Fireside Chat Session on Shin Buddhism in the West and Beyond
It was my pleasure to participate in the Fireside Chat Session on Shin Buddhism in the West and Beyond on January 27th, organized by Rev. Dr. Kenneth Tanaka. Tanaka-sensei was born in Japan and grew up in Mountain View, California. He received his B.A in Anthropology from Stanford University in 1970, then received his Master’s in Philosophy and Indian Studies and his Ph.D. through the Graduate School of Humanities Doctoral Program in Buddhist Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1991. He was assistant professor at the Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS), an affiliate of the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley, California. After serving as the BCA Kaikyoshi Minster of the Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church in 1995, Tanaka-sensei moved to Japan, and became a professor of Buddhist studies at the Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan in 1998. He retired in 2018, and now get more active in giving lectures, holding study session, and writing activities.
In 1981, when I came to the U.S., I was watching his Buddhism class on TV every weekend. I finally met him in person in 2012 at the Musashino University when I presented my paper. I have read his several academic papers and books including “Jewels” and Japanese books. It was my honor to be invited to his session in January.
Tanaka-sensei’s ‘Fire Chat Session on Shin Buddhism in the West and Beyond’ started since September 2023, with the unique setting with a certain theme every month inviting a Shin Buddhist lay person and a gest of Shin Buddhist or Pure Land Buddhist teacher. Both speakers introduced themselves and make presentations for 45 minutes on the given questions based on the theme, followed by Q & A.
Main Themes of each session:
September 23, 2023 – Being Born a Human
October 21, 2023 – Suffering and Difficulties
November 25, 2023 – Practice
December 16, 2023 – Afflictions
January 27, 2024 – Shinjin
February 24, 2024 – Daily Lives
March 23, 2024 – Pure Land
The theme that I talked about was “Shinjin.” Tanaka-sensei told me that I am not expected to represent the Hongwanji or BCA but simply represent myself to share what I know and feel, which made me relaxed. There was the zoom capability to have 100 participants. The session started a 5PM on Saturday January 27th which is 9AM in Japan time.
I briefly introduced myself focusing on how I had encountered the Shin Buddhist path. My mother left for the Amida’s land of peace and happiness in 1990 when I was 31 years old. With the loss of my own mother, existential questions arose to me such as why was I born, what is the purpose to live? Those questions aspired me to study Buddhism and Jodo Shinshu seriously.
Several questions were previously prepared by Tanaka-sensei to me. Those are:
What does Shinjin mean to you?
Shinji is often translated as “entrusting heart,” “true entrusting mind, “faith mind,” or “faith.” Which do you prefer?
Dr. Tanaka translate it as “Shinjin realization and entrusting” because he understands Shinjin as one level of Mahayana Buddhist awakening or enlightenment. What do you think?
How do we know when we have experienced Shinjin? Do we experience just one time or many times throughout our lives?
In Shinjin, what do you awaken to or realize, or entrust in?
Let me share what I shared and talked particularly the question 1 and 4 because of the limited space of my Korin article.
What does Shinjin mean to you?
The Jodo Shinshu term “Shinjin” is a central role in Shinran’s doctrinal framework. In Shinran’s writings, he explained the term “Shinjin” from various aspects and presenting synonyms, but he never told us how to get it, and what will happen after getting it. Doctrinally, “Shinjin” is the sole cause to join the non-retrogression stage in this life, and attain the Buddhahood after life, based on the Bodhisattva Dharmakara’s primal vow, later on became the Amida Buddha stated in the Larger Sutra.
Honestly, I don’t know if I obtained the mind of “Shinjin” or not. Some of sangha members sometimes ask me what is “Shinjin” and to see if they got it or not. I normally tell them, you are reciting the Nembutsu spontaneously, so don’t worry. Spontaneous (natural Nembutsu) is a phenomenon that you did receive the “Shinjin” from Amida Buddha.
Sharing my experience, getting the “Shinjin” can be a metaphor of opening a door and entering to the new big world which has never been experienced in my life. Buddha’s wisdom of non-discriminative to see the reality as it is instead of self-centered upside-down thinking.
With the wake-up call from my mother ‘s death, I was getting to know and understand the reality as it is. Getting aware that my world view was wrong, and as the result my value became completely shifted and transformed. I see myself more clearly as an ordinary being – being unenlightened and ignorant, sometimes I shame myself.
“Shinjin” is a spiritual path – it makes me back on track. Buddha’s calling voice to me always put me back to track, instead of wondering around. I have a confidence in Amida’s vow that I am gratefully living in the life of Namo Amida Butsu, and in the journey to becoming a Buddha (attaining Buddhahood), and eventually attain the Amida’s Great Nirvana. However not only me going, but I will come back the samsara to share the Dharma, which will be my mission after my life.
How do we know when we have experienced Shinjin? Do we experience just one time or many times throughout our lives?
As you know, there is no Shijin T-shirt selling at the Shin temple. Although I am not certain to tell that I do have the Shinjin, however the Nembutsu spontaneously comes out from my dirty mouth. So, the mind of Shinjin is activating within my heart and mind, maybe in my deep mind called the alaya-vijnana in Yogacara (representation only) concept.
In living with Shinjin, we are able to see things as they are, not through own self-centered lens, always reflect myself and try to hear and accept others. Getting supple mind (refer to the 33rd vow) to listen to others beyond words, willing to help, developing the compassionate mind even sacrificing myself.
I think that there is a time lag between the moment of receiving Shinjin and our recitation of Nembutsu. First the wake-up call, then self-reflection, getting know and understand the reality and Amida’s vow to me, then getting aware of daily discipline, and feel deep-joy and gratitude. I think the mind of Shinjin gets deeper and deeper as we listen, read, and appreciate the Buddha-Dharma. It is not monolithic, rather multiple dimensions. Shinran says that the true Shinjin (他力の信心) is always accompanied by the true Nembutsu (他力の念仏).
The session was well received and many comments and thoughts were shared among participants. This kind of study session makes a great step toward developing Shinran’s teaching in the Western context and making Amida’s soteriology universal beyond time and space.
Namo Amida Butsu
Rev. Dr. Mutsumi Wondra
