Thanks for this, learned a lot. I am from Sikh faith and it resonates a lot with Shin Buddhism. As it emphasizes on reciting the NAME of Timless, Formless lord to attain freedom from repeated Births

@namoamidabuts

7 жыл бұрын

Yes. I think that the mystical traditions of all the great religions acknowledge that there are no words or concepts that can describe ultimate Reality. Yet, we have the human wish and impulse to give this Reality a "Name" and to call that Name with reverence and humility. Thank you for your feedback! -John

@singhjasbeer5216

7 жыл бұрын

***** Very Well Said John Sir.. I am from India and I must thank all of you (I mean the English Speaking people) whose tireless efforts have made me (and many like me) to get the essential exposure to the Diverse World Traditions. That's the best thing which 21st century has offered to the entire Humanity i.e Inter-cultural exposure

@danielmia5953

5 жыл бұрын

@Rock Python well it is a great all-powerful lord who grants freedom by reciting his name, yet this lord in sikhism is God or Wahe Guru not Buddha Amitabha

@danielmia5953

5 жыл бұрын

@Rock Python Welp Amitabha is not in Sikhism per se, Amitabha is mostly worshiped in east Asia and Sikhism started in India in the midst of muslim rule. Waheguru is the creator God and Amitabha does not appear in the Sikh writings. OP was mostly saying that the practice of the nembutsu was similar to the reciting of the name of Waheguru.

@danielmia5953

5 жыл бұрын

@Rock Python you are welcome, If you ever have any doubts feel free to ask

Let me say it - ''Namu Amida Butsu''. I think I should be able to remember that. 🙂 (Learning something new every day),

@namoamidabuts

2 жыл бұрын

Nice. You have it. I admire your learning spirit, John. -John

Deep bows of gratitude to Amida and to you for so artfully sharing of our faith life. Namu Amida Butsu. Gassho, Ray

@namoamidabuts

3 жыл бұрын

I am glad you found it to be a worthy introduction, Ray. Namu Amida Butsu. Gassho, John

Thank you very much for this. This is one of the best introduction to Shin teachings I've ever heard/read. Also, your reading voice is very smooth and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you again. Namo Amida Butsu

@namoamidabuts

5 жыл бұрын

I am grateful for your feedback, and pleased that you have found this video to be of interest. I wrote the content many years ago when I was deeply steeped in Shin Buddhism, a lineage which I still identify with as being the best for me. You may wish to note that I am in the process of re-reciting Shinran's Passages on the Pure Land Way, now that I have a much better microphone than when I recited it the first time. Also, for better or worse, my recitation style now is more dynamic that it was three years ago. I hope you take the time to comment on other of my videos, and again, thank you. Namu Amida Butsu. In Gassho, John

Thank you for producing and sharing this introduction to your chosen faith and practice. I am working on my PhD in Biblical Exposition and am very interested in the correlations between Buddhism and Christianity especially between Liturgical Anglicanism (I am an American Episcopalian) and Shin Buddhism. I have only found out about Pure Land and its Shin Japanese formulation about a week ago thanks to your former podcast and KZread posts. Take Care!

@namoamidabuts

3 жыл бұрын

Hello David. I found your post quite interesting, as I have a fairly close relationship with the Episcopal Church, and my long-time significant other, Charlotte, is a member of our local Parish. I am also involved with an Interfaith Group, and feel strongly that efforts toward mutual understanding among faiths is very important. I myself see many parallels between Christianity and Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, though many Shin Buddhist would prefer to highlight the differences. I would be glad to share more along this line if you wish, and in the service of such a possiblity I will herein do something unprecentented for me, which is to initiate the offering of my email address so you can contact me directly. If you can sort out the code that KZread will permit, it is ... at g mail dot com. I will delete this in a day or so. -John

Namo Amitabh Budha🙏🙏🙏

@namoamidabuts

2 ай бұрын

Namo Amida Butsu 🙏

It’s a great documentary . Hope more people find this great story....

@namoamidabuts

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I enjoyed putting it together. -John

08:24 All hail Amitabah Buddha! Interestingly enough, the idea being of saved by "Faith in a Sacred Name" is one of the primary tenants Christianity borrowed from Shin or Pure Land Buddhism. As Christianity is an obvious syncretism or amalgamation of Greco-Roman-Egyptian mystery religions mixed or combined with traditional sacrificial Judaism of the 1st century CE, it would make sense since Buddhism had been all over the area of Alexandria for centuries already in its missionary activities. The idea of being individually saved by a "Divine Being" (usually a Demigod of sorts) from some undesired afterlife "state" was also very common in the mystery religions themselves. My 2 Cents....

@namoamidabuts

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for your 2 cents. Very interesting hypothesis. -John

What a wonderful video. 南無阿弥陀仏 Namu Amida Butsu

@namoamidabuts

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I am so glad you liked it. Namu Amida Butsu. -John

Thanks for the video :) you have a nice and relaxing voice

@namoamidabuts

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback. I am glad to be able to use my voice for this "labor of love". -John

@gregorykahndc

5 жыл бұрын

Good job John .I take you were the a Ph.D in clinical psych

Thank you so much for your efforts John! Great content and great reading. May i ask a question? I felt drawn to shin buddhism, and prctice shin buddhism since one year. Before that nichiren got me to dayly practice, i always gravitated to mantra as practice and used/ still use some of them. The exclucive approach to nembutsu practice propagated by orthodox shin teachings makes me think, if my other power practices (medicinr buddha mantra, om mani padme hum, daimoku) are in the way of my shin practice. (about 80% of my practice is nembutsu) There is a jodo shinshu sagha wich i plan to visit and be a part of in another city, and i plan to relocate to a small village near that city next year. I dont want to be heretical, but medicine buddha mantra for example to benefit animals i meet is somethig i dont want to give up. I always tend to syncreticism and generally that is no prblem for me(because each different teaching is an expediant means, and what lies behind this teachings is universal), but i want to integate myself into shin community and thought, and i would somehow feel as a betrayer to go to temple, and then do my other power practice afterwards at home in "secrecy". How can i intigrate both practices psychologically and practically. Namu Amida Butsu

@namoamidabuts

2 жыл бұрын

I appreciate your feedback, Jens. As to your question, it sounds like you have discovered that there is encouragement in Shin Buddhist doctrine to give up practices other than Nembutsu recitation; it is taught that even saying the Name is not considered to be a “practice”, but is an expression of gratitude for Amida’s benevolence. That said, I myself am not so orthodox as to believe that performing other practices such as you describe interfere with the assurance that you will be reborn in Amida’s Pure Land. I think you can be confident in the power of Amida’s Vow. To attain the psychological integration you seek might involve you not considering any particular “expedient means” as necessary for birth in the Pure Land, since that is based on Amida’s grace. I would encourage you to consider these activities as simply practices that unfold/arise naturally in you as a result of your particular karmic causes and conditions. In other words, it is not that you need to do them to “earn” your way into the Pure Land. I hope that makes some sense to you. Meanwhile, you are fortunate to have access to a Jodo Shinshu sangha, and I suspect you will enjoy the fellowship as well as the chanting and other rituals that those folks engage in. Hopefully, they will not be critical of you for expanding your devotional activities. The other thing I would say is that I hope the leader at the Shin Temple you attend is understanding of your approach to the Dharma; my sense is that some “ministers” would be and some might not be. In any case, I don’t think that you have to keep it a secret or feel guilty for continuing some of the other things you do. But that is just my opinion. Namu Amida Butsu -John

@jenswohlgemuth6961

2 жыл бұрын

@@namoamidabuts Thank you very much for your thouhtfull response John, i will try to experience the practices as rising naturaly out of my karma. This is a very interesting view and will be helpful against ego grasping, goal oriented practice and conseptualizing for me i think. I will go to the temple after my second vaccination, if we are not in lockdown again. I also think i'll enjoy it. I have never been in a buddhist group, and i ejoyed and miss the community and ritual aspect of church so i am very looking forward to this. I love Takamaro Shigaraki's book "heart of te shin buddhist path" in wich he stressed that Jodo Shinshu is absoulutely part of the broader mahayana with nonduality, emptiness and Amida as an evolution of Buddha Shakyamunis virtures and realisation. Namu Amida Butsu Jens

@namoamidabuts

2 жыл бұрын

This all sounds good, my friend. I am glad my comments helped give some useful guidance on ways to establish a sense of integration, both within and in relation to the Buddhist community. I would be happy to hear more from you over time as you continue your journey in the Dharma. -John

@jenswohlgemuth6961

2 жыл бұрын

@@namoamidabuts Sure I'll gladly stay in contact.. (I am not named Jens btw had made this name up for internet use, my name is Johannes) Johannes

Trying to get more of a insight on this practice. I’ve been practicing Nichiren Buddhism with the SGI for about 6 years now. Just seeing what’s out there any perspective ? Thank you for you video.

@namoamidabuts

3 жыл бұрын

Hello, Khristian. I am happy for you that you have been exposed the wonderful Buddhadharma. And the focus that SGI has on the most profound Lotus Sutra is consistent with my channel's heavy focus on the Lotus. As you are perhaps aware from viewing this video, the Jodo Shinshu or True Pure Land Buddhist tradition is what most resonates with me as far a my spiritual understanding and needs are concerned. The idea is that I am not capable of attaining enlightenment in this life (by means of fulfillment of the Bodhisattva path) on the basis of my own self-effort, and so I rely upon the grace of Amida Buddha. I would share a couple thoughts in terms of perspective in response to your query. Both Nichirenism and Pure Land (as well as Zen) developed in the Kamakura period in Japan from the Tendai School, which itself laid great emphasis on the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren and Shinran were both monks there before developing their innovative "new school" approaches. Both approaches teach a single practice, in one case the recitation of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, and in the other the recitation of the so-called Nembutsus, or Namu Amida Butsu. A difference I would highlight, at least insofar as a contrast with the SGI approach (which was an offshoot of Nichirenshu), is that for us Shin Buddhists the recitation is only for the purpose of expressing gratitude for the gift of having our rebirth in the Pure Land assured, and not for any worldly benefit whatsoever. On the other hand, I know that there can be great comfort in the mutually supportive environment of an SGI group. Best wishes in your search for what makes most sense to you. -John

La Ylaha El I’ll Alahu

@namoamidabuts

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. 🙏

Hey, love your channel, buddy, thanks for your great work in diligently spreading the Dharma. As a brazilian who can't have access to a lot of those texts, can't afford to import books in english and have problems in reading in screens, that's being trully a blessing. I would like to ask you some points. If the Buddah Amida will accept everyone who call upon his name wouldn't it lead to many people giving up doing good deeds and moral conduct? Why shouldn't we entrusting in Amida's power kill ourselves now so we can enter in his land of bliss and receive proper training in better conditions? Also, I understand the frustration of not being able to live up to the boddhsatva ideal, but isn't it supposed to be a practice of many lifetimes? Isn't patience to travel the long road and acceptance of our limitations part of the process?

@namoamidabuts

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback, Gabriel. I am glad you have benefited from listening to my channel. Your first question is one of the most important in considering the kind of system of "pure grace" that represents Shinran's interpretation of the Pure Land teaching. His response, in the book called Tannisho (see my playlist on this text), is that just because there is an antidote is no reason to take a poison. Also, many feel that when a person experiences "shinjin" or true entrusting in the vow, there is a natural tendency toward a more prosocial lifestyle. That said, the karma of some persons will be such that they do perfom immoral deeds. Shinran empasizes that these sorts of acts do not bar one from the benefits bestowed by Amida. Your second question is also addressed in the Tannisho, where Shinran admits that he himself is in no hurry to enter the Pure Land, even though as you suggest we might logically think that getting there sooner would be desireable. This, I think, relates to the basic nature of the human survival instinct. Most people want to live as long as they can. For those contemplating suicide, the factors are most likely related to psychological depression and not to any kind of spiritual aspiration. As to the bodhisattva ideal, there are many wonderful altruistic practices described in the sutras. If a person has a desire to attempt to practice these, that is great. But I believe that at some point, one's limitations become apparent, at which point the person may be more open to accepting an Other Power devotional-oriented approach. You may want to watch a video describing some aspects of my own journey in this regard at: kzread.info/dash/bejne/fXmKu89yZ8qegtI.html . Meanwhile, you have asked some great questions. It is through doing so, that we learn and grow. I hope my reply contributes a bit. Take care. -John

@SrValeriolete

3 жыл бұрын

@@namoamidabuts thanks to your kind responses. Yes, I was thinking about doing some "other power" practice, but I was getting in contact with the Pure Land from the Chan tradition, wich has a different interpretation from Shin Pure Land Practice, hence the doubts.

@namoamidabuts

3 жыл бұрын

@@SrValeriolete Yes, the earlier forms of the Pure Land tradition, such as that associated with Chan Buddhism, actually maintain some self-power oriented practices, albeit ones that are more devotionally oriented. Specifically, such practices as visualizing or meditating on Amida or the Pure Land and repeating the Nembutsu multiple times (especially at the time of death) were rejected by Shinran as not being necessary for birth in the Pure Land. His interpretation is a radical kind of "pure grace" approach to religion and spirituality. To my mind, he refined the doctrine to its ultimate form, even to the extent of saying that it is Amida calling us, rather than the other way around.

Why do you chant "buts" instead of "butsu" at the end? What's the difference?

@namoamidabuts

7 ай бұрын

This is a great question, Dan. My "mantra" has actually evolved into different forms over the years, from Nama Tathagata to Namah Amita Buddha to Namah Amitabha to Nama Amida Buddha to Namo Amida Buddha. Namo Amida Buts is just a shorthand. Another is Na Man Dab, or even Da Bu. In Shin Buddhist chants they also use Na Man Da Bu. If you look up Nembutsu, you will see other formulations in other languages, like Amituofo in China. I would say the specific words are not key, but rather the meaning, that is taking refuge or entrusting. It is what is in the heart and not what is on the lips. So in that sense, there is no difference. I hope that helps. -John