32 letters of rennyo

8/10/2019 32 Letters of Rennyo

1/53

Letters of Rennyo{Gobunsho}

{Letters 1-10}

Chapter On Lay Followers And Disiples

{!onto Deshi "o #ho}

$Letter % 1&

Someone has said, "There are those who say that there is a basic attitude in our Jodo

Shinshu Sect whereby a priest can consider without question the lay members of his

temple as his own disciples." Still others say that lay members should all be calleddisciples of Amida Buddha and Shinran Shonin. I do not understand this differentiation.

Further, there are those who say that it is best to conceal the scattered formation of smalllocal informal roups of followers from the resident priest of that particular !urisdictional

area the e#istence of such roups should be $ept secret. Still, others say that this is not

the way it should be. This, too, is e#tremely confusin to me. I, respectfully, wish toinquire on those points.

In answer, I reply%

&lease understand that these points in question are 'ery important. I shall relate

accurately what I remember bein told lon, lon ao. &lease listen carefully.

In the quotations of the late Shonin, he has said, "Shinran does not ha'e e'en one

disciple. The reason for this is that when I e#plain and ure Tath(ata)s Teachins to

sentient beins in the Ten *irections, I only act as +is representati'e. Shinran does notpropaate any new doctrine that is particularly his own. +a'in Faith in Tath(ata)s

Teachins myself, I but communicate them to others. hat do I teach other than

Tath(ata)s Teachins that would i'e me reasons to call those who listen to me my own

disciples-"

Therefore, we should all possess the same Faith and tread the same path. Because of this,

the Shonin, with deep re'erence, said that we are all brethren of the same Faith andfellow tra'elers.


2/53

+owe'er, recently there ha'e been chief priests of temples of our sect who are not truly

aware of the meanin of Faith and who ha'e se'erely rebu$ed members within theirtemples for occasionally attendin discussion roups on the sub!ect of "Faith" held

elsewhere. This has created dissensions between them, and therefore, the priests cannot

carefully study the true meanin of Faith. The members cannot study either when theirattendance at such discussions is hindered in this manner. The priests do not ain Faith,

the members do not ain Faith, the li'es of both pass utterly in 'ain. Indeed the mutual

loss to both is reat, and therefore, it is most difficult to refrain from commentin. It isindeed a rerettable matter.

An old poem reads% /on ao, I had happiness wrapped in my slee'es, now it is more

than my bein can contain.

The meanin of "/on ao, I had happiness wrapped in my slee'es," is that formerly, a

person not distinuishin between self0power and 1ther0&ower, thouht that rebirth was

ained by recitation of the 2embutsu. "2ow, it is more than my bein can contain,"means that after one ains a thorouh understandin of the difference between self0power

and 1ther0&ower and obtains Faith throuh a sinleness of heart, there will be ane#ceptional difference in the heart that recites the 2embutsu for the purpose of

e#pressin ratitude for the 3race of Amida Buddha. +ence, this happiness 4so powerful

that it could e'en cause one to dance with complete abandon5 means the !oy that is morethan one can contain within himself.

ith re'erence, I remain

6th day, 7th month, 8rd year of Bunmei 497:;5

Chapter On Renounin' (he )orld

(o #ee* +odhi

{#hu**e ,osshin "o #ho}

Letter %


3/53

The basic principle in the Teachins of Shinran Shonin of our sect is centered neither on

the importance of specifically becomin a mon$ to see$ Bodhi, nor in that aspect of

ha'in to renounce the world and o'ercome cra'in desires to see$ ;nlihtenment.=ather, it is founded on the premise that there is not the slihtest distinction as to whether

one is a male or female, youn or old, when one obtains the steadfast Faith of the 1ther0&ower, that 4moment5 is instantaneous with complete reliance on Amida. Thus, thecondition of ha'in attained this Faith is tauht in the /arer Sutra as "instantaneous

rebirth0residin in the State of 2on0=etroression."

It is stated in the commentaries by *onran, "the awa$enin of Faith0enterin the ran$s of

the Truly0Assured." In other words, this is the principle of "acquisition in e'eryday life of

the cause for rebirth in the &ure /and," as described in the commentary on "non0recei'al."

It is written in the "Wasan"%

Those who rely on Amida>s /and of =ecompense,

'aried thouh the outward forms of life may be,

Belie'e in the Sacred 2ame of the &rimal ?owand foret +im not, not e'en for one moment.

"... 1utward forms of life..." means that there is not the slihtest differentiation as towhether one is a layman, mon$, male, or female. "Belie'e in the Sacred 2ame of the

&rimal ?ow and foret +im not, not e'en for one moment" means that no matter what

one>s e#ternal form may be 4be he with the corruptions of the Ten @a!or ;'ils and the

Fi'e :ardinal Sins, be he an abuser of the *harma, or be he "un0sa'able"5, should this

person chane his heart and repent after belie'in with deep con'iction that it is the&rimal ?ow of Amida Tath(ata that deli'ers all hopeless beins of wea$ capacity, and

places his reliance on Tath(ata without doubt 4awa$e or asleep5 and e'er mindfully, thenthis person is called a true follower who has attained the Faith that relies completely on

the &rimal ?ow.

Furthermore, where'er and whene'er one recites the 2embutsu, he belie'es that it is hisway of showin deep appreciation to Amida Tath(ata. Such a person is called a de'otee

who has attained True Faith with assured rebirth in the &ure /and.


&.S. The perspiration that flows on this hot day may well be tears of embarrassmentbecause that which I ha'e !ust written is so poor.

th day, 7th month, 8rd year of Bunmei 497:;5

8


4/53

Chapter On ,untin' And Fishin'{Ryo #unadori "o #ho}

Letter % .

The fundamental point in the Teachins of Jodo Shinshu is not the necessity to eliminate

one>s e'il thouhts or the attempt to stop the rise of e'il thouhts and attachments. If it beyour lot, enae in commerce, in base ser'itudes, and in huntin and fishin. Belie'efirmly in Amida>s ?ow, which promises deli'erance for e'il beins such as we who are

perple#ed day and niht by our shamefully e'il $armas. =ely sinle0heartedly on the

compassionate ?ow of only Amida Buddha we shall be deli'ered by Tath(ata withoutfail if our Faith at the 'ery moment we belie'e in +is deli'erance is pure.

hat, then, should we belie'e as we repeat the 2embutsu- e should belie'e that we

repeat the 2embutsu while we ha'e life for the purpose of e#pressin our ratitude andthan$fulness because rebirth for us hopeless beins is throuh this &ower of Faith. Such a

person is called a de'otee of faith who has recei'ed that *ecided0Faith of our Teachin.


th day,


5/53

{ion ito "o #ho}

Letter % 2

I ha'e heard it said that in the *octrines of Shinran Shonin it teaches "the acquisition in

e'eryday life of the cause for rebirth in the &ure /and" and does not attach importance in"Buddha>s recei'in a man at the instance of death." hat does this mean- I do not $now

the meanins of "acquisition in e'eryday life of the cause for rebirth in the &ure /and" or

"Buddha not recei'in one at the point of death." I wish to hear of these in more detail.

In answer, I reply%

?erily, I belie'e these questions to be of prime importance in our Teachins. Assuredly

our way does teach "the acquisition in e'eryday life of the cause for rebirth in the &ure/and at the 'ery instant of the awa$enin of Faith." After realiin in e'eryday life thatFaith in our deli'erance throuh the &rimal ?ow of Amida Tath(ata is the ripenin of

past $armas, one>s belief that the reasons the &rimal ?ow could be understood is the

result of the blessins of the 1ther0&ower of Buddha>s isdom and not throuh one>sown efforts. This is the "acquisition in e'eryday life of the cause for rebirth in the &ure

/and." Therefore, "acquisition in e'eryday life of the cause for rebirth in the &ure /and"

is the status of ha'in recei'ed Faith and of belie'in that one has entered into the ran$sof those whose rebirth has been unalterably decided. This is $nown as "residin within

the ran$s of the truly assured at the 'ery moment of the awa$enin of Faith" or

"acquisition in e'eryday life of the cause for rebirth in the &ure /and" or "instantaneous

rebirth and residin in the ran$s of those who en!oy 2on0=etroression. "

In question, I as$%

The meanin of rebirth at the 'ery moment of the awa$enin of Faith has beenunderstood clearly. +owe'er, I cannot clearly understand, yet, the meanin of "Buddha

not recei'in one at the point of death." &lease e#plain this phrase e#plicitly.

In answer, I say%

"Buddha not recei'in one at the point of death" means that when one is aware of

residin within the ran$s of the Truly0Assured at the 'erymoment of the awa$enin ofFaith, there is no necessity to e#pect Buddha>s "welcome." The reason bein, the desire

for Buddha>s reception is the concern of those who practice the 'arious austerities. The

follower of the way of True Faith comes to $now that there is no reception needed whenone is assured of the 3race of bein embraced and not forsa$en by the /iht of Amida at

the 'ery moment of the awa$enin of Faith. Therefore, the Shonin has said "... >reception>

e#ists in the path of those whose rebirth is attained throuh the practice of the 'ariousausterities. A de'otee of True Faith 4because of bein embraced and not forsa$en5 resides

6


6/53

within the ran$s of the Truly Assured, and because of this, will attain ;nlihtenment

without fail. Therefore, it is not necessary to await the moment of death and there is no

need to as$ for Buddha>s >reception>...."

This matter of Buddha not recei'in one at the point of death should be understood

throuh the honored words of Shinran Shonin.

In question, I as$%

Are we to understand "Truly0Assured" and ";nlihtenment" as one 3race or two 3races-

In answer, I reply%

Those who are in that 'ery moment of the Awa$enin of Faith are already in the ran$s of

the "Truly0Assured." This is the 3race recei'ed while on earth. Belie'e that

;nlihtenment is the 3race recei'ed in the &ure /and. Thus, $now that these are two

separate 3races.In question, I as$%

hen we understand the foreoin, we $now that our rebirth is decided. I would also li$eto as$ how we should then understand why it is further said, "+a'e Faith"-

In answer, I reply%

This is indeed an important question. +e who realies this in his heart is one who has

*etermined0Faith.

In question, I as$%

I ha'e clearly understood that the meanin of *etermined0Faith includes "the acquisition

in e'eryday life of the cause for rebirth in the &ure /and," "non0recei'al," and "enterin

the ran$s of the Truly Assured." I ha'e yet to understand whether or not the 2embutsu

4after ha'in recei'ed *ecided0Faith5 is to be recited for the purpose of one>s rebirth inthe /and of Bliss or whether it is for the purpose of than$si'in for the 3race of

Buddha-

In answer, I reply%

This question is also of reat importance. After the moment of awa$ened Faith in rebirth,

ne'er belie'e that the recitation of the 2embutsu is the $arma for one>s rebirth, butbelie'e that it is only the e#pression of than$si'in for the 3race of Buddha. The

'enerable Cendo has said "... it is anythin from a lifelon homae to the simplicity of a

sinle moment . . ." The phrase ". . . to the simplicity of a sinle moment...." e#pressesthe heart of a *etermined0Faith. By "... /ife lon homae . . ." is meant the 2embutsu of

Than$si'in for the 3race of Buddha. Truly, you should understand the abo'e throuh

these words.

D


7/53



8/53

In other words, these people are the de'otees of Faith who well understand the *octrine

of this sect.

ith re'erence, I remainth day,


9/53


&.S. I entrust this letter to the people on the other side of these sho!i panels who ha'e

been ta$in care of me. After my death, brin it forth and read it.

Faith>, that people are tal$in about. . .-"

They commented to a resident of this mountain that, inasmuch as they also possessed the

bodies of ra'ely sinful and utterly hopeless females, they also would li$e to understand

this point called "Faith" and place reliance on rebirth in the &ure /and after hearin about

H


10/53

it in all its details. The ist of what this mountain resident pointed out to them was thatthey need not resort to any of the forms of self0effort, but need only realie that they were

hopeless beins enmeshed in the Ten @a!or ;'ils, the Fi'e :ardinal Sins, the Fi'e1bstacles, and the Three =eliance)s that they need only thorouhly belie'e that Amida

Tath(ata is the 1ne that will deli'er them from these encumbrances. +e e#plained to

them further that by the placement of trust in Amida without doubt 4thus ainin Faithinstantaneous with the complete reliance placed on +im5, Amida will emit 9, rays of

liht and raciously embrace them. +e showed them that this was what was meant by

Amida Tath(ata embracin the followers of the 2embutsu and that by "Sesshu Fusha"was meant "to embrace and ne'er cast aside." +e told them that the sinificance of this

was termed "a person who had acquired Faith."

hen this man politely e#plained further that the 2embutsu of "2amu Amida Butsu"recited awa$e or asleep, standin or sittin, should be understood to be the 2embutsu

recited as "2amu Amida Butsu" to e#press ratitude for the racious deli'erance by

Amida, then these ladies and others said in response, "Truly, there is no way to e#press

the shamefulness of not ha'in belie'ed until this day, that the &rimal ?ow of AmidaTath(ata is the answer to the capacity of sentient beins who recei'e the *harma. From

this day, by placin complete trust in Amida with sinleness of thouht and belie'in

without doubt that with the Faith that comes instantaneous with complete reliance onAmida that our rebirth is throuh the deli'erance of Tath(ata, we should understand that

the 2embutsu, henceforth, is the recitation of Buddha>s 2ame for the e#pression of our

ratitude to Amida.

"e $now that it would be impossible to e#press the ratefulness and sacredness ofha'in here e#perienced a fruition of incomprehensible past $arma and conditions

whereby we were able to encounter this wonderful *octrine. For the present, we bid you

farewell."

So sayin, the ladies departed with tears brimmin their eyes.



11/53


12/53

Letter % Faith>- I would li$e to$now this in detail."

In answer, I reply%

This question is of the utmost importance. In eneral, the primary reason for acceptin

this "Faith" of our sect is because as women you are pitifully ensnared in deepburdensome e'ils of the Fi'e :ardinal Sins and the Three =eliance)s. As such, you ha'e

lon since been abandoned as "un0sa'able" by the Buddhas of the Ten uarters and theBuddhas of the past, present, and future. Eet, than$fully, Amida Tath(ata alone 'owed

that +e would deli'er beins such as these and has already initiated forty0eiht 'ows.

ithin these ?ows, beyond +is deli'erance of all e'il men and women in accordance

with the th ?ow, and further, because women are deeply sinful with hearts full ofdoubts, +e has established in +is 86th ?ow 4yet aain5, the ?ow that +e would deli'er

8


14/53

women. Eou should feel a deep than$fulness with the sense of the debt of ratitude owed

this Amida Tath(ata for +is reat endea'ors.

In question, I as$%

2ow, relati'e to the understandin of ratitude to Amida Tath(ata for establishin insuch manner ?ows reiteratin the deli'erance of beins such as us, in what manner

should we who belie'e in Amida place our reliance on +im- I would li$e to ha'e thise#plained clearly.

In answer, I reply%

If there is a wish to obtain Faith and to place reliance on Amida, first belie'e that human

life is only for the duration of a dream or a momentary illusion, while rebirth in the &ure/and results in eternal happiness. Belie'e that the en!oyment of human life is for 6 or

years while rebirth, in particular, is of primary importance. Abandon the heart that

desires the sundry practices and discard 4should it harbor them5 the heart that thin$s interms of abstinences and taboos. Then, placin reliance on Amida with a sinleness of

heart and by not trustin in any of the 'arious Buddhas, Bodhisatt'as, or deities, and if

one belie'es that by placin Faith unsha$ably in Amida Buddha, the comin rebirth in

the &ure /and will ha'e been determined, repeat the 2embutsu in the o'erflow ofratitude for this welcomed determination. This 2embutsu e#presses the ratitude owed

Amida Tath(ata for +is deli'erance of you. After ha'in attained Faith, this is what the

wi'es 4who dwell here5 of the resident priests of this temple should be.


th day, Hth month, 6th year of Bunmei 4978:;5

Letters of Rennyo

{Letters 11-32}

9


15/53


16/53

!ut there is no end to this lament one may feel an a!2ect sadness, !ut he mustfeel a far deeper sadness than this.

"herefore, priests must seek out those who know well the details of the #reat%aith of the 'ther3ower and after o!taining %aith themselves, must teach the

meaning of this %aith to the lay mem!ers and together unaltera!ly gain re!irthwhich is the utmost of importance in the life to come.

With reverence, / remain

4iddle of the th month, 5th year of *unmei (16789:)

Chapter On A Condition ()istingFor Many *ears At The Chosho

Te+ple

{#enrai Chosho,i #o $ho}

%Letter & 12'

%or many years now the lay mem!ers of the 9hosho "emple have !eenine;cusa!ly at variance with the principles of the harma. et me e;plain. "hereis a chairman of an organi


17/53

!eing regarded highly !y mem!ers and workers in and out of this social group istruly the essential point of the harma. "his has nothing to do with the purposeof !eing re!orn in the and of *liss, !ut appears to !e something that is only forthe sake of worldly honor and fame.

When we e;amine the original purpose of the monthly meetings !y our school, itwas to assem!le the ordinary people (ignorant !eings that live in senselessfashion !y day and night, who pass a lifetime in vain and are destined at the endto sink into the "hree $apids) in the temple hall to discuss one another=spro!lems and views on %aith. 4eetings were held once a month for 2ust ane;clusive gathering of fellow followers of the +em!utsu. "hat in recent years,there has never !een a discussion on the pros and cons on the su!2ect of %aith atthese gatherings is a condition that is e;pressi!ly shameful.

enceforth, a conscientious discussion of %aith should always !e held at these

meetings without e;ception. "he reason for this is that these discussions will !ethe cause for the reali


18/53

resently, there are some among the followers of the +em!utsu in this area(:chi


19/53

Chapter On The rohiition Of$lander4

{.+a,i+e /io #o $ho}

%Letter & 15'

Among the +em!utsu followers of this sect there must not !e slander of any ofthe other teachings. "his applies to the followers associated with the "ateyama,hirayama, and other "emples in the area of :tchu and >aga. "his also applies tothe istrict of :chi


20/53

remains for us to consider is not to place reliance in what these other schoolsteach.

/n particular, where we esta!lish no distinctions of any kind within our own sect,it is most irreverent for us to !e slandering the approach and views of some other

sect. /t is clearly indicated that the temple priests or whoever assumes similarroles, must make this decision without any reservations.


atter part, th month, 5th year of *unmei (16789:)

Chapter On The #a+e Of This $e6t

{$h"+ei #o $ho}

%Letter & 17'

/n @uestion, / ask?

/t is not clear to me under what circumstances our sect has come to !e called the/kko3hu ('ne34ind ect) !y the general pu!lic.

/n answer, / reply?


21/53

/t has !een esta!lished with certainty that our %ounder did not particularly nameour school the /kko3hu. 'n the whole, the reason the people call us this is thatwe place our complete reliance, e;clusively, on Amida *uddha. owever, sinceit is e;plained in the utra as . . . with 'ne 4ind, place reliance on the *uddha

of /nfinite ight and ife . . . , to !e called the 'ne34ind ect is of noimportance when there is the meaning that we should place reliance with onemind on the *uddha of /nfinite ight and ife.

owever, the %ounder has specifically named this sect odo hinshu."herefore, you must understand that we of our sect did not originate in anymanner or form the name of 'ne34ind ect. "he other ure and ectspresuma!ly permit the practices of the various austerities, !ut our honineliminated these practices. "his is why re!irth in the "rue and of $ecompense isreali


22/53

one should hear the acred +ame of the si; characters of+a34u3A34i3a and *utsu in a senseless and aimless manner !ut itmeans that one should come in contact with a person who teaches and discoursesin the harma, and should !e taught !y him the principle of the deliverance !yAmida *uddha without fail if one places reliance in the acred +ame of +amu

Amida *utsu as +amu. "his is e;plained in the utra as ... re2oice in %aith.../n accordance with this, it should !e understood that the su!stance of +amuAmida *utsu is the condition of our deliverance.

After understanding the preceding in the manner as e;plained, !elieve that the

recitation of the acred +ame while at work or at rest, sitting or reclining, isnothing more than the +em!utsu for the e;pression of gratitude towards Amida"ath&gata for our deliverance. /n other words, such a person is called a devoteeof the +em!utsu of the 'ther3ower who has etermined3%aith and who is to !ere!orn in the and of *liss.


"his passage, completed at the Camanaka spa, >aga rovince, at 10?00 a.m. onthe second day of the latter part of the th month of the 5th year of *unmei

(16789:).

Chapter On Dredging The ChannelOf Faith

{On $arae #o $ho}


23/53


24/53

within the ranks of the "ruly Assured, state of arriving to :nlightenment in thene;t re!irth, or one who is e@uivalent to 4iroku *odhisattva. Also, it is called,one who has had the awakening of %aith and whose re!irth is now a!solutelydetermined.

After the comprehension of the foregoing in the manner a!ove, !elieve that therecitation of the +em!utsu is for the purpose of e;pressing our gratitude out ofhappiness for Amida "ath&gataFs having determined the easy manner of ourre!irth.


? With regard to this matter, / would like to have, first, a strict adherence to themanner of conduct that has !een esta!lished !y our sect. "hat is to say if oneunderstands with deep concern the conditions of %aith as 2ust e;plained, retain

this understanding deep in your hearts and do not display its results in your!ehavior to the people of the other schools. %urther, do not discuss the features of%aith with them. Cou must not !e disrespectful to any of the various other deities2ust !ecause you do not !elieve in them. "he honin has said these people whounderstand the aspects of %aith and whose deportment is !eyond reproach aswritten a!ove are the devotees who well understand %aith. Cou should a!ide 2ustin the harma deep in your hearts.


/ have written this on the Dth day, 1Gth month, 5th year of *unmei (16789:)and / am sending it to the wives of the temple personnel who live on 4ount

Coshi


25/53

Chapter On The oint Of Depart"re

{$h"tta6hi #o $ho}

%Letter & 19'

/n the %ounding honin=s "eachings, prime importance has !een esta!lished inwhat is called %aith. /n e;plaining the purpose of this %aith, / would say that itis the point of departure for us shamefully unenlightened !eings who arewithout virtue and who are forever committing evils to arrive at Amida=s ureand with ease. Without receiving this %aith, one cannot !e re!orn in the and of*liss, !ut will !e destined to fall and reside in the depths of the Dth fiery ell.

"o e;plain how one ac@uires this %aith, / would say that those who placecomplete reliance in only Amida "ath&gata, who disregard all other virtues andpractices, who discard the feeling for petitionary prayers to the various guardiangods, deities and *odhisattvas, and who a!andon the erroneous thoughts of self3power, will !e encompassed, without fail, !y Amida in is Eniversal ight andif they !elieve in Amida without any dou!t and with that singleness of heart andmind, they will never !e forsaken. Epon receiving %aith in this manner, youshould !elieve that the +em!utsu (recited at all times, awake or asleep) is the+em!utsu to e;press our feeling of gratitude to Amida for our deliverance."hose who especially understand this in this manner, are those who truly havereceived the "rue octrine of %aith of our sect. /f there are those who claim that

there is %aith other than this, you can !e certain that it is a very grave mistake.+othing of what they may claim can !e accepta!le in the least.


"he meaning of what / have 2ust written in this letter is the "rue octrine of%aith as taught !y hinran honin of our school. "hose who understand this


26/53

thoroughly must take deli!erate concern and not discuss the aspects of %aithwith people of other sects. All you have to do is simply not rely on any of theother *uddhas, *odhisattvas or deities. /t is necessary to consider this veryimportant. "ruly, you must think that all the many deities are included withinthe *enevolence of Amida *uddha. Without e;ception, you should not slander

any of the various other teachings. "hose who understand and follow what /have 2ust written are those who respect the points in the =manner of conduct= ashas !een esta!lished !y our sect. "herefore, the honin has said, :ven when weare called =cattle3stealers=, your personal conduct must not !e similar to thosewho teach the after3life as, perhaps, done !y a virtuous man, or one who teachesthe harma. /n particular, understand the reasons for this well and recite the+em!utsu of gratitude.


/ have written this on the night, 1Gth day, 1Gth month, 5th year of *unmei(16789:)

Chapter On The :"ardian DeitiesAnd The Three Arti6les

{$hin+ei $an!a,o #o $ho}

Letter & 1;


27/53

Although what has !een done already cannot !e undone now, there have !eendifferences in the attitudes of those who teach3guide in the "eachings that weretaught !y the %ounding honin of our sect. ereafter, the resident priests of thistemple (to !egin with), other priests who study our masters, the many, many

followers of the %aith who gather here, and many of the %aith who are followersin name only must first understand the essence of each of the following threearticles. "hen decisions on the handling of related matters will !e madeaccordingly.

1. o not slander any of the doctrines of the other religious sects.G. o not disparage any of the guardian deities, *uddhas or *odhisattvas.8. $eceive %aith and reali


28/53

these deities.

G. /t is not proper for those of this school to slander the other teachings and sects./n the final analysis, since they all originate from the sermons during the lifetimeof hakyamuni *uddha, !y devoting oneself to his "eachings it will !ear fruit in

some level of :nlightenment. owever, since lay people (like us of this 9losing"hird :ra) cannot attain to the standards of the teachings of self3power of thevarious other sects, we simply do not rely or !elieve in what they teach.

8. When one refers to the various *uddhas and *odhisattvas, they are separatemanifestations of the 'ne Amida "ath&gata and relative to the *uddhas of the"en Huarters Amida *uddha is the 4aster3"eacher and the a!iding root of all*uddhas. When we place reliance on the 'ne Amida *uddha, in effect we areplacing reliance on all the various *uddhas and *odhisattvas. *ecause of this, allthe various *uddhas and *odhisattvas, without e;ception, are included within

the 'ne #reat *ody of Amida.

6. "he a!solute %aith of the 'ther3ower of Amida "ath&gata, as taught !y our%ounder hinran honin, means that the discarding of all sundry practices andplacing reliance on Amida with a singleness of mind and heart (with departurefrom self3power) is the !asis of %aith in the rimal Bow. "he former #ood"eachers of the Way had heard and repeatedly passed along to us that while!elieving that Amida "ath&gataFs "rue %aith is a grant from the 'ther3ower of*uddha=s /ncomprehensi!le Wisdom, know that the moment of entering withinthe ranks of those whose re!irth have !een determined is the very instant one

places complete reliance on Amida. /f at that simultaneous moment life does notend !ut continues from that instant forward, the fre@uent recitation of the+em!utsu should come !y itself in all naturalness. *ecause ofthis, we are tounderstand that the fre@uent recitation of the acred +ame (from the verymoment of the assurance of having entered within the ranks of those whosere!irth has !een determined in our everyday life) is an e;pression of gratitudefor the #race of *uddha. "herefore, the essence of the "eachings of this schoolfrom the %ounding honin down through the honored teachers that have comeafter him is only that this %aith, alone, is the !est of ways. "hose who do notunderstand this !elong to some other sect. "o those who comprehend, it !ecomes

the significant mark that designates the devotee of hinshu. %urthermore, in yoursocial conduct never present the air that you are a devotee of the +em!utsu ofour school to the people of the other sects.

"hese points that / have 2ust written should !e considered the correct and trueprinciples guiding the !ehavior of the followers who have received %aith ofhinshu.


29/53


/ have written this on the 11th day, 1st month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:?>inoe3Ema).

Chapter On The Crossise$e


30/53

e vowed to deliver them through is #reat 9ompassion. :ven though they donot place faith e@ually in each of the many *uddhas and *odhisattvas, e willemit is #reat ight and encompass them within this ight, never to cast themaway. "his thought is preached in the utra as, . . . is ight shines throughoutthe worlds of the "en Huarters sentient !eings of the +em!utsu are

encompassed in is ight and not forsaken.... "herefore, whereas thecausalconditions would lead us inevita!ly on the path of the evil worlds of the %ive andi; $ealms, this inevita!ility is !locked through the inconceiva!le power of therimal Bow of Amida "ath&gata. "his thought is preached again in the utra as,..."he causes leading to the %ive :vil Worlds are severed crosswise the gate tothe :vil $ealms are spontaneously !locked....

%or this reason, when we !elieve in "ath&gataFs rimal Bow and have no dou!ts,not even for a moment and no matter how convinced we may !e that we aredestined to fall into ell we are em!raced in the all3encompassing ight of

Amida "ath&gata and we will not fall into ell through our own efforts, !ut areto !e re!orn in the and of *liss.

"hus, since we are recipients (day and night, morning and evening) of"ath&gataFs #reat 4ercy (that is countless as raindrops and higher thanmountains and for which we feel a great sense of gratitude), 2ust keep the acred+ame on your lips at all times and repeat the +em!utsu for the purpose ofe;pressing this gratitude for the #race of Amida *uddha.

/n other words, this is what is meant when we say, the state of having o!tained

"rue %aith.

With reverence, / remain+ight, 15th day, Gnd month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:)

$ecalling the past when hakyamuni *uddha entered +irvana, and ru!!ingthese eyes that have dimmed with age, / have 2ust finished dipping this !rush

while seated in the flickering light.

i;ty years of age, personal seal (affi;ed)

8


31/53

Chapter On The 0">"

{0">" #o $ho}

%Letter & 2?'

After a careful and e;tended o!servation of the customs and conventionsfollowed !y the priests of the +em!utsu ath of this temple during the past threeor four years, / truly see nothing which would indicate that they have receivedthat %aith of the 'ther3ower. / say this !ecause none of them even carry astrand of 2u


32/53

harma to the fellow lay3followers of the %aith. With the confirmed conceithar!ored as mentioned a!ove, they shall never !e a!le to reali


33/53

/f we have listened seriously to the meaning of the %aith of the 'ther3ower ofour school and have received %aith, we must place the essence of this %aith deepwithin our hearts and not e;pound it to others not of our sect. %urthermore,wherever we may !e, in the alleyways, avenues,in our village, and elsewhere,we must not openly !oast of the virtues of our %aith without discretion as to

those who may !e present. Also, do not !e diso!edient to the district and localofficials of government saying, / have attained ="rue %aith=, !ut accept more andmore of our civic responsi!ilities.

We must not insult the various deities and *odhisattvas of the other schools asthey are all em!raced within the si; characters, +a 4u A 4i a and*utsu.

/n particular, while actively a!iding !y the laws of society outwardly andholding fast to the %aith of the 'ther3ower inwardly, we must live our lives

!ased on the common mores.

/t must !e understood that all the foregoing are points concerning the manner ofconduct as esta!lished !y our odo hinshu ect.


/ have written this on the 17th day, Gnd month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:).

Chapter On The (ase Of Reirth@ "tThe $6ar6ity Of Those Reorn

88


34/53


35/53

ure and in this easy manner.

After understanding the a!ove, the acred +ame that is pronounced frommorning until night ought to !e only for the purpose of e;pressing gratitude forthe #reat 9ompassion and the Eniversal Bow.

$eaffirming the harma over and over again in your hearts and !yunderstanding well the meaning of the ease of receiving %aith, you should gainthe certainty of re!irth that is to occur in the and of 9ompensation without failin that most important life to come.


/ have written this on the 8rd day, 8rd month, Ith year of *unmei ( 16769:).

Chapter On The ri+e-$o"r6eAnd Tea6her Of All "ddhas

{/onshi /on"ts" #o $ho}

%Letter & 23'

"he men of evil that commit the "en 4a2or :vils and the %ive 9ardinal ins, andwomen inherent of the %ive '!stacles and the "hree $elianceFs who are forgottenand cast aside, !y the *uddhas of the past, present (and future) and also !y the*uddhas of the Eniverse, are the common unenlightened individuals like youand me. owever, Amida "ath&gata that we mention here (!eing the prime

86


36/53

source and "eacher of all the various *uddhas of the "hree Worlds and of the"en irections) is theeternal *uddha who attained perfect :nlightenment longago in time immemorial. "his is the *uddha that esta!lished the #reat En3o!structa!le Bow, /, alone, shall deliver them. "hem meaning theunenlightened !eings who for eternities will !e without any virtues and the

females who are inherent of the %ive '!stacles and the "hree $elianceFs thathave !een a!andoned !y all the various other *uddhas. Amida esta!lished theinimita!le Eniversal Bow where!y e would deliver all sentient !eings withoutdiscrimination and after the complete esta!lishment of these Bows, e has since!ecome Amida *uddha.

"he unenlightened !eings of this egenerate "hird :ra do not have two or threepaths that will lead them to final enlightenment. "hey have only one path- "his isthe path of sole and complete reliance upon this "ath&gata- "herefore, those whounderstand well the %aith of the 'ther3ower as taught !y hinran honin will

all, ten for ten, !e re!orn in the ure and without fail.

"hus, to the @uestion? /f / should desire to receive this %aith and !e re!orn inAmida=s and of $ecompense, how should / direct my heart and how should /!elieve this that is called %aithJ / respectfully re@uest an answer to this.

/n answer, / reply?

"he meaning of %aith of the 'ther3ower as taught !y hinran honin of ourschool is nothing other than this? A person will !e em!raced, without fail, within

the !right Eniversal ight of Amida "ath&gata when he (reali


37/53

With reverence, / remain4iddle of the 8rd month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:)

Chapter On The Loyal Man And TheFaithf"l Bo+an

{Ch"shin Tei,o #o $ho}

%Letter & 25'

'ur sect has classified the various practices and the countless virtuous acts asimpure practices to !e looked upon with antipathy and aversion where theplacement of reliance on Amida "ath&gata is concerned. "he !asic reason for thisis the #reat Bow of Amida "ath&gata in which e vowed that e will deliver(without regard to the depths of their evilness) any and all !eings who placesingle3hearted reliance upon im. ingle3hearted reliance means the condition ofnot placing any other *uddha ne;t to Amida *uddha for consideration. /n

society there is a principle to serve only one master at any one time. "hus, thereis a non3*uddhist saying that goes, A loyal man holds allegiance to only onemaster- A good woman is faithful to only one hus!and in her lifetime.Amida "ath&gata is the prime3*uddha and "eacher of all the other *uddhas ofthe "hree Worlds. ow can these various su!ordinate *uddhas help !ut re2oicewhen we place our complete trust in that *uddha who is their "eacher also. Coushould !elieve this without any reservations.

87


38/53

/nasmuch as the sphere of practice called +amu Amida *utsu completelyencompasses all the guardian deities (including the various *uddhas,*odhisattvas, and the countless virtues and innumera!le practices), what senseof inade@uateness does one feel in his heart that he should seek the merits fromaccomplishment of various practices or the accumulation of countless virtuesJ

"he sacred +ame of +amuAmida *utsu already incorporates the total !ody ofthe countless virtues and the innumera!le practices, and, as such, is completelytrustworthy.

Accordingly, how, does one place reliance and faith in this Amida "ath&gata and!e re!orn in the and of *lissJ /t is nothing more than a firm !elief that we areshameful !eings, har!oring deep and !urdensome evils of the worst degree,whose a!ode could !e no place else !ut ell, and that Amida "ath&gatagraciously esta!lished is Bow that e alone would deliver us !eings. With thisfirm !elief and if conditions are ripe for one to receive %aith which is

instantaneous with the total reliance on Amida, a culmination of related pastconditionsshall occur and we !ecome recipients of the %aith of the 'ther3owerthrough the wisdom of Amida "ath&gata. "hus, the mergence into one of theheart of Amida *uddha and the heart of the enlightened person is pointed outsingularly, and such a person is called a follower who has received %aith.

%ollowing this reception of %aith, one should !elieve and e;press deeply thesense of gratitude owed Amida for his #reat 9ompassionate Eniversal Bow thisis done through the repeated recitation of the +em!utsu while awake or asleep,in the most natural manner, and without any affectations.


/ have written this on the 17th day, 8rd month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:)

Chapter On The nion Of "ddha

8


39/53

And The /eart Of Thenenlightened eings

{"sshin onshin .ttai #o $ho}

%Letter & 27'

"he essence of the octrine as taught !y hinran honin of our school is theplacement of initial importance on the %aith of the 'ther ower. /t is clearly seen(!oth in the utras and the commentaries !y the patriarchs of our sect) that themost important re!irth into the and of *liss (that is to come) !ecomes trulydou!tful unless a person thoroughly e;periences this %aith of the 'ther3ower."herefore, relative to the desire of !eing re!orn in the "rue and of $ecompenseupon understanding of what is meant !y %aith of the 'ther3ower, / wish toin@uire 3 what attitude should / hold deep in my heart and what type of personmust / !e to !e re!orn in this and of *lissJ +ot knowing the essentials, / hum!lyask to !e taught so that / may receive this steadfast %aith through careful

listening.

/n answer, / reply?

*y %aith of the 'ther3ower, as taught !y our sect, means to simply placereliance on Amida "ath&gata with a singleness of heart without the necessity to!e gravely concerned over the depths of one=s own evil nature. /t means to firmly!elieve that it is through the inconceiva!le power of the Bow that evil menencum!ered with the "en 4a2or :vils and the %ive 9ardinal ins, and evenpeople inherent of the %ive '!stacles and the "hree $elianceFs will all receive

deliverance. /f, at the very instant of the awakening of %aith, there is not even aspeck of dou!t in the rimal Bow, "ath&gata graciously recogni


40/53

Amida "ath&gata and is to e;ist throughout the !alance of his life within thisight of Amida. "hen, when one=s life comes to its end, he is immediately re!ornin the "rue and of $ecompense. "herefore, (pertaining to the point of how !estto e;press the sense of gratitude felt for this sacred and !lessed #reat9ompassion of Amida) one simply should recite the +em!utsu day and night to

e;press this sense of gratitude to Amida "ath&gata. "he essence of the foregoingis the doctrine of the awakening of %aith and the ac@uisition in everyday life ofthe cause for re!irth into the ure and as taught !y our sect.

"hus, no great effort is needed to place total reliance on Amida. imple as it is toreceive the %aith of the 'ther3ower, it is simpler yet to !ecome a *uddha and !ere!orn in the and of *liss. 'h, the sacredness of the rimal Bow of *uddha- 'h,the sacredness of the %aith of the 'ther3ower- "here is not even the slightestdou!t where our ne;t re!irth is concerned-

owever, there are several points of caution pertaining to one=s conduct in day3to3day life while living within this framework of %aith. %irstly, relative to thevarious guardian deities and *uddhas, they are all e;pedients to persuadesentient !eings to receive this very same %aith of the 'ther3ower and towardsthis purpose they have appeared as the varied and many deities and *uddhas."herefore, inasmuch as the *uddhas and *odhisattvas all originate and stemfrom the one great aspect of the !ody of Amida "ath&gata, all of them !ecomeincluded, simultaneously, with our complete reliance on +amu Amida *utsu."hus, we should always regard all the many *uddhas and *odhisattvas withrespect.

%urther, there is another important point that should !e kept in mind. 'neshould never assume an attitude of unconcern or disrespect towards governmentofficials of the local and district areas with that idea that you are !eyond themundane world !ecause you are an individual that has received the %aith of the'ther3ower and worship the harma. Cou should dispatch all your civicresponsi!ilities with whole3hearted willingness-

"hose who understand well the foregoing are cited especially as those with thee;emplary conduct of the followers of the +em!utsu who have received %aithand wish to !e re!orn in the ure and. /n other words, these are the people whoplace a high value on the harma and the laws of the land and who guard !othwell.

With reverence, / remain/ have written this on the 18th day, 5th month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:)

9


41/53

Chapter On The Fi


42/53

are concerned, we should seek only the assistance of a #ood "eacher of theharma.

Also, the indication here is of a person who has not o!tained correctly that %aithparticular to our sect. After all, the a!ilities of a #ood "eacher of the harma

are directed solely to encourage others that they should place single3heartedreliance on Amida.

ertaining to the conditions e;istent towards the reali


43/53

Chapter On The 7? *ears .n The Life

Of Man{#ingen :o,"nen #o $ho}

%Letter & 29'

When we reflect upon the span of 50 years in the life of man, we find that theyamount to one day and one night in the heavenly realm called the $ealm of the%our eva >ings. "hen again, 50 years in this realm of the %our eva >ingsamount to one day and one night in the upper region of the ell of $epetition ofe;treme suffering.

"herefore, is it not a most truly deplora!le situation when people are notconcerned one !it a!out o!taining the %aith of the 'ther ower !ut live from dayto day in empty senselessness. "hey should !e deeply concerned a!out the

sufferings to !e endured when one falls into ell, or the highest *liss onee;periences when !orn in the ure and. /s this not the case, also, when peopleseek every opportunity during the day to cuddle a pillow and nap rather than toread even one scroll of the !ook of "eachings or to discourse the harma andpreach to the followersJ "his should !e considered seriously in deep @uietcontemplation.

"he reason for the a!ove is that if those priests who have not !een o!servingtheir ecclesiastic rules and who have not !een adhering to their duties,thoroughly desire from this day and this moment to o!tain %aith and !e re!orn

in the "rue and of *liss it !ecomes a point of merit for such individuals.%urthermore, this action should !e understood to !e consistent with the principleof guiding others to the harma through self3application.


98


44/53

it !eing so e;tremely hot, / have left the writing of the a!ove solely to the will ofthe !rush, and it has 2ust finished the letter.

Written on the Gnd day, middle of the Ith month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:).

Chapter On The Rep"tation Of O"r$e6t

{Baga $h" Meio #o $ho}

%Letter & 2;'

"he conscientious o!servance (of the manner of conduct as esta!lished !y thissect) means the adherence to the !asic motive of remaining inconspicuous in ourrelationships with those of the other sects and with people of the general pu!lic!y avoiding the !old open attitudes and speech on !ehalf of our school. $ecently,among followers of the +em!utsu of our sect, certain individuals haveintentionally e;pounded the !asic principles of our sect !latantly in pu!lic andhave vocally !elittled and degraded the teachings of the other sects in the !eliefthat !y so doing they were enhancing the status of our sect. "his is a mostine;cusa!le thing- /t is in great divergence, particularly to the principle asesta!lished !y our hinran honin. hinran honin stated long ago, Although

we may !e called cattle stealers, we should not show ourselves as followers ofthe odo hinshu ect. We should thoroughly understand what the honinmeant and control our conduct with great diligence.

Another point 3 the conditions of gender, deep spiritual wisdom, e;tensiveknowledge, or high or low position do not e;ist for a person who wishes tothoroughly understand the meaning of %aith as taught in our school. 'ne needs

99


45/53

only to arrive at the reali


46/53

Chapter On The $e6ret Tea6hing

{/i,i o+on #o $ho}

%Letter & 2='

"he doctrine known as the ecret "eaching in the istrict of :chi


47/53

thankfulness and the de!t of gratitude owed to Amida, simply and constantlyrecite +amu Amida *utsu, whether asleep or awake, to e;press thatimmeasura!le thankfulness.

"hus, to descri!e the essence of the recitation of +amu Amida *utsu,

understand that it is the 2oyous e;pression of the heart as it awakens to thegratitude owed and the sacredness of the deliverance assured us through the#race of Amida "ath&gata.


5th day, 7th month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:)

Chapter On The "hon AndChora!",i Te+ples

{"hon Chora!",ino $ho}

%Letter & 3?'

ere in apan the odo ect has esta!lished many !ranch schools. *esides a fewlike the ei


48/53

"hey were reluctant to discard the essence of their former doctrines, !utconversely, attempted to incorporate aspects of their former doctrines into the"eachings of the odo ect itself. /n spite of this ituation, we should not censurethem particularly. What is important is that we only nurture %aith of our sectdeep in our hearts so that we may receive this %aith unshaka!ly for ourselves

and to teach and lead others toward thesame goal.

/n descri!ing the features of %aith of our sect, first there is a reali


49/53

"ath&gata, simply recite the acred +ame. "his !ecomes an e;pression ofthankfulness of the de!t of gratitude owed Amida "ath&gata.


/ have written this on the th day, 7th month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:).

Chapter On Those Bho AreFolloers .n #a+e Only

{$ono #a a!ari #o $ho}

%Letter & 31'

%rom today, those individuals who are mem!ers of our sect in name only andthose who are mem!ers only !ecause their fathers and forefathers were followers

!efore them should seriously start to in@uire into the meaning of the #reat %aithof the 'ther3ower and o!tain the determination of re!irth into the and of$ecompense. "o receive this %aith of our sect, nothing need !e done !ut simplyplace deep reliance on Amida "ath&gata single3heartedly.

What sort of *uddha is this called Amida *uddha and what type of sentient!eings is this *uddha to deliverJ Amida *uddha is the *uddha that formulatedthe #reat Bow that e, alone, would deliver all the pitia!le unenlightened

9H


50/53

!eings like ourselves that have !een a!andoned !y the multitudes of other*uddhas of the "hree Worlds. e is the *uddha that thoughtfully meditatedover this Bow for a period of five kalpas and performed the virtuous practicesfor innumera!le kalpas to its fulfillment. e then vowed, ...relative to the evilsof sentient !eings, / shall deliver all of them without regard to their a!use of the

harma and !eing /cchantikas or the e;tent of their commissions of the "en4a2or :vils and the %ive 9ardinal ins... e is the *uddha that consummatedis Bow, which far surpassed (in e;cellence) the compassionate vows of all thevarious other *uddhas, and then !ecame Amida "ath&gata.

"herefore, in what manner and with what understanding should we seekdeliverance of this Amida *uddha so that our deliverance will !e assuredJ *ycompletely disregarding the depths of our own evils and !y simply placingsingle3hearted reliance on Amida *uddha, our deliverance is assured withoutfail if there is no dou!t in any form in that %aith at the very moment we place

reliance in im. %urther, Amida "ath&gata possesses the two functions:m!racement and ight with which e delivers all sentient !eings. "hus,should we !e !athed in this ight through a culmination of related pastconditions, all the evils thathad piled high as o!structions to our re!irth !ecomedispelled. "hen what is meant !y to em!raceJ ince all the evil hindrances nolonger remain as factors when we encounter the causal effect of the ight ofAmida, the point of sentient !eings !eing enveloped within this ight is calledto em!race. / have !een made to understand that this is the reason why,relative to Amida *uddha, these two factors of :m!racement and ight areconsidered to !e the most essential.

"herefore, when %aith is determined at that very instant of complete reliance onAmida *uddha, the simultaneous moment when one is em!raced !y the ight ofAmida is said to !e the instant that %aith is determined.

"hus, when we come to know thoroughly for the first time that the state ofower and ractice called +amu Amida *utsu is actually the manifestation ofthe causal reason for our re!irth in the ure and that is represented through thesi; characters we must, at long last, reali


51/53


/ have written this on the 16th day, 7th month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:).

Chapter On The erfe6t ra6ti6e ofThe Dhar+a

{#yosets" $h"gyo #o $ho}

%L(TT(R & 32'

Although the !eliefs of the various schools of *uddhism differ individually, eachis in truth a commenda!le teaching !ecause, in the final analysis, they all havederived from the sermons of hakyamuni during his lifetime. "herefore, there isa!solutely no dou!t that those who practice the "eachings without deviation

shall gain the Way and attain :nlightenment.

owever, we are in a period where very, very few can accomplish the perfectpractice of the "eachings !ecause sentient !eings of this 9losing "hird :ra aremost inferior in their capacities. At this 2uncture, !y the rimal Bow of the 'ther3ower of Amida "ath&gata is meant the concern to deliver primarily all sentient!eings of this resent :ra."owards this goal Amida thoughtfully meditated for

6


52/53

five kalpas and performed the perfect practices over innumera!le kalpas to fulfillis Bow. e then promised that e would not take the #reat :nlightenmentunless e delivered all the evil3prone and virtue3less sentient !eings. e is the*uddha that completely fulfilled is Bow and then !ecame Amida *uddha. %orsentient !eings of this present "hird :ra there is no hope of receiving

*uddhahood unless they depend e;clusively upon the rimal Bow of this*uddha and place complete reliance on Amida.

/n what manner should we trust in Amida "ath&gataFs rimal Bow of the 'ther3ower, and again, what should !e the attitude of the heart of sentient !eings inorder that they may !e deliveredJ

"rust in Amida, simply means that those who thoroughly understand theessence of the %aith of the 'ther3ower will all (ten out 'f ten) !e re!orn in theand of *liss. "o e;plain what this %aith of the 'ther3power is, it is simply +amu

Amida *utsu- /n other words, in the clear understanding of the essence of the si;characters +a34u3A34i3a and *utsu is found the representation ofthe %aith of the 'ther3ower. "herefore, you must thoroughly understand theessence of these si; characters, +a34u3A34i3a and *utsu.

%irstly, the e;planation of the essence of the two characters +a and 4u. "heessence of the heart that places single3hearted reliance upon Amida and trusts,without dou!t, in the re!irth to !e received is termed +amu.

econdly, the e;planation of the essence of the remaining characters

A34i3a and *utsu? When a sentient !eing places single3hearted trust inAmida (as e;plained previously), Amida radiates is ight and envelops himeternally within this ight without fail. "he essence of the heart that delivers himto the ure and of *liss at the end of his life is termed Amida *utsu.

owever, the +em!utsu that is generally referred to in pu!lic is the kind whereit is thought that the mere recitation of +amu Amida *utsu assures one=sdeliverance. "his is a most du!ious concept-owever, since there are some sectsthat teach this very concept within the ure and chool itself, do not critici


53/53


/ have written this on the 5th day, Dth month, Ith year of *unmei (16769:).

68

32 letters of rennyo

Documents