Comments on: Buddha-nature and Shin Buddhism http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2008/03/27/buddha-nature-and-shin-buddhism/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Sat, 11 Jun 2011 01:53:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Gerald Ford http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2008/03/27/buddha-nature-and-shin-buddhism/#comment-235 Gerald Ford Sat, 29 Mar 2008 02:44:45 +0000 http://level8.wordpress.com/?p=138#comment-235 Erg: Ha ha ha, thanks. :) Michael: But you see, many people who convert to Shinshu started out in other Buddhist sects. I've known a number of Shin Buddhists who started out with Zen or Theravada, but realized they just couldn't see it through, and came to Pure Land Buddhism instead. In Shin thought, one has to <em>exhaust</em> self-power first, before they can truly come to rely on Amida Buddha. :) People often miss that and either don't try, or never delve into Shin Buddhism. There's nothing wrong with the practices people do, but at some point they fall short. Zen teachers will tell you the same thing, as well Theravada Buddhists. At some point, you have to just let go. I think also that Buddha-nature, frankly, gets overplayed in Western Buddhism. It becomes a kind of "I'm ok, you're ok" term. Of course, I believe that all beings can be enlightened, but I also believe that the notion that you can <em>make</em> yourself Enlightened by following 5 easy steps is kind of backwards. That's where I agree with Shinran that you can't awaken your buddha-nature on your own. Erg: Ha ha ha, thanks. :)

Michael: But you see, many people who convert to Shinshu started out in other Buddhist sects. I’ve known a number of Shin Buddhists who started out with Zen or Theravada, but realized they just couldn’t see it through, and came to Pure Land Buddhism instead. In Shin thought, one has to exhaust self-power first, before they can truly come to rely on Amida Buddha. :) People often miss that and either don’t try, or never delve into Shin Buddhism. There’s nothing wrong with the practices people do, but at some point they fall short. Zen teachers will tell you the same thing, as well Theravada Buddhists. At some point, you have to just let go.

I think also that Buddha-nature, frankly, gets overplayed in Western Buddhism. It becomes a kind of “I’m ok, you’re ok” term. Of course, I believe that all beings can be enlightened, but I also believe that the notion that you can make yourself Enlightened by following 5 easy steps is kind of backwards. That’s where I agree with Shinran that you can’t awaken your buddha-nature on your own.

]]> By: Michael Joyce http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2008/03/27/buddha-nature-and-shin-buddhism/#comment-238 Michael Joyce Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:47:32 +0000 http://level8.wordpress.com/?p=138#comment-238 I'll second that! But to add my piece... Shinran's words are cryptic indeed, however, that sense of negativity breeds the question- Why believe in anything? I believe we ALL have the potential to be whatever we want to be. Negative thoughts or even realistic thoughts can slow or even halt progress all together. When you reflect on you buddha-nature all that exists is compassion. Your "spirit" cannot soar if youre anchored to emotional attachments. You feel ignorant, guilty, doubt only when you bring your intention there... you never feel it if you don't. Beginners (in my opinion) should never arrive at the base of Buddhism and feel that the journey is outside of them (unattainable in other words). I’ll second that! But to add my piece… Shinran’s words are cryptic indeed, however, that sense of negativity breeds the question- Why believe in anything? I believe we ALL have the potential to be whatever we want to be. Negative thoughts or even realistic thoughts can slow or even halt progress all together. When you reflect on you buddha-nature all that exists is compassion. Your “spirit” cannot soar if youre anchored to emotional attachments. You feel ignorant, guilty, doubt only when you bring your intention there… you never feel it if you don’t. Beginners (in my opinion) should never arrive at the base of Buddhism and feel that the journey is outside of them (unattainable in other words).

]]> By: Erg http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2008/03/27/buddha-nature-and-shin-buddhism/#comment-237 Erg Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:51:26 +0000 http://level8.wordpress.com/?p=138#comment-237 If you didn't have the obsession thing driving you we couldn't piss our time away reading your blog. Its sucks for you, but it works out nicely for us. If you didn’t have the obsession thing driving you we couldn’t piss our time away reading your blog. Its sucks for you, but it works out nicely for us.

]]> By: Gerald Ford http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2008/03/27/buddha-nature-and-shin-buddhism/#comment-236 Gerald Ford Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:57:28 +0000 http://level8.wordpress.com/?p=138#comment-236 Believe me, I've been banging my head on it for 3 years with no real understanding until recently. Then again, whether we actually understand it or not really isn't critical. It's more of a Gerald-Ford-obsession-thing again. :P Believe me, I’ve been banging my head on it for 3 years with no real understanding until recently.

Then again, whether we actually understand it or not really isn’t critical. It’s more of a Gerald-Ford-obsession-thing again. :P

]]> By: Erg http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2008/03/27/buddha-nature-and-shin-buddhism/#comment-239 Erg Fri, 28 Mar 2008 03:19:01 +0000 http://level8.wordpress.com/?p=138#comment-239 It is hard, for a beginner like me, to concieve of Amida Buddha as anything at all, much less the Dharmakaya-as-compassion above. It is a very tricky thing to get a grasp on, though certain Buddhist brands would bust my chops for try to "grasp in the first place. It is hard, for a beginner like me, to concieve of Amida Buddha as anything at all, much less the Dharmakaya-as-compassion above. It is a very tricky thing to get a grasp on, though certain Buddhist brands would bust my chops for try to “grasp in the first place.

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