“Amida Buddha’s Call” Tsukiji Hongwanji English Dharma Talk April 24, 2021 Osamu Nanjo, Kyogakuji

It is by the power of Dharmākara’s Vow That we realize the nembutsu that is wisdom; Were it not for the wisdom of shinjin, How could we attain nirvana? nembutsu that is wisdom: this is said because one attains through Amida’s Vow. Hymns of the Dharma-Ages by Shonin

Dharmākara 法蔵菩薩 (Hōzō Bosatsu) : The Bodhisattva who established the vow to liberate all sentient beings in the universe through the utterance of his name (Namo Amida Butsu) and who became Amida Buddha through its fulfillment. The Primal Vow and the aeons of religious practice that was necessary for its fulfillment are, strictly speaking, those of Bodhisattva Dharmākara. Through the story of Dharmākara we see that Amida is not a static symbol of absolute truth, but the expression of the ever-active working of compassion that lies at the core of Mahayana Buddhism. → Dharmākara’s Vow = Primal Vow 本願 (Hongan)

Nembutsu 念仏: This term has several meanings in the history of Buddhism, but in the , Nembutsu has been considered to mean the saying of the Name. Hōnen emphasizes Nembutsu as utterance of the Name to be the core of the Pure Land way. Thus Nembutsu signifies the Name (Myōgō) as the manifestation of great compassion and the saying of this Name, Namo Amida Butsu. Shinran further teaches that the saying of the Name is none other than the Name (the call of Amida) working in persons and awakening Shinjin in them. When they realize Shinjin, it is expressed spontaneously as the Nembutsu.

Shinjin 信心: One’s entrusting to Amida’s Primal Vow, which is at the same time the negation of one’s calculative thinking, brought about by Amida’s working.

Nirvana 涅槃 (Nehan) : Nirvana is the goal of Buddhist life – the blowing out of blind passions and the extinction of the ignorant self that lead to the birth of an awakened being of wisdom and compassion.