Hōnen

Persons.

Priest, a follower of Honen Shonin.

Atsumori, Atsumori's child.

Chorus.

Priest.

I am one that serves Honen Shonin of Kurodani.

And as for this child here, once when Honen was on a visit to the temple of Kamo, he saw a box lying under a trailing fir tree.

And when he raised the lid, what should he find inside but a lovely man-child one year old.

So I hope the images are, uh, visible to the, uh, in-person participants today.

And, uh, the first image I have here on the left side is from a Japanese book that kind of introduces, uh, readers in Japan to the, uh, medieval, um, Japanese, uh, Buddhist founders of the great sects like Honen, Shinran, Nichiren, Asai, and, and Dogen.

And, uh, this Japanese page says, uh, Shobogenzo.

It s- uh, it says, books about-- by Dogen, and it says, "What is the Shobogenzo?" And it gives a kind of introduction here.

This word refers to a state of complete and total entrustment in Amida Buddha's power to welcome us into his Pure Land after our death.

This concept has its origins in Indian and Chinese Buddhism, and takes on a particularly important role in the work of Honen and Shenran in their foundations of the two sects of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, Jodo-shu and Jodo-shin-shu.

There are levels of understanding what this word actually means.

The lowest and most simple level is to understand it as a state of believing in or trusting in Amida's ability to bring us to the Pure Land when we die.

Looking at a historical perspective, Shinjin operates in a very crucial way.

We've already spoken about the emergence of death rituals in Pure Land Buddhism, but we should also talk about how it functions in the thought of the founders of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism.

Honen, who founded Jodo Shu Buddhism, mentioned Shinjin from time to time, but did not hold it centrally.

His biggest contribution was the constant chanting of the Nenbutsu to attempt to facilitate rebirth in the Pure Land, focusing on the even ten times portion of the fundamental vow.

Persons.

Priest, a follower of Honen Shonin.

Atsumori, Atsumori's child.

Chorus.

Priest.

I am one that serves Honen Shonin of Kurodani.

And as for this child here, once when Honen was on a visit to the temple of Kamo, he saw a box lying under a trailing fir tree.

And when he raised the lid, what should he find inside but a lovely man-child one year old.

How many who loved each other dearly must have been separated.

Even yet, I can't forget the leave-taking of the superior in Honen-sama.

Ryokan: How they must have lamented.

Gen: For they loved each other so dearly.

When the superior went to Honen-sama's retreat at Kumatsudani to bid him farewell, he found him sitting before a writing desk, repeating the invocation to Amida.

He lifted up his voice and wept, for he knew that in any case, far from each other in Tosa and Echigo, they would never meet again.

And besides, Honen Shonin was an old man, nearly eighty.

Ryokan: What did Honen-sama say? His eyes fill with tears.