Worldly benefits and otherworldly benefits of Nembutsu

Question:  According to what I have read in some teaching of the Chinese Pure Land school, they say that it is incorrect to say that Nembutsu does not bring benefits to this life, like for example, longevity and other physical and worldly benefits which is in contradiction to Shinran’s thought.  I for my part contemplate the ten benefits which have nothing to do with my longevity or other worldly benefits that I know I do not have and I'm not very interested in them either.  Why do these schools wish for more benefits as if going to the Land of Amida is not enough?

My answer: If one does not have aspiration for birth in the Pure Land then he does not meet the requirements of the Primal Vow: “entrust yourself to me, say my Name and wish to be born in my land”. It is very clear that according to the Primal Vow we must say the Nembutsu with faith in Amida Buddha and aspiration for birth in His Land. Amida did not say that we should say the Nembutsu while wishing to get worldly benefits and long life. However, due to a combination of personal karma and Amida’s help we might indeed receive more benefits than the usual ten, including long life, although this is not why Amida manifested His Name and instructed us to say it as an expression of faith. Honen Shonin said:

Vows related with bodhisattvas in other lands (not yet born in the Pure Land)

Revised on October 1st, 2019 for 

my commentary on the Larger Sutra

The following vows refer mainly to highly advanced bodhisattvas in aspiration from various worlds who entrust to Amida Buddha and say His Name in faith, wishing to be born in His Land.  They are already on one of the ten bodhisattva stages (bhumis) and very close to Enlightenment, but still not enlightened. Because they entrust to Amida and are in accord with His Primal Vow - in their case, hearing the Name of Amida means to hear and entrust, to hear with faith and to say Amida’s Name in faith, they will too be born in His Pure Land by transformation (“true fulfilled land/”center” of the Pure Land) where they will attain perfect Enlightenment[1]. The difference between them and us is that they are already very advanced on the Buddhist path and very close to Enlightenment while we are the lowest of the low in terms of spiritual evolution and the similarity is that we both entrust to Amida and dwell in the stage of non-retrogression for entering the Pure Land and attainment of Enlightenment there. However, because their spiritual capacities are already extremely high in comparison with ours and their senses very much purified, when they entrust to Amida and say His Name in faith they automatically receive more benefits than us, ordinary people. These benefits are explained in this category of vows.

A short Dharma dialogue on meditation in relation with Jodo Shinshu

Question by Zakaj:

You say meditation is useless. But what if someone were to tell you: "Yes, I know meditation is useless for attainment of Enlightenment in Mappo era. But I don't do it for that reason. I do it for the neurological benefits that are proven by science" - what would you reply then? Thanks.

The Ten Benefits in this life of a person who has faith in Amida Buddha

  This is a chapter of my book

 The Meaning of Faith and Nembutsu in Jodo Shinshu Budhism

Shinran Shonin speaks about ten benefits that a    person who entrusts in Amida Buddha receives in the present life:

„When we acquire adamantine true faith we unfailingly gain ten benefits in this life. What are  the ten?[1]

1. The benefit of being protected and sustained by unseen powers and divine beings

2. The benefit of being possesed of supreme virtues

3. The benefit of our karmic evil being transformed into good

4. The benefit of being protected and cared for by all the Buddhas  

5. The benefit of being praised by all the Buddhas

6. The benefit of being protected constantly by the light of

Amida’s heart (the 4th and 6th benefit are explained together in the same article!)

7. The benefit of having great joy in our hearts

8. The benefit of being aware of Amida’s benevolence and

of responding in gratitude to His virtues

9. The benefit of constantly practicing great compassion 
                (the 8th and 9th benefit are explained together!)

10. The benefit of entering the stage of the trully settled. (non-retrogression)"

 

---

[1] Shinran Shonin, Kyogyoshinsho, chapter III, Kyogyoshinsho – On Teaching, Practice, Faith, and Enlightenment, translated by Hisao Inagaki, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p. 121 and The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.112

The Ten Benefits of faith in Amida during this life: 3. The benefit of our karmic evil being transformed into good

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The Ten Benefits in this Life of a Person who has Faith in Amida Buddha

Due to the influence of Amida we can transform an unpleasant experience into an opportunity to understand life as it is and the Dharma.  It doesn’t mean that we will no longer have problems, or experience lack of material things, etc., but that we can understand these unfortunate events as being the effects of our karma, using them to become more aware that this is samsara, the world of suffering, from which we must escape once and for all through birth in the Pure Land. Bad events in our lives can thus be transformed through the light of the Dharma into useful ones – useful for our understanding.

Also this benefit refers to the fact that in the instant we receive shinjin (faith) our karma is cut or sterilized and cannot plant its seed into another life. When shinjin enters our heart we receive the pure karmic energy of Amida Buddha. Our evil is turned into good in the sense that it is no longer an obstacle for our birth in the Pure Land at the end of this life:

To encounter or see Amida’s Light – commentary on the second part of section 11 of the Larger Sutra

Amida's Light sent to His
devotee shown in the lower part 

  fragment from my commentary on the Larger Sutra

- this is a work in progress and under constant revision -  

After describing the twelve Lights of Amida Buddha, Shakyamuni continues:

“If sentient beings encounter His light, their three defilements are removed; they feel tenderness, joy, and pleasure; and good thoughts arise. If sentient beings in the three realms of suffering see His light they will all be relieved and freed from affliction. At the end of their lives they all reach liberation.”[1]

All the benefits enumerated there, like the removal of defilements, the feeling of tenderness, joy and pleasure, apparition of good thoughts, freedom from suffering and liberation, come from the Light of Amida and become effective due to encountering (“if sentient beings encounter His light”) and seeing this Light (“if sentient beings in the three realms of suffering see His light”).

The Ten Benefits of faith in Amida during this life: 2. The benefit of being possessed of supreme virtues

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The Ten Benefits in this Life of a Person who
 has Faith in Amida Buddha

This benefit means that by entrusting ourselves to Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow we receive His merits and virtues which cause us to attain birth in the Pure Land:

"When sentient beings of this evil world of the five defilements
Entrust themselves to the selected Primal Vow,
Virtues indescribable, inexplicable, and inconceivable
Fill those practicers".[1]

„All beings, having heard Amida’s virtuous Name,

Attain joyful faith, rejoice in what they hear,

And call his Name even once. The person of sincerity, Amida,

Endows merit to them. All who aspire for birth in the Pure Land attain Birth there.

Hence, I prostrate myself to worship him and aspire to be

born there.'"[2]

Shinran Shonin explained in his work “Passages on the Two Aspects of The Tathagata’s Directing of Virtue”:

The Ten Benefits of faith in Amida during this life: 4. The benefit of being protected and cared for by all the Buddhas and 6. The benefit of being protected constantly by the Light of Amida's heart

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The Ten Benefits in this Life of a Person who
 has Faith in Amida Buddha
(revised and updated)

If the 1st benefit described the protection of various powerful unenlightened beings (worldly protectors), the 4th speaks about the protection of all Buddhas (enlightened protectors), and the 6th refers to the special protection of Amida Buddha himself. I decided to explain the 4th and 6th benefit together because they are interrelated.

The 4th and 6th benefits include but are not limited to, protection against various influences from external evil forces, sorcery, black magic, evil spirits, etc.

Shinran Shonin said:

The Ten Benefits of faith in Amida during this life: 10. The benefit of entering the stage of the truly settled (non-retrogression)

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The Ten Benefits in this 
Life of a Person who 
has Faith in Amida Buddha

By receiving faith (shinjin) and saying the Name of Amida we enter, in this life, in the stage of the truly settled for birth in the Pure Land, where we’ll actually go after death, and where we’ll immediately attain Buddhahood (Nirvana). This is also called the stage of non-retrogression, the stage of definite assurance, the group of the rightly established stage, the stage equal to perfect Enlightenment, the stage equal with Maitreya, etc.

Here are some passages related with this stage:

„If one is mindful of that Buddha’s infinite power and

merit,

One will instantly enter the stage of definite

assurance. So I am always mindful of Amida”[1]

"When we, ordinary people filled with evil passions, the multitudes defiled by karmic evil and subject to birth and death, attain the faith and practice transferred by Amida for our going forth, we will immediately join the Mahayana group of the rightly established stage. Because we dwell in the rightly established stage, we unfailingly reach Nirvana".[2]

The difference between those born in the Pure Land in the embryonic form and those born by transformation – commentary on sections 43, 44 and 45 of the Larger Sutra

A palace for those of the embryonic
birth - Larger Sutra Mandala

fragment from my commentary on the Larger Sutra

- this is a work in progress and under constant revision -  

click here to return to the table of contents

            In these sections Shakyamuni Buddha explains the causes and characteristics of two types of beings born in the Pure Land: 1) those born in “the embryonic state” and 2) those “born by transformation”.

I already explained the Primal Vow (18^th) in detail and showed that faith in Amida’s Power is the cause of birth in the Pure Land. However, the situation is that not all practitioners are able to give up entirely the attachment to their personal power in reaching birth in the Pure Land:

“If there are sentient beings who do various meritorious deeds, aspiring for birth in that land while still entertaining doubt, such beings are unable to comprehend the Buddha wisdom, inconceivable wisdom, ineffable wisdom, boundless Mahayana wisdom, and incomparable, unequalled, and unsurpassed supreme wisdom. Although they doubt these wisdoms, they still believe in retribution for evil and reward for virtue and so cultivate a store of merit, aspiring for birth in that land.’Such beings are born in a palace, where they dwell for five hundred years without being able to behold the Buddha, hear his exposition of the Dharma, or see the hosts of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas. For this reason, that type of birth in the Pure Land is called the ‘embryonic state.’”

2) Passages who show that birth in the Pure Land takes place after death and it means the attainment of Nirvana (Enlightenment/Buddhahood)

“However hard you may practice in this life, it can only be for a short while. In the life to come you will be born in the land of Amitayus (Amida) and enjoy endless bliss there. Being forever in accord with the Way, you will no longer be subject to birth and death and be free of the afflictions caused by greed, anger and ignorance.”[1]

Shakyamuni Buddha, The Larger Sutra

*

“If sentient beings in the three realms of suffering see His (Amida’s) light they will all be relieved and freed from affliction. At the end of their lives, they all reach liberation.”[2]

The Larger Sutra as quoted by Shinran Shonin in his Kyogyoshinsho, chapter V

Here to “see the Light” means to receive faith in Amida Buddha.

*

“If at the end of life one obtains birth into this country (the Pure Land) then one has boundless virtues. I, therefore, do nothing but offer my life to Amida and desire to enter the Pure Land.”[3]

Bodhisattva Nagarjuna as quoted by Master Genshin in his Ojoyoshu

About petitionary prayers and superstitions

Question: What do you think about petitionary prayers and superstitions? How can one use Nembutsu as a petitionary prayer?  

 

My answer: To say the Name of Amida in order to receive worldly benefits, like wealth, possessions, success in love affairs, etc., or to think that by reciting it in a certain manner will bring good luck and good fortune is to use the Nembutsu as a petitionary prayer and as a superstition.
To believe in luck is in itself a superstition as this implies the denial of the law of karma according to which one reaps what one sows. Luck it is said to appear from nowhere or from the will of a divine being, while the karma implies that everything has a cause in one’s own actions, deeds and thoughts. One cannot be a Buddhist and believe in luck or good fortune. Thus, the urge that we often meet in Jodo Shinshu to not depend on petitionary prayers and superstitions were especially promulgated to prevent us from falling in two wrong views:

1. to misinterpret Nembutsu as a divination method or a petitionary prayer for worldly benefits, and

The Ten Benefits of faith in Amida during this life: 5. The benefit of being praised by all the Buddhas

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The Ten Benefits in this Life of a Person who 
has Faith in Amida Buddha

Shinran Shonin said:

“Amida’s Seventeenth Vow declares that the Buddha will not enter into perfect Enlightenment if those who say the Name are not praised by all the countless Buddhas throughout the worlds in the ten quarters. The passage declaring the fulfillment of the Vow states: ‚such people are praised by all the Buddhas and rejoice.’’’[1]

Those who entrust to Amida are regarded by Shakyamuni as His true companions: 

"Those who realize shinjin, which is Other Power,
'Revere the Dharma and greatly rejoice in it,
And therefore are my true companions'.

Such is the praise of the World Honored One,

the Master of the teaching".[2]

"Sakyamuni rejoices in persons of shinjin, saying, 'They are my true companions'”.[3]

They are wonderful people, as well as true disciples of Shakyamuni, Amida and all Buddhas:

Members of Amidaji: Chikai Ana Galo (Uruguay)

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      of Amidaji members

EN/ESP
Hello my Dharma name is Chikai, which means "The Ocean of Wisdom". (of Amida's Primal Vow)
My name is Ana Galo Suárez, I am 47 years old and I live in my native country Uruguay.
When I was about 8 years old my mother bought me a children's Bible, I think that channeled the sense of faith in something bigger than me. I vividly recall some personal religious experiences related to the perception I had of a supreme reality. These thoughts were so deep that they moved me to tears.
When I was 10 years old I reflected a lot upon religious matters. I  eagerly sought high and low for the Truth, the connection with a Supreme reality that I had only an intuition about but I couldn't  name or comprehend.
I had some supernatural and wonderful experiences that I relate to spiritual dimensions as these profound experiences caused a mysterious feeling of compassion inside me.
Everything related to Chinese culture attracted me and when I was about 23 years old I began to practice Self Defense, part of the martial arts tradition of  Kung Fu.

Buddhism and science

click here for the source of this cartoon

For me Buddhism is religion, faith, salvation from birth and death, devotion, saying of Amida Buddha's Holy Name, bowing, prostration, circumambulation, making offerings in the name of all beings, etc. I am very, very different from those who say that Buddhism is some kind of science or just a philosophy.  

I really "hate" it when people compare the most beautiful religion in the world with the science or philosophy of unenlightened human beings. Buddhas are the smartest guys in the universe and you compare them with scientists who contradict each other every year?

AMIDA DHARMA - the essential doctrine of Amidaji temple (free download edition)

I was inspired to write another introduction into Jodo Shinshu Buddhism which will be known from now on, as the essential book of Amidaji temple, a must-read for all members and students. (75 pages)

 

You can order a printed copy from these links:

 

 Click here to order it in British pounds on Amazon.com/uk
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 Click here to download the book for free :

The Ten Benefits of faith in Amida during this life: 1. The benefit of being protected and sustained by unseen powers and divine beings

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The Ten Benefits in this Life of a Person who has Faith in Amida Buddha

This benefit means that those who have shinjin (faith in Amida) are protected against various influences from external evil forces. Thus, the nembutsu follower has no reason to be afraid of sorcery, black magic or evil spirits. Shinran Shonin said in Hymns of Benefit in the Present:

"Those who deeply entrust themselves to the Buddha's teaching are protected by all the gods of the heavens and earth, who accompany them just as shadows do things."[1]

„When we say ‚Namo Amida Butsu,’

Brahma[2] and Indra[3] venerate us;

All the benevolent gods of the heavens

Protect us constantly, day and night.

When we say 'Namo Amida Butsu',
The four great deva-kings together
Protect us constantly, day and night,
And let no evil spirits come near.

The Ten Benefits of faith in Amida during this life: 7. The benefit of having great joy in our hearts

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The Ten Benefits in this Life of a Person who 
has Faith in Amida Buddha

The receiving of faith (shinjin) is equivalent with escaping a great burden. We know that we’ll become Buddhas in the Pure Land of Amida, no matter our present situation. This joy is like the relief you feel when a great burden is taken from your shoulders, and indeed there is no greater burden than to be unenlightened and a slave of samsaric existence. The burden of your liberation is carried by the Buddha called Amida, who already crossed the Path for you. Anybody who carries a great burden is happy when that is taken away from him, so you can be happy or feel relief when you first entrust to Amida Buddha, if attaining Buddhahood or final liberation from birth and death is the most important matter for you. However, this doesn’t mean that hour by hour, minute to minute, second to second, you will think on Amida or feel a continuous joy as to jump in the air. Our lives are in such a way that we can always be overwhelmed by daily problems and worries. But its ok, its simply ok to be like this. We are not compelled to always jump with joy because we are saved by Amida. Despite of this, the salvation of Amida is always present, as our simple faith in Him remains with us since we first received it in our hearts. I usually explain that faith, once received, becomes like breathing, always being there although you don’t always express it consciously. We don’t always feel our breathing, but this doesn’t mean that breathing doesn’t exist. Sometimes we feel it better when, for example, we are fascinated by the clear air of the mountains or of a beautiful morning and we take long and deep breaths, while some other time we are too hurried and busy in our daily life to concentrate on it.

False (mundane) merits vs True (supramundane) merits

Question: What does it mean to seek to be born in the Pure Land through a false, deceitful and poisoned good?

My answer: To seek to be born in the Pure Land through a false, deceitful and poisoned good means to aspire to be born in the Pure Land through transferring one’s personal merits. Shinran said that personal merits are always mixed with the poison of ego, ignorance and attachments, so he considered that we do not actually have genuine merits. In relation with this, we should remember the story of the meeting between Master Bodhidharma and Emperor Wu of Liang.

It is said that when Master Bodhidharma came to China, Emperor Wu called him and asked him: “I’ve built many temples and I’ve offered many lands to the path of the Buddha; now please tell me what merits have I gained? Bodhidharma’s answer came shocking but true: “None, not one merit.” Why Bodhidharma said that? It was because the merits the emperor described above were worldly merits gained with a mind full of attachments and lacking the wisdom of ultimate Reality.

Elements of genuine faith: 8) To not mix nembutsu and devotion towards Amida Buddha with other faiths and practices from inside or outside of the Buddha Dharma

             - click to return to the main list of the elements of genuine faith in Amida Buddha - 

For example, a person of genuine faith will not entrust to, nor rely on the "god" of the monotheists[1] or any other gods or spirits of various religions.  

"Based on the true intent of the Buddha’s teaching and the expositions made and transmitted by the masters of the past, I will clarify that the path of sages is provisional and the Pure Land path is true, and caution people against non-Buddhist teachings, which are perverted, false, and wrong".[2]

“Those who take refuge truly and wholeheartedly, freeing themselves from all delusional attachments and all concern with the propitious or unpropitious, must never take refuge in false spirits or non-Buddhist teachings.”[3]

"Here, based on the sutras, the true and the false are determined and people are cautioned against the wrong, false, and misleading opinions of nonbuddhist teachings:
The Nirvana Sutra states:
'If one has taken refuge in the Buddha, one must not further take refuge in various gods.'