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20 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

of the name, Namu Amida Butsu, be sufficient. At the same time, Since early Buddhism
signifies this, in the realization that they did not tell their followers to emphasized self-reliance, can
already I am embraced in boundless attack or disregard the kami. All Shin Buddhism be considered
compassion; however, I have yet sentient beings were included in as Buddhism since its focus
to realize this in practice - already, the larger community, including is reliance on Amida Buddha,
but not yet: “All beings are one with the kami. Most of the other schools an external source for one’s
me in the deep flow of oneness. of Japanese Buddhism included salvation, rather than oneself?
Therefore, I am moved to become worship of the kami, often having In Shin Buddhism, practice based
one with all beings.” Shinto shrines within the Buddhist on the conscious ego self is called
temple precincts. Shinran did not “self-power” practice. Practice
Is Shin Buddhism an adaptation include this practice, and so Shin that is realized from the depths
of Shinto beliefs and practices Buddhist temples do not include of emptiness or oneness, which is
since being a foreign religion it Shinto shrines even today. beyond ego calculation, is called
needs to survive in Japan? “other power” practice. Other
Are the teachings of Shin power does not refer to an external

In Japan, religion began as integral to Buddhism as a Pure Land school being, like a god. It really means
the project of nation building. Many different from what is taught and “other than ego.” The foolish
strands were brought together to practiced in Chinese Pure Land being filled with blind passions
create the narrative of Japan, and this Buddhism? is the calculating ego, the karmic
was also the narrative of creating self. Amida Buddha as the self-
Japanese religion, what is called “state In China, the chanting of the expression of emptiness, oneness,
religion.” Japanese state religion name of Amida Buddha and Zen and boundless compassion, the
combined Confucian elements for Buddhist meditation developed deepest reality of the self, is the
governance and social organization, separately. There were masters and Amida self, as it were. For this
Daoism for the story of creation and teachers who taught at temples that reason, Shinran states, “True
the names of some deities, Buddhism primarily emphasized the practice entrusting is buddha-nature.”
for the overarching framework of of the name, otherwise known as
principles (“This world is an illusion, nianfo in Chinese or nembutsu in The foolish being who entrusts the
only the Buddha is true”, as stated Japanese, which means “mindful self to the awakening of infinite light
by Prince Shōtoku) and the afterlife, chanting.” There were also masters does not do so with ego-intention.
along with continued worship of who primarily emphasized Zen Letting go of the ego and entrusting
tribal deities, the native kami, the meditation. However, by the time oneself to the flow of reality arising
gods and goddesses. of the Song Dynasty, around the from deep within occurs from the
twelfth century, Pure Land and true self beyond words, one’s own
During the Kamakura Period Zen fused in China, so that both buddha-nature. Yet, this is true with
(1185-1333), many monks began practices were taught in the same all schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
to reject the idea of Buddhism as temple. In Japan, there was some As the Zen master Dōgen, founder
part of state religion, including intermingling of Zen and Pure of the Sōtō school, states of the
the founders of the rising Pure Land practice early on. However, nature of practice, “One throws
Land movements of Honen and during the Kamakura Period, when oneself into the realm of the Buddha
Shinran, the Jōdō School and Shin Zen and Pure Land became major and true practice unfolds from the
Buddhism, respectively. They both movements, they arose as separate side of the Buddha.” In esoteric
declared that one need not worship schools or sects. Thus, while in Buddhism, Zhenyan in Chinese or
the kami, the native gods; that just China they came together, in Japan Shingon in Japanese, there are five
the practice of invoking the great they developed separately and that cosmic buddhas, all who lend to the
compassion Amida Buddha would continues to be the case today. practitioner the cosmic power of