“I have often heard
you say that even sinners like us, if they will only say the Nembutsu, and put
their whole trust in Amida’s Primal Vow, will undoubtedly attain Ojo (birth in
the Pure Land). This has made a deep impression upon me, but I suppose it is the case only with those
who are lying on a sick bed and calmly waiting for the end to come. But as
for myself, being a samurai, I cannot do just as I would like, and now in
obedience to an imperial order, I am setting out for the castle at Hachioji to
chastise those obstreperous priests of Sammon. I was born in a soldier’s family
and trained in the use of the bow and arrow, being on the one hand under
obligation not to fail in carrying out at least in some measure the will of my
ancestors, and on the other responsible for handling down something of glory to
my posterity. And yet if, as a soldier,
I abandon myself to the driving back of the enemy, all sorts of wicked and
furious passions are likely to be stirred within me, and it becomes very hard
to awaken any pious feeling in my heart. If, indeed, I should allow myself
to keep thinking all the time about the
transitoriness of life, and trying
not to forget the truth about attaining Ojo by the Nembutsu, I should be in
danger of being taken captive by my enemies, and thereby be eternally branded
as a coward, straightway have all my patrimony confiscated, and so for a fool
like me it is very hard to decide which of these courses to choose. Will you
not tell me how I may accomplish my cherished
desire for Ojo, without on the other hand sacrificing the honor of my family as
an archer?”
To this Honen made the
following reply:
‘Amida’s Primal Vow
says nothing about whether a man is good or bad, nor does it discuss whether a
man’s religious practices are many or few. It makes no discrimination between
the pure and the impure, and takes no account of time, space or any other
diverse circumstances of men’s lives. It
matters not how a man dies. The wicked man, just as he is, will attain Ojo
if he calls on the sacred Name. This is the wonderful thing about Amida’s
Primal Vow. And so, though a man born in an archer’s family goes to war, and loses
his life, if he only repeats the sacred Name and relies upon Amida’s Primal Vow, there is not the slightest doubt whatever that Amida will come to welcome
him to His Pure Land’.
Under these gentle instructions
his doubts left him, and with a glad heart he exclaimed: ‘Tadatsuma’s birth
into the Pure Land will verily take place today’.
Honen handed him a
sacred scarf which he put under his armor, and he finally set out for the
castle at Hachioji, where he abandoned himself to battle with the rioters. In
the midst of the struggle his sword was broken, and he received a deep wound.
Seeing it was quite hopeless, he flung down his sword, and clasping his hands,
with a loud voice he called upon the sacred Name, and gave himself over to into
the hands of the enemy. Purple clouds covered the battlefield and many smelled
the delicious perfume, and people said that purple clouds also hung over the
northern mountain. When Honen heard about it, ‘Good’ said he, ‘Amakasu has been
born into the Pure Land.’
His wife, who stayed
at home in his native province, dreamt that he appeared to her in the act of
attaining Ojo, and startled at the dream, she at once dispatched a messenger to
the scene of battle, who on his way met a messenger coming to tell the news of
Amakasu’s death to his wife. They talked together, the one of the dream far
away in the country, and the other of the way in which he had attained Ojo on
the battlefield. Is it not indeed a remarkable coincidence?
On the one hand he
attained Ojo as he gave his life on the field of battle, and on the other he
maintained the glory of his ancestors. Both illustrate the profound meaning of
the Primal Vow, and at the same time the force of Honen’s teaching and
example.”[1]
It is important to understand that Honen did not justify war nor did he discuss whether the war led by Amakasu was right or not, or if his enemies were evil or innocent. He didn’t try to convince the samurai to be peaceful, didn’t give him some moral speeches and he didn’t tell him that so-called glory or honor are illusions and actually mean nothing from the point of view of ultimate reality. Why? Because it was useless. Would Amakasu gave up going to war if Honen had a different approach? No, so why insist on that when he knew that a soldier like him could not disobey orders and was so much entangled in his illusory self-created warrior personality?
Only two things were in Honen’s wise and compassionate mind:
1) war is part of samsara and thus, it is unavoidable and
2) how to save Amakasu, given his impossible to break illusions and blind passions.
In the chaos of battle nobody can contemplate Buddhist truths or stop fighting to develop some special feeling in relation with Amida and Nembutsu or meditate on the meaning of the Pure Land teaching. Doing that would lead to lack of focus and a dishonorable capture which would have very bad consequences for Amakasu’s family. Honen’s answer assured him that there is no such requirement in the Primal Vow. Amida Buddha takes people from where they are, NOT from where they supposed to be. The goal of Buddhahood, perfect wisdom and perfect compassion is nice and desirable but here and now we are evil, we hate, we fight, and even kill others in war. Especially for such people who cannot abstain from evil and cannot saved themselves, the PrimalVow was made.
If one says this Nembutsu he will attain Ojo (birth in the Pure Land) no matter how he dies – in one’s own bed or in war, in the street or in the hospital, if he dies as a brave man or afraid and crying, if he has many virtues or none at all. “It matters not how a man dies” said Honen Shonin and his disciple Shinran was in agreement with him:
Namo Amida Bu
[1] Honen the Buddhist Saint - His Life and Teachings, volume III, compiled by imperial order, translation by Rev Ryugaku Ishizuka and Rev Harper Havelock Coates, The Society for the Publication of Sacred Books of the World, Kyoto, 1949, p. 475-477
[2] Amida is not impressed by one’s spiritual practices and does not require us to to anything else than entrust to Him, say His Name in faith and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
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