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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 51

circumstances). If we become aware of injustice, our of the buddha’s compassion (shinjin, in Japanese)
sense of gratitude for what others have done for us and provokes grateful expressions: praising the buddha’s
compassion at the suffering they experience can be name, chanting sutras, caring for others, and so on.
strong motivations to carry out work to achieve a more
just and equitable society. If we ourselves are the targets What has been your greatest inspiration since
or discrimination or suffer from injustice, gratitude practicing Shin Buddhism?
toward those who ally with us and compassion for all
beings trapped in samsara—oppressors and oppressed I guess I could answer this in various ways. The person
alike, all of whom suffer and all of whom are embraced in my life who most inspired me to continue practicing
by Amida Buddha—can keep us from burning out or as a Shin Buddhist was Dr. Taitetsu Unno, a renowned
succumbing to the poison of hate as we struggle to push scholar of Buddhism whom I had the privilege to
back at the forces that would oppress us. study with during my younger years as a Buddhist.
His influence contributed to me becoming a professor
A firm basis of nembutsu, rooted in awareness of the of Buddhism and a Buddhist minister, in both direct
buddha’s compassion and gratitude for the promise and indirect ways. I highly recommend his book “River
of liberation, can be a powerful source from which of Fire, River of Water” to anyone seeking to better
to express our demand for a better society and understand the Jodo Shinshu path.
environment for all. Thus expressions can take the
formal form of chanted nembutsu, and the informal The greatest inspiration for my personal spirituality as
form of voting, organizing, rallying, educating, and a Shin Buddhist has been Shinran Shonin, the founder
resisting for the purpose of improving society. These too of the Jodo Shinshu tradition. His example continues
are a type of nembutsu. to deeply inspire me, and my constant reading of his
collected writing (especially the text Tannisho) has
Mindfulness is a core practice in Sakyamuni led me ever further in my understanding of the Pure
Buddha’s teachings. How important is mindfulness Land path. He was a true radical who overturned long-
practice in Shin Buddhism, or is it replaced with entrenched patterns of elitism in order to produce a
chanting? Buddhist approach that centred the oppressed and
suffering common people of the world.
Right mindfulness is a fundamental part of Sakyamuni
Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. He taught a very The greatest traditional teaching that continues to
large number of forms and practices of mindfulness, inspire me is the Larger Pure Land Sutra. The story
including samatha-vipassana, zazen, nembutsu, and of Dharmakara Bodhisattva and the great vows that
many others to cultivate mindfulness. Nembutsu is the produced the Pure Land of Bliss are always moving to
primary practice of Pure Land Buddhism, the largest me, and provide me with guidance as I help to lead our
single form of Mahayana Buddhism. Nembutsu itself local temple.
literally means “mindfulness of buddha.” In most Pure
Land schools chanting the name of a buddha such as Finally, I draw much of my daily inspiration from
Amida is a way of focusing the mind, settling wrong the people of my temple. They have endured much
thoughts, and cultivating awareness. collective hardship and personal suffering to create and
sustain this community, and their humility, compassion,
In Jodo Shinshu specifically, we use nembutsu not as and openness inspire me to continue doing what I can to
a way to produce mindfulness, but as an expression ensure the Dharma continues to be practiced and taught
of joy when we become mindful of Great Compassion in southern Ontario. EH
operating in our lives. Thus mindfulness or awareness