2010 APRIL.
I DO NO T HAVE A SINGLE DISCIPLE
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima,
I DO NO T HAVE A SINGLE DISCIPLE
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima,
| Dharma Message |
On the February 28th, Shinran Shonin’s 750th Anniversary memorial observance was held in
San Jose in conjunction with the BCA National Council Meeting. So many of our Dharma friends
from every corner of the U.S. who adore Shinran were at the Fairmont Hotel where the ceremony
was held, to show their respect for and appreciation of his wonderful virtues and great achievements.
On that day, the ballroom was so full of participants that the sutra chanting was overwhelming
and the sound of the Nembutsu echoed throughout the hall. I was very honored to attend this historical
observance as a minister of the BCA, and at the same time, I felt so grateful for the innumerable
causes and conditions which allowed me to encounter the teaching of Jodo Shinshu.
When I think about the scale of this ceremony and that of Shinran’s observance to be held at
the Honzan (Mother Temple) in Japan next year, I believe that there are few like Shinran who have
fascinated so many, and who have continued to be reflected in people’s minds. Shinran, the founder
of Jodo Shinshu, is respected and adored by many people all over the world, one reason is that he
was gifted with a great personality. His rare humility, born of deep self reflection, attracted a great deal
of confidence and reverence because many people felt sympathetic to his way of living.
There is a famous saying by Shinran Shonin: “As for myself, Shinran, I do not have a single
disciple.”
Although he had founded a revolutionary new way of thinking about and practicing Buddhism, he
could truthfully claim, “I don’t have a single disciple.” The truth of the words he uttered becomes clear
when one sees the confusion the Nembutsu lead-ers under him had created.
In those days, the Nembutsu leaders in the Kanto area would senselessly divide the people
being converted to the Nem-butsu teaching into “my disciples” or “someone else’s disciples.” They
were busily engaged in a power struggle to gain even one disciple for their own self interest. As their
attachment to the dis-ciples deepened, eventually they distorted the original meaning of the Nembutsu
by claiming, “If one goes against his own teacher and says the Nembutsu under another, that person
cannot attain birth in the Pure Land.” This situation confused many Nembutsu followers.
When Shinran went back to Kyoto and learned of such terrible trouble caused by the leaders,
he lamented their way of thinking which was born of egotism. Especially in Buddhism, one should be
careful about being obsessed with selfishness and pride. Shinran’s view on the situation is expressed
in Chapter 6 in the Tannisho as follows:
I don’t have a single disciple. If I could make others say the Nembutsu through my own
devices, they would be my dis-ciples. But how arrogant it is to claim as disciples those who live the
Nembutsu through the sole working of Amida Buddha’s com-passion. If the karmic condition is to
come together, we shall be together; if the karmic condition is to be separated, we shall be separated.
How absurd that some people assert that if one goes against his own teacher and says the
Nembutsu under another, they cannot attain birth in the Pure Land. Are they saying that they will take
back the true entrusting heart and mind which is a gift from Amida Buddha as if it belonged to them? It
is impossible for such a thing should happen.
Shinran severely admonished the Nembutsu leaders for their shameful attachment to
claiming disciples. He made it clear that because a person encounters the Nembutsu teaching and
recites the Nembutsu due to Amida Buddha’s guidance; therefore, all who embrace and rejoice in the
Nembutsu teaching are Amida Buddha’s disciples, not of any other person.
During his life, Shinran was revered by many enlightened Nembutsu followers as their
spiritual teacher. Shinran’s statement, “I do not have a single disciple,” relates to his humble attitude
which chides even himself for his arrogant, selfish mind. So he never regarded himself as a master
who had disciples. He acknowledged himself to be a Buddha’s disciple, and accepted that the ones
who can be called a master are Shakyamuni Buddha and Amida Buddha. His genuine and humble
personality—acknowledging that in a world of equality, all people are Amida Buddha’s disciples
regardless of age, sex, and race—naturally attracted many people. As a result of his great
personality, there were many Nembutsu followers who revered him as their lifelong teacher.
There is an interesting story about Shinran Shonin’s claim that he didn’t have a single disciple
in the book Kudensho, written by Shinran’s great-grandson, Kakunyo Shonin, Third Head Abbott of
the Hongwanji.
When Shinran was in Hitachi province, there was a Nembutsu follower named Shingyo-bo. He
often objected to Shinran’s interpretation of the sutras and criticized him, and finally because of this, he
left him. At that time, another follower, Reni-bo, pleaded with Shinran saying, “My teacher, please get
back the Nembutsu scroll and the sutra books that you gave to Shingyo-bo because he went against
you.” However, Shinran objected to this request, saying, “It is impossible to consider getting the
Nembutsu scroll and the sutra books back because I don’t have a single disciple. How can I call him
my disciple? All of us are Dharma friends because we are all just Buddha’s disciples.”
And furthermore Shinran said, “As the scroll of the Nem-butsu and the sutra are the key for all
living beings to be saved, even if he leaves me and says the Nembutsu under another, we will never
be allowed to get them back, for they are not our pos-sessions. Even if he throws them away on the
mountain, countless beings which live there may be saved by them.” In this way, Shinran
admonished Reni-bo for his concern over “a wayward disciple,” Shingyo-bo. Shinran was one who
would defend Shingyo-bo though he had disagreed and even revolted against Shinran’s way of
sharing the Nembutsu.
Although Shinran was revered and adored by many fol-lowers as their lifelong teacher, he
was always aware of his own arrogant mind. He treasured the spirit of “Ondobo-Ondogyo” which can
be interpreted as “Dharma friends…along the same Dharma path because the Nembutsu is
presented to all people regardless of their status.”
Although this month we have examined the words of Shinran, “I don’t have a single disciple,”
I don’t mean that I deny having a teacher. In life, it is very important for us to have a teacher who
observes what we are doing when we are learning something. It is important for us to have teachers
who guide us to the path we should take.
Although Shinran said that he didn't have any disciples, he himself revered Honen Shonin as
his trusted teacher through-out his life. Shinran said, “I have nothing to regret, even if I were deceived
by my teacher and, saying the Nembutsu, fall into hell.” As we hear his words, we truly understand
how much he loved and respected his teacher.
I believe that the true way of Nembutsu followers is to have the spirit of “Ondobo-Ondogyo”—
of walking the Dharma path with Dharma friends who respect one another—while at the same time,
revering our teacher.
I am really grateful for this opportunity to have been present at Shinran’s 750th Anniversary
observance here in America. At the same time, I would like to try to reflect deeply on his great
achievement by showing respect to and helping all those who gather at the Buddhist Temple as
Buddha’s children—irrespective of minister, member or non-member—as we rejoice in our
inheritance of Shinran’s great spirit.
In Gassho,
San Jose in conjunction with the BCA National Council Meeting. So many of our Dharma friends
from every corner of the U.S. who adore Shinran were at the Fairmont Hotel where the ceremony
was held, to show their respect for and appreciation of his wonderful virtues and great achievements.
On that day, the ballroom was so full of participants that the sutra chanting was overwhelming
and the sound of the Nembutsu echoed throughout the hall. I was very honored to attend this historical
observance as a minister of the BCA, and at the same time, I felt so grateful for the innumerable
causes and conditions which allowed me to encounter the teaching of Jodo Shinshu.
When I think about the scale of this ceremony and that of Shinran’s observance to be held at
the Honzan (Mother Temple) in Japan next year, I believe that there are few like Shinran who have
fascinated so many, and who have continued to be reflected in people’s minds. Shinran, the founder
of Jodo Shinshu, is respected and adored by many people all over the world, one reason is that he
was gifted with a great personality. His rare humility, born of deep self reflection, attracted a great deal
of confidence and reverence because many people felt sympathetic to his way of living.
There is a famous saying by Shinran Shonin: “As for myself, Shinran, I do not have a single
disciple.”
Although he had founded a revolutionary new way of thinking about and practicing Buddhism, he
could truthfully claim, “I don’t have a single disciple.” The truth of the words he uttered becomes clear
when one sees the confusion the Nembutsu lead-ers under him had created.
In those days, the Nembutsu leaders in the Kanto area would senselessly divide the people
being converted to the Nem-butsu teaching into “my disciples” or “someone else’s disciples.” They
were busily engaged in a power struggle to gain even one disciple for their own self interest. As their
attachment to the dis-ciples deepened, eventually they distorted the original meaning of the Nembutsu
by claiming, “If one goes against his own teacher and says the Nembutsu under another, that person
cannot attain birth in the Pure Land.” This situation confused many Nembutsu followers.
When Shinran went back to Kyoto and learned of such terrible trouble caused by the leaders,
he lamented their way of thinking which was born of egotism. Especially in Buddhism, one should be
careful about being obsessed with selfishness and pride. Shinran’s view on the situation is expressed
in Chapter 6 in the Tannisho as follows:
I don’t have a single disciple. If I could make others say the Nembutsu through my own
devices, they would be my dis-ciples. But how arrogant it is to claim as disciples those who live the
Nembutsu through the sole working of Amida Buddha’s com-passion. If the karmic condition is to
come together, we shall be together; if the karmic condition is to be separated, we shall be separated.
How absurd that some people assert that if one goes against his own teacher and says the
Nembutsu under another, they cannot attain birth in the Pure Land. Are they saying that they will take
back the true entrusting heart and mind which is a gift from Amida Buddha as if it belonged to them? It
is impossible for such a thing should happen.
Shinran severely admonished the Nembutsu leaders for their shameful attachment to
claiming disciples. He made it clear that because a person encounters the Nembutsu teaching and
recites the Nembutsu due to Amida Buddha’s guidance; therefore, all who embrace and rejoice in the
Nembutsu teaching are Amida Buddha’s disciples, not of any other person.
During his life, Shinran was revered by many enlightened Nembutsu followers as their
spiritual teacher. Shinran’s statement, “I do not have a single disciple,” relates to his humble attitude
which chides even himself for his arrogant, selfish mind. So he never regarded himself as a master
who had disciples. He acknowledged himself to be a Buddha’s disciple, and accepted that the ones
who can be called a master are Shakyamuni Buddha and Amida Buddha. His genuine and humble
personality—acknowledging that in a world of equality, all people are Amida Buddha’s disciples
regardless of age, sex, and race—naturally attracted many people. As a result of his great
personality, there were many Nembutsu followers who revered him as their lifelong teacher.
There is an interesting story about Shinran Shonin’s claim that he didn’t have a single disciple
in the book Kudensho, written by Shinran’s great-grandson, Kakunyo Shonin, Third Head Abbott of
the Hongwanji.
When Shinran was in Hitachi province, there was a Nembutsu follower named Shingyo-bo. He
often objected to Shinran’s interpretation of the sutras and criticized him, and finally because of this, he
left him. At that time, another follower, Reni-bo, pleaded with Shinran saying, “My teacher, please get
back the Nembutsu scroll and the sutra books that you gave to Shingyo-bo because he went against
you.” However, Shinran objected to this request, saying, “It is impossible to consider getting the
Nembutsu scroll and the sutra books back because I don’t have a single disciple. How can I call him
my disciple? All of us are Dharma friends because we are all just Buddha’s disciples.”
And furthermore Shinran said, “As the scroll of the Nem-butsu and the sutra are the key for all
living beings to be saved, even if he leaves me and says the Nembutsu under another, we will never
be allowed to get them back, for they are not our pos-sessions. Even if he throws them away on the
mountain, countless beings which live there may be saved by them.” In this way, Shinran
admonished Reni-bo for his concern over “a wayward disciple,” Shingyo-bo. Shinran was one who
would defend Shingyo-bo though he had disagreed and even revolted against Shinran’s way of
sharing the Nembutsu.
Although Shinran was revered and adored by many fol-lowers as their lifelong teacher, he
was always aware of his own arrogant mind. He treasured the spirit of “Ondobo-Ondogyo” which can
be interpreted as “Dharma friends…along the same Dharma path because the Nembutsu is
presented to all people regardless of their status.”
Although this month we have examined the words of Shinran, “I don’t have a single disciple,”
I don’t mean that I deny having a teacher. In life, it is very important for us to have a teacher who
observes what we are doing when we are learning something. It is important for us to have teachers
who guide us to the path we should take.
Although Shinran said that he didn't have any disciples, he himself revered Honen Shonin as
his trusted teacher through-out his life. Shinran said, “I have nothing to regret, even if I were deceived
by my teacher and, saying the Nembutsu, fall into hell.” As we hear his words, we truly understand
how much he loved and respected his teacher.
I believe that the true way of Nembutsu followers is to have the spirit of “Ondobo-Ondogyo”—
of walking the Dharma path with Dharma friends who respect one another—while at the same time,
revering our teacher.
I am really grateful for this opportunity to have been present at Shinran’s 750th Anniversary
observance here in America. At the same time, I would like to try to reflect deeply on his great
achievement by showing respect to and helping all those who gather at the Buddhist Temple as
Buddha’s children—irrespective of minister, member or non-member—as we rejoice in our
inheritance of Shinran’s great spirit.
In Gassho,