PURE LAND (BUT IN JAPAN!)
SHINRAN (1173-1262)
The most distinctive disciple of Honen and the founder of the Jodo-shin shu (the true Pure Land) school was exiled at the same time, as Honen and Shinrans early career resembles that of Honen.
His parents died when he was a child. He went to Mount Hiei as a novice and studied for 20 years without gaining a sense of satisfaction with doctrines.
He eventually left to follow Honen.
The crucial event in his life was the appearance of Avalokitesvara (Kwannon in Japanese) appeared to him in a dream and told him to marry. With Honen’s approval he married a young noblewoman demonstrating that monasticism was not a pre-requisite for salvation, and showing by example that the family should be at the centre of religious life.
Shinran described himself as “ neither monk or layman” and the married clergy of the sect he founded also fell into this category.
They continued to live in temples and perform religious services, but they led a family life, and expected the eldest son to take over the temple from his father.
Shinran did however, consider himself a sinner and thought of his marriage as ultimately an admission of weakness, a recognition that he could not save himself through his own power but must depend on Amida’s grace.
Shinran was exiled to the northern province of Echigo where he propagated the Nembutsu among the common people. Eventually, having been pardoned, Shinran travelled through the towns and villages of East Japan spreading the teaching and founding temples. During this period he composed his chief work.
“TEACHING, PRACTICE, FAITH AND ATTAINMENT” (1224)
Shinran interpreted, elaborated and in some ways modified Honen’s teaching. Honen had eliminated the element of meditation! And merit-gathering from the Nembutsu in order to deepen ones devotion. He argued that a single sincere invocation was enough for rebirth in Sukhavati.Any further repetitions are simply expressions of gratitude to Amida for assured salvation. The power to exercise faith, says Shinran, is a gift from Amida and not something that man already has.
Shinran took an extreme view of the grace of the Buddha and believed that even the bad karma accumulated would dissolve on contact with the radiating grace of Amida.For Shinran the transference of merit from powerful beings appears as the only sensible approach-why bother about accumulating it yourself?
An obvious danger with this view is that it provides no incentive for adherence to a code of morality or spiritual training and could positively encourage a hedonistic, selfish approach to life!