A long time ago in one of my dharma talks, I referred to a Sanskrit term called Mudita. Mudita, or sympathetic joy, is the Buddhist practice of cultivating a heart that rejoices in the joys of others. You all have that ability to practice Mudita.
Today I would like to introduce you to another Sanskrit term. It is Akunin. If you have never read the English translation of Shoshinge, I urge you to do so. It is our founder Shinran Shonin’s seminal work and describes all you need to know about Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. In our “Let’s Talk Dharma” discussion group we shall refer often to this work and its meaning. Akunin is defined in Shoshinge, verse 27, as “a person burdened with extreme evil”.
Goku ju aku nin yui sho butsu,
Ga Yaku zai-hi ses-shu chu,
Bon no sho gen sui fu ken,
Dai-hi mu ken jo sho ga.
In English, this is:
The person burdened with extreme evil should simply say the Name:
Although I too am within Amida’s grasp.
Passions obstruct my eyes and I cannot see him; Nevertheless, great compassion is untiring and illumines me always.
This is powerful stuff!
Although we are blind to Amida’s illumination we are always graced by Amida’s compassion. Fantastic! So, Akunin, who is an Akunin?
The short answer is that we are all Akunin. I believe Shinran Shonin is writing about all of us.
The three poisons in Buddhism are greed, anger and ignorance. Who here has not wanted to win the lottery? Winning the lottery will make us so much happier, we think. But happiness doesn’t come with winning the lottery, although it would make things, we think more comfortable. Happiness in Buddhism comes with being grateful for what we have.
Who here has not uttered angry words to our spouses, our partners, our Family, our friends, even strangers when we are cut off while driving in traffic? We all have. Getting angry hurts the person who is angry more than the person he/she is angry at. It is like drinking poison in the hope that it will harm our enemy.
Who here has not uttered stupid words to our spouses, our partners, our Family and even strangers when we feel hard done by. We all have.
Relationships die with stupid words. Think before you speak foolishly. From the Complete Works of Shinran Shonin, Volume 1, page 47,
I quote: …….(Shinran Shonin) gathers passages, chiefly from the Nirvana Sutra, that illuminate the interrelationship and interaction of deeply evil human beings and the Buddha’s compassion. He quotes at length the story of King Ajatasatru, who killed his Father to win the throne, and Devadatta, who sought to murder Sakyamuni (Buddha) and seize control of his (Buddhist) following. In Shinran’s comprehensive vision, these men are not merely extreme examples of human baseness, but also in their role in setting the stage for Sakyamuni’s teaching of the Pure Land Way, they are bodhisattvas acting in selfless love to save all beings from pain and affliction. Such an understanding reflects exactly the two inseparable aspects of shinjin- awareness of the immensity of Buddha’s compassion and awareness of one’s own profound evil—….” End of quote.
Did you hear that? In Shinran’s comprehensive vision these men, Ajatasatru and Devadatta, are not only “Akunin”, they are also bodhisattvas. How can this be? As an aside, this is something that I would like to explore in future Let’s Talk Dharma sessions.
In September, 2013, Dr. Alfred Bloom, a renowned Buddhist Scholar, lectured on the Nirvana Sutra at the Ministerial Association meeting held here in the Toronto Buddhist Church. He talked at length about the meaning of akunin. His preference was to use the term “unfortunate being” instead of “evil being”. He felt that the word “evil” conjured up too many misunderstandings.
In the Nirvana Sutra, Ajatasatru plots to kill his Father , King Bimbisara by starving him to death in a prison cell. Queen Vaidehei hides portions of food and drink on her person to feed her husband. When Ajatasatru discovers this, he wants to kill his mother too. His chief advisor counsels him that to do so would be an unprecedented act that would destroy his reputation. Apparently in those days, it was par for the course for sons to murder their father to take the throne but never ever to murder their mothers. Interesting, don’t you think?
If you have never read the Nirvana Sutra, I urge you to do so, it is riveting reading and I am sure you will come back with many questions.
Part of Shinran’s quote was “Such an understanding reflects.” Reflection, that is an important quality of being a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist.
We often recite the phrase “Reflecting on my imperfect self” in our services. Before we can embrace shinjin, we have to reflect on ourselves and acknowledge that we are imperfect beings full of blind passions.
Shinran Shonin wrote in “ Notes on Once Calling and Many Calling”
“Foolish beings, as expressed in the parable of the two rivers of water and fire, we are full of ignorant and blind passions. Our desires are countless, and anger, wrath, jealousy and envy are overwhelming, arising without pause: to the very last moment of life they do not cease, or disappear, or exhaust themselves.” (CWS, volume 1, p. 488}
We, Jodo Shinshu Buddhists, are the only Buddhists who seek the fruit of Enlightenment through the “true and real shinjin that is unfailingly is accompanied by [ saying ] of the Name. This Enlightenment does not happen in this world but only when we pass into the Pure Land. Also, just saying the Nembutsu without shinjin is merely self-power practice.
I would like to close with revisiting verse 27 of Shoshinge:
The person burdened with extreme evil should simply say the Name:
Although I too am within Amida’s grasp,
Passions obstruct my eyes and I cannot see him;
Nevertheless, great compassion is untiring and illumines me always.
This verse reminds us that even when we feel alone, abandoned in life, we are never alone or abandoned by Amida Buddha. We just have to say the Nembutsu and receive Amida’s compassion.
Namo Amida Butsu, Namo Amida Butsu, Namo Amida Butsu.
In Gassho,
Dennis Madokoro,
TBC Minister Assistant
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