Rules of conduct implied in the Ryogemon

please also read Rules of the temple/dojo

The rules of conduct are found in Rennyo Shonin’s Letters[2]:

-         respect other Buddhist schools and do not denigrate their teachings or followers[3]

-         do not belittle other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

-         do not denigrate the kami (gods of Shintoism)[4]

-         do not put on airs of a high spiritual person – be humble

-         do not impose[5] our faith on people of various religions or Buddhist schools

-         be careful when you talk about Jodo Shinshu teaching with people who are not karmically mature and not open to understanding and receiving it – do not impose it on them; in general, speak only when it is truly necessary and at the right time.

-         do not be proud and do not become noisy, especially in the public, with your convictions and faith in Jodo Shinshu; be discrete, act normal, and enjoy your faith in silence and humbleness.

-         do not denigrate or slight government and local authorities because you have faith and they don’t

-         meet your public obligations and duties in full without fail

-         take the laws of the state as your outer aspect[6], store Other Power faith deep in your hearts and take the principles of humanity and justice as essential[7].

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[1]Ryogemon is the creed of Jodo Shinshu Buddhist teaching, composed by Rennyo Shonin, the Restorer of our Jodo Shinshu school. In it we find all we need to know and accept in order to be born in the Pure Land of Amida:

“Having abandoned the mind of self-power to perform various practices and miscellaneous acts, I have entrusted myself to Amida Tathagata with singleness of heart recognizing that He has resolved my crucial after-life problem once and for all.

I understand that at the moment such entrusting Faith arises in me, my deliverance from samsara is settled with the assurance of birth in the Pure Land, and joyfully accept that recitation of the Nembutsu which follows is to express my indebtedness to Amida.

How grateful I am that I have come to this understanding through the benevolence of the founder, Shinran Shonin, who appeared in this country (Japan) and of the Masters of the succeeding generations who have guided me with deep compassion!

From now on, I will abide by the rules of conduct all my life.”

[2]References to these rules can be found on pages 20, 27, 32, 34, 35, 40, 41, 47, 50, 53, 71, 74, 77, 81 from Rennyo Shonin Ofumi (The Letters of Rennyo), published by Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center Translation and Research in 1996.

[3]Rennyo said in one of his many letters referring to this aspect: „Within our tradition there must be no slandering of other teachings and sects. As the teachings were all given by Shakyamuni during His life time, they should be fruitful if they are practiced just as they were expounded. In this last Dharma age, however,  people like ourselves are not equal to the teachings of the various sects of the Path of  Sages; therefore, we simply do not rely on them or entrust ourselves to them”.

[4]We do not rely on the kami, but this does not mean that we denigrate them.

[5] This does not mean we should not do missionary work, but that we should not force people to convert to Jodo Shinshu.

[6]Act accordingly with the laws of the state you live in. Of course, this does not apply to laws that are inhumane, criminal or go against the Buddhist teaching and morality.

[7]Try to be compassionate and treat all people equally no matter their differences.