- September, 2008
LET’S CHANT THE JUSEI-GE LOUDLY!
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima
There is the Shoshin-Ge as well as many other kinds of sutras which are chanted during Shin
Buddhist services. There is a long sutra which has an intricate tune and takes over an hour to
chant, and there is a short sutra which has a monotonous rhythm and takes only about a minute to
chant.
I like the Shoshin-ge and always enjoy chanting it with those members who attend the Japanese
service held on the 16th of every month, the memorial for Shinran Shonin. However, at our Sunday
Family Services which are held over 40 times throughout the year, we usually only chant the Jusei-
Ge. This is the sutra habitually chanted by the San Diego Sangha.
When I first arrived in San Diego, I asked some members why only this sutra is used. Each of them
gave the same reply: “It is because it is short.” We shouldn’t even be concerned whether a sutra
admiring the Buddha’s virtues is long or short. But if I were to announce at the Sunday service,
“Today’s sutra is Shoshin-Ge,” I can imagine the members’ expressions of dismay.
It is really sad that we like the Jusei-Ge solely because of its length. So this month, I would like to
share with you how meaningful this sutra is as the expression of the great wish of Dharmakara
Bodhisattva.
The Jusei-Ge, or Sutra of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, is the principal sutra of Shin
Buddhism. In it, Amida Buddha is depicted eons ago in the stage of Bodhisattva Dharmakara. There
is a story in the sutra that one day, he implored his teacher Lokesvararaja Buddha: “O Buddha, I
sincerely would like to become a Buddha, too, in order to save and respond spiritually to all
suffering people. Even if I throw myself into the sea of distress, I will endure everything and
desperately strive until I achieve my wish. O Buddha, please preach the supreme teaching fully for
my sake!” Then Lokesveraraja Buddha indicated to him the origins and conditions of various
Buddhas’ Pure Lands.
It is hardly necessary to say, but the Gohonzon (principal object of reverence) of Shin Buddhism
is Amida Buddha. And there is no Buddha who can save foolish humans like us but Amida Buddha.
However, as I just mentioned, Amida Buddha was first the Bodhisattva Dharmakara before he
achieved the stage of Buddhahood. He achieved Buddhahood after five kalpas, which is an
astoundingly long period of time, performing various practices in his sincere desire to save all
sentient beings. That is Amida Buddha.
However, a point to notice here is that Dharmakara has a much different aspect from the universal
Bodhisattva. Usually, Bodhisattva are those who perform various practices to rise to the stage of
Bodhisattva. In his case, Dharmakara in essence demoted himself to Bodhisattva from the stage of
Buddha of his own accord. In Notes on Once-Calling and Many-Calling, our founder Shinran Shonin
said, “From this treasure ocean of oneness, form was manifested, taking the name of Bodhisattva
Dharmakara who, through establishing the unhindered Vow as the cause, became Amida Buddha.”
Therefore, the whole process of the various practices Dharmakara performed including his
attainment of Buddhahood is certainly an expression of his great compassion for all sentient beings.
His intent is stated as 48 vows in the Large Sutra, and can be divided into three parts. First, that
the Pure Land which Dharmakara establishes will be the most superior Buddha’s Land; second, that
people reborn in this Buddha’s Land will attain the state of enlightenment which is the most
precious; and third, as promised in the 18th vow, no matter how ordinary they might be, all people
will surely be reborn in the Pure Land of Utmost Bliss by the Nembutsu.
It is clear that Dharmakara did not merely want Buddhahood for himself. This is nothing less than
the great wish for us that he sincerely wants to save all sentient beings.
Needless to say, there are many kinds of wishes. For instance, we often wish others to be as
happy. But when we think deeply about it, these wishes are merely ripples spreading out from the
selfish wish, “I want to be happy.” And when we try to serve others, we naturally draw a distinction
between the people we love and the people we dislike. Therefore it is absolutely impossible to claim
that our personal wish is anywhere equal to the supreme wish.
Often a wish is nothing but a hope such as, “I wish to do something,” or “I hope to become this.” I
believe that a wish can only become action when there is a strong will behind it like, “I will surely
accomplish something” or, “I will strive to become this.”
Dharmakara’s wish for us is more than mere hope. It is nothing less than a vow. Without it, we
ordinary people will not be able to be reborn in Buddha’s Land. His promise derives from a noble
spirit to cast himself aside in order to save all who are suffering. It doesn’t discriminate at all
between the people he loves and those he dislikes, but embraces all sentient beings. He said, “I
cannot help making all sentient beings reborn in the Pure Land.” Therefore, Dharmakara’s vow can
be called the supreme wish.
In the 18th Vow, Dharmakara states clearly, “If sentient beings should not be born in my land, may
I not attain perfect enlightenment.” After establishing the 48th vow, he swore the same thing three
times. This is the essence of Dharmakara in the Jusei-Ge which we like to chant.
When we understand the deep meaning of Dharmakara’s vow—wishing to save all sentient
beings even if sacrificing himself—we cannot help placing our hands together in gassho and reciting
the Nembutsu as an expression of gratitude for the great gift of Amida Buddha’s vow. I hope this
explanation will make you hesitate before saying that Jusei-Ge is the best sutra because it is short!
If we chant the Jusei-ge while savoring the supreme vow meant for each one of us, our voices
should naturally rise louder than before so that the sutra of joy will surely echo throughout the
Hondo. I am really looking forward to the next Sunday service.
In Gassho,
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