Vol. 5, Issue 1 (March 2025)

Jodo Shinshu International
A Buddhist Quarterly
Volume 5, Issue 1
2025
Mind that is Flexible and Gentle

MISSION STATEMENT
Sharing with the world the deep and humbling joy of awakening to
Amida Buddha’s Universal Aspiration that enables each and every
person to live a spiritually fulfilled life.
ABOUT THE MISSION STATEMENT
This mission statement was articulated to convey a number of overarching
themes and goals that this founding committee wanted to share with its readers
through this quarterly journal. By introducing first-hand accounts of people
who have experienced the warmth of Amida Buddha’s embracing Compassion,
readers can be inspired by the message of Shinran Shonin, the founder of Jodo
Shinshu Buddhism.
Through these religious experiences and accounts from people around the
world, it is our hope to spread the message of Amida Buddha’s Great Aspiration
for all beings—despite race, color, creed, or any other divisions among us—to
awaken to a life of spiritual fulfillment. When we awaken to this message of
Amida’s universal embracement, each person can live in the here and now,
with a sense of profound self-reflection, joy, and hope that will lead one to live
in deepest gratitude for the Buddha’s benevolence.
We are excited to be a part of a movement that will spread a message of
unity and hope through Amida Buddha’s universal solidarity.
Namo Amida Butsu.

Volume 5, Issue 1, Published March 2025
Jodo Shinshu
International
A Buddhist Quarterly
IN THIS ISSUE
6 Shinran and Jōdo Shinshū
Rev. Hisao Inagaki
10 How Buddha-Dharma Resolves our Evil Karma (Part Three)
Rev. Seikan Fukuma
14 Shinjin: The True Mind
Rev. Sensho Inouye
18 Shin Buddhism Today and the Road Ahead (Part Six)
Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji & Rev. John Paraskevopoulos

Jodo Shinshu International is published quarterly by the
Jodo Shinshu International Office, a not-for-profit religious
corporation.
Volume 5, Issue 1.
Content copyright © 2025 Jodo Shinshu International Office.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including
photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval
system, without written permission.
Editors-in-Chief: Rev. Kodo Umezu, Rev. Ai Hironaka
Committee: Rev. Yuika Hasebe, Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji,
Rev. John Paraskevopoulos
Contributors: Rev. Seikan Fukuma, Rev. Hisao Inagaki,
Rev. Sensho Inouye, Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji, Rev. John
Paraskevopoulos.
Calligraphy: Minako Kamuro
Design & Layout: Travis Suzaka
Printing: Kousaisha, Tokyo, Japan
Support: Rev. Kiyonobu Kuwahara, Madeline Kubo
Image Sources: Upsplash, The British Museum.
Jodo Shinshu International Office
EXPLANATION OF CALLIGRAPHY
Arrogance destroys humanity,
and conflicts annihilate the world.
Nishihara Esho
In The Sayings Recorded on the Life of Master
Rennyo (Rennyo Shonin Goichidaiki-kikigaki), quote
No. 291 tells of the term nyūnanshin 柔 軟 心 (mind
that is flexible and gentle). It explains that for
people who receive the heart of entrusting of
Other Power, their speech is neither rough nor
contentious, their minds are calm, and they
become kind and gentle, but those people who
do not have the heart of entrusting are said to
be over-assertive, and because the words they
use are coarse, it is inevitable that arguments
sometimes occur. Their over-assertiveness is
a kind of self-confidence that is overbearing
and egotistic, and therefore their conduct is
based on their own self-centered concept. If
we do not drastically reconsider and reform
our self-centered thinking and conduct, there
is absolutely no way that the current state of
turmoil [in the world] can be resolved.
We must first look thoroughly at the issues
and entities that bring about the conflict and
chaos in the world. Our tendency is to look
outwardly, away from our “self,” so is it not
likely that antagonism, conflict, and turmoil
are in our own hearts? Each and every one of
us must reflect on this. Rather than impressing
one’s own concept of righteousness and virtue
upon others and attempting to make them follow
it, our bending our ears to listen humbly and
quietly to what others are saying, in other words,
kindheartedness, is what is needed the most.
In addition, in The Sayings Recorded on
the Life of Master Rennyo it is written that the
Buddha’s compassion is bestowed to us for it
is found everywhere and in everything, and
since we are indebted to the Tathagata for his
benevolence, we ought to live our lives with
joy and gratitude as followers of the Buddha
Dharma. The Buddha’s compassion and
wisdom are not separate; they are one and the
same. This wisdom and compassion are the
inconceivable working of the Buddha which is
Other Power.
1710 Octavia Street, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA
www.jsinternational.org
(Excerpt from the Hongwanji Shuppansha publication Daijō, March 2006.)

FEATURED ARTICLE
This is an abridged and revised version of a lecture delivered in the Netherlands on April 7, 1992
to mark the establishment of the Numata Chair in Buddhist Studies at Leiden University.
Shinran and
Jōdo Shinshū
Rev. Hisao Inagaki
Jōdo Shinshū means ‘the true essence of the Pure Land way’; originally, it was
not the name of a separate school. Shinran had no intention of founding a new
movement, but simply sought to reveal the core significance of the Pure Land
teaching, which had been transmitted and developed by seven eminent masters
in India, China and Japan.
Pure Land Buddhist doctrine and practice centers on a specific buddha
called Amida, who is believed to be dwelling in the ‘Realm of Utmost Bliss’
(Sukhāvatī) or, more popularly, the ‘Pure Land.’ ‘Amida’ is the Japanese reading
of the Chinese O-mi-t’o ( 阿 弥 陀 ) which represents the Sanskrit Amita, meaning
‘immeasurable’ or ‘unbounded.’ This name is a contraction of the two names that
embody the qualities of this buddha: Amitābha (‘Buddha of Infinite Light’) and
Amitāyus (‘Buddha of Infinite Life’).
A few basic principles need to be clarified at the outset. First is the theory
of karma (meaning ‘action’) which, while generally accepted in Hindu thought,
is fully explained only in Buddhism. According to this law, one’s existence has
continued from the beginningless past up to the present and, impelled by karma,
will continue into an indefinite future. One’s life, therefore, does not end with
death, but will be followed by another in a different form. Thus, our future
destiny is determined according to the quality of our moral acts. Simply put,
what we are is the result of what we have done in the past, and what we do now
will determine what we will become. And so, Buddhism does not speak of a
creator god; the operation of karma, including our thoughts and words, is alone
responsible for our states of existence.
The ongoing perpetuation of this cycle of birth and death, called saṃsāra,
is considered painful. Even though one may attain a higher form of life in one
of the heavens, it cannot last forever as all karmic recompense must come to an
end. When exhausted, it will eventually be followed by miseries in a lower state.
Buddhism teaches that the only way to become emancipated from this wearisome
cycle is by realizing Nirvāṇa.
6
(Left) Cover of Shinran Shonin Illustrated Book. 1914. Woodblock print. The British Museum.

REV. HISAO INAGAKI
Throughout the development of Pure Land Buddhism
in India, China and Japan, recitation of the sacred name of
Amida has been considered essential to attaining birth in
the Buddha’s realm of utmost bliss. This practice, known
as nien-fo ( 念 佛 ) in Chinese, buddhānusmṛti in Sanskrit, and
nembutsu in Japanese, consists in repeating the six-character
formula: 南 無 阿 弥 陀 佛 (na-mo-o-mi-t’o-fo 1 in Chinese or Namu
Amida Butsu in Japanese). This literally means ‘Adoration
to Amida Buddha’ or ‘I take refuge in Amida Buddha.’
In the Contemplation Sutra, following the section describing
the thirteen visualizations, nine grades of aspirants are
distinguished according to their moral and religious
accomplishments. For those in the lower grades who have
committed the gravest offenses, the Buddha recommends
recitation of Amida’s name. Ordinarily, such evildoers
would be destined for hell, but their unwholesome karma is
overwhelmed by the merit of the nembutsu whose faithful
repetition leads to birth in the Pure Land.
Whenever metaphysical speculations or theoretical
analyses grow too complicated and threaten to undermine
the spiritual life, we can revert to meditation to remedy
this tendency. But this recourse is not always effective.
In ages far removed from the time of the Buddha, good
teachers of meditation are very rare. Even if you found
one, it would be difficult to follow the stipulated method
for a long time. Meditation on Amida and his Pure Land
is easier than Zen, because we have objects on which to
direct our attention. Furthermore, we can benefit from the
Buddha’s spiritual power ( 加 持 adhiṣṭhāna), which helps us to
accomplish the required concentration.
Shinran is often compared to Martin Luther
(1483–1546), in that he was also considered a reformer of
his tradition. Unlike the German theologian, however,
Shinran did not openly defy ecclesiastical authority, nor did
he intend to start a new movement. As was the case with
Hōnen and other Pure Land masters, Shinran’s immediate
concern was his own spiritual emancipation, which he
considered to be fully consummated in the Pure Land.
In this respect, his approach may be described as ‘selfcentered’
and ‘other-worldly.’ But it’s important to see that
this does not mean selfishness, and that other-worldliness
is not a pessimistic escapism. By accepting Amida’s
Compassion, Shinran developed close karmic relationships
with other sentient beings, and also realized that—after
having transcended this world (i.e., going to the Pure
Land)—he would be able to return and save other beings
as he wished.
Shinran’s deep self-reflection and his insight into
Amida’s law of salvation, brought about a complete reversal
of the common-sense view regarding ordinary Buddhist
concepts. In the Tannishō ( 歎 異 抄 ), the most popular text of
Jōdo Shinshū, Shinran is quoted as saying:
“Even a good person is born in the Pure Land; how
much more easily an evil person!” People of the world,
however, usually say, “Even an evil person is born in
the Pure Land, how much more easily a good person!”
At first sight, this view might seem reasonable, but it
is contrary to the intention behind the Primal Vow of
the Other-Power.
The Buddha teaches that we can attain higher spiritual
states by undertaking morally good acts, and by
cultivating wisdom through meditation. If we fail to do
so, however, our destiny will be lower states of existence
in which retribution is received for our wrongdoing.
1. In Chinese, the characters 阿 弥 陀
may also be pronounced as E-mi-tuofo
(or A-mi-tuo-fo in pinyin). Differences
in pronunciations are due to dialectic
variations, especially in Southern China
and South-East Asia.
7

FEATURED ARTICLE - SHINRAN AND JŌDO SHINSHŪ
8
Shinran Shonin Illustrated Book. 1914. Woodblock print. The British Museum.

REV. HISAO INAGAKI
Although Shinran was actually capable of morally good
acts, his reflective eye penetrated into the huge mass of
defiled karma deep within himself, and so he recognized
all his deeds as being rooted in delusion. He saw that he
lacked any stock of true merit on which he could rely for
attaining salvation. In the Tannishō, Shinran laments:
Since I am incapable of any practice whatsoever, hell
would definitely be my dwelling place.
And yet, this awareness did not make him despondent.
Nor did he feel alienated from Amida’s presence. In fact,
seeing that he was utterly powerless was sure proof of his
salvation. On receiving the Buddha’s boundless wisdom,
he was able to give himself up to Amida, thus abandoning
his limited capabilities and paltry virtue.
Shinran’s vision of Buddhism comes from his
experience of complete reliance on Amida’s ‘Other-Power’
(tariki 他 力 ). By contrast, progress in other Buddhist ways
is based on one’s own ability. For Shan-tao and Hōnen,
the nembutsu was a practice to be undertaken with one’s
utmost efforts. For Shinran, all that is required is reliance
on Amida’s saving activity which is to be received—as a
free gift—with sincerity of heart, deep faith, and gratitude.
As we have seen above, Jōdo Shinshū covers many
aspects of human life as well as realms beyond our day-today
experience. Before anything else, it reveals the way of
salvation through the Other-Power of Amida which has
its basis in his vows. Salvation in this tradition has two
dimensions: First, in the present life, we are able to attain
unity with Amida—the Transcendent Buddha—which
frees us from the bondage of karma. When our salvation is
achieved through the endowment of faith, we are filled with
joy and gratitude.
Second, we will be born in the Pure Land as buddhas
at the end of our lives. This is none other than to attain
Nirvāna, beyond samsāra and its realms of suffering.
The Pure Land, being a sphere of pure karmic energy,
allows those born there to partake of its bliss, and perform
activities as bodhisattvas on behalf of others who remain
lost in this world.
While salvation can be conceived in a temporal
order—from the present to the future—the complete
assurance of enlightenment is present ‘here and now’ in
the experience of faith which, for Shinran, is not only the
unconditional gift of Amida, but the very presence of the
Buddha himself, as we read in the following hymn (Jōdo
Wasan 94): 2
One who rejoices in Faith, it is taught,
Is equal to the Buddha;
Great Faith is Buddha-nature:
Buddha-nature is the Buddha.
This means that faith is everything. When it arises within
us, we receive great joy in this life and are assured of
entering Nirvāna at death. This is not simply Shinran’s
theoretical re-interpretation of the Pure Land teaching.
Through his own experience, Shinran realized oneness
with Amida (as did Saichi and many other devotees).
Amida approaches us in the form of Namu Amida Butsu,
and when this comes alive in our hearts, it becomes faith.
In other words, the sacred name is all that Amida is, and
faith, too, is Amida himself.
About the Author
The Reverend Dr. Hisao Inagaki (1929–2021)
was a renowned scholar and translator.
He received his PhD from the University of
London, and taught Buddhism there between
1969 and 1981. He subsequently returned
to Japan where he was made a professor
at Ryukoku University in Kyoto from 1982
to 1998. He was also appointed to Numata
chairs at the University of California at
Berkeley (1985), the University of Hawaii
at Manoa (1989), and Leiden University in
the Netherlands (1992). Furthermore, he
served as the President of the International
Association of Shin Buddhist Studies
between 1993 and 2005.
2. The wasan ( 和 讃 ) are a genre of Buddhist
hymns. They were popular in ancient
Japan and often used to expound the
teachings to ordinary people. Shinran
wrote several collections of such hymns
under different themes. These are still
chanted during Jōdo Shinshū services in
conjunction with other Chinese Pure
Land sutras.
9

FEATURED ARTICLE
How Buddha-Dharma
Resolves Our Evil Karma
(Part Three)
Rev. Seikan Fukuma
Edited adaptation from Monshin: Hearing/Faith (Los Angeles: The Nembutsu Press, 1983)
10

REV. SEIKAN FUKUMA
In the previous part, I indicated that our delusions stem from a
foundational ignorance that forms the basis of the Twelve-fold
Chain of Dependent Origination.
We are attached to things that we ought to avoid, and we hanker
for things that only do us harm. As bonnō comprises the ‘three
poisons’ of anger, greed and folly, it is centered solely on what I
am. It makes me self-righteous and leads to insatiable craving.
Since everything I do is permeated by this malaise, “deep and
heavy karma” isn’t a notion I can simply play with intellectually,
divorced from my actions.
The accumulation of past transgressions reveals itself in my
present anguish. And even while I may agonize and sorrow about
it, I continue to wander aimlessly in an interminable round of
delusion, action, and suffering, not knowing when it will end.
This is not a reality far removed from my everyday life, a concept
to idly think about, or something that’s only for earnest people
to consider. This should be a concern for all of us, regardless of
national or ethnic boundaries. If we look carefully at our present
situation, we cannot avoid seeing our deluded state as a grave
problem.
ALLEGORY OF THE MAN WITH FOUR WIVES
The Buddha once told the following story:
A rich man lived in a mansion with his four wives. He loved the
first one the most. She was always with him wherever he went.
This wife bathed every day, ate the finest foods and, if she had
the slightest hint of illness, the rich man sent for a doctor to look
after her immediately. He bought her everything she wanted, and
took the very best care of her that he could.
The rich man loved his second wife too—perhaps not as much
as the first, but enough so that he fought off others to claim her
affections, but only after much effort. The rich man loved this
second wife so much that he found it difficult to be separated
from her. Yet, he kept her hidden from view.
The rich man had differences with his third wife. They often
argued, and there were times when they were not on speaking
terms, but they soon made up, and their life together was one of
both joy and sorrow.
The rich man’s fourth wife was a spouse in name only. He forced
her to do the work that no one else wanted to touch. As a result,
this wife was worn out and emaciated. Her hair was in complete
disarray and she always dressed in rags. Not only her face, but
her entire body was completely black with dirt. Her life was
pitiful indeed.
One day, the rich man had to leave his mansion for a distant
land. He asked his favorite wife to accompany him. She refused,
saying “I’m sorry but I hate traveling to foreign countries. Please
excuse me from joining you.”
The rich man then asked his second wife the same thing. “Why
do I have to go if your favorite doesn’t?” she said and turned him
down too.
The color of the rich man’s face began to change. I still have my
third wife, he thought, so I’ll have her come with me. But this
wife’s answer was, “Well, I’ll come with you up to the front gate
of our mansion, but that’s as far as I’m prepared to go.”
The rich man was now desperate. Reluctantly, he turned to his
fourth wife, whose face he had forgotten. With tears in her eyes,
11

FEATURED ARTICLE - HOW BUDDHA-DHARMA RESOLVES OUR EVIL KARMA
she said “How I hoped that the day would come when I
could repay my debt to you. That’s all I’ve been living for.
I will follow you wherever you wish, even to the end of the
world!”
The rich man was most relieved. “Ah” he said, “I finally
have someone to join me on my journey” and, for the first
time, he actually looked at his fourth wife closely. Where
there should have been a face, was something completely
black. He could not tell where her eyes were, or able to
separate them from her nose. “What a mistake I made!”
the rich man said. “I should have taken better care of her.
If I had, I wouldn’t have a monster like this being seen
with me!”
What does this story teach us?
The rich man is myself. We all look at the world with
ourselves at the center. We never discard the feeling of
“Me, me...” and are under the impression that everything
exists for my own benefit. The rich man’s mansion
represents our life and the world around us. Traveling to a
foreign country is a reference to my death.
The first wife represents our physical body. If asked
what is the most important thing in life, we’re all likely
to answer that it’s our corporeal self. But when the time
comes for us to abandon the world, this body of ours must
be left behind.
The second wife is indicative of our property or estates.
Regardless of how much wealth we may have amassed,
We live in a world of love and
hate, in which we are born
alone and die alone. We come
alone and go alone.
once the winds of transience blow on us and we pass away,
we must relinquish our earthly goods and depart.
The third wife represents our husbands and wives,
children, relatives, and friends. The front gate, to which
the third wife agrees to follow the rich man, symbolizes a
crematorium. With tears in their eyes, our loved ones will
accompany our body only as far as the place where we are
reduced to ashes, but no further.
Rennyo Shōnin wrote: “When we die, nothing follows
us; neither spouse, child, nor treasure.” And the Sutra of
Immeasurable Life states: “We live in a world of love and
hate, in which we are born alone and die alone. We come
alone and go alone.”
The fourth wife is our karma, which is never even glanced
at. Our actions are treated exactly the same as this
wife, in that we never bother to think about the karmic
consequences we generate. Our desires are unfathomable,
as are our resentments, jealousies, avarice and envy, which
only increase day-by-day. Other than satisfying our ego,
we have no purpose at all.
Our karma, however, is not something that ends with our
life in this world. It continues into the future, successively
fuelling new causes and effects that cause us further grief.
This is the irrevocable rule of Buddha-dharma: We are
always responsible for our own actions. And that is why in
this story, the fourth wife said that—in order to settle her
debt with her husband—she would follow him to the “end
of the world”.
12

REV. SEIKAN FUKUMA
The time to balance the books of our evil karma is at the
moment of our death. But when we subtract any good
we may have accrued in our life amidst the mountain
peaks of our unwholesome actions, there is still a vast
residue of unfavorable karma left behind. This represents
the onerous load we’ve been carrying on our backs from
the beginningless past, or the red ink in the financial
statement of the foolish life we have led.
And the time will inevitably come when we must make
amends for this karma. The world that opens up at that
moment of reckoning is referred to as “the three evil ways”
(san-maku-dō), comprising hell, the world of hungry ghosts,
and the realm of brute animals.
transformation. A listening that’s distracted, or lacking in
awareness, is referred to in Japanese as “reciting nembutsu
into the ear of a horse”; in other words, it is meaningless.
I have been allowed to live until this day, but how many
people have I upset through the karma of my words,
how many beings have I injured through the karma of
my physical deeds, how many people have I undermined
through the karma of my intentions? Taking responsibility
for all this is what understanding my karma means. Yet
we only do so because it is forced on us; but, even then,
we cannot dismiss our evil karma so easily. All we can
do is shed tears while carrying this heavy burden on our
shoulders.
What is most frightening
about us is that we are not
aware of the weight of our
karmic baggage.
About the Author
What is most frightening about us is that we are not aware
of the weight of our karmic baggage. Although we’re
constantly creating it, we fail to take any responsibility
for the consequences. And I believe this is tied to the fact
that we lack a sense of what is evil. That is why—when we
use terms such as Pure Land, hell, Buddha, or Māra, we
consider them as being only relevant to people other than
ourselves. Indeed, we often regard these realities to be no
more than fairy tales.
The purpose of Buddha-dharma has traditionally been
said to be ten-mei-kaigō, “turning away from delusion
and becoming enlightened.” This is none other than to
resolve our evil karma which we accomplish by listening
to the dharma. But unless we bring ourselves, and all
our problems, to the act of “deep hearing”—with
more than just our logical minds—then there can be no
This is the chief concern of Amida Buddha’s vow, which
he perfected over five eons of selfless endeavor.
In the Tannishō, Shinran Shōnin says:
How grateful I am for Amida’s vow which is aimed at
saving one with such inescapable karma as myself.
Unless we make this vital matter our own personal
problem, the Jōdo Shinshū teaching will never be
anything more than an intellectual game.
Rev. Seikan Fukuma was born in 1928,
and received his master’s degree from
Ryūkoku University. He has worked
for both Nishi Hongwanji as well as
the Buddhist Churches of America. In
addition to his publications on Buddhism,
he is an accomplished musician and
black belt in Judo.
13

FEATURED ARTICLE
Shinjin:
The True Mind
Rev. Sensho Inouye
Edited adaptation from My Jōdo–Shinshū (Los Angeles: The Nembutsu Press, 1985)
14

REV. SENSHO INOUYE
The teaching of Buddha-dharma is based on ‘oneness’
(ichinyo), for it points to the world of reality. The ichi in this
term means ‘one’ and stands in contrast to ‘two’, which
refers to the discriminating mind that divides everything
into dualities. Nyo refers to sono-mama, which D. T. Suzuki
defined as “reality in its thusness.”
Accordingly, ichinyo refers to looking at things without
having them colored by a discriminating mind. It is a
world in which we accept things “just as they are.”
We tend to distinguish health from sickness, and look
upon one as desirable and the other as unfortunate. The
result is that we form attachments such as “I cannot be
happy unless I am healthy” and, because of this, we are
led astray and suffer.
The world of attachments is the world of ‘two.’ By
contrast, in the realm of ‘one’ we accept both health and
sickness without complaint. This is a world in which there
is only a single undivided self.
Regardless of how healthy we are today, if we
encounter the conditions that make us infirm, we will
inevitably succumb to illness. No matter how much a sick
person may desire to become healthy, unless the right
circumstances arise, they will not get better. Only when
we are determined to experience the world of illness, to its
very limit, will our arbitrary expectation—namely, that
we cannot be happy unless we are healthy—disappear.
We can be happy even if we are ill. Being healthy is
fine, but so is being unwell. With such an outlook, the
great determination to live life to its fullest arises within
us. This is the world of ichinyo, of oneness.
The attitude that considers living to be good and
dying to be abhorrent, is a Western way of thinking. It
comes from considering life and death as two different
things. In Buddha-dharma, however, they are
viewed as ichinyo. If we can bear this in mind, it
is all right to live, but also all right to die.
We may feel that our present life is very
rewarding, and thus seek to prolong it as long
as possible. But when the time comes for us to
leave this world, we must depart. On the other
hand, although we may feel that all is lost and
that we wish to die, unless the conditions for our
death are fulfilled, we cannot die. Only when
we are faced with this confronting truth do we
truly see that we are embraced by a power that
surpasses the mind’s ability to fully comprehend
it. Yet this is what allows us to accept our death
with equanimity.
What our teachings make clear is that this
transcendent power is really that of Amida
Buddha’s Vow, which has resolved not to
rest until all beings reach a state of utmost
happiness.
Only when we allow ourselves to be carried
along by this Vow-power are we made to live
authentically, during the time we are given
in this world. And when our life here comes
to an end, we are able to leave it joyously for
that realm in which those dear ones, who have
passed on, will be awaiting us. Therefore, we
should not be anxious about today. Whether
we remain in this world, or pass on to the Pure
Land, we are always embraced by the power of
the Buddha’s vow.
Thus, we are able to say that “Birth-anddeath
are one” (shōji-ichinyo).
To be born is good
to die is good.
To be healthy is good
to be ill is good.
To be rich is good
to be poor is also good.
Whichever way we turn
is all right
Because we are always embraced
by the power of the Vow.
15

FEATURED ARTICLE - SHINJIN: THE TRUE MIND
Living in a state of ichinyo gives us great peace of mind
regarding the future. But how do we enter into it? In our
Jōdo-Shinshū school, we teach that this is made possible
through shinjin, “the true mind.”
Ordinarily, when we speak of ‘faith’ we place the
object of our belief (whether God or Buddha) ‘over there’—
as something distant—while we remain ‘over here.’
However, thinking that the Buddha and ourselves are two
separate entities is a mistake because it runs counter to
what we understand as ichinyo. And that is why “the mind
of faith” is not a particularly good translation of shinjin,
although it is not completely inaccurate either. Shinran
Shōnin also frequently defined shinjin as the “true mind”
which is not as limited in the scope of its meaning.
Zendō Daishi gave us the parable of the “Two Rivers
and the White Path,” in which Amida Buddha urges us as
follows: “Have true faith (isshin, ‘one mind’) in the nembutsu.
Come at once; I will guide you to the Pure Land without
fail!” This expresses the feeling that our minds, and that of
Amida, are undivided.
Originally, shinjin was defined as “Hearing, without
doubt, how the Buddha’s vow arose to cause my birth in
the Pure Land.”
We must clearly know for whom the Buddha
established his vow to bring about our spiritual liberation.
Only when we come to see that this is none other than
me—“a defiled being who is surely bound for hell”—that
we can we be said to have shinjin. This is a completely
different world to one in which we pray to a remote
buddha to save us from the suffering of this world.
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Zendō Daishi also taught us another very
important thing about shinjin, and that is that we are
“saved by the Buddha’s vow which takes us to the
Pure Land.” This does not mean having faith ‘in’
gods or buddhas but, rather, knowing with certainty
that, even in this stormy ocean of samsāra, I am
already riding on the ‘ship’ of Amida’s Great Vow.
Umehara Shinryū (1885–1966), a great modern
master of our tradition, once remarked: “This
might seem a rather irreverent way of expressing
it but, actually, the nembutsu that I recite is the
Buddha himself.” And Kino Kazuyoshi (1922–2013)
understands this in the following way: “The fact
that the sacred nembutsu is able to leave the mouth
of this ‘defiled being who is undoubtedly bound for
hell’, is because the Buddha becomes me and allows
me to recite the nembutsu.”
But the most important question of all is: How
do you consider all this?
About the Author
Rev. Sensho Inouye ​(1933–2021) was
the third son of Keiju Inouye, a 21stgeneration
resident minister of Shōgyō
Temple in Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture.
This temple has deep ties with the Jōdo-
Shinshū teaching, having been established
by a direct disciple of Shinran Shōnin
during the 13th century. After graduating
from Ryūkoku University in Kyoto, Inouye
Sensei became a BCA minister in January
1960. He served at temples in Oakland
and Placer County, before being assigned
to the Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji
in August 1965, where he served as
fukurinban.

SONGS OF LIGHT
Reflections on the Hymns of Shinran
George Gatenby
Rev. George Gatenby
Published by the Jodo Shinshu International
Office in 2024, the three-volume Songs of Light
by the late Rev. George Gatenby, is a monumental
commentary on every one of Shinran’s 353 hymns.
“Songs of Light is a luminous and deeply inspiring work in
which Reverend Gatenby’s warmth, kindness and spiritual
maturity shine forth resplendently. All who read it will surely
be guided to a deeper understanding of the teachings of
Shinran Shōnin, and thus be led to live lives of gratitude,
pervaded by the joy of nembutsu.”
– Rev. Dr. Mark Healsmith
ORDER A COPY
17

INTERVIEW
Shin Buddhism Today
and the Road Ahead
(Part Six)
Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji & Rev. John Paraskevopoulos
This is the final installment of a six-part interview with Rev. John
Paraskevopoulos from Australia, conducted by Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji
in October 2023. The discussion covers a host of issues facing Shin
Buddhism, ranging from doctrinal questions to the challenges that
confront followers as they attempt to live out their faith.
Q: I wholeheartedly agree that the success of our
tradition should be based on the ability to bring about
a joyous transformation in ordinary people’s quest for
deliverance, as opposed to the emphasis of the “buttsin-seats”
policy on which many temple organizations
are excessively focused. You have also mentioned poor
pedagogy and ministers who lack conviction. How do
you feel about Shin organizations adopting approaches
that are not entirely traditional? Specifically, I am
talking about seated meditation. In the West, there is
a strong emphasis on this practice by many Buddhists
in general, which has definitely influenced Shinshū
temples as well. When an average American is asked
“What is a Buddhist?” the first thing that comes to
mind is a monk or lay follower who is engaged in seated
meditation. Shinran Shōnin never advocated such a
practice for nembutsu practitioners. However, there
are many American temples incorporating this practice
into their daily rituals, citing that it has various health
benefits, and that it helps to calm the mind before a
Dharma message. Should we be promoting something
like this as a means to get people to enter our tradition,
especially if it accommodates their perception of what
Buddhism is? Or would you say that to do so can only
lead to further confusion regarding what Jōdo Shinshū
teaches?
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REV. DR. TAKASHI MIYAJI & REV. JOHN PARASKEVOPOULOS
I can see how this must be a vexing issue for our temples,
especially in Western countries. One has some sympathy,
of course, for the pressure on ministers to fill their pews
by making temple services more attractive to newcomers.
The teaching of meditation appears to be one approach
that is proving popular. Nevertheless, I have my doubts
about this strategy, even though I certainly appreciate the
many benefits conferred by, say, mindfulness breathing in
assisting people to assuage the anxiety in their lives.
My view is that, if you’re going to take meditation seriously
as a spiritual practice, then go to a Zen, Tendai or Shingon
temple where there are qualified teachers who can instruct
you properly in this discipline. Some might retort (as
you’ve already mentioned) that meditation in our tradition
serves quite a different purpose; namely, that it helps us to
become settled prior to a minister’s talk.
Worldly benefits have never been the purpose of
meditation in Buddhism; it’s not just about relaxation or
eliminating stress but, rather, of overcoming our agitated
minds (śamatha) so that we might enter a contemplative
state known as samādhi in which we’re absorbed in higher
levels of reality. This is an advanced level of concentration
in which a penetrating mental clarity (vipaśyanā) is
achieved in the quest for final Awakening. Anything that
doesn’t resemble this kind of serious endeavour should not
be dignified with the label ‘meditation’—it simply debases
the currency.
However, very few people are cut out for such practice;
indeed, most lay Buddhists around the world do not
meditate at all and follow, instead, a more devotional path.
I have even heard a number of monks admit to me that,
while they are perfectly capable of observing monastic
vows of an ascetic nature, they have effectively failed at
meditation.
I vividly remember, back in 1998, when the abbot of a
prominent Rinzai temple in Kyōto gave a public talk. He
related stories of death-bed scenes where distinguished
Zen monks recited the nembutsu just before they departed
this world, all else having failed to give them the spiritual
assurances they were looking for. He also mentioned that
there had been no fully enlightened master in his tradition
for over 240 years, and that he considered Shinran a
remarkable genius—needless to say, many jaws dropped
in that room, having heard such a refreshingly candid
admission.
Speaking personally (although I’m certainly not alone in
this view 1 ), all that meditation has ever done for me is
to unleash an army of disturbing māras into my mind;
a most unpleasant experience, I can assure you! I tend
to relax much more easily by sipping on a nice glass of
Californian Zinfandel while listening to the sublime
compositions of J. S. Bach—let’s not forget that one of
Shinran’s names for Amida Buddha is ‘Pure Music.’ This
goes to your point that there are far more effective ways to
unwind than putting the mind under severe strain (which
meditation must involve if done properly).
In any case, why wouldn’t chanting and nembutsu recitation
with others not be just as effective as quiet sitting in
preparing us to receive a sermon? The point is that you
come to the temple to hear Amida’s Dharma and for no
Why wouldn’t chanting and
nembutsu recitation with
others not be just as effective
as quiet sitting in preparing us
to receive a sermon?
1. “Upon introspection, I realise that I have
not observed a single Buddhist precept
or succeeded in the practice of
meditation. . . . In addition, the mind of
the common person is easily distracted
by its surrounding conditions . . . it is
confused, vacillating and unable to
concentrate.” (Hōnen)
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INTERVIEW - SHIN BUDDHISM TODAY AND THE ROAD AHEAD: PART SIX
other reason. If that doesn’t seem enough, then there are
plenty of other paths available in the Greater Vehicle for
you to choose from.
But if you are in doubt and feel tempted to ‘jump ship,’
please bear in mind that Shinran’s teaching offers
transformational experiences no less profound (perhaps
even more so) than what many believe meditation will
give them. Awakening to shinjin is a life-changing event
and shouldn’t be hastily dismissed without first accepting
Shinran’s challenge to take a deep dive into an utterly
unique spiritual journey. Please give this teaching
the benefit of the doubt, and suspend your premature
judgements, pending discovery of its truths through a
commitment to deep hearing. The “proof of the pudding
is in the eating” as they say.
I have noticed that many members harbour a certain sense
of inadequacy in following Jōdo Shinshū, because they feel
as though they should be doing all the ‘hard’ stuff; hence
the defensive need to point out to others that “see, we too
offer meditation!” The fact is, though, that we don’t.
Some may mention the thirteen contemplations in the
Meditation Sutra as an example of how we also have a
venerable tradition in this respect. Yes, but Shinran never
recommended these practices, except insofar as they might
lead us to realise that we actually can’t maintain these
exercises for very long, or effectively use them to visualise
Amida and the Pure Land. Formidable sages such as
Shandao may well have been capable of such a feat, but
the only advantage in us doing so is to demonstrate that
I think it’s high time that we, as Jōdo
Shinshū adherents, should start
leading by example to show the world
that there’s another (arguably more
radical) way of being Buddhist.
we are much better suited to the path of tariki in keeping
with our spiritual limitations.
All this isn’t to say, of course, that a life of shinjin
cannot deepen our perception of reality and lead us,
spontaneously, to adopt a more contemplative view of
existence in a manner that is natural and uncontrived.
The remarkable fruits of such a realisation are as follows:
Entrusting is the mind full of truth, reality, and
sincerity; the mind of ultimacy, accomplishment,
reliance, and reverence; the mind of discernment,
distinctness, clarity, and faithfulness; the mind of
aspiration, desire and exultation; the mind of delight,
joy, gladness, and happiness; hence, it is completely
untainted by the hindrance of doubt.
– Kyōgyōshinshō
I think it’s high time that we, as Jōdo Shinshū adherents,
should start leading by example to show the world that
there’s another (arguably more radical) way of being
Buddhist. The image of a bhikkhu clad in saffron robes, or
a monk sitting in zazen, has almost become a cliché—the
vast majority of Buddhists around the world simply do not
conform to this hackneyed image.
So, to answer your initial question, I do not favour nontraditional
approaches when promoting Shinran’s teaching.
I will no doubt be scolded for being too ‘rigid,’ ‘unyielding’
and ‘conventional’; but my objective is simply to preserve
the best of what our tradition has bequeathed to us.
Our sacred duty is not to thoughtlessly discard the great
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treasure of our religious patrimony, but to faithfully pass it
on to others without confusion, subterfuge or distortion.
I appreciate that this is not a popular view in many
Western Buddhist circles which often pride themselves on
being doctrinally ‘progressive,’ but trashing the precious
inheritance of our spiritual forebears is, most assuredly,
not progress. Such vandalism only serves to destroy the
very conditions that make awakening to the Primal Vow
possible in the first place. Yes, by all means ensure that
the teachings are made meaningful to people today—but
what’s most important is the Dharma’s relevance to the
human condition, not to some worldly counterfeit that fails
to nourish our spiritual hunger.
My stance on this matter is, to quote the old adage, “if it
ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I can’t tell you how many times
this has provoked exasperation among a few colleagues
who retort that things are in the mess they’re in today
precisely because of ‘backward’ views like that! Yet, I
beg to differ. Few seem to consider the matter from the
opposite point of view; namely, that the problem may
not so much lie in the traditional perspective itself (which
has long stood the test of time), as it does in the personal
shortcomings of those who aggressively seek to push
through spiritually harmful innovations that suit their own
ideological agendas.
Rest assured, though, that the exalted teachings of Jōdo
Shinshū will always withstand and defy such hubris—as
long as those who wish to defend the truth of our tradition
remain courageously steadfast in doing so.
About the Interviewer
Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji is an assistant
professor for the Institute of Buddhist
Studies in Berkeley, California and
a Kaikyoshi minister of the Buddhist
Churches of America.
About the Interviewee
Rev. John Paraskevopoulos is a
Jodo Shinshu priest from Australia.
His publications include Call of the
Infinite, The Fragrance of Light, and
Immeasurable Life.
Support JSIO’s Programs
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POSTSCRIPT
A Jodo Shinshu scholar by the name of Kiritani Jun’nin sensei once explained
that in this teaching, we are being nurtured by Amida Buddha’s Boundless
Wisdom and Compassion to see that all beings are my bodhisattva. That is,
all the individuals that I encounter—whether they are my dear friends or my
enemies—are those who are guiding me to understand the true nature of this
self and the world that I am embraced within. For this reason, we should place
our hands in humble gassho (where our palms are pressed together) and see the
world and all its inhabitants as sacred individuals. How different would the
world be if we could see all other individuals in this way?
Before we point the finger at others and say, “Those are the ones that are
causing the fabric of society to crumble,” or “It’s because of those people
that our country is failing,” where we are quick to judge others as somehow
unworthy and lowly individuals, we need to see the humanity in everyone. This
is precisely what Shinran Shonin teaches us. Through his teaching, he tries to
call into question the infallible self that just can’t seem to break free from the
shackles of egocentricity. However, by recognizing his limited self, he comes to
the awakening of the unlimited Other. What is that Other? That’s what this
journal discusses in great detail.
The content of the Quarterly Journal is not intended to give you information
about what our tradition is. It seems that in today’s information age, with
the break-neck speed in the development of AI, knowing a bunch of facts
in a certain field of study suddenly makes one an expert. Far from it in this
tradition. We have to take it to the next step, which is to ask, “Why is having
this information necessary for me? How is knowing this going to help me”?
We would like to encourage the reader to see that in any and all lives, there is,
indeed, a world of inconceivable Wisdom and Compassion that is unfolding
before us. As we experience everything from hardship and suffering, to
joyous and unforgettable moments in our lives, we come to see that they all
manifest the world of Buddha. This journal contributes to the spread of that
understanding. Thank you for your readership and may we all continue our
invaluable lives embraced in Amida Buddha’s Wisdom and Compassion.
About the Author
Rev. Dr. Takashi Miyaji is an assistant professor for the Institute of
Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, California and a Kaikyoshi minister
of the Buddhist Churches of America.
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