VOLUME 03 No. 10 October 2008 FOR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR CONTRIBUTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT: [email protected] or [email protected]

This issue will feature: “Jodo Shinshu: (ikki). Rennyo’s okite, or rules of conduct, clergy, diverging from established Bud- Shin in Medieval Japan.” The helped bring structure and discipline to dhist practices in other parts of Asia. The author is James C. Dobbins. This is a text unrestrained Shinshu groups. In the con- Shinshu’s example no doubt provoked book used for studies at IBS & GTU. text of the Honganji’s massive new temple this revolutionary change. organization, they functioned as hallowed Perhaps the least visible but most conse- rules around which believers could order What is Rennyo’s Legacy? quential achievement of Rennyo’s was his Rennyo’s most obvious accomplishment their lives. Though the old stereotype of synthesis of Shin doctrine. Rennyo was during his stewardship of the Honganji Shinshu adherents as troublemakers in without question heir to ’s ideas, was the transformation of the Shinshu society did not disappear altogether, by but he recast them in a popular religious from a secondary religious movement and large the Shinshu received the accep- idiom and wedded them to concepts into a formidable Buddhist school in tance and approbation enjoyed by other derived from religious movements outside Japan. The vast number of peasants join- schools of Buddhism. the Shin Tradition. His teachings represent ing its ranks, during an era of struggle Shinran’s teachings contain various ele- the culmination of a long process of doc- for autonomous control of their villages, ments that put Shin Buddhism into conflict trinal development initiated by Shinran, made it a power to be reckoned with with the prevailing norms of Japanese so- extended by Kakunyo and Zonkaku, and both socially and politically. Throughout ciety. Some of them, such as his views of inherited by himself. In Rennyo’s writings most of the sixteenth century the Honganji kami, had to be tempered before Shin teachings take on a configuration wielded authority and influence on a par the Shinshu could be tolerated. One ele- that has emerged as the doctrinal norm with the greatest political forces of Japan. ment, however, that Rennyo and his pre- for the Shinshu. None of the doctrinal Even when the temple was partitioned decessors never compromised on was the development principles in the Shinshu’s into Nishi Honganji & Higashi Honganji marriage of Shinshu clergy. In Honen’s anjin rondai (“Points of Faith”) originated at the beginning of the 17th century and day such a breach of Buddhist tradition after his time. They are traceable to the its followers divided into 2 independent was regarded as licensed evil. Outside major Shin thinkers from Shinran to Ren- branches, both remained awesome criticism, however, diminished over the nyo. Hence, Rennyo’s ideas stand at the powers simply because of the enormous years, in part because of widespread lax- terminal point in the evolution of Shim number of temples and adherents affili- ity in other schools of Buddhism also. It is orthodoxy. Just as Rennyo’s Honganji set ated with each. In short, the Shinshu has noteworthy, for example, that among the the pattern for the Shinshu’s institutional been one of Japan’s dominant schools charges listed in Mt. Hiei’s letter of 1465 structure, likewise his teachings fixed the of Buddhism, dwarfing most of its rivals, justifying its destruction of the Honganji, contours for Shin orthodoxy. from Rennyo’s time down through the the accusation of priest’ marrying is not present. Perhaps the greatest testimony to Ren- included. It seems that the Shinshu had nyo’s impact on Shin doctrine is the short With size came social acceptance and gradually won social acceptance for its creed know as the Ryogemon (“Statement respectability. The groundwork for these ways. This acceptance was formalized in of Conviction”): too was laid by Rennyo. Prior to his time the Shoshu jiin hatto (“Laws for Temples the Shinshu lingered on the margins of of All Schools”) promulgated by the “We abandon all indiscriminate social acceptance. Shinran’s idealization Tokugawa government in the seventeenth religious practices and undertakings (zo- of the evil person as the primary object century. One regulation in them states that gyo zasshu) and all mind of self-assertion of Amida’s salvation had long been clerics are not allowed to house women (jiriki no kokoro), and we rely with single- associated with the licensed evil heresy, in their quarters but that “exceptions could ness of heart on the Tathagata Amida and Shinshu adherents themselves were be made for those priests who customar- in that matter of utmost importance to us repeatedly implicated in a variety of an- ily take a wife.” This proviso was added now-to please save us in our next life. tisocial activities-from denigrating Shinto specifically to accommodate the Shinshu. We rejoice in knowing that our kami and the deities of other Buddhist Eventually all established schools of Bud- birth in the Pure Land is assured and our schools to fomenting peasant uprisings dhism in Japan permitted the marriage of salvation established from the moment we 1 rely on (the Buddha) with even a single nyo this is written: have spoken of “entrusting.” Yet, people nembutsu (ichinen), and that whenever we “In the Third Chapter of the did not know exactly how to entrust. utter the Buddha’s name thereafter it is an Words of the Master, as heard and Therefore, during the days of the former- expression of gratitude and indebtedness recorded by Kuzen (Kuzen Kikigaki), it former head priest (Rennyo), he wrote in to him. states, ‘Seeking to appease the Buddha his letters to clarify for us that, discarding We gratefully acknowledge that by reciting the Name for the sake of the all sundry practices, we should entrust for us to hear and understand this truth we Buddha’s benevolence is like seeking to ourselves single-heartedly to Amida Bud- are indebted to our founder and master for purchase a thing. That is self-power. Recit- dha to save us in the life to come (gosho appearing in the world and to successive ing the name means saying ‘Thank you! tasuketamae). Thus, he is the Master who generations of religious teachers in our tra- Thank you for saving me!’ restored the tradition. dition for their profound encouragement. For instance, we may declare In the one thought-moment of entrust- We shall henceforth abide by our that saying the Name is a response in ing in the Other Power of the Primal established rules (okite) as long as we shall gratitude for the Buddha’s benevolence. Vow, we receive the benefit of being live.” Yet, if we believe that we are able to embraced, never to be abandoned, and ‘repay the favor’ by giving our recitations As a confessional statement the Ryogemon are made to dwell in the ranks of truly to the Buddha, we are revealing a mind embodies the crux of the Shin teachings: settled beings, who will realize enlighten- engaged in business-like calculations. This faith, gratitude, reverence for Shinran, ment upon attaining birth. This is “the is the nembutsu of self-power to which we and rules of conduct. The surprising thing essential meaning of the teaching of the have attached contractual terms. about the creed is that it does not contain Master Shinran and his tradition.” For that In contrast, Rennyo states that the the word shinjin, or faith, even though that reason, generations of teachers had been meaning of saying the Names is simply is the most important concept in Shinran’s endeavoring to impart the teachings, to say that we are truly grateful for having writings. Instead, the terminology used to using the centrally important expression of been saved.” convey the idea of faith is that of “rely- “entrusting.” However, followers did not ing on the Buddha to please save me.” I feel that the importance of what Rennyo know precisely how they should entrust. When closely examined, the Ryogemon’s Shonin did for the Hongwanji should be Rennyo brought shinjin as taught by Shin- contents reveal it to be none other than the known and Mr. Dobbins does a great job ran fully back to life by stating clearly that words of Rennyo extracted from his letters. in this. However, as in all works, there are we should “discard all sundry practices Though the creed is not used as extensive- disagreements in interpretations, I wanted and entrust ourselves single-heartedly to ly today as it has been in past centuries, its to make sure that you received what I feel Amida Buddha to save us in the life to promulgation as a normative statement of is a better translation and understanding come.” This is the reason we call Rennyo, belief reflects the lasting influence of Ren- of intent by Rennyo Shonin. “the Master who restored the tradition of nyo’s teachings on Shin doctrine. When- the Founding Master, Shinran.” ever believers recite the creed nowadays, What is meant by Entrusting? as is done at the annual Hoonko memorial This answer is found in this excerpt from A Final Thought: service or during Shinshu ordination cer- Jitsuen Kakehashi’s book, Bearer of the The creed is called the emonies (tokudo), they are borrowing Ren- Light: The Life and Thought of Rennyo, Ryogemon (attributed to Rennyo Shonin). nyo’s words to express the nature of their pages 132 and 133. This translated version is by Hisao Inagaki, own faith. His articulation of the content of Professor Emeritus, Ryukoku University. This Hence, the tradition of giving expression faith has thus been preserved as a model information is from Vol. 1 Issue 4. to shinjin of the Primal Vow through the expression of Shin orthodoxy. word “entrusting” has existed since the “Having abandoned the mind of self- If you read Vol. 3 Issue 8, you know that I time of Shinran. It was Rennyo, however, power to perform various practices and have a conflict with Mr. Dobbins’ interpre- who went on to transmit the essence of miscellaneous acts, I have entrusted myself tation or translation of the Ryogemon. The shinjin to the common people by select- to Amida Tathagata with singleness of issue at hand is the phrase “please save ing “entrusting” as the central expression heart recognizing that he has resolved my me.” This was written in that issue: for shinjin, and by then articulating it in crucial after-life problem once and for all. “The Jokein (Jodo Shu) teaching ordinary language through such phrases I understand that at the moment such entrust- was that our saying of the nembutsu is es- as “entrusting ourselves to Amida.” ing Faith arises in me, my deliverance from sentially a request to the Buddha, ‘Amida, However, Rennyo went even further than Samsara is settled with the assurance of birth please save me!’ Rennyo, however, that. With expressions such as “single- in the Pure Land, and joyfully accept that criticized that notion. Instead, he said that heartedly entrust in Amida to save us in recitation of the Nembutsu which follows is to when we hear the words of Amida that the life to come,” and “Amida, please express my indebtedness to Amida. we will be saved, we entrust ourselves to save me” (tasuketamae), he brought to Amida, with the thought, ‘If that is your How grateful I am that I have come to this even greater clarity the content of the intent, then please save me.’ Thus, our understanding through the benevolence mind that entrusts. In the Words of the saying of the nembutsu means, ‘Thank of the founder, Shinran Shonin, who ap- Master Rennyo, 188, his son, Jitsugo’s you for saving me.’ It does not mean, peared in this country and of the masters words are recorded as follows: ‘Amida, please save me!’” of the succeeding generations who have The most important matter in the guided me with deep compassion! Further in Jitsuen Kakehashi’s book, Bearer tradition of the Master Shinran is the one of the Light: The Life and Thought of Ren- thought-moment of entrusting. For this rea- From now on, I will abide by the rules of son, succeeding generations of leaders conduct all my life.” Namo Amida Butsu2