Download Letter 1 - Seattle Buddhist Temple

Volume 1
Letter No. 1
Chapter 1
[Calligraphy]
MONTO DESHI NO SHO
(CHAPTER ON LAY FOLLOWERS AND DISCIPLES)
Someone has said, “There are those who say that there is a basic principle 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 called disciples of Amida Buddha and Shonin Shinran. I do not understand this
differentiation.”
Further, there are those who say that to conceal the scattered formation of small local informal groups of
followers from the resident priest of that particular jurisdictional area, the existence of such groups should be
kept secret. Still others say that this is not the way it should be. This, too, is extremely confusing to me. I
respectfully wish to inquire on these points.
In answer, I say:
Please understand that these points in question are very important. I shall relate, accurately, what I remember
being told long ago. Please listen carefully.
In the quotations of the late Shonin he has said, “Shinran does not have even one disciple. The reason for this
is that when I explain and urge Tathagata’s teachings to sentient beings in the Ten Directions, I only act as
His1 representative. Shinran does not propagate any new doctrine that is particularly his own. Having faith2 in
Tathagata’s teachings myself, I but communicate them to others. What do I teach other than Tathagata’s
teachings that would give me reasons to call those who listen to me my own disciples?” Thus, he is quoted to
have said.
Therefore, we should all possess the same FAITH3 and tread the same path. Because of this, the Shonin, with
deep reverence, said that we are all brethren of the same Faith4 and fellow travelers.
However, recently there have been chief priests of temples who are not truly aware of the meaning of “FAITH” 3
of our Sect that have severely rebuked members within their temples for having attended discussion groups on
the subject of “Faith”4 occasionally held elsewhere. This has created dissentions between them and, thus, the
priests cannot carefully study the true meaning of Faith, and the members cannot either when their attendance
at such discussions is hindered in this manner. The priests do not gain Faith;4 the members do not gain Faith;1
the lives of both pass, utterly, in vain. Indeed the mutual loss to both is a mistake upon which it is most difficult
to refrain from commenting.
An old poem reads:
Long ago, I had happiness wrapped in my sleeve,
1
Tathagata
faith: shin
3
FAITH: anjin
4
Faith: shinjin
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Now, it is more than my being can contain.
The meaning of “Long ago, I had happiness wrapped in my sleeves…” is that, formerly, a person not
distinguishing between Self-Power and Other-power, thought that rebirth was gained by the recitation of the
Nembutsu. “…Now, it is more than my being can contain” means that after one gains a thorough
understanding of the difference between Self-Power and Other-Power and obtains Faith1 through a singleness
of heart, there will be an exceptional difference in the heart that recites the Nembutsu for the purpose of
expressing gratitude for the Grace of Amida Buddha. Hence, this happiness, so powerful that it could even
cause one to dance with complete abandon, means the joy that is more than one can contain within himself.
With reverence, I remain
15th day, 7th month, 3rd year of Bunmei (1471)
Group Study Notes:
Suggested titles:
Heart of Assurance
Letters on Faith
It may seem remarkable that a founder of a religious sect would say that he has no disciples. But it may not be
so remarkable when you consider that the opening paragraph in this letter raises the basic issues that we are
confronted with in a modern Jodo Shinshu temple: What is a disciple, and what is a priest? Is there a
distinction? Is there a need for priests? In Rennyo’s age, priests were regarded more highly than they are
today. Now that priests are of a lower status, why do we need people to play this role? Especially if the Primal
Vow1 saves us all equally, is it possible to make a distinction between teacher and disciple? Rennyo Shonin
1
The Primal Vow (18th vow) forms the crux of Pure Land tradition. The Primal Vow is the vow in which Amida promises to save all
sentient beings. The condition of his attainment of Buddhahood is he promises not to become enlightened until all other sentient
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quotes Shinran Shonin as saying that since Amida Buddha is spreading the teachings, then he is simply
someone who is also relying on those teachings.
The answer to this seeming contradiction lies in the Nembutsu, which opens up a world so huge that these
arguments about priests and disciples make no sense. They become trivial. The Nembutsu is uttered out of a
sense of indebtedness.
.The final paragraph speaks of self-power vs. other-power. These words specifically refer to enlightenment
and the ability to distinguish between the true and the auxiliary. A person has to study if he wants to progress.
Saying the Nembutsu alone is not enough. But even if one were to fail that does not devalue him whatsoever.
One of the original ways of describing the difference is easy practice vs. difficult practice. Difficult practice is
similar to climbing high mountains and flat plains. If a person cannot take that route he can take a boat. The
boat is the “faith” [shin]. This faith is called the active force that allows us the path into enlightenment. The first
part of the eight-fold path is right view. When a person can see things correctly the wisdom follows naturally,
and his joy transcends the physical body. When a person does not have right view he has incorrect thoughts
and speech, and there is a tendency to capitalize.
Throughout this letter and others, there is a thread that there is something superior to oneself, but nothing
inferior to oneself. Therefore, the doctrine cannot be used to rationalize “righteousness.” In other words,
although the aspect of “up” still remains, the aspect of “down” disappears because Shinran did not envision
anyone below or beneath him. Instead of viewing relationships in terms of superior and inferior, saver and
saved, or up and down, Shinran may have seen the relationship as “sideways.” Although the up-down
distinction is not completely missing in Shinran, Shinran states that everyone is equal with regard to the
dynamic activity of the Vow as revealed through its characteristic of light.
beings are enlightened. This vow expresses the compassion and wisdom of Amida Buddha. All life is one and if any one of us fails to
appreciate the value of all others, then everything fails.
Shinran Shonin viewed the Pure Land as a place of enlightenment, rather than a place to go to become enlightened. The very moment
we enter the Pure Land we become enlightened, whereas it used to be seen as the ideal place to practice. The assurance of birth into
the Pure Land means your birth into the Pure Land is guaranteed.
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“World Peace Begins With Gassho.”
2007 New Year’s Greeting
By Reverend Don Castro
To all our fellow Sangha members, my family and I wish you a happy, healthy and
peace-filled 2007 inspired by the Nembutsu spirit. Our BCA theme for this year is “World Peace
Begins With Gassho.” The gesture of gassho (anjali in Sanskrit) is used universally by
Buddhists to express hello, good-bye and thank you. Gassho literally means “joined palms.” In
ancient India, there were twelve forms of gassho. In our Jodo Shinshu tradition, however, we
use just the first of the twelve forms.
When we bow in gassho, we are bowing to the Buddha; whether it is the Buddha image
in the shrine, the Buddha in the food we eat, or the Buddha in the other person we are greeting.
I find this gesture of gassho much more spiritually fulfilling and profound than offering an open
hand and shaking hands which derives from the custom of greeting people by showing them
that you are not carrying a weapon in your right (sword-carrying) hand.
The gesture of gassho is not just greeting a person in peace but acknowledging that the
other person, just as they are, has the capacity to realize the highest enlightenment. We do not
insist on the other person becoming like us in order to gain our highest respect and reverence.
In this world of factional warfare, “holy wars,” and ethnic cleansing, world peace certainly would
begin with all sides meeting and negotiating in a spirit of gassho. May our Sangha be a shining
example of this spirit. Again, happy New Year!
In Gassho,
Rev. Don Castro and Shuri Saigusa
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TEMPLE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
By Karry Sakamoto
The Year of the Dog (2006) has come to a close and we now look forward to the Year of
the Boar (2007). The sign of the Boar is a sign of honesty, simplicity and great fortitude.
Thanks to all of you and for your hard work; we accomplished many tasks and will be
finishing others in the coming year. Thank you for your consistent spirit of cooperation for the
sake of the Sangha and Dharma.
The bathroom renovation will be finished in time for the New Year Party on January 7,
2007. Thank you all for your patience.
After the New Year Party, at Hoonko we will be welcoming participants of the YAC
(Youth Advocacy Committee) from other temples for their Reunion. The Reunion activities will
be conducted by Rinban and Mrs. Oshita and the advisors.
We are looking forward to a full year in 2007. May it be a good one for one and all.
In Gassho,
M. Karry Sakamoto
The Dharma is the truth,
the Dharma is the law of the universe.
The heart of the Buddha-Dharma is the power of
Infinite wisdom and compassion that has been operating
throughout timeless time for the supreme purpose of
enlightening all things.
In my religious consciousness,
this power is personified and called Amida Buddha.
from The Heart of the Buddha-Dharma by Kenryu T. Tsuji
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Northwest Dharma News
Features JSC Dedication and
Dharma Pioneer, Grace McCleod
The dedication of the Jodo Shinshu Center last October in Berkeley, California was
described in the December/January 2007 issue of the Northwest Dharma News, page 12. The
article states: “The JSC dedication and the activities supported by BCA that followed it are an
important part of [this] dissemination of the Buddhadharma to all peoples.” With a circulation of
about 2000, this news of the Jodo Shinshu Center and the BCA is spreading the nembutsu to
the greater Pacific Northwest.
The October/November 2006 issue, page 11, describes the life of Grace McLeod. Also,
http://www.nwdharma.org/articles.html links you to the Seattle Times article about Grace.
You can receive the Northwest Dharma News by becoming an individual member of NW
Dharma Assocociation. To subscribe go to
www.nwdharma.org/nwdnsubform.html. Seattle Betsuin is already one of over 400 group
members.
- I. Goto
Grace McLeod, world traveler,
potent advocate forBuddhism
exerpt from the article By Keith Ervin, Seattle Times staff reporter
By 1950, as a member of Seattle Betsuin Church, also known as Seattle Buddhist Temple, she
had begun writing stories, poems and articles about Buddhism for the church's predominantly
Japanese-American children whose first language was English.
Jacobson recalled her mother working late into the night on publications such as
"Buddhist Reader" and "Teen Tempest" and "Dharma School Teacher's Handbook." Her
publications were circulated for 36 years to every U.S. temple in the Jodo Shinshu branch of
Buddhism.
Mrs. McLeod also taught in the dharma school, trained teachers, and developed a
course of study for the Karuna Award for Buddhist members of Camp Fire Girls.
What Is Wesak?
In the December issue of The Wheel of Dharma the front page article, “A Gathering of 21st
Century Buddhist,” stated: “A resolution for recognition of Wesak Day as a national holiday and
a resolution advocating non-violence in American life were considered.” These resolutions were
considered at the symposium, “Future of Buddhism in America” which took place in conjunction
with dedication of the Jodo Shinshu Center. What is Wesak? Web site
http://buddhism.about.com/cs/festivals/a/Vesak.htm
states that Wesak (also Vesak and
Visakha) takes its name from the month in which the Buddha was supposedly born, and
simultaneously celebrates his birth, enlightenment and passing into nibbana. It is usually
celebrated in May and is also known as Buddha Day. It is particularly strong in the Theravadin
tradition in countries such as Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand. In such places temples will be
adorned with lanterns, light symbolizing the Buddha's enlightenment and lay followers will
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involve themselves in acts of generosity, meditation and observing extra precepts. Buddha Day,
therefore, is a day to remind oneself of the Buddha's example, of what is possible and what it is
that is worth striving for! It is a day for focusing the mind on just what a remarkable individual the
Buddha was, and what an amazing example he gave to the world of what it means to be a
complete human being.”
-I. Goto
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