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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 19

Buddhism but Shin Buddhism the founder of Shin Buddhism,
does not regard meditation as a and his teacher Honen lies in their
practice to attain enlightenment. emphases. Honen emphasized
Does meditation have any repeated practice, chanting Namu
spiritual value other than to calm Amida Butsu, over and over,
one’s mind? continuously, as the foundation
of practice. Shinran emphasized
In some traditions, such as Zen, the depth of awareness: of one’s
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silent seated meditation is the foolishness simultaneously with the
primary practice with chanting as a illumination or awakening of infinite
regular, auxiliary practice. In Pure light arising from deep within.
Land Buddhism, there may be some
silent meditation but chanting is Ultimately, the chanting does not
the primary contemplative practice. come from the conscious self, the
Most Buddhist practices combine ego self. It arises from the deepest
regular, repetitive practice with reality of the self, emptiness or the
insight. From the earliest times in formless dharmakāya, buddha-
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India and into the present, there is nature beyond form, beyond words.
a balance of samatha and vipassanā, When this is realized in saying
single-minded concentration or chanting Namu Amida Butsu,
and deep insight. Thus, in Zen continuous practice or repetition
meditation, sustained concentration occurs simultaneously with deep
through regular, repeated seated realization. It is like learning to play
meditation alone is insufficient. the violin. When one truly devotes
Similarly, insight into the nature oneself to practice, repetition and
of reality by itself, or in Zen, the profound, inspired performance
Rev Harada was the Resident Minister of both
recognition of ultimate emptiness go hand in hand. Moreover, there is Orange County Buddhist Church and Vista Temple,
both in CA
or oneness by itself, is insufficient. the experience of the music flowing
It is the combination of body-mind through one. Rather than being
practice, concentration-with-insight, conscious of oneself as the musician
that is the foundation of practice. or as the subject manipulating the
music as an object; subject and
So, too, in Pure Land Buddhism, object becomes one. As the poet T. S.
it is not enough to simply repeat Eliot states, “Music heard so deeply/
the chanting of the name of Amida It is not heard at all/ And you are the
Buddha. One must realize the music/ While the music lasts.” This is
Rev Harada is the current Bishop of BCA
depths of one’s foolishness, of one’s also true of the practice of chanting
blind passions, simultaneously with the name of Amida Buddha. When
the unfolding of great compassion: one is truly steeped in the practice, it
the foolishness of the ego-self occurs not through conscious effort
illuminated and dissolved by the but arises spontaneously from the
truest, deepest reality of the self: deepest self, the self of emptiness
emptiness, oneness, boundless and great compassion.
compassion.
The goal of Shin Buddhism is to bring
Rev Ogui was the Resident Minister of White River
The difference between Shinran, all beings to liberation. The saying
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