MOILIILI HONGWANJI MISSION

Teaching of Jodo Shin Buddhism

Two thousand five hundred and fifty years ago, the historical Buddha enjoyed unique circumstances for passing on his teachings. Born into a highly developed culture, he was surrounded by exceedingly gifted people. After reaching enlightenment, he shared his methods for discovering the mind for a full forty-five years. It is for this reason that his teachings, called the Dharma, are so vast.

Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, or Shin Buddhism, is based upon the teachings and writings of Shinran Shonin (1173-1262). Shinran expounded the "True Pure Land Way", or the path whose "practice" is total faith in and reliance upon Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life. The Collected Works of Shinran include poems, letters, and his great treatise, Kyo Gyo Shin Sho . Outwardly, this faith is expressed by the grateful recitation of the Nembutsu, pronounced "Namu Amida Butsu" in Japanese. For a summary of Shinran's teachings, see the Tannisho, a short book composed by his follower Yuienbo with key quotes directly from Shinran. Tannisho represents Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in perhaps its most distilled and yet most simple and accessible form.

Jodo Shinshu Buddhism teaches that faith in Amida Buddha cuts the bonds to our negative karma from the infinite past and into the infinite future. It is the faith behind the Nembutsu that is a person's link to Amida Buddha, who -- the Larger Sutra says -- created a "Pure Land" of infinite positivity and zero negativity where people go after they die, wherein they will realize full enlightenment (nirvana) and buddhahood. Amida Buddha was revealed to the world in three great Mahayana sutras attributed to the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, who lived and taught in India ca. 563-483 BCE.

The "Three Sutras" of Pure Land Buddhism expound the doctrine of the Pure Land of Amida Buddha, how it was created aeons ago by Dharmakara Bodhisattva, and the way to birth in Amida Buddha's Pure Land. These sutras were all written down about 2,000 years ago, the same time as were the Lotus Sutra, the Flower Garland Sutra, the Nirvana Sutra and the other Mahayana sutras. Two of the three Pure Land sutras are called the Smaller Pure Land Sutra and the Larger Pure Land Sutra, or The Sutra on the Buddha of Eternal Life ( Sukhavativyuha-sutra in Sanskrit, which means "Sutra on the the Land of Bliss"). The Sutra on the Contemplation of Buddha Amitayus is the third great Pure Land sutra, in which the Nembutsu, Namu-Amida-Butsu, is proclaimed as the avenue to nirvana for suffering beings.

If you wish to view these Sutra's in their entirety, please click on of the the following links

THE SMALLER SUKHAVATIVYUHA  SUTRA or The Sutra on the Buddha Amitayus

SUTRA on the CONTEMPLATION of BUDDHA AMITAYUS