Remember to say the Nembutsu

last revised February 18th, 2024

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

You must believe that Nembutsu possesses supreme merit and that Amida Buddha with His great compassion of the Primal Vow, will come to embrace one who recites Nembutsu even ten times or just once. Thus believing this, practice Nembutsu for your entire lifetime without negligence”[1]. 

Commentary:

As I showed in chapter “The Nembutsu is true and real” from my book Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature, by quoting many sacred texts, the Name contains the merits of Amida and all Buddhas, as well as the virtues of all Buddhist teachings and practices. “It is the treasure-sea of merits of true Suchness, ultimate reality”[2], as Shinran said. 

Also, Amida protects and embraces those who entrust to Him both in this life as well as in the moment of death when He welcomes them into His Pure Land of Bliss.  

After pointing out that the number of recitations is not important for our birth in the Pure Land, Master Honen encouraged us to say the Name for our entire lifetime. Just as one who was saved from fire will always be grateful to his savior, we should also not be negligent in expressing our gratitude to Amida Buddha for saving us from the repeated births and deaths. This is the reason why sometimes Honen, but also Shinran and Rennyo, insisted on remembering to say the Nembutsu. It was NOT that the number of recitations is important (it isn’t!), but because we should remember to say “thank you” to the one who assured our liberation from samsara.

The Nembutsu is also the expression of faith, so if we really entrusted ourselves to Amida, we’ll surely like to express it by saying His Name.

---

[1] Teachings of Honen, translated by Yoko Hayashi and Joji Atone, Bukkyo University, Los Angeles, p 243-245
[2] Shinran Shonin, Kyogyoshinsho, chapter II, Kyogyoshinsho – On Teaching, Practice, Faith, and Enlightenment, translated by Hisao Inagaki, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p. 9

 

Say the Nembutsu with an undivided mind

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

„I beg of you to believe with ever-deepening fervour, and with undivided mind to give yourself up to the Nembutsu.”[1]

Here we can see again that Honen linked the saying of the Name with faith (shinjin), so the  Nembutsu he always urged us to say was the Nembutsu of faith - the Nembutsu centered on Amida’s Power. That Nembutsu is said with an undivided mind which means it is not mixed with other practices and faiths. The salvation offered by Amida Buddha takes place according to the law of karma, so in order to be saved we need to enter into karmic connection with Him. That can be done only if we have exclusive faith in Amida and say only His Name. This is the „undivided mind” Honen speaks about. Focus exclusively on Amida and abandon any reliance on other religious characters from inside or outside Buddhism. All Buddhas are automatically praised when you say the Name of Amida, and nonBuddhist divinities are deluded so they cannot be an object of refuge.

---

[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. 468

The transmission of the Nembutsu faith from Master Shantao to Master Honen

 

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

“One night Honen dreamed that he saw a large high mountain facing west and running north and south. A large river ran along the foot of the mountain out of the north, its waves moving towards the south. It seemed to be boundless, and on the eastern side were trackless forests. When Honen climbed half way up the mountain side and looked westward, he saw a mass of purple clouds about fifty feet from the earth flying through the air, and coming to the spot where he stood. While he was wondering at this strange sight, he noticed that countless beams of light issued from out of the clouds, and forth from these beams in all directions flew peacocks, parrots and a great variety of birds, and some of them on alighting strolled up and down the beach. Innumerable streams of light flashed forth from their bodies. After a while the whole flock flew up and went back as before into the clouds. Then the cloud, turning northward, covered the mountain and river. At this sight Honen thought to himself, ‘Surely, there must be someone here about to be born into the Pure Land., when suddenly the cloud turned and stopped right in front of him, till at length it overspread the whole heavens. Then there came forth out of the cloud a monk who made towards the place where Honen was. He was clad in a golden garment from his waist downward, and in black robes from his waist upwards. Bowing respectfully with hands folded towards him, Honen said, ‘And who may you be?’ The monk replied, ‘I am Zendo (Shantao)’. And what have you come for?’ ‘To show my appreciation of your devotion to the practice and dissemination of the one and only discipline of the Nembutsu’”[1]

Honen’s one-page testament

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

"The method of final salvation that I have propounded is neither a sort of meditation, such as has been practiced by many scholars in China and Japan, nor is it a repetition of the Buddha's name by those who have studied and understood the deep meaning of it. It is nothing but the mere repetition of the 'Namo Amida Butsu,' without a doubt of His mercy, whereby one may be born into the Land of Perfect Bliss. 
The mere repetition with firm faith includes all the practical details, such as the threefold preparation of mind and the four practical rules. If I as an individual had any doctrine more profound than this, I should miss the mercy of the Two Honorable Ones, Amida and Shakyamuni, and be left out of the Vow of the Amida Buddha. 
Those who believe this, though they clearly understand all the teachings Shakyamuni taught throughout His whole life, should behave themselves like simple-minded folks, who know not a single letter, or like ignorant nuns or monks whose faith is implicitly simple. 
Thus without pedantic airs, they should fervently practice the repetition of the Name of Amida, and that alone."[1]

Commentary:

Honen’s search for salvation

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

Here is the story of Honen’s meeting with the Primal Vow in his own words[1]: 

“Having a deep desire to obtain salvation, and with faith in the teachings of the various scriptures, I practiced many forms of self-discipline. There are indeed many doctrines in Buddhism, but they may all be summed up in the three learnings, namely the precepts, meditation and wisdom[2], as practiced by the adherents of the Lesser (Hinayana) and Greater Vehicles (Mahayana), and the exoteric and esoteric sects. But the fact is that I do not keep even one of the precepts, not do I attain to any one of the many forms of meditation. A certain monk said that without the observance of the sila (precepts), there is no such thing as the realization of samadhi[3]. Moreover, the heart (mind) of the ordinary unenlightened man because of his surroundings, is always liable to change, just like monkeys jumping from one branch to another. It is indeed in a state of confusion, easily moved and with difficulty controlled. In what way does right and indefectible wisdom arise? Without the sword of indefectible wisdom, how can one get free from the chains of evil passion, whence comes evil conduct?  And unless one gets free from evil conduct and evil passions, how shall he obtain deliverance from the bondage of birth and death? Alas! What shall I do? What shall I do? The like of us are incompetent to practice the three disciplines of the precepts, meditation and wisdom. 
And so I enquired of a great many learned men and monks whether there is any other way of salvation than these three disciplines, that is better suited to our poor abilities, but I found none who could either teach me the way of even suggest it to me. At last I went into the library at Kurodani at Mount Hiei, where all the scriptures were, all by myself, and with a heavy heart, read them all through. While doing so, I hit upon a passage in Shantao’s Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra, which runs as follows:

The superiority of the Nembutsu Path according to Honen Shonin

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

Honen had the following dialogue with Shinjakubo from Harima: 

“’Suppose two imperial orders were sent out, one for the western and the other for the eastern provinces. What would you think, if the one intended for the western were by mistake taken to the eastern provinces, or vice versa? Would the people observe them?’ After some thought Shinjakubo replied: ‘Even though they were imperial orders, how would it be possible for the people to observe them?’ ‘Right you are’, said Honen. ‘Now by the two imperial orders, I mean the teachings we inherit from Shakyamuni belonging to the so-called three periods, that of the Right Dharma Age, the Semblance Dharma Age and the Last Dharma Age[1]. The practice of the so-called Holy Path (Shōdō), belongs to the periods of the Right Dharma Age and the Semblance Dharma Age, and is only attainable by men of superior capacity and wisdom. Let us call this the imperial order to the western provinces. The practice of the so-called Pure Land (Jodo) belongs to the degenerate age when the Dharma[2] has fallen into decay, in which even the most worthless may find the way of salvation. Let us liken this to the imperial order to the eastern provinces. So it would never do to confuse these two paths, only one of which is suited to all three periods. I once discussed the doctrines of the Holy Path (path of self-power) and of the Pure Land with several scholars at Ōhara, and admitted that they both are equally Buddhistic, just as both horns of an ox are equally his own. I went on to show that from the standpoint of human capacity, my doctrine of the Pure Land is much superior and has had by far the greater success. Though the Holy Path is indeed profound, it belongs to an age already past, and is not suited to men of the present day, and while the Pure Land seems shallow it really is just the thing for our generation. When I thus won in the argument, the audience applauded, deeply convinced of the truth of the saying: ‘In the period of the Last Dharma Age, which last ten thousand years, all other sutras shall perish, but the one teaching of Amida alone shall remain to bless men and endure.’” [3] 

On people who cannot be saved by Amida Buddha

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

Honen Shonin said:

“Indeed it matters not how vile we be whether in body or in mind. Whoever we are, we ought to put our trust in Amida’s Vow, and bend our whole mind to the one way, and so we shall assuredly be born into the Pure Land. Nevertheless, we must remember that many men have many minds. There are some who look only for the pleasure and glory of this present evanescent world, which is but a vision or a dream, and know nothing at all about that afterworld. There are others again who have come to dread the future, and accordingly bend their energies in that direction. Thus their minds flit from this to that religious practice, and they do not trust exclusively in the one and only way. Again there are some who, when they have once made up their minds in a certain way, will not change them, but persist therein in spite of everything they may hear. Then there are others who today have a most excellent faith, and it would seem as if they could never deviate therefrom a hair’s breadth, and yet they afterwards give it up entirely. Such being the case it is very hard to find anyone who has really entered the gate of Jodo (Pure Land), and is devoting himself heart and soul to the practice of the Nembutsu alone. I seem to myself to be the only one who secretly grieves over such a regrettable state of things, and indeed it is hard to find anyone in this world, who gives heed to the Dharma itself, irrespective of the character of the man who expounds it.”[1]
 
Commentary:

Self-power practices and teachings are not appropriate for our times

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

Honen Shonin said:

 

"Regardless of whether it is of Mahayana Buddhism or Hinayana Buddhism, we cannot endure the training in these sacred teachings of the four vehicles, as they are not appropriate teachings for our present time……It is unnecessary to state here that in this period of the decline of Dharma (the Last Dharma Age), pursuit of these achievements is almost impossible, especially for those of us with minimal capabilities…..It goes without saying that in the present day, while it is still the period of the decline of the Dharma (the Last Dharma Age), let alone during the periods of the true Dharma (the Right Dharma Age) and the semblance of the Dharma (the Semblance Dharma Age), no being is excluded from birth in the Pure Land.”[1]
 
Commentary: 

Master Honen’s reason for the founding of a separate Pure Land school and my reason for founding Amidaji

Amida Buddha is my strength.

Amida Buddha is my refuge.

Amida Buddha is my salvation.

Amida Buddha is all I transmit to others.

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

 "Honen once said: ‘The reasons I founded the Jodo (Pure Land)   school was that I might show the ordinary man how to be born into     the Buddha’s real land of compensation (hōdo). According to the   Tendai sect, the ordinary man may be born into the so-called Pure   Land, but that land is conceived of as a very inferior place.   Although  the Hossō school conceived of it as indeed a very   superior  place, they do not allow that the common man can be born   there at all. And all the schools, though differing in many points, all   agree in not allowing that the common man can be born into the   Buddha’s land of real compensation; while according to Zendo’s   (Shan-tao) commentary, which laid the foundation of the Jodo (Pure   Land) school, it was made clear that birth into that land is possible   even for the common man. But many said to me: ‘You surely can   promote the Nembutsu way of attaining Ojo (birth into the Pure  Land) without establishing a new school. You are doing this merely out of ambition, to appear superior to others. If we ordinary people can only attain this birth, it ought to be enough to be born into the land in which the Buddha appears in His temporary body. Why do you need to talk of their reaching that land of real compensation that is occupied by the Buddhas and the highest Bodhisattvas alone?’
At first sight this seems quite plausible, but on further reflection it really misses the point. Unless I start a separate school, the truth that the common man may be born into the Buddha’s land of compensation will be obscured, and it will be hard to realize the deep meaning of Amida’s Primal Vow. I, therefore, in accordance with the interpretation given by Zendo (Shan-tao), unhesitatingly proclaim the doctrine of the land of real compensation. This is by no means a question of personal ambition.”[1]

Just say the Nembutsu without adding anything to it

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

“Once a devotee from the Chinzei district came up to Kyoto to visit Honen at his cottage.
Before meeting him, he asked one of Honen’s disciples if it was a good thing to meditate upon the Buddha’s signs of eminence while one is repeating the Nembutsu. The reply was that it was an excellent thing to do.
 
Honen who was sitting in the adjoining room before the Buddha’s image, overheard the conversation. He opened the sliding door and remarked, ‘I don’t think so. It is as Zendo (Master Shan-tao) says, ‘If a single one of the sentient beings in the ten quarters of the world should fail to be born into the Pure Land through calling of my Name at least ten times, then I refuse for myself the perfect Enlightenment of Buddhahood. Now the fact is that He did become a Buddha and now exists as one. So from this we are perfectly sure that His Great Primal Vow was not in vain. If therefore any sentient being now does call upon His Name, he shall certainly attain Ojo (birth in the Pure Land). No matter how much we may meditate upon the Buddha, we cannot do it in the perfect way as Shakyamuni explained it (in the Contemplation Sutra). So the only thing for us to do is to put our trust deeply in the Primal Vow itself, and call upon the sacred Name with our lips. This is the one and only way to practice religion.[1]’”[2]

On those who slander the exclusive Nembutsu practitioners

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

Honen Shonin said in An Outline of Nembutsu:
 
 "It is even more unfortunate that there are many who insult and deride the exclusive practitioners of Nembutsu today. These unfortunate circumstances were foretold by incarnate
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas a long time ago. Accordingly, Bodhisattva Manjusri stated, 'Nonvirtuous beings in the future world will recite the Name of Amida Buddha in the West, become detached from the delusive worlds of saṃsara by relying on the Primal Vow, and be
born in the Pure Land through the depth of their sincere heart.'
 
In the Hymns of the Nien-fo Liturgy, Master Shan-tao thus stated:
'At the very moment when the World-Honored One [Buddha Shakyamuni] was coming to the end of His sermon, He entrusted to Sariputra with great care the Name of Amida Buddha[1].
Over time, after the death of Buddha Shakyamuni, the five defilements proliferated, and many people began to slander the teaching of Nembutsu. Monastics and lay people alike began to dislike the teaching of Nembutsu and ceased listening to it. This gave rise to the poison of anger, and when they saw Nembutsu practitioners, they struggled to incite intrigue and create grudges. Such people seem blind by nature and have no intrinsic goodness. Destroying the teaching designed for the instantaneous realization of Enlightenment, they will sink into the three lower realms for a long time. They will never be released from the three lower realms,
even though innumerable eons pass, more numerous than the number of particles released in the explosion of the earth.

The thirteen contemplations are provisional practices while the Nembutsu of faith is the main Gate to the Pure Land

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

 “Jogan Shonin (1168-1251) thus stated: ‘Someone said to Honen Shonin, ‘The perception of the physical features of Amida Buddha is taught in the Contemplation Sutra. Should even Nembutsu practitioner observe this meditative practice?’ Honen Shonin replied: ‘I, Genku, also observed such a futile practice at the beginning, but I do not practice it now. I recite the Nembutsu with implicit belief in attaining birth in the Pure Land.’”[1] 

Commentary:

Why did Honen Shonin regarded the thirteen contemplations in the above mentioned sutra to be a futile practice? And if he regarded them so, why were they mentioned there? 

The answer to the first question is that the thirteen contemplations and the perception of the physical features of Amida Buddha are NOT found in His Primal Vow where only faith, Nembutsu of faith and wish to be born in the Pure Land are mentioned. Because they are not part of the Primal Vow, it means they do not constitute the main intention of Amida and are not the cause of birth in the fulfilled land (center) of the Pure Land where we immediately become Buddhas. 

Don’t listen to teachers who deny birth in the Pure Land through Nembutsu

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

“It is indeed lamentable and regrettable that there are those who say birth in the Pure Land is impossible. Please, do not ever be swayed by such words, even if the speakers are wise and honorable. They may be people who are learned and respected in their individual paths of endeavor, but the instructions of those with different understandings and practices will be troublesome for those who are aspiring for birth in the Pure Land. These proponents of other practices are referred to as ‘undesirable teachers who will serve to distance the aspirants from their karmic relationship with Amida Buddha.’ You must not lend an ear to such misguided people but continue to rely steadfastly on the Primal Vow for birth in the Pure Land”.[1]
 
Commentary:

The protection by Amida Buddha can reach only those who exclusively say His Name in faith

 

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" The merit of protection by Amida Buddha is received in daily life. This is because one who has genuine belief in birth in the Pure Land holds no doubt. Amida Buddha casts eighty-four thousand rays of His light of compassion upon one who is resolute in the attainment of this goal. Amida Buddha shines this light continually on the Nembutsu practitioner in daily life and up to the final moment of that person's life. For this reason, it is called the 'Vow by which Amida Buddha never abandons the Nembutsu devotee."[1] 

When saying the above, Honen Shonin relied on the following passage from the Contemplation Sutra: 

“Buddha Amitayus (Amida) possesses eighty-four thousand physical characteristics, each having eighty-four thousand secondary marks of excellence. Each secondary mark emits eighty-four thousand rays of light; each ray of light shines universally upon the lands of the ten directions, embracing and not forsaking those who are mindful of the Buddha (have faith in Amida).”[2] 

The meaning of “no working is true working” in relation with our birth in the Pure Land

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Honen Shonin said: 

"If you think that birth in the Pure Land is possible through your own efforts, you will become consumed with conceit that you are wise. When you possess this heart of conceit, you will not be in accord with the Primal Vow, and you will lose the protection of Amida Buddha as well as that of other Buddhas[1]. You are ultimately haunted by malevolent spirits. I here repeat - be vigilant indeed against conceit."[2] 

Commentary:

Do not mix Nembutsu with other practices

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

"The profound heart is the heart that believes profoundly in Nembutsu. It also means to recite exclusively Nembutsu without embracing other practices. If other practices are performed concurrently with Nembutsu, one would be a Nembutsu devotee lacking in the profound heart. To understand that the Three Sutras of Pure Land Buddhism taught by Buddha Shakyamuni

exclusively propagate the sole practice of Nembutsu, to believe that the essence of the forty-eight vows of Amida Buddha is the Vow of the exclusive recitation of Nembutsu, and to recite single-heartedly Nembutsu - these indicate having the profound heart."[1] 

Commentary:

We are the school of the Primal Vow. All we need to know and all we have to do for our salvation is found in the Primal Vow. This is why I explained it word by word in almost 90 pages in my Commentary on the Larger Sutra. 

We cannot enter into karmic connection with Amida Buddha for birth in the fulfilled land of the Pure Land[2] if we do not do EXACTLY what He asked us to do in His Primal Vow – entrust to Him, say His Name and wish to be born in His Pure Land. These three elements are exclusive requirements so we must have faith only in Amida, say only His Name and wish to be born only in His Pure Land. If we do exactly this and only this, then we receive the karma for birth there after death. 

Faith, Nembutsu and aspiration are one

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

If one desires to attain birth in the Pure Land, both his heart and practice must be in concert. Therefore, the interpretation of Master Shan-tao reads: ‘Practice alone is not sufficient for the accomplishment of birth in the Pure Land. Neither is aspiration alone. Realization occurs only when aspiration and practice are concomitant.’ 

Both heart and practice must be a single discipline, not only to achieve birth in the Pure Land, but also to realize Enlightenment in the Holy Gate. This is referred to as ‘observing the practice by awakening the heart to Enlightenment’. 

In Jodo Shu (Pure Land school), Master Shan-tao called this ‘the steadfast heart and practice’.”[1]

 Commentary:

“Heart” refers to the “entrusting heart” (shinjin) or faith in Amida Buddha. This is also linked with “aspiration”, which is aspiration or desire to be born in the Pure Land. “Practice” is to say the Name of Amida Buddha.

All these three: faith (shinjin), the saying of the Name and the wish (aspiration) to be born in the Pure Land are the three requirements of Amida in His Primal Vow, where He asked beings to entrust to Him, say His Name and wish to be born in His Pure Land: “sincerely entrust themselves to me (faith/shinjin), desire to be born in my land (aspiration), and say my Name (Nembutsu) perhaps even ten times”. 

The number of Nembutsu recitation is NOT important as long as we rely on Amida’s Power

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There are some who teach that Nembutsu must be said many times in order to reach birth in the Pure Land, thus forgetting the Power behind the Name which makes the Nembutsu effective.

I would ask these people to try using their own names, John, Marc, Mary, etc, and see if they can attain birth in the Pure Land through them. Of course, they can’t and the reason why is that theirs are empty names without any power.

As the Nembutsu is the saying of Amida’s Name it belongs to Amida and is infused with His infinite merits and Power. This is why it works in bringing us to the Pure Land at the end of our physical bodies. So, it is extremely important that our saying of the Name should be an expression of faith in Amida, and NOT in our capacities to say it often or seldom. 

Each of us has his/her own personal relation with Amida Buddha who saves us one by one, having us always in front of His compassionate eyes. We do not need to be heroes, have the same visions or recitation capacities like Masters of the past, but simply say the Nembutsu according to our personal conditions while keeping in mind that Amida did NOT impose a fixed number of recitations in order to be born in His Pure Land: “say my Name perhaps even ten times”. This expression “perhaps even ten times” means ANY NUMBER from one to ten or to hundreds, thousands and as many as we can.

Self-power and Amida's Power

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Honen Shonin said:

 “It is impossible to predict the length of our lives, and although we may live a long time, the past is in the end like a phantom dream.

Therefore, remember that together we will enter the same Buddha-land of Amida Buddha. Upon the lotus flower we will dispel memories of sadness in this defiled world of suffering, we will reminiscence about our past karmic connections, and we will vow to save and lead people to Enlightenment in the future. I shared the importance of this with you when we first met. 

Believe deeply in the Primal Vow[1] of Amida Buddha; do not doubt even for a moment that you will attain birth in the Pure Land; and believe that with ten recitations of Namo Amida Butsu you will definitely achieve birth in the Pure Land through the power of the Primal Vow, however much negative karma you may have. Please focus on reciting Nembutsu. 

The uniqueness and universality of Nembutsu

 

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Selected passages from Honen Shonin 

with commentary

Honen Shonin said: 

“When we say that the Jodo (Pure Land) is superior to all other sects, and that the Nembutsu is superior to all other religious disciplines, we mean that it provides salvation for all classes of sentient beings. Of course, meditation upon the Absolute, heart longing for perfect knowledge (Bodhi), the reading and reciting of the Mahayana Sutras, the mystic practices of the Shingon, the meditation of the Tendai, and so on, all belong to the Dharma of the Buddhas, reveal their superiority, and tell us how to cross over the sea of birth and death. And yet on the other hand, they are quite beyond the capacity of people living in these later degenerate times. After the ten thousand years of these latter evil days have passed, the average length of human life is to be shortened to ten years, and many will degenerate so that they will be guilty of the ten evil deeds and the five deadly sins, and yet the whole of them old and young, male and female, all without exception, are included within the scope of that Primal Vow, and are given the assurance that they will be cared for and never forsaken, if they will but repeat the Nembutsu ten times, or even once. This is why we insist that the Nembutsu quite outrivals all other sects and disciplines.”[1]