What did Shinran mean by "shinjin (faith) is Buddha nature"?

The crest of Amidaji. The eight petal
lotus represents the eight elements of faith
(shinjin) and the eight precepts of faith. 

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

I heard some people misinterpreting the saying used by Shinran; “shinjin is Buddha nature” as to mean that shinjin (faith) actually means to believe in the existence of Buddha nature. Of course, Shinran accepted the existence of Buddha nature as He was quoting a lot from Mahaparinirvana Sutra and other sutras were Shakyamuni teaches about it. However, this was not his intention when he said that “great shinjin”  or “great faith” is Budha nature.

First let’s see how he said that:

"The person who attains shinjin and joy
Is taught to be equal to the Tathagatas.
Great shinjin is itself Buddha-nature;
Buddha-nature is none other than Tathagata".[1]

What did Shinran mean by being equal with the Tathagathas (Buddhas) because of having shinjin (faith)? He explained:

“The Garland Sutra states that those who have attained true shinjin (faith) are already certain to become Buddhas and therefore are equal to the Tathagatas.”

So, because people who entrust to Amida are certain to become Buddhas in the Pure Land, they are called “equal to the Tathagatas”. It does NOT mean we are now Tathagatas or Buddhas but that all Buddhas look to us as their future colleagues in Enlightenment and saving sentient beings.

“The Buddhas in the ten quarters rejoice in the settling of this mind [of shinjin] and praise it as being equal to the hearts and minds of all Buddhas. Thus, the person of true shinjin (faith) is said to be equal to Buddhas. He is also regarded as being the same as Maitreya, who is in [the rank of] succession to Buddhahood.”

“…all Buddhas feel great joy when such a person rejoices in the realization of true shinjin, and they proclaim, ‘This person is our equal.’ Sakyamuni's words of rejoicing are found in the Larger Sutra: ‘The one who sees, reveres, and attains [the Dharma] and greatly rejoices - that person is my excellent, close companion’; thus He teaches that the person who has attained shinjin is equal to Buddhas.”

Shinjin or great faith is the cause of becoming Buddhas. However, according to Shinran, shinjin does not mean to have faith in Buddha nature, but to hear and entrust to the promise of Amida Buddha in His Primal Vow:

"Shinjin (faith) is hearing the Vow of the Tathagata and being free of doubt".[2]

"'Entrusting' is to be free of doubt, believing deeply and without any double-mindedness that the Tathagata's Primal Vow is true and real."[3]

"Concerning entrusting:
One becomes sure of the attainment of Birth [in the Pure Land]. This mind, being deep trust, is like diamond."[4]

This shinjin which means to entrust to Amida’s Primal Vow is the very cause of attaining Nirvana or Buddha nature.

Honen Shonin said:

"Through entrusting oneself, one is enabled to enter the city of Nirvana.”[5]

And Shinran commented:

“'The city of Nirvana' is the Pure Land of peace.'Through entrusting oneself, one is enabled to enter': These words exhort us to know that the person who has realized true and real shinjin is able to enter the true land fulfilled through Tathagata's Primal Vow. Know that shinjin (faith) is the seed of Enlightenment, the seed for realizing the supreme Nirvana."[6]

He also said:

"'The Vow of entrusting with sincere mind is the cause of Enlightenment'[7]: refers to true and real shinjin, which is given by Amida Tathagata. This shinjin is the very cause for the attainment of the supreme Enlightenment."[8]

This Nirvana or Buddha nature will be attained not ‘here and now’ as some deluded scholars say, but after birth in the Pure Land:

“Tathagata is none other than Nirvana;

Nirvana is called Buddha nature.

Beyond our ability to attain it in the state of foolish beings,

We will realize it on reaching the Land of Peace.”[9]

“We clearly know from the Tathagata’s teaching of truth and the Master’s commentaries that the Pure Land of Peace and Provision is the True Land of Recompense. Sentient beings with delusion and defilements cannot see Buddha nature here, because it is covered over by evil passions. The Nirvana Sutra says: ‘I say that bodhisattvas of the tenth stage see a little of Buddha nature’. Hence, we know that when we reach the Buddha Land of Peace and Bliss, Buddha nature will certainly be revealed to us – through the merit transference by the Primal Vow Power.’”[10]

In letter 14 of Lamp for the Latter Ages (Mattosho), Shinran explained the verses quoted at the beginning of this chapter in the following way:

“The person who attains shinjin and joy
Is taught to be equal to the Tathagatas.
Great shinjin is itself Buddha-nature;
Buddha-nature is none other than Tathagata.

Nevertheless, among the people of single-hearted practice there seem to be some who misunderstand, saying that the statement by fellow-practicers that the person who rejoices in shinjin (faith) is equal to Tathagatas reflects an attitude of self-power and inclines toward the Shingon teaching. I do not wish to pass judgment on others, but for my own clarification I write you of this matter.

There is another hymn:

Those who attain true and real shinjin (faith)
Immediately join the truly settled;
Thus having entered the stage of non-retrogression,
They necessarily attain Nirvana.

The statement, “they attain Nirvana,” means that when the heart of the persons of true and real shinjin (faith) attain the fulfilled land [of the Pure Land] at the end of his or her present life, that person becomes one with the light that is the heart of Tathagata, for His reality is immeasurable life and His activity is inseparable from immeasurable light. This seems to be the reason for saying: “Great shinjin is itself Buddha-nature; Buddha-nature is none other than Tathagata.” In my understanding, this corresponds to the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Vows.”[11]

So, according to Shinran the reason for saying that shinjin is Buddha nature is to show that people who have faith (shinjin) are sure to attain Buddha nature (Nirvana/perfect Enlightenment/Buddhahood) after birth in the Pure Land. Thus, shinjin (faith) is the cause that leads us to Nirvana and Buddha nature.

The jewel of Buddha nature is hidden under billions of layers of blind passions, illusions and attachments accumulated during many lifetimes. This is why it is impossible to find it while you are still caught in this samsaric realm of existence, itself the effect of your karma and the collective karma of all unenlightened beings.  However, in the Pure Land, the same jewel is in plain sight, you just stretch your arms and “take it”. This is how easy it is to discover your Buddha nature in the enlightened environment of Sukhavati.

Shinran always kept in mind the method for attaining Buddha nature. As I mentioned earlier at chapter six, all the genuine Dharma Gates of Buddhist teaching talk about three main aspects:

1) the Basis, 2) the Path and 3) the Fruit.

The Basis is the hidden Buddha nature which is already perfectly Enlightened and filled with innumerable qualities. In our case, the Path is to entrust (shinjin) in Amida Buddha and say His Name in faith, wishing to be born in His Pure Land after death (the Primal Vow).

The Fruit is the discovery of Buddha nature or Nirvana that we attain after being born in the Pure Land.  This is why shinjin (faith) is Buddha nature – because shinjin is the Path to Buddha nature.

To say that shinjin means to have faith in Buddha nature is like assuming that because one has Buddha nature one is already enlightened and does not need to do anything else. It is to eliminate the Path to Buddha nature which in the case of Jodo Shinshu is faith (shinjin) and the Nembutsu of faith. To accept the existence of Buddha nature (which is something Buddhists of all schools should accept) does not mean we actually dwell in the Buddha nature, or that we have really discovered it.

To prove even more that shinjin does NOT mean to have faith in the existence of Buddha nature and other ideas related with ultimate reality, I quote the following passage from Shinran:

"When I deeply contemplate matters, I find that attainment of joyful faith arises from the Tathagata’s mind in which the Primal Vow was selected and embraced, and that the awakening of true faith occurs through the compassionate skilful means of the Great Sage. However, monks and laypeople of this latter age and the masters of these days, drowned in the concepts of “one’s self-nature [being identical with Buddha]” and “[all that exists is in] one’s mind,” despise true Enlightenment in the Pure Land; or, deluded by self-power efforts to perform meditative and non-meditative good practices, they are ignorant of the adamantine true faith".[12]

Those who say that “all exists in one’s mind” and are constantly talking about Buddha nature but not the Pure Land method to attain it are people who have no true faith (shinjin) in the Primal Vow. They are the ones who deny the existence of Amida Buddha, calling Him a metaphor, symbol or fictional character or who say that the Pure Land is “here and now” or in one’s mind, and not a real, enlightened place to be attained after death, etc. What they do is to deny the existence of Dharmakaya as compassionate means (Dharmakaya of expediency/Sambhogakaya) on the basis of a nihilistic interpretation of Dharmakaya of Dharma nature. They do not understand that although our Buddha nature and the Buddha nature of Amida are the same in their ultimate reality, we actually need to have faith in Amida in form and Name in order to reach it. Also, they deny forms and manifestations thinking that everything exists in one’s mind, when we see that unenlightened minds as well as enlightened minds are always accompanied by forms and manifestations – samsaric minds give rise to samsaric worlds and enlightened minds manifest Pure Lands or other enlightened forms to save all beings.

Shinjin (faith) itself is the manifestation of Amida in the heart and mind of the follower who has listened deeply and opened himself to His Primal Vow and it contains the acceptance of the reality of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land that are to be found outside of one’s mind. As Honen Shonin said:

„Although there is one Amida Buddha, His teachings have different interpretations. The Shingon school teaches that Amida Buddha resides in one’s own heart (mind); they do not admit His existence outside of one’s heart. The Pure Land school, however, teaches that Bodhisattva Dharmakara realized Buddhahood and became Amida Buddha and now resides in the West. These two viewpoints reflect great differences between the two schools”.

Shinjin or simple faith is a direct link with Amida in form and Name. As the true nature of Amida in form and Name is ultimate Dharmakaya of Dharma nature or Buddha nature itself, we can also say that shinjin is a direct link to this ultimate Reality, too. However, shinjin cannot appear in our hearts and minds by understanding ultimate reality (which is impossible to know at the level we are now as unenlightened beings) but by becoming open to Amida in form and Name (Dharmakaya as compassionate means/Dharmakaya of Expediency/Sambhgakaya aspect). This is what many nowadays deluded scholars do not understand – without accepting the existence of Amida and His Pure Land one cannot receive shinjin because shinjin itself is not some kind of unmanifested Dharmakaya, but is received through the Dharmakaya of compassionate means, that is, Amida Buddha in His transcendental and manifestation aspect. The Primal Vow does NOT mean faith in ultimate Dharmakaya as this is beyond anything and cannot be grasped  by our unenlightened minds, but in the specific Amida Buddha (whose nature is ultimate Dharmakaya) who manifested in a specific form and Name with whom beings can have a relation of faith and create a karmic connection.  This is why Shinran said:

“Since it is with this heart and mind of all sentient beings that they entrust themselves to the Vow of the Dharma-body (Dharmakaya) as compassionate means, this shinjin (faith) is none other than Buddha-nature. This Buddha-nature is Dharma-nature. Dharma-nature is Dharma-body. For this reason there are two kinds of Dharma-body with regard to the Buddha. The first is called Dharma-body as Suchness (Dharmakaya of Dharma nature) and the second, Dharma-body (Dharmakaya) as compassionate means.”

Faith (shinjin) is directed to Amida in the aspect of Dharmakaya as compassionate means (Sambhogakaya) which is not separated from Dharmakaya of Dharma nature or Buddha nature. This is also why we can say that in its ultimate reality faith is Buddha nature. Although the Buddha nature or Dharmakaya of Dharma nature “has neither color nor form” and “the mind cannot grasp it nor words describe it”, from this “oneness was manifested form, called Dharma-body as compassionate means (Amida in form and Name).”[13]

Amida Buddha as the object of our faith is Amida as compassionate means that is never separated from His Dharmakaya of Dharma nature. Thus, Amida is not something that exists “in our minds” or some kind of unmanifested Dharmakaya. He is a living Buddha with access to the ultimate reality beyond any concepts and forms, but also very active in His Pure Land as well as in our samsaric realms, guiding us to salvation through His Primal Vow.

Just as the Name is true and real because it was manifested by Amida from Dharmakaya of Dharma-nature, shinjin is also NOT an empty samsaric phenomena, because the “attainment of joyful faith arises from the Tathagata’s Mind in which the Primal Vow was selected and embraced”.

Thus, although is manifested in our minds as faith, its origin is in Amida’s Mind and is awakened in us “through the compassionate skilful means of the Great Sage”. I already explained this process in The Meaning of Faith and Nembutsu[14], so I will not insist on it now.

Both faith (shinjin) and the Nembutsu of faith are manifested in our minds and on our lips by Amida Buddha as Dharmakaya of compassionate means (Amida as Sambhogakaya) from the Dharmakaya of Dharma nature. This is why they are NOT samsaric phenomena and NOT empty, but TRUE AND REAL. They are true and real because they are rooted in ultimate reality and can be used by Amida Buddha to take us to His enlightened realm, itself not empty and not false, where we will naturally discover our innate, not empty and not false, Buddha nature.

Only real vehicles (the Primal Vow, faith and Nembutsu) and real friends (Amida Buddha) can take us to real destinations (the Pure Land where we attain the real Buddha nature).

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[1] Shinran Shonin, Hymns of the Pure Land (Jodo Wasan), The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p. 350-351

[2] Shinran Shonin, Notes on Once-calling and Many-calling, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.474

[3] Shinran Shonin, Notes on the Inscriptions on Sacred Scrolls, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.493

[4] Shinran Shonin, Gutoku's Notes, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.612

[5] Shinran quoted and explained this passage from  Honen's The Passages on the Nembutsu Selected in the Primal Vow in his Notes on the Inscriptions on Sacred Scrolls, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.513

[6] Shinran Shonin, Notes on the Inscriptions on Sacred Scrolls, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.513

[7] A quote from a passage from 'The Hymn of True Shinjin' by Gutoku Shinran, disciple of Shakyamuni, in Japan. Shinran explains his own words from that hymn.

[8] Shinran Shonin, Notes on the Inscriptions on Sacred Scrolls, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.518

[9] Shinran Shonin, Hymns of the Pure Land, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.350

[10] Kyogyoshinsho – On Teaching, Practice, Faith, and Enlightenment, chapter V, translated by Hisao Inagaki, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p. 229-230

[11] Shinran Shonin, Lamp for the Letter Ages, letter 14, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.541

[12] Kyogyoshinsho – On Teaching, Practice, Faith, and Enlightenment, chapter III, translated by Hisao Inagaki, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p. 83

[13] Shinran Shonin, Notes on ‘Essentials of Faith Alone’, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.461

[14] The Meaning of Faith and Nembutsu in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, by Rev Josho Adrian Cirlea, Dharma Lion Publications, Craiova, 2018, p. 145.