January 10, 2013 A story of Mr.Genza, a pious ultra-fine ("妙好" in Japanese) Shin-sect Buddhist (Shin-sect is called "Shin-shuh ("真宗" in Japanese).) Japanese Shin-sect Buddhists call a layperson like Mr.Genza as Myohkohnin(妙好人）( a pious ultra-fine layperson).
I have been acting as the master of ceremony, though a lay person, for a reading meeting held once a month in a room of our temple. Last year we read through a story of Mr. Genza and I was deeply impressed. Hereunder I explain his story.
Mr. Genza (his real name is Mr. Ashikaga, Genzaemon) lived in present Tottori Prefecture (this prefecture was called "Inaba State" till A.D.1871 ) from A.D.1842 thru A.D.1930. Threrefore he is called "Mr.Genza from Inaba" even now.
He was a farmer.His father passed away when he was 18 years old. His father told him "Entrust yourself to AMIDA BUDDHA (Tathagata) after I die".
Shin-sect doctrine comes from 3 sutras which were made about 500years after the death of Buddha. It is unknown even now who created these sutras, but it seems that those who wanted to make Buddhism easier for ordinary people to practice, would be engaged in creation of the sutras. The hero in these sutras is AMIDA BUDDHA (Tathagata) who vows to take those people to Pure Land(JOHDO(浄土) in Japanese) who call his name (do NENBUTSU) asking for help.
To do NENBUTSU is to chant 'NAMUAMIDABUTSU' (which means "I entrust myself wholly to AMIDA BUDDHA") or invoke AMIDA BUDDHA by doing NENBUTSU in mind.
Following his father's last words mentioned above, he visited whatever temples he could, including even the Shin-sect hierarchical top temple, HONZAN in Kyoto, to listen to the authoritative priests' speeches, and to personally consult with them if the case permitted, but it was difficult to find out how to wholly entrust himself to AMIDA BUDDHA.
He had been still struggling to do so for more than 20 years, when he found it out as written below.
As always from April thru October, one day he went to a nearby valley to reap grass (grazing) for his cow while the cow was grazing alongside him as he was doing so.
He reaped enough grass, a big basketful of grass for the cow to carry on the back of the cow and, that day he reaped still another basketfull (far smaller than that for the cow) of grass for himself to carry. He started homewards while he and the cow were carrying their respective loads, but shortly afterwards he could not withstand carrying his load any longer. Apologizing to the cow, he put his load of grass onto the back of the cow for the cow to carry, and he noticed that the cow was carrying it nonchalantly as if nothing had happened. Immediately and suddenly he felt totally refreshed and relieved not only from the burden of grass but also from all his desires and thoughts including his fervent desire to find out how to wholly entrust himself to AMIDA BUDDHA, so-called enlightened. At long last he found it out. Since then he treated his cow far more kindly than before although he treated his cow very kindly and lovingly even before, because like a reticent teacher the cow helped him solve his most important problem, how to wholly entrust himself to AMIDA BUDDHA.
Under the present circumstances, where almost all sutras have been examined in detail as to when and where they were created, who created them, etc., AMIDA BUDDHA is thought to be the Buddha nature in every person innermost behind his or her body and mind.
I respect Mr. Genza as a pious Buddhist for us to follow.
I thank AMIDA BUDDHA and SHAKA BUDDHA and vow to spread Buddhism.
NAMUAMIDABUTSUNAMUAMIDABUTSU
I have been acting as the master of ceremony, though a lay person, for a reading meeting held once a month in a room of our temple. Last year we read through a story of Mr. Genza and I was deeply impressed. Hereunder I explain his story.
Mr. Genza (his real name is Mr. Ashikaga, Genzaemon) lived in present Tottori Prefecture (this prefecture was called "Inaba State" till A.D.1871 ) from A.D.1842 thru A.D.1930. Threrefore he is called "Mr.Genza from Inaba" even now.
He was a farmer.His father passed away when he was 18 years old. His father told him "Entrust yourself to AMIDA BUDDHA (Tathagata) after I die".
Shin-sect doctrine comes from 3 sutras which were made about 500years after the death of Buddha. It is unknown even now who created these sutras, but it seems that those who wanted to make Buddhism easier for ordinary people to practice, would be engaged in creation of the sutras. The hero in these sutras is AMIDA BUDDHA (Tathagata) who vows to take those people to Pure Land(JOHDO(浄土) in Japanese) who call his name (do NENBUTSU) asking for help.
To do NENBUTSU is to chant 'NAMUAMIDABUTSU' (which means "I entrust myself wholly to AMIDA BUDDHA") or invoke AMIDA BUDDHA by doing NENBUTSU in mind.
Following his father's last words mentioned above, he visited whatever temples he could, including even the Shin-sect hierarchical top temple, HONZAN in Kyoto, to listen to the authoritative priests' speeches, and to personally consult with them if the case permitted, but it was difficult to find out how to wholly entrust himself to AMIDA BUDDHA.
He had been still struggling to do so for more than 20 years, when he found it out as written below.
As always from April thru October, one day he went to a nearby valley to reap grass (grazing) for his cow while the cow was grazing alongside him as he was doing so.
He reaped enough grass, a big basketful of grass for the cow to carry on the back of the cow and, that day he reaped still another basketfull (far smaller than that for the cow) of grass for himself to carry. He started homewards while he and the cow were carrying their respective loads, but shortly afterwards he could not withstand carrying his load any longer. Apologizing to the cow, he put his load of grass onto the back of the cow for the cow to carry, and he noticed that the cow was carrying it nonchalantly as if nothing had happened. Immediately and suddenly he felt totally refreshed and relieved not only from the burden of grass but also from all his desires and thoughts including his fervent desire to find out how to wholly entrust himself to AMIDA BUDDHA, so-called enlightened. At long last he found it out. Since then he treated his cow far more kindly than before although he treated his cow very kindly and lovingly even before, because like a reticent teacher the cow helped him solve his most important problem, how to wholly entrust himself to AMIDA BUDDHA.
Under the present circumstances, where almost all sutras have been examined in detail as to when and where they were created, who created them, etc., AMIDA BUDDHA is thought to be the Buddha nature in every person innermost behind his or her body and mind.
I respect Mr. Genza as a pious Buddhist for us to follow.
I thank AMIDA BUDDHA and SHAKA BUDDHA and vow to spread Buddhism.
NAMUAMIDABUTSUNAMUAMIDABUTSU
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