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Essays by George Gatenby

Introduction

George Gatenby was ordained a priest in 1994 at the Honpa Hongwanji in Kyoto and has studied the Buddha Dharma for most of his adult life. He assists with the work of Hongwanji Buddhist Mission of Australia in an honorary capacity. He is the web master of "Mugeko" (http://www.horai.asn.au) and the representative of the Horai Association International.

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This is a summary of a Dharma talk given by Rev George Gatenby for the annual commemoration of Ho-onko at the Hondo of the Hongwanji Buddhist Mission of Australia in Sydney on 14 November 2004.

"How joyous I am, my heart and mind being rooted in the Buddha-ground of the universal Vow, and my thoughts and feelings flowing within the dharma-ocean, which is beyond comprehension! I am deeply aware of the Tathagata's immense compassion, and I sincerely revere the benevolent care behind the master' teaching activity. My joy grows even fuller, my gratitude and indebtedness ever more compelling. Therefore, I have selected the core of the Pure Land way and gathered here its essentials. Mindful solely of the profundity of the Buddha's benevolence, I pay no heed to the derision of others. May those who see and hear this work be brought - either through the cause of reverently embracing the teaching or through the condition of doubt and slander of it - to manifest shinjin within the power of the Vow and reveal the incomparable fruit of enlightenment in the land of peace." (CWS p. 291)
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

It is wonderful to gather together again this year to express our happiness at the life and work of Shinran Shonin. For us, he is a very special person but other people may ask us: 'What is so special about Shinran? Why is he so important to you?'
Of course, there are the well-known reasons from the teaching of Shinran that place him in the history of mankind as one of very few truly remarkable and gifted religious thinkers. Above all, the insights that he offered provide us with a window and an opportunity for immense spiritual freedom and joy. What are some of these special insights?

Three stand out:
1. First, Shinran reminded us that birth in the Pure Land is not an arrival at a way station but is the realisation of the awakening of Nirvana; he taught that people of shinjin are 'equal to Tathagatas'.
2. Next is a deep delineation of the internal structure of Pure Land teaching resulting in a clearer analysis of the role of Nembutsu-faith in a person's path to liberation: 'Faith (shinjin) is the cause of birth in the Pure Land; the Nembutsu that we say is the expression of appreciation'; 'it is Amida Buddha's Great Practice.' This is the fulfilment of the 17th and 18th of Amida Buddha's Vows. Gone is the arduous and anxious treatment of the Nembutsu as a demanding ritual. Shinran saw that it was the 'quality', not the 'quantity' of Nembutsu that is important.
3. And I would also add as the last of my 'top three' examples of things that Shinran brought to light as key features of the Pure Land Way that he established a lay order, where all members are 'companions and fellow practicers' (ondobo ondogyo).
These doctrines are immensely important and liberate our understanding of the Pure Land Way into a joyful and uplifting perspective.

Needless to say, as important as the formulation of doctrines may be, on an ordinary human level, it is the person of Shinran himself that attracts me to the way that he taught.
The Taisho edition of the Kyo Gyo Shin Sho concludes with this wonderful verse:

　　　Obscuring the light and mixing with the dust is the
　　　beginning of establishing contact with beings;
　　　Attaining Buddhahood and manifesting the eight
　　　Major events shows the end of the Buddha's mission.

These words remind us of Shinran and the role he played in the unfolding of his life-story. They confirm for us that our spiritual life is to be found in developing a relationship with Shinran and, through him, with Amida Buddha. It is not possible to live our lives based entirely on abstractions: we need living proof and a tangible example of the ideas and expectations that we commit to. For me, such a person is Shinran.

All of us, no matter how affluent or comfortable we may be, experience many difficulties. Sometimes the events that afflict us are unbearable. Every one of us knows pain of one kind or another; we all experience both elation and disappointment. Shinran knew the same things. He had a difficult and gruelling life; he knew disappointment and contentment; he knew both grief and joy.
The words that I quoted at the beginning of my talk tell us just why Shinran composed the Kyo Gyo Shin Sho: it is so that those who listen to the Dharma in the way that he did may also realise things in the same way and share the same destiny as he. The Kyo Gyo Shin Sho is not merely a book of abstract doctrines. To my mind, indeed, it is more a collection of key passages that were gleaned from the entire Pure Land tradition, and lovingly collected by Shinran. He saw in them confirmation of the reality of his sometimes harsh but ultimately liberating experience. He clearly assembled them so that he could share them with us, the people of generations to come.
In the Kyo Gyo Shin Sho, Shinran created a Dharma treasury for us to draw on, so that we could follow in his footsteps and find the way out of samsara. Because this work is the epitome of Shinran's experience, he becomes a living presence for us - the ancestor of a new family to which we belong. It is a family that now crosses the boundaries of culture and language; a family that includes every conceivable kind of human personality

The Tanni Sho is similarly a collection of Shinran's words. We may listen carefully to Shinran through the agency of this book, if that is our preference; with the same result - Shinran becomes a living presence, a voice that we can hear.

When we read his words, we can recognise ourselves and our dilemmas. He was confident and secure enough in his faith to be able to be frank with us. He gives us the same confidence to admit to the fact that we too are ordinary people - bombu. As we see in the passage that I quoted at the beginning of the talk, he also shares his joy with us and frees us to rejoice with him in the wondrous truths that he had found in the light and life of Amida Buddha.

Today, I would like us to remember the reality of Shinran as a living presence - a guide to whom we can draw close in his writings and in spirit; a guide with whom we can share our lives.

　        When you alone rejoice in Faith, know that you are with another.
　        When you two rejoice in Faith, know that there is still another
            accompanying you. I, Shinran, am that 'other' person.

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September 2004

O-Higan is observed from 18 to 24 March (17 to 23 March in leap years) and also at this time of the year: from 20 26 September. In Australia the time in spring, when days and nights are of equal length, is on 23 September, the fourth day of spring O-Higan.

'Higan' signifies the 'Other Shore' of Nirvana and contrasts with the closeness of samsara, 'this shore', which is the reality of life as we experience it. Unlike many other annual observances within the Buddha Dharma, O-Higan originated in Japan. It is possible that it was introduced by Shotoku Taishi (574 622), who supported and promoted the Buddha Dharma. He was greatly admired by Shinran Shonin six hundred years later.

Some people say that the observance of Higan was inspired by a passage from the Sutra of Contemplation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, in which Shakyamuni instructed Queen Vaidehi in the meditation practice that begins with the visualisation of the setting sun.

The Buddha said to Vaidehi: 'You and other people should single-mindedly concentrate your thoughts on one place and visualise the western quarter. How is this done? Visualise in this way: you and all people, with the exception of those born blind, possessing the faculty of sight, should look at the setting sun. Prepare your mind to concentrate and sit down properly, facing the westward direction. Clearly contemplate the sun with your mind fixed firmly upon it. Not allowing your mind to wander, contemplate your thoughts on the sun which is about to set and looks like a suspended drum. After seeing the sun, you should then be able to visualise it clearly, whether your eyes are open or closed.' This is the visualisation of the sun and is called the first contemplation.

This reminds us of the fact that at the autumn and spring equinoxes the sun sets due west. In this way, we are reminded of the Pure Land of Amida Buddha, which is often described as being 'in the west'. More importantly, the way that the sun sets due west, the equal length of night and day and the beginning of the more moderate seasons of autumn and spring remind us of balance, harmony and the 'Middle Way' of the Buddha Dharma.

I have been told that during O-Higan, many Buddhists contemplate the harmony of nature and are more diligent than usual in practicing the 'Middle Way'. For followers of the Mahayana, this very often signifies the practice of the Six Perfections: generosity, right behaviour, patience, effort, meditation and wisdom. In Jodo Shinshu our emphasis is on the Nembutsu and praise of the Buddha. Among some Jodo Shinshu followers O-Higan is spoken of as 'Sanbutsu-e' or 'Gathering in the Praise of The Buddha'. The services at temples during this time provide an opportunity to give thanks for those who have gone 'to the other shore' of the Pure Land.

We owe an incalculable debt to Nembutsu followers of past generations whose lives were dedicated to the Dharma. How can we ever repay them for the way that they preserved, developed and passed it on to us? The Buddha Dharma has travelled down through the ages thanks to the efforts of these countless and unknown disciples and we would never have been able to encounter the priceless teaching of the Buddha without them.

They are fulfilling the mandate that Tao-ch'o expounded in the Collection of Passages on the Land of Peace and Bliss:

For my wish is that those who have attained birth may lead those who come after them and those who aspire for birth may follow their predecessors, thus following one after another endlessly and uninterruptedly until the boundless sea of birth-and-death (samsara) is exhausted.

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Summary of the Dharma Talk for Ho-onko - 16 November 2003

"Rennyo Shonin said to young people, "First of all read, then re-read as often as you can; but no good will come of it unless you read again." Thus he said. When one gets to an age at which greater understanding may develop, he said: "Reading well, or with a good inflection is not enough, the context should also be understood". Even so, everything is useless if one lacks faith (shin, Sk. shraddha) even though knowing the literal meaning". (Goichidaiki-kikigaki, 215.)

According to Rennyo Shonin, writing in the Gozoku Sho - which we will hear again today - Shinran Shonin's legacy includes his writings. Shinran wrote many works in the common language of his day, so that they could also be read by ordinary people. Few could read the classical Chinese of his Kyo Gyo Shin Sho but in the last hundred years or so this wonderful book too has become available in modern Japanese. Thanks also to the efforts of the Hongwanji International Center, it has recently been carefully translated into good English. So we are very fortunate indeed that all us of can sit at the feet of Shinran and hear his words for ourselves.

I am very fond of this saying of Rennyo in the Goichidai-kikigaki and think about it often, to remind myself of the way of life for those of us who join with Shinran in the way of Nembutsu. First of all, it is good to think of us, ourselves, as young people no matter how old we may be - because we should always, like young people, have minds that are open to the Dharma and to the words of Shinran. We can approach the words of Shinran every time we take up his writings with fresh minds because there is always something new to discover and learn from him.

We ought never to imagine that we know everything and have nothing more to learn from Shinran and our fellow-followers in the Nembutsu. If we listen with young, fresh and open hearts we shall be constantly surprised at the new insights and understanding we can gain. We will be amazed that we can learn from the most unexpected sources and grow in faith.

Rennyo suggests four steps in listening to Shinran by reading his work:

　　　1. Begin to read;
　　　2. Read over and over again;
　　　3. Understand the context; and
　　　4. Go deeper than the mere words.

In beginning to read we approach the teachings, and sit daily at the feet of Shinran by opening his writings and reading with an open, fresh and youthful heart. We do not need to read huge passages but just a few words. We may have our favourite passages or choose to read a portion each day a page, or half a page a day, for example. We should not grasp hold of the words to use in arguments - or as talismans - but just listen, even if at first we find them difficult to understand.

For this reason, Rennyo asks us to re-read to read Shinran's words over and over again. Some passages are wonderful to learn by heart so that we can have them with us always. However, we need also to understand the context. Very often we will find phrases and passages which are unclear to us, passages that don't make sense. Our Dharma teacher, Watanabe Sensei, is one person whom we can consult. We may also have other guides, and we also have each other. I like to just say sometimes, to anyone who is a fellow follower of the Dharma, 'What do you think this means?' Even people who have no education at all, but who listen to the Dharma with a questing heart can provide us with wonderful insights, which we will cherish all our lives.

Finally, however, we need to go beyond the words themselves and look deeply into our own hearts. Words, after all, are rather clumsy and incomplete vehicles of understanding; in fact, words often can be barriers to understanding. We do well to listen with the heart of faith, in a peaceful and trusting way. We let go of the words themselves, lest our relationship with the Dharma becomes superficial. In the final analysis, it is Amida Buddha's shinjin that matters and that is deeper and more enduring than the words that tell us about it.

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