The Pitch-Darkness 真暗暗

这是篇过去在另外一个部落格里写过的文章，可是因为忘了password和一些技术上的问题所以就停用了。可是最近再读回，感觉还是很棒，就再整修一些内容，在这里与大家分享。

Night is dark, and the road is not seen.

At that moment, Amida offers his hand to guide me.

How great the Vow-Power is!

A couple of days ago, I shared with my close dharma friend a case study from the book I read – ‘ The pitch-darkness’. The message in this book was awe-inspiring and I must admit that I was completely taken over. Amida’s unsurpassed vow-power overpowers this Mr. Bombu instantaneously and I could not help myself dancing with joy.

The late Zuiken Inagaki Sensei was the author and his intention to write these whole messages was initiated by the inquisition of his close student Zuimoku Sensei whom later compiled into the book. Zuimoku Sensei happened to know that there was one the followers experienced and overcame by the flabbergasted pitch-darkness when he was bedridden. Zuimoku Sensei referred this matter to Zuiken Sensei for consultation and this was how the book came about. In his book, Zuiken Sensei revealed the unfailing and unmistakable saving power of Amida Tatagatha though the blind passion would remain with us towards the end of our life. This helps those upholding the Other-power practice to have no room to think but simply fall for the rescue of the unhindered light.

Once, Zuiken Inagaki Sensei visited an elderly follower at his deathbed. The old man behaved unpleasant and hopeless as to his destiny and afterlife. He was ill-defined and sought help from Sensei. Sensei was so pitiful with him and comforted him the following words:

Night is dark, and the road is not seen.

At that moment, Amida offers his hand to guide me.

How great the Vow-Power is!

Amazingly, when the old man heard this, he seemed to have regained his memory about what he had learnt in the past from Sensei. He returned Sensei with a lotus-blossomed smile and a face full of radiance of peace (Anjin).

I have no idea as to whether the old man was settled with shinjin sometime earlier before. Or he could have gained shinjin of Amida during the last moment of his life. However, according to what I understood from Sensei, no one could escape the experience of complete darkness during his time of death due to blind passions. Therefore, the utmost importance task for us is the reception of shinjin from Amida that is the complete reliance on His unsurpassed vow.

During the immergence of complete darkness at deathbed, it was described that one was like being thrown into the vast and dark ocean that one could not help grabbing at things for help.  In the vision of such people, it was a real ‘pitch darkness’ and miserable as being described ‘Night is dark, and the road is not seen.’

In those receiving shinjin earlier in life, he must learn that during this critical moment, he will never be forsaken by Amida.   ‘At that moment, Amida offers his hand to guide me.’  He could have faced the same predicament exactly as the old man but without his knowing or beyond his comprehension, he was grasped tightly in the hand of Amida. Amida holds our hands from the time when we first returned to him where the shinjin was received. When you have received shinjin, IT is everlastingly becoming your belonging and IT is diamond-like and will never be destroyed by anything on earth, not even by our stubborn blind passions.

How great the Vow-Power is! How inconceivable the vow-power is? How inconceivable that we Bombus can believe in this inconceivable ‘idea’! How grateful we are to have Amida with us.

Sunday Noon, January 10, 2010 (last edited Oct 3, 2010)