The prostitute of Muro, a disciple of Honen Shonin

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin with commentary

"When Honen arrived at the port of Muro on his way into exile on Shikoku in the spring of 1207, a small boat drew near carrying a woman of the night. She said to Honen, "I heard that this was your boat, and I have come to meet you. There are many ways of getting on in the world, but what terrible acts could have been committed in a former life of mine to bring me into such a miserable life as this? What can a woman who carries a load of karma like mine do to escape and be saved in the world to come?"

Honen compassionately replied, "Your guilt in living such a life is surely great and the penalties seem incalculable. If you can find another means of livelihood, give this up at once. But if you can’t, or if you are not yet ready to sacrifice your very life for the true way, begin just as you are and call on the sacred Name (Namo Amida Butsu). It is for just such deluded folk as you that Amida Buddha made that wonderfully comprehensive Primal Vow (hongan). So put your full trust in it without the smallest reservation. If you rely upon the Primal Vow and repeat the Nembutsu, your Ojo (birth in the Pure Land) is absolutely certain." Thus kindly taught, the woman began to weep out of joy. Later, Honen said of her, "She is a woman of strong faith. She is sure to attain Ojo."

A year later when he was returning to the capital after his exile, Honen called at this place again and inquired about her. He found out that from the time he had instructed her, she had retired to a village near the mountains and had been devoting herself to the practice of the Nembutsu. A short time after, as death drew near, it was with great composure that she safely accomplished her Ojo (birth in the Pure Land). On being told this, Honen said, "Yes, it is just as I had expected."

(source of the passage and image, http://jsri.jp/English/Main.html )

As we have seen, first Honen encourages her to change her ways. He does not tell her that being a prostitute is good, but on the contrary: "Your guilt in living such a life is surely great and the [karmic] penalties seem incalculable. If you can find another means of livelihood, give this up at once". Amida Dharma is not an encouragement to do evil or lead an immoral life (she actually practices one form of sexual misconduct), so everyone should try his/her best to change.

However, his intention is not to judge her, nor make her despair, but to lead her to salvation, so he immediately points to the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha who discriminates nobody and is especially addressed to the lowest of the low: "But if you can’t, or if you are not yet ready to sacrifice your very life for the true way, begin just as you are and call on the sacred Name. It is for just such deluded folk as you that Amida Buddha made that wonderfully comprehensive Primal Vow".

This is the beauty of our Path - we are not spoiled, nor told that we are great or that our ways are good when they aren't, but showed the consequences of our choices and offered the only escape available for people like us - Amida's Primal Vow: “entrust yourself to me, say my Name and wish to be born in my land”.

Namo Amida Bu