VOLUME 02 No. 11 November 2007 FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONTRIBUTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT: [email protected] or [email protected]

THE MEANING OF SALVATION IN THE ing, directly as well as indirectly (through ibly involved in matters of love and hate, DOCTRINE OF its effects on our environment). Our way gain and loss, honour and dishonor, by DAIEI KANEKO of feeling, sensing and thinking being aggression and defence; in short, in the thus influenced, inevitably conditions our things and events of the world. The result It goes without saying that, for all its pro- subsequent actions. is that we suffer. found philosophical systems, Buddhism is essentially a doctrine of liberation. In It is true that an awareness of this law The process of our life alternating be- Buddhism, no salvation is conceivable was expressed very early in mythology tween doing and undergoing, referred except for liberation through Enlighten- and folklore and, later, in religion, phi- to above, is thus seen by Buddhism as a ment from the bondage of ignorance losophy and psychology. It is, indeed, vicious circle under the spell of delusion and suffering. But does this apply to one aspect of wisdom that has underlied between doing (karma) and suffering. the doctrine of Pure Land Buddhism in the development of human civilization. Delusion causes us to do deluded things which faith in Amida Buddha has prime Broadly speaking, however, the bearers in our actual life. The deluded things importance, or is Pure Land Buddhism of this wisdom have been those who done cause us to suffer, and the suffering virtually a soteriological religion, despite have naively affirmed life with its im- tends to cause us to become more and its Buddhist background? pulses, cravings and desires, and have more deluded, and so on endlessly. The sought to gratify life’s wants all the more; law that governs this process is the law that is, they apply their awareness of this of karmic causation. Semantically, the term ‘salvation’ means law for the better enjoyment of life. Life, 1. What is Suffering? The origin of suffering as stated above, the liberation or emancipation from a itself, is never radically questioned. They makes the nature of suffering clear. In predicament into which one has fallen. remain strangers to the tragic sense of Buddhism, suffering primarily means the In other words, ‘salvation’ presupposes life and to the negation of life. some kind of predicament, whatever it painful uneasiness or anxiety of being may be. What, then, is the human situ- Buddhism started with a keen sense of deluded. As such, suffering is pregnant ation which Buddhism envisages as the the painfulness of life and sought, in all with an urge, even if subconscious or predicament from which man should be seriousness, to penetrate into the nature semi-conscious, to break through this liberated? The Buddhist answer to this and origin of human suffering. It de- delusion. It is precisely in this sense that question is widely known - namely, the clared that no human experience could suffering is declared to be universal in suffering of life. But the term ‘suffering of be free from suffering. In other words, human life. Someone might be conscious life’ is vague and indefinite in meaning. life as we actually live it is, after all, suf- of such suffering, but only very feebly It needs further definition and clarifica- fering. This declaration may sound bold and only in exceptional moments of tion. What does it specifically mean? and too pessimistic. However, it should affliction or despair. Another might have To make its meaning clear, we should be remembered that such a declaration no experience of it whatsoever. Nev- consider human life as an ever-flowing is made from the viewpoint of Enlighten- ertheless, no one is exempt from such duration or continuum. One thing to note ment which is able to confer a penetrat- suffering, as long as they are human. about our lives is that they keep flow- ing insight into the origin of suffering. ing, ever alternating between doing and Buddhism teaches that all the sufferings One thing should be remembered in undergoing. This alternation, however, of life originate in delusion. Intellectually, 2. What is Our Inner Togetherness? connection with the problem of suffering, is by no means a random or lawless delusion is ignorance (avidya); that is, and that is that everyone of us is deeply movement. It is governed by a kind of the ignorance regarding the ‘emptiness’ inter-related with our fellow beings in law, so to speak: a law of inter-causation (shunyata) or the ‘suchness’ (tathata) of an inner togetherness. It can hardly be or mutual conditioning. We do, and our things and events. Emotionally, delusion doubted that we are so born as to be ‘doing’ inevitably makes its influence felt is primarily a thirsty craving (trishna). on our way of feeling, sensing and think- sensitive to our inner togetherness. Do Possessed by delusion, we are irresist- 1 we not implicitly mean this when we use the tensions of human relationships. It is Land doctrine from all other Buddhist the term ‘we’? In this sense, our inner undoubtedly such passions, and their re- schools. The depth of Honen’s faith, togetherness may be called ‘we-ness’. As sultant effects, that afflict us. Suffering is which remained as yet unexpressed by long as our fellow beings are unhappy, thus inevitable for us living in the world. him, was subsequently fully grasped and none of us can remain aloof from them. To suffer because of being submerged in given a profound and most thorough- We cannot but share their unhappiness. the world - this is precisely our existential going expression by . The mark Because of the inner togetherness of man, situation. that distinguishes both these masters is sympathy can be awakened within us. their decided preference for ‘our’ salva- The Chinese Buddhist master, Shan-tao, tion over ‘my’ emancipation. They firmly The consciousness of the inner together- undoubtedly had this existential situation stood on the ground of the inner togeth- ness of man finds its fullest and most in mind when he wrote as follows: erness of man. sublime expression in the sphere of reli- I am actually an ordinary, sinful being gion. Mahayana Buddhism is especially In his childhood, Honen was exhorted who has been, from time immemorial, emphatic about the principle of ‘seeking by his dying father, who was murdered sunken in, and carried down by, the emancipation from suffering together with by a jealous rival, to become a Buddhist current of birth-and-death. Any hope of fellow beings’. In the Vimalakirtinirdesha, monk and quest for the Dharma through being rescued from this current has been we read, ‘I (Vimalakirti) suffer because which is emptied every discrimination wholly denied to me. my fellow beings suffer.’ This is pre- between friend and foe, love and hate, cisely what the term compassion (karuna) Some commentary may be needed on and through which true peace is at- means. The Mahayana principle of ‘to- these words. By the term ‘I’, Shan-tao tained. He followed his father’s dying gether with fellow beings’ may naturally definitely means the ‘we-ness’ or in- wish and became a monk of the lead to the vision of the Dharma. The ner togetherness referred to earlier. He sect of Buddhism. His elaborate study of Dharma through which I am truly saved represents here all the human beings of the scriptures as well as his rigorous dis- from suffering must be the same Dharma the world. Otherwise, this sentence is not ciplinary practices for many years in the through which all my fellow beings are meaningful. The ‘sinfulness’ mentioned monastery on Mt. Hiei were exclusively equally saved; that is, the Dharma that is here does not refer to any personal devoted to the purpose of attaining that adequate to all human beings. But what, sin, but to the sinfulness of the delusion Dharma. But all his efforts brought him then, is meant by the term ‘adequate’? of human existence itself. The phrase no light. This is no wonder, considering ‘from time immemorial’ may be taken that the Buddhist quest, which had been We actually live in a world in which we to express how long the delusive cycle traditionally undertaken in monasteries, find ourselves bound to others by family, between karma and suffering has been was fundamentally directed to the per- neighbourhood, occupational, religious, repeated up to the present. In short, this sonal emancipation of each monk, while political and countless other ties. Our life passage expresses a penetrating insight Honen’s quest was exclusively for the situation is largely conditioned by such into the existential situation in which man salvation of all people in the world. Had ties. Above all, one’s family ties have is inevitably bound to suffering and, as his chief concern been personal emanci- a fundamental importance in determin- such, it still has a vital meaning for the pation, he would have believed that he ing this situation. Most men and women present day world. was steadily marching on the right path are actually living a home life. No one to the goal. doubts that home life is the normal way The doctrine of Pure Land Buddhism has of living. The life of a homeless ascetic, appeared as the Dharma that is truly The sinfulness of man was continually secluded from family and society, and adequate to man’s existential situation; a problem that confronted Honen. The however sublime its purpose may be, is the Dharma through which alone we can popular belief of the day that sinful- exceptional. Most people make much be saved as we are in the world, that is, ness could be expiated by the virtue of of their home and family, and are ready without deserting our home or social life. leaving home and becoming a Bud- to accept all the cares that accompany dhist monk was unacceptable to him. them. They believe that we are so born Sinfulness was nothing other than the - as to live and love home life despite all its delusion, because of which, man end- cares and troubles. It is true that home life The3. doctrineWhat of is Pure the Land Dharma Buddhism ad has lessly alternates between evil karma and is exposed to the danger of disintegration aequate long history to all of transmission ordinary throughbeings? suffering, thus afflicting others as well as in our highly industrialized society but, India, China and Japan. Among the himself. As such, it was definitely a prob- nevertheless, it does not seem to have lost masters who transmitted the doctrine, lem for man in general and not merely a its primary importance in human life. Tan-luan and Shan-tao (mentioned personal problem. A personal solution to above) were exceedingly influential this problem might well be conceivable, However, it is definitely in the home, as both in their own time and over poster- of course, and, in fact, a great number well as in social life, that we experience ity. But the fundamental significance of of Buddhist monks have sought a solu- the full strength of delusion over us. The the Pure Land doctrine as the Dharma tion of this sort. The sense of our inner foliage of such delusion is exuberant on truly adequate to all ordinary beings togetherness, however, makes this sort of the soil of home and social life. The delu- was, for the first time, established by the solution less meaningful. Unless ‘we’ can sive passions such as attachment, hatred, Japanese master, Honen, who resolutely be saved, what is the meaning of ‘my’ anger, fear, jealousy, enmity, perversity declared the independence of the Pure emancipation? Honen thus exclusively and aggression become intensified in sought the Dharma through which all 2 people can be equally saved and, at Infinite Light. Illumined by the light of Land and the other is the awakening of last, he discovered this Dharma in the the Pure Land, we come to know the faith in Amida’s Sincerity. Pure Land doctrine. delusiveness of this world. Such is the Rebirth in the Pure Land, which is held basic conception of the Pure Land. But In this connection, a reference may be to take place after death has been the dynamic aspect of suchness cannot given to the critical view that faith in the the central concern of most Pure Land be fully expressed by the idea of the Pure Land is dominantly motivated by masters, as well as followers, for a long Pure Land alone. the desire for happiness or enjoyment time. It was quite inconceivable for them after death. With respect to the deterio- Secondly, the Pure Land masters further to attain Enlightenment in this life. As rated and secularized form of the Pure learned to comprehend the dynamic the Buddhist monastic disciplines were Land school which is observable among character of suchness in terms of per- so difficult to accomplish, they wished the masses, this criticism is irrefutable. sonality, namely as the Primal Vow of to attain Enlightenment after death in Regarding the genuine form of faith in Amida Tathagata. The term tathagata the Pure Land, relying solely on Amida’s the Pure Land, however, it is completely means ‘one who has emerged from such- Primal Vow. As a general tendency, faith misplaced. As stated above, genuine ness’. Amida (derived from the Sanskrit in this Vow was regarded merely as a faith in Pure Land Buddhism has, as its names Amitabha and Amitayus) means prerequisite for rebirth, but ordinary prime concern, the salvation of all be- ‘infinite’. As such, Amida Tathagata people hardly realized the profound ings from the predicament of suffering. symbolizes the dynamic operation of significance of this awakening of faith. This concern is really furthest from the suchness which is expressed as infinite It was, indeed, Shinran who, for the first ego-centric desire for personal happiness wisdom and compassion, even though time, realized this fact in its full signifi- and enjoyment. The spirit of Mahayana he appears as an individual Buddha in cance. He was revolutionary in shifting Buddhism which emphasises ‘seeking the sutras relating to him. According to the prime importance, hitherto attached Enlightenment together with all fellow the Larger Sutra of Eternal Life, out of the to the problem of rebirth or Enlighten- beings’ is most vitally and thoroughly sincerest desire to deliver all beings from ment, to the problem of the awakening embodied in Pure Land Buddhism. suffering, Amida took an incomparably of faith. Faith is essential; once true faith excellent vow when he was in the origi- is awakened and established, rebirth in nal, disciplinary stage as a the Pure Land will take place as a natu- (Dharmakara by name), which he has ral result. For Shinran, the awakening of In4. the What first section, is the reference Pure wasLand made already fulfilled. This vow is known as faith in Amida’s Sincerity really meant toand ‘suchness’, the Primal and that Vow? ‘suchness is empti- the Primal Vow. The Primal Vow is thus salvation. ness’, and vice versa. In other words, Amida’s fullest self-expression and, ac------suchness is the reality of things and cordingly, the most sublime manifestation *In the tradition of Pure Land Buddhism, events. Beyond suchness, no Ultimate of suchness in terms of . the term ‘Name’ as applied to Amida Reality is conceivable. It is primarily be- Tathagata is something much more than The Larger Sutra shows that the Primal cause of ignorance that we remain blind a name in the usual sense of the word. Vow is differentiated into forty-eight items to suchness and are attached to the According to the tradition, Amida’s which are all inter-related in a subtle illusory images and views of the world. Name comprises all of his virtues which, way. They cannot be fully discussed in when uttered, are actualized in the It is, however, the common faith of all this paper but, for the present, the follow- utterer himself. How to interpret the Buddhists that suchness is attainable for ing should be noted as the essentials of actualization of these virtues has been a everyone. In this respect, the Pure Land the Primal Vow: problem for the nembutsu adherents to Buddhists are no exception. But such 1. It is vowed that Amida’s Name tackle existentially. Buddhists have something unique in their should appear as embodying all the view of suchness. For they believe that virtues that have a bearing on the salva- while suchness is attainable in principle tion or deliverance of all human beings for everyone, one would never be - and, when the Name appears, it should 5. What is the Awakening able to embody suchness in one’s own sound throughout the lands in the ten Shinranof Faith grappled, in Amida’s in all seriousness Sincer and personality as long as one remains in directions*. tenacity,ity? with the problem of faith. He the world. To remain in the world means 2. It is vowed that anyone who, upon suffered long in his search for pure faith. not to be liberated from the power of hearing Amida’s Name praised, awak- Any form of faith, so long as it remained delusion. With this thought, they paid ens faith in Amida’s Sincerity and keeps an expression of one’s will to believe, keen attention to the dynamic aspect of this Name with him, will assuredly be can never be pure. It is branded with suchness. What, then, is this aspect? reborn in the Pure Land. a self-willed character. It is mixed and In the first place, guided by the sutras 3. It is vowed that the Pure Land shall defiled with calculation, self-interest, relating to the Pure Land, they learned be such that all those reborn there shall suppressed doubt etc. Pure faith must be to comprehend suchness in terms of a attain Nirvana. something cleared of all these defile- realm, namely as the Pure Land. As the ments and admixtures. Such genuine We notice from the descriptions above land of suchness which illumines, emp- faith is most difficult to attain because it that two important things are vowed in ties and purifies our delusion, the Pure cannot take place without some ‘other- the Primal Vow regarding the matter of Land is the land of Wisdom (prajna). ness’ coming from beyond and working our salvation. One is rebirth in the Pure Suchness now appears as the Land of upon us. How, then, does pure faith in 3 Amida become possible for us? special understanding are rejected by Honen because they are, after all, distor- When the time is ripe, a revolution takes Influenced by Shan-tao’s Commentary tions into special forms of nembutsu ca- place in our nembutsu-mindedness. The on the Meditation Sutra, Shinran came pable of only being practiced by gifted nembutsu is no more a mere expres- to hit upon the ‘Sincerity’ of Amida. He individuals. None of these practices can sion of our desire for salvation at this learned to see all that Amida did - and be our practice as originally intended moment; it now appears as the very does - as the expression of Amida’s by Amida. The nembutsu intended by vehicle through which Amida’s Sincerity Sincerity. The Primal Vow itself is the Amida himself as our act, Honen con- of awakening and receiving us becomes loftiest and most sublime expression of cludes, consists of reciting Namu Amida fully audible and understandable. We, his Sincerity. Suchness has now ap- Butsu; that is, calling Amida’s Name out who have been calling Amida’s Name peared as Sincerity in the Buddhahood of faith in his Primal Vow. As such, the for salvation, now turn out to be the ones of Amida. Ever disclosing himself in the nembutsu originates in Amida’s Sincerity who, all the while, have been called by sound of his Name, Amida, the All- itself. Its significance is clear: it is meant Amida to awaken and take refuge in Sincere One, untiringly works upon us. to be that which everyone of us can him. Shinran himself has written: ‘The He turns himself over to us. His Sincerity easily practice. It is precisely that which Tathagata has already taken his Vow radiates itself as boundless illumination enables us to go straight along the way and turned over the Act (that is, the and compassion. Precisely as a genuine of ‘no hindrance’. Shinran, too, when he nembutsu completed by himself) to us for response called forth by his Sincerity, developed a profound comprehension of our Act’. the awakening of faith in Amida’s Primal the nembutsu, took the same position as Vow takes place in us, when the time is As mentioned previously, so long as we Honen. fully ripe. In the awakening of faith, we still live in the world, the actual suffer- experience a breaking through at the ings of life do not cease to press upon us root of our delusion. We realize how even after we are awakened to Amida’s deluded, insincere and sinful we have 6. What is the maturing of the time Sincerity. But we do not now desperately forOur the next Awakening problem is: ofHow Taith? do we come been. Our self-complacency breaks to be awakened to Amida’s Sincerity grope for the liberation from suffering. down at this very moment and we are and surrender ourselves to it ? How does We are always with Amida’s Name, that emptied through and through. At the the time become mature and full for the is, with nembutsu, wherever we may be same time, however, we find ourselves awakening of faith ? From the viewpoint or wherever we may go. We never call decisively taken in by Amida’s Sincerity. of practice, the time is matured for faith Amida’s Name without returning, at the For the first time, we attain true rest be- through - and only through - the nem- same time, to the fundamental restfulness cause the deepest root of our existential butsu. and serenity of being saved by Amida’s anxiety, or suffering, namely, ignorance, Sincerity. This return to the original expe- In the last analysis, nembutsu, and noth- is cut through forever. It is still true that rience of the awakening of faith refresh- ing but nembutsu, makes us realize what the foliage of actual sufferings does not es us and enables us to brace ourselves the Tathagata is in reality. It is true that perish - so long as we remain in the for natural but courageous living. We we may be attracted to the nembutsu world, there is no escaping them. We are thus, through the nembutsu, enabled by hearing of Amida Tathagata, but it have to undergo them. But they no lon- to pass the, otherwise, impassable cur- is even more true that Amida’s Sincer- ger disturb our fundamental restfulness rent of sufferings in every moment. To ity becomes fully understandable and and serenity. Furthermore, in this experi- be enabled to pass the unpassable - this appreciable to us through the nembutsu. ence of awakening, we find ourselves is precisely what salvation means in the It is more than probable that it was from firmly standing on the way which leads Pure Land doctrine. The life of nembutsu this insight that Amida himself specifical- straight to the Pure Land. It is the way of has been designated as the way that ly chose, in his Primal Vow, the nembutsu the nembutsu or the mindful recitation of leads straight to the Pure Land. as our practice. Amida’s Name. In the process of the life of nembutsu, What, then, is the nembutsu? It is defi- time is matured for the awakening of nitely our act and our practice which has 7. What are the fruits which faith. At the outset, however, the nembut- What fruits does faith in the Pure Land been chosen by Amida for us to under- faith bears in actual life? su expresses our urgent need for libera- bear in actual life? Does it introduce take. Regarding the nembutsu as our act, tion from suffering. Under the pressure of something novel? Honen declared as follows: this existential suffering, we cry out, so As already observed, Pure Land Bud- By Nembutsu, I do not mean the practice to speak, for salvation while calling the dhism has disclosed itself as the Dharma of contemplating as engaged by the Name of Amida. But there is no hope of which is truly adequate to our existential sages of China and our country. Nor is this need being satisfied from without by, condition. From this fact, it naturally fol- it the recitation of the Buddha’s Name say, some saviour god. This need is not lows that the Pure Land doctrine makes practiced as the result of understanding the kind of need which can be satisfied its adherents all the more sensitive to the the meaning of the term nen (to think). It in such a way. What we can do in this inner togetherness and inter-relatedness is just to recite Namu Amida Butsu with- situation, insofar as we are existentially of human beings. Once we are awak- out doubting that this will issue in one’s inclined to the teaching of nembutsu, is ened to the Primal Vow that has been rebirth in the Pure Land. patiently to seek to realize the deepest vowed for all beings, we can no more meaning of the teaching, while intently Both the contemplative and vocal forms look on the suffering of others with indif- practicing the nembutsu. ference or contemplate their folly or evil of the nembutsu as resulting from some 4 with detachment. In a similar situation, from faith in Amida’s boundless Sincerity nembutsu adherent seeks to attain a or under similar conditions, each of us and is renewed every moment through warm reconciliation and communion might have done the same thing. We are the nembutsu. It is in this sense that with others. It has often been the case all ‘ordinary beings’ as Prince Shotoku the nembutsu is called the ‘purifying with nembutsu adherents of deep faith has declared. With this in mind, we are act’. The nembutsu purifies not only the that the humility, tenderness and grati- emptied of all unreasonable contempt nembutsu adherents themselves but also tude to Amida which shine out of their for evil-doers and actors of folly. Arro- those who come into contact with them. personality, quite naturally influence gance now gives place to humility. What others around them and thus bring about In this connection, a reference may be we can do is, first of all, to pray heartily genuine peace in their local community. made to Shinran’s assertion that ‘the that all our fellow beings, including the Is not such virtue surely what morality nembutsu is the way of no-hindrance’. persons in question, might awaken to envisages as its ideal? Bearing this in A careless reading might suggest to the Amida’s boundless Sincerity and bound- mind, Shinran says, ‘There is no good reader that Shinran is here emphasizing less compassion, as expressed in the that surpasses the nembutsu’. the overwhelming supernatural power Primal Vow. Then we must do all that we of the nembutsu to clear away every World peace is our urgent, serious can to help bring about this awakening. hindrance and obstacle blocking the problem. It goes without saying that It is the experience of the awakening of nembutsu adherent’s way to the Pure it can never be brought about by any faith which, emptying and purifying us of Land. But this is a sheer misunderstand- temporizing measures. Political tolera- deluded thoughts and emotions, enables ing. The term ‘no-hindrance’ should tion or appeasement will not avail much. us to live in accordance with such- never be interpreted in terms of power The foundation of peace must be firmly ness, that is, to live naturally. This life of but always in terms of spirituality. Shin- laid in the depth of human nature. In naturalness is lived in, and through, the ran’s statement should be interpreted as this situation, the doctrine of Pure Land practice of nembutsu. The humility just follows: The nembutsu adherent naturally Buddhism may well be rediscovered as mentioned is one aspect of the life of confronts, with tenderness and humility, a valuable source for bringing peace. naturalness. Another aspect of this life every problem that arises. This tender- This is not to say that the awakening is tenderness or tender-heartedness. The ness and humility themselves make for to the Primal Vow of Amida Tathagata boundless compassion of Amida, when no-hindrance. Consequently, Shinran’s is a panacea for all the problems of we awaken to it and accept it, melts idea of no-hindrance bears no colour of mankind. However, it should never be away to tenderness our deep-seated licence or antinomianism. overlooked that Pure Land Buddhism has obstinacy and self-complacency. We are long been, and continues to be in the All of the above has a vital bearing on thus enabled to confront every problem present, the Dharma that is adequate to the problem of morality. What, then, open-mindedly, flexibly and without the existential situation of all ordinary is the basic attitude of the nembutsu prejudice. beings and, further, that it has borne, adherent to the problem of morality? to all genuine nembutsu adherents, the This reminds us that, in Buddhism, any First of all, they all pay due respect to aforementioned spiritual fruits, all of wrath whatsoever is outrightly rejected. the importance of morality. It is a pity, which have great importance for the Even if such wrath is an emphatic however, that we can never do good in problem of peace. expression of the ‘justice of God’, this the complete sense of the term, consider- makes no difference to Buddhism. Wrath ing the fact that our impulse to justify This article first ap- is a violent and destructive emotion. It ourselves and to blame others is, finally, peared in The Eastern Buddhist, Vol.1, must be melted away and transformed characteristic of us all. This fact shows ANo.1 final (New Note: Series), September 1965. into tenderness by the boundless com- how deeply we have been submerged in The English translation, by Hiroshi Saka- passion of Amida. the current of birth-and-death, as de- moto, has been slightly modified for its plored by Shan-tao. Therefore, we need, inclusion in Mugeko. The Mugeko is a In its expression through human relation- by every means, to listen and awaken website where this article was encoun- ships, tenderness may bear something to, and to thus be purified, by the Primal tered and now shared. It is long and I in common with tolerance. This some- Vow. apologize, but rather than give it to you thing should not, however, be confused piecemeal, I opted to send it out whole. with the toleration which is based on Not out of the consciousness of moral the temporary, political suppression of obligation or duty, but immediately out The late Daiei Kaneko was a former the impulse to justify oneself and blame of the humility which arises from being Professor Emeritus at Otani University in others. The tolerance on the part of the awakened to Amida’s Sincerity, the Kyoto. NAMO AMIDA BUTSU nembutsu adherents is essentially rooted in repentance and humility for the fact that the same evil (which is ‘tolerated’) is finally characteristic of us all. Further- more, the selflessness of repentance and humility exerts an immense influence upon other people. It naturally calms others and induces them to reflect upon themselves, thus helping to purify them. This repentance and humility springs 5