This document is a summary of the Shōshinge, a text that outlines the core teachings of Pure Land Buddhism. It describes the origin of Amida Buddha's primal vow to establish the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and how ordinary beings can attain rebirth there through reciting his name with faith. Key figures like Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, and Shan-tao are mentioned for clarifying how true faith in Amida's vow ensures birth in the Pure Land, where enlightenment is realized.
This document is a summary of the Shōshinge, a text that outlines the core teachings of Pure Land Buddhism. It describes the origin of Amida Buddha's primal vow to establish the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and how ordinary beings can attain rebirth there through reciting his name with faith. Key figures like Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, and Shan-tao are mentioned for clarifying how true faith in Amida's vow ensures birth in the Pure Land, where enlightenment is realized.
Original Description:
Shinran's Shoshinge (Hymn to the Pure Land Way summarizing the totality of his doctrine)
This document is a summary of the Shōshinge, a text that outlines the core teachings of Pure Land Buddhism. It describes the origin of Amida Buddha's primal vow to establish the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and how ordinary beings can attain rebirth there through reciting his name with faith. Key figures like Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, and Shan-tao are mentioned for clarifying how true faith in Amida's vow ensures birth in the Pure Land, where enlightenment is realized.
This document is a summary of the Shōshinge, a text that outlines the core teachings of Pure Land Buddhism. It describes the origin of Amida Buddha's primal vow to establish the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and how ordinary beings can attain rebirth there through reciting his name with faith. Key figures like Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, and Shan-tao are mentioned for clarifying how true faith in Amida's vow ensures birth in the Pure Land, where enlightenment is realized.
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Shshinge
(combination of translations) I am allowed to surrender myself to the working of infinite life And to abandon myself to inconceivable light. A Bodhisattva named Dharmakara, during his seeking stage, Was at the feet of an awakened one, Lokeshvararaja, Looking into the core of all buddha pure lands And the qualities of those lands and residents therein, Dharmakara manifested the unsurpassed excellent aspiration And intuitively awakened an extraordinary great universal vow; Having meditated for five eons, he embodied them, And furthermore vowed that his calling-name would resound throughout the universe. Universally radiating immeasurable, boundless light, Unhindered, unparalleled, majestically flaming light, Pure, joyful, awakening light Unceasing, inconceivable, ineffable light, And light surpassing the sun and moon - he illuminates all the corners of the worlds, Benefiting all beings. The calling-name of primal aspiration rightly directs us, Due to the aspiration of sincere faith, given to us. Our realization of enlightenment and great nirvana Is to be fulfilled by the aspiration of unfailing attainment of nirvana. Tathagata Shakya appeared in this world Solely to disclose Amidas boundless primal aspiration. Throngs of beings in this defiled evil age, Trust the true words of tathagata! If we are able to awaken a moment of joy, We will realize nirvana without severing sensuous desires. Ordinary men, sages, the atrocious and abusers are equally converted, Just as streams become one upon entering the ocean. All embracing spiritual light always protects us. It has penetrated our darkness of ignorance. Yet clouds of greed and mists of anger Still cover the sky of true faith;
Although sunlight is covered by clouds and mists,
Below them there is no darkness. When we realize this faith (shinjin true mind) with insight, reverence, and great joy, We at once transcend, cut across the five evil paths. When all ordinary beings, good or bad, Hear and trust Tathagata Amidas universal vow, They are called people of great understanding And named white lotuses by buddhas. For those evil beings of perverted views and arrogance, The nembutsu of Amidas primal aspiration Is extremely difficult ot trust and retain; Nothing exceeds this difficulty. Bodhisattvas of India And noble masters of China and Japan Revealed the intention of Great Sage Shakyas appearance, And clarified that Tathagata Amidas primal vow suits our capacity. On Mount Lanka, Tathagata Shakya Predicted to the multitudes that in southern India The Great-being Nagarjuna would appear, Completely destroying the views of being and non-being, Expounding the unsurpassed dharma of Mahayana, Realizing the stage of joy, and being reborn in the land of bliss. Nagarjuna showed the difficult practice to be as laborious as journeying on foot, And made us trust the simple practice as pleasant as sailing. Nagarjuna said: When we meditate on Amidas primal aspiration, We are assured of buddhahood naturally and instantly. Just utter Tathagata Amidas name always And acknowledge the benevolence of the great compassionate vow. Bodhisattva Vasubandhu disclosed in a treatise His submission to the working of unhindered light. Depending on the sutras, he revealed the truth And illuminated the great vow of horizontal transcendence. Being inspired by the power of the primal aspiration, He elucidated one-mindedness for the deliverence of all beings. Vasubandhu said: Upon entering the great treasure-ocean of virtues,
We will surely be numbered among the great assembly.
At the moment we reach the lotus world,
We will realize and embody thusness and dharma-essence. Playing in the forests of sensuous desires, we will have penetrating spiritual realizations; Entering the garden of birth-and-death, we will manifest transformations to benefit beings. The Emperor of Liang, facing the residence of our master Tan-luan, Always revered him as a bodhisattva. When Master Bodhiruci gave him a pure land teaching, Tan-luan burned his Taoist longevity texts, surrendered himself to the land of bliss. Commenting on the Bodhisattva Vasubandhus treatise, Tan-luan revealed that the vow is the cause for birth in the pure land. Tan-luan said: Due to other-power we transcend and return; We are rightly directed only through true faith. When we, confused and defiled beings, awaken true faith, We will be made to realize that birth-and-death is nirvana itself, Upon entering the land of immeasurable light, We will save all beings universally Tao-cho ascertained that the path of sages is difficult to realize And revealed that only the pure land is possible to enter. Disqualifying the self-power practices of various goodness, He recommended sole utterance of the perfectly virtuous name. Thoughtfully teaching the three aspects of the pure and impure faith, He equally and compassionately leads beings even in this age of dharma-extinction. Tao-cho said: Even though we commit evil all our lives, upon meeting the universal vow, We will realize wondrous nirvana in the land of bliss. Shan-tao alone clarified the Shakyamuni Buddhas true intention. Empathizing with the meditative, the distracted, the atrocious and the vicious, He revealed that being touched by the light, we hear the calling-name. Shan-tao said: Upon entering the boundless wisdom-ocean of the primal aspiration, Devotees will rightly receive the diamond-like mind.
After the moment of rejoicing in accord with the aspiration,
They will gain the threefold insight of faith, joy, and wisdom, like Queen Vaidehi, And realize the eternal bliss of dharma-essence. Genshin thoroughly studied all buddhist teachings, And surrendered himself solely to the pure land, recommending it to all. Discerning the deepness and shallowness of faith between the sole and the mixed practices, He distinguished the pure land from the temporary land Genshin said: Most evil ones, just utter Amidas name! I, too, am in his embracing light. Although I cannot see it, being blinded by sensuous desires, The great compassion is untiring and always shines upon me. Our Master Genku was well versed in all buddhist teachings And had compassion for ordinary beings, good and bad. Promoting the true teaching and its realization in Japan, He propagated the selected primal aspiration in this evil world. Genku said: We revert to this house of delusion and transmigration, Imprisoned invariably by doubt. We quickly enter the bliss of nirvana, Certainly enabled by true faith. These great teachers, who have promoted the sutras, Deliver innumerable extremely defiled and evil beings. Clergy and laity of the present, with one heart, Simply trust the disclosures of these noble masters! (Shoshinge is traditionally followed by the chanting of six sets of Nembutsu and Wasan. Wasan are poems composed by Shinran Shonin, which explain his teaching in a simple form. There are three collections of Wasan. Here, the first six of these poems are chanted. It concludes with the "Ekoku," written by Shan-tao (Zendo in Japanese, 618-681 CE), which expresses the aspiration that all beings benefit by the truth and virtue of the dharma.)
Namu-Amida-Butsu ... Amida has passed through ten kalpas now Since realizing Buddhahood; Dharma-body's wheel of light is without bound, Shining on the blind and ignorant of the world. Namu-Amida-Butsu ... The light of wisdom exceeds all measure, And every finite living being Receives this illumination that is like the dawn, So take refuge in Amida, the true and real light. Namu-Amida-Butsu The liberating wheel of light is without bound; Each person it touches, it is taught, Is freed from attachments to being and nonbeing, So take refuge in Amida, the enlightenment of nondiscrimination. Namu-Amida-Butsu The cloud of light is unhindered, like open sky; There is nothing that impedes it. Every being is nurtured by this light, So take refuge in Amida, the one beyond conception. Namu-Amida-Butsu The light of purity is without compare. When a person encounters this light, All bonds of karma fall away; So take refuge in Amida, the ultimate shelter. Namu-Amida-Butsu The Buddha's light is supreme in radiance; Thus Amida is called "Buddha, Lord of Blazing Light." His light dispels the darkness of the three courses of affliction, So take refuge in Amida, the great one worthy of offerings.
(Ekoku) I vow that the merit-virtue of this truth Be shared equally with all beings. May we together awaken the Bodhi Mind, And be born in the realm of Serenity and Joy.
The Arhats in China and Tibet Author(s) : Stephen Little Source: Artibus Asiae, Vol. 52, No. 3/4 (1992), Pp. 255-281 Published By: Stable URL: Accessed: 18/06/2014 21:13
The Arhats in China and Tibet Author(s) : Stephen Little Source: Artibus Asiae, Vol. 52, No. 3/4 (1992), Pp. 255-281 Published By: Stable URL: Accessed: 18/06/2014 21:13
