The central thesis of both the Kyo Gyo Shin Sho and the Passages on the Pure Land Way

I wish to share with all my fellow dharma friends an invaluable piece of teaching from Rev George Gatenby below:
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The central thesis of both the Kyo Gyo Shin Sho and the Passages on the Pure Land Way is, in fact, very simple.  The main body of the Kyo Gyo Shin Sho ends at line 12 on page 158 of the Collected Works of Shinran and line 25 of page 175 in Zuio Sensei's translation.  Shinran Shonin, therefore sums up the Teaching, Practice, Shinjin and Realisation in this way:

"As I contemplate the teaching, practice, shinjin, and realization of the true essence of the Pure Land way, I see that they are the benefit that the Tathagata directs to us in his great compassion.

"Therefore, whether with regard to the cause or to the fruition, there is nothing whatever that has not been fulfilled through Amida Tathagata's directing of virtue to beings out of his pure Vow-mind. Because the cause is pure, the fruit is also pure. Reflect on this."

Great Practice (saying the Name) is one of the four things that 'has been fulfilled' by Amida Buddha.  That is, the practice of saying the nembutsu has been fulfilled by the Buddha and its virtue, merit, transferred to us when we accept shinjin.

The Great Practice has been fulfilled by Amida Buddha.  Because all buddhas, including people of shinjin say the Name, (the 17th Vow) we come to hear it: as the 'call of the Vow'. When we 'hear' it deeply shinjin arises. The twofold deep aspects of shinjin are 1) the faith of self - that we are foolish beings, of dark mind, and 2) the Primal Vow of wisdom that liberates us. When we say the nembutsu it becomes the outward manifestation of our inner shinjin. Rennyo Shonin, sometimes speaks of it as a manifestation of the two aspects of deep shinjin - namu is (ki) foolish beings, Amida Butsu is the dharma (ho), the Primal Vow.

This means that there is nothing for us to do towards our liberation except to receive the Pure Vow Mind as Amida Buddha's shinjin. When we accept this and whenever we call it to mind, we are naturally inclined to repeat the name of its source in gratitude.  This completes a 'virtuous circle', enabling others hear the Name.

The implication for us in this is that the non-arising of shinjin occurs because we construct blockages to its working. This is a kind of spiritual paralysis. When the blockages stop for a moment shinjin is naturally received.  Until then our inner constructs will get in the way and we will continue to create the karma that keeps us tied to samsara.

Hence Shinran Shonin actually summarises shinjin in this way:

"Working" [that is negated] is the practicer's calculating and designing. Tathagata's Primal Vow surpasses conceptual understanding; it is a design of the wisdom of Buddhas. It is not the design of foolish beings. No one can fathom the wisdom of Buddhas, which surpasses conceptual understanding. This includes Maitreya Bodhisattva, who is in [the rank of] succession to Buddhahood. Thus, the great teacher Honen said, "No working is true working." My understanding has been that nothing apart from this realization is necessary for the attainment of birth into the Pure Land; therefore, what others may say is of no concern to me. - CWS. p. 533.

By Rev George Getenby

(10-11-2010)