Shoshinge – What Is the Shōshinge?
With the Ho-onko services now behind us in January, all that remains is to wait for the gentle signs of spring. But, as we all know, waiting can feel quite long. In this quiet time as we wait for spring to arrive, we may find ourselves naturally turning our attention once again to the moments we share at the temple and to what has long been cherished within our services. Within that shared time, Jodo Shinshu services have one distinctive and important characteristic.
It is that everyone chants together. Ministers, members, people attending for the first time, and those who grew up in this temple all chant the same sutras side by side. There is no special chanting reserved only for ministers; everyone is invited to join. For those who were raised in Jodo Shinshu families, the Shōshinge may be the most familiar chant of all. Its opening words—“Kimyō-u muryō-u ju nyorai”—are often heard long before their meaning is fully understood.
Starting this month, I will be writing this Dharma article as we take time to gently encounter the Shōshinge together. We will move slowly, pausing with each line and listening carefully—at this pace, it may take us many years to reach the end, and that is perfectly fine. What I hope to share here is not Buddhist knowledge, but an opportunity to encounter the heart of the Buddha through the words of the Shōshinge.
The Shōshinge is formally titled Shōshin Nembutsu Ge, which is translated into English as “Verses on True Shinjin and the Nembutsu.” It is often chanted in Jodo Shinshu temples, and many people naturally assume that it is a sutra—in fact, even in our regular Sunday services, we commonly refer to it as
“Chanting Sutra Shōshinge.” Strictly speaking, however, it is not a sutra. In Buddhism, a sutra refers to teachings that were directly spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha. The Shōshinge, on the other hand, is a hymn written by Shinran Shonin, and because it was composed by him, it cannot be called a sutra in the
traditional sense.
This leads us to an important question: with what intention did Shinran Shonin write the Shōshinge? Just before the verses begin, he writes, “Thus, taking refuge in the true words of the Great Sage and turning to the commentaries of the revered patriarchs, I realize the depth and vastness of the Buddha’s benevolence and compose the following hymn.” Here, “the Great Sage” refers to Shakyamuni Buddha, and “the true words” point to the teaching found in the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life, especially Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow. In other words, the Shōshinge is not an opinion or original doctrine, but Shinran’s response, born from deep listening to the Buddha’s vow and compassion.
The Shōshinge is composed of 120 lines, each consisting of seven Chinese characters. The first two lines summarize the entire Shōshinge and reveal Shinran’s own Shinjin, or entrusting heart. The following forty-two lines praise Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow based on the Larger Sutra, and the remaining seventy-six lines praise Amida Buddha through the teachings clarified by the Seven Pure Land Masters. Seen in this way, the Shōshinge is a hymn of gratitude—a hymn of praise to Amida Buddha.
When did the Shōshinge come to be recited as a regular service? The Shōshinge began to be widely recited in the 15th century, during the time of Rennyo Shonin, the 8th head of Hongwanji. Emphasizing the importance of hearing the teaching together, he established the Shōshinge as a form of congregational chanting in which ministers and lay followers chant side by side.
It is often said that “if you understand the Shōshinge, you understand Jodo Shinshu.” This does not mean gaining information, but rather gradually coming to see how the Buddha looks upon us, and how deeply we are embraced just as we are. I hope we can come to sense the Buddha’s heart together, little by little. If, through this sharing, the Nembutsu comes to be heard—quietly and naturally—then this has
meaning. May this become a place where the Shōshinge is not merely recited, but truly heard, and where Toronto Buddhist Church grows into a place where the Nembutsu is heard ever more deeply.
This month has been an introduction to the Shōshinge. From next month, we will begin to listen more closely, entering the verses themselves.
Namo Amida Butsu
Rev. Kensho Hashimoto
Resident Minister
Toronto Buddhist Church
Back to News