Jodo Shinshu
Jodo Shinshu is a Japanese phrase that means “True Pure Land School”
Jodo Shinshu is also known as Shin Buddhism, so the terms are used interchangeably.
Jodo Shinshu, or Shin Buddhism, was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran Shonin (1173 – 1263). Shin Buddhism is a non-monastic tradition. Shinran Shonin was one of the first monks in the Japanese Buddhist tradition to marry and raise a family, and he called himself “neither monk nor lay person.” Shin Buddhism is a family-friendly path that all ages can participate in together. Shin is the largest tradition of Buddhism in Japan and has been in America for over 120 years.
A NON-MONASTIC, EVERYDAY LIFE
Shinran lived as a monk for 20 years until he left the monastic tradition to follow his teacher, Honen (1133 – 1212). Shinran married a woman named Eshinni, and together they raised six children. As Shin Buddhism became popularized, all of Japanese Buddhism changed, and today many traditions of Buddhism have married clergy.
Shin Buddhism focuses on a lay-oriented, non-monastic approach to Buddhism. This is both easier and more difficult at the same time. Although there are no monastic precepts to follow, nor arduous meditational practices to do, our everyday life becomes our “practice center.” We must struggle with work, relationships, child-rearing, caring for elderly parents, and the myriad experiences and responsibilities of our lives.
Through listening to the Dharma, the Shin Buddhist finds meaning, fulfillment, and insight in the joys and sorrows of everyday life.
RECEIVE RATHER THAN ATTAIN
Shinran had a unique insight into Buddhism. For many years, he practiced monastic Buddhism in an attempt to lessen his ego self and attain enlightenment, but to no avail. Shinran’s religious and spiritual experience was to discover that enlightenment is not something to achieve or attain, especially when the ego self is involved. The ego self is relentless in that the more one achieves, the more highly one thinks of oneself.Shinran gave up striving for enlightenment and instead opened his heart and mind to receive the truth, the light of the Dharma, into his heart and mind.
THE HEART OF SHIN BUDDHISM
Shin Buddhism is a path of deep self-reflection and introspection through listening. Seeing the teachings in our everyday life, we are led to a life of gratitude and appreciation for all that sustains our life, nurtures our life, and enhances our life.
Central to Shin Buddhism is the recitation of “Namo Amida Butsu,” which means, “I bow my head to the truth of enlightenment, wisdom, and compassion.” The Shin Buddhist path is a life of listening, reciting, and coming to see Namo Amida Butsu as a deep and profound truth, and not just a word or recitation.
NAMO AMIDA BUTSU
Namo literally means “to take refuge,” and comes from the Sanskrit word namas. What are we bowing to when we say “Namo Amida Butsu?” We are bowing to Amida Buddha, where Amida Buddha is not a being, a deity, or a historical person. Amida Buddha is a symbol of the contents of enlightenment, great wisdom, and great compassion. We bow our head to the truth of enlightenment, saying “Namo Amida Butsu,” and we come to receive that truth of wisdom and compassion into our hearts and minds.
Listening is our main practice
Listening can mean listening to Dharma talks at the Temple, but it can also mean reading and discussing the teachings and listening to others. By listening, we come to see the teachings in our everyday life, all around us. Anyone and anything can be a teacher to us, if we have the heart and mind to listen, to learn, and to receive. In Shin Buddhism, rather than striving to attain enlightenment, we listen to find ourselves “within enlightenment, within the heart of the Buddha, which is wisdom and compassion.”