Orange County Buddhist Church

A WAY OF SEEING

     Another year older!  Both Shinran Shonin, founder of our way of seeing, and I.  Or should I not mention Shinran and myself in the same sentence?  I’m sure he would not mind, because we are both bombu, common, ordinary human beings, both unable to clear our minds/hearts of insatiable desire, hatred/anger, or ignorance (of the Fourfold Noble Truths and conditioned co-origination).  I know I am much more susceptible to these three poisons than he is, but because Shinran, too, is susceptible, he is the target of Amida’s compassionate Vow.  Because Shinran is the target of Amida’s Vow, all the more so am I, for “even a good person is born in the Pure Land, how much more so is an evil person!”

     The first two poisons, insatiable desire and hatred/anger, are somewhat easy to understand without too much explanation, but why is ignorance of the Fourfold Noble Truths and conditioned co-origination considered a poison?  How is it that both Shinran and I would consider ourselves ignorant of such basic teachings?  Simply because the Buddhist way of seeing these teachings requires that we not only know the words but live our lives in accordance with them and with all their ramifications.  It goes without saying that Shinran Shonin was well aware of the teachings, actually descriptions of the way the world is, as am I, if nowhere near as aware as Shinran.  However, it is one thing to know the teachings; it is quite another thing to live our lives in accord with them.  Otherwise, we would all be enlightened.  Doubtless, there would be no objection to the statement that none of us is enlightened.  There is no living Buddha except Amida.  The persons that come closest might be a few Zen masters and the Dalai Lama.  Might.  On the other hand, all of us are potential Buddhas.

     Fortunately, Shinran Shonin showed us why Amida Buddha wants us all to realize birth in the Pure Land (how else realize enlightenment?) and how it is to be realized (the emptying of self through Namo Amida Butsu).  On this yet another occasion to contemplate the legacy of Shinran Shonin, please give this some thought.  Thank you.

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