tried to sum up the main points of these topics and rearranged them with the hope that it would become a helpful guide for those voluntarily working for the spreading of Shinshu in the West".

As this book is now out of print, I thought that it is very important to  make it available online to readers, especially in our difficult times when so many divergences from the Jodo Shinshu teachings prevail in the international sangha.

Dr Ryosetsu Fujiwara

I know there is another online version available, but what makes this one very special is that it includes the last part - EXAMPLES OF UNORTHODOX FAITH IN SHINSHU which was omitted from the other online version. The importance of this last part of the book is that it includes the idea of "Amida Buddha and His Pure Land being in our minds" in the top list of heresies. As Anjin Rondai  is a very important document of Nishi Hongwanji branch of Jodo Shinshu it clearly shows that those deluded scholars who adhere to such wrong view have no place in our school and do not deserve to be called priests and teachers.

I think it is a pity that this book has been somehow put in a shadow in the Jodo Shinshu comunities, or that the last part with the list of unorthodox faith in Shinshu was omitted when it was published online. Perhaps it is not by accident that at the 15th European Shin Conference (2006) in Antwerp, when I asked why Anjin Rondai is not translated in its entirety into English, a Hongwanji representative (Rev Michio Tokunaga) answered to me something like (I quote from memory): "ah... don't worry about that. It's an ancient document, not important for our times".....

Not important? Why not important? Is it because it can prove that many scholars who gained their fame outside of Japan are in fact not teaching the true Jodo Shinshu Dharma, but their own personal ideas and opinions ? Is it because it can help others become aware of the lies that have been taught in the name of Jodo Shinshu?

Why some who received tokudo (priest ordination) at Hongwanji continue to teach unorthodox views such as "Amida and the Pure Land is in our mind" in total contrast with the basic Jodo Shinshu teachings, Hongwanji's official documents, and even the late Monshu (Patriarch of Hongwanji) explanations? Why do they do this and are still wearing the kesa of our school?

It is my hope that this book, together with my new The True Teaching on Amida Buddha and His Pure Land and the instructions of my other Dharma friends and teachers of Orthodox Jodo Shinshu will help people receive faith in the real Amida Buddha, live a life of gratitude and be born in His Pure Land after death.

Here are the links (click on them) to download A STANDARD OF SHINSHU FAITH (pdf format)

1) My google drive

2) My account on Academia.edu

If you have any problem downloading it, please write to me at josho_adrian@yahoo.com and I will send you a copy myself.

If you can afford, please consider a small DONATION to support my Dharma activities, and especially the construction of Amidaji temple.