It can be said that the creed based on the teaching of Honen Shonin (1133-1212, hereafter referred to as Honen) begins and ends with the recitation of Nembutsu, Namu Amida Butsu. It can also be said that this statement is validated in the Senchaku Hongan Nembutsushu (Passages on Nembutsu in the Original Vow, hereafter abbreviated as the Senchakushu)1 written by Honen. In his fourteen-word opening statement2 he declared, "Namu Amida Butsu, the recitation of Nembutsu, is foremost among practices for birth in the Pure Land."3 This fourteen-word passage is recognized as the essence of the Senchakushu; it clearly explains that the recitation of Nembutsu, Namu Amida Butsu, is of primary importance for those searching for salvation through Birth in the Pure Land (ojo).

This idea has also been expressed in Honen's last work, the One-Sheet Document (Ichimai Kishomon), in which he stated, "Refrain from flaunting knowledge and devote yourself to the recitation of Nembutsu." This was Honen's final message to Disciple Genchi, transmitted two days before his death, in which he concluded, "merely recite Nembutsu intensely and exclusively." This tells us that this was indeed what Honen had sought all his life and had finally arrived at, giving birth to his religious resolution.

Honen's fourteen words extolling Nembutsu for Birth (ojo) and his final message in the Single-Sheet Covenant are one and the same: these two teachings articulate the recitation of Nembutsu which Honen consistently taught throughout his entire life. Apparently, the teaching of the recitation of Nembutsu was based on the Kangyosho (Commentary on the Meditation Sutra, Chapter: An Examination of Skillful Means for Those with the Distracted Mind)4 written by Master Zendo (613-681, Shan-tao in Chinese) in the early period of the T'ang Dynasty of China.

In his conclusion in the Senchakushu, Honen stated:

Long ago, I, a monk of humble accomplishments, chanced to read this commentary of Master Zendo and came to learn something of its teaching. Thereupon, I abandoned all other practices and resolutely took refuge in Nembutsu. Thereafter, up to the present, I have concentrated solely on the recitation of Nembutsu in my own practice and in the teaching of others. During this time, when, on rare occasions, I have been asked the way to salvation, I have always expounded on this path to the Pure Land in the West. When, occasionally, I have been asked about religious practices, I have instructed seekers of salvation in the special practice of Nembutsu.5

It was not only the personal religious intent of Honen that led him to attempt the salvation of the masses through the recitation of Nembutsu. In the context of Buddhist ideologies of the times, it can be said that external factors meshed with internal aspirations based upon the religious convictions of Honen himself, resulting in the systematized practice for a new way to salvation.
The mental state sought by Honen is described by Disciple Bencho in his Tetsu Senchakushu (In-depth Study of the Senchakushu). Bencho quotes:

The Buddhist doctrine has many facets; however, its basis ultimately lies in the Three-fold Discipline; that is, kai (precepts), jo (meditation), and e (wisdom). The Three-fold Discipline are embodied in Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and in the tenets of exoteric and esoteric Buddhist teachings.

Upon introspection, I realize that I have not observed a single precept, neither have I succeeded in the practice of meditation. Concerning wisdom, I have not possessed the 'right' wisdom to eliminate evil passions and to realize the truth. A precept master once said, 'One will not enter samadhi (the ultimate state of meditation) unless one becomes pure of body and mind through the observation of precepts.' Further, the mind of the common man is easily distracted by conditions around it. It is like the monkey that flits from branch to branch, confused, vacillating, and unable to concentrate. In what way does undefiled wisdom emerge? Without the sword of undefiled wisdom, how will we extricate ourselves from the fetters of unwholesome karma and evil passions? Unable to sever ourselves from these fetters, how will we deliver ourselves from the bondage of transmigration through birth-and-death in the delusive worlds in order to realize emancipation? This is indeed lamentable and disheartening.

I do not have the potential here to observe the Three-fold Discipline; namely, precepts, meditation, and wisdom. Although I have asked various wise and learned men if teaching and practices exist which are more attuned to myself than the Three-fold Discipline, no one was able to teach or guide me.6

Based on the belief that he did not have the potential to succeed in the Three-fold Discipline, Honen sought a school appropriate for his capabilities. In agreement with the precept master who taught, "One will not enter samadhi unless one becomes pure of body and mind through the observation of precepts," Honen accepted the impossibility of his ever attaining samadhi. This is not to say that Honen negated the Buddhist precepts and samadhi; he was simply confessing that these were mental states he found to be beyond his reach.
Bencho continues in his Tetsu Senchakushu:

In despair I (Honen) entered the repository of Buddhist scriptures and in grief I gazed upon the holy texts, taking a volume into my hands. It was the Commentary on the Meditation Sutra, authored by Master Zendo. In this volume I found the following passage: '...to recite single-heartedly and intently the name of Amida Buddha while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, without regard for length of time; to engage in the recitation of Nembutsu without cessation for one's entire life... this is called the Rightly Established Act because it is in accordance with the Original Vow (hongan) of the Buddha.' On reading this passage I was convinced that ignorant people like myself should earnestly revere this passage, rely exclusively upon this teaching, and continually recite the name of Amida Buddha for one's entire life in order to meet the causal karma for certain attainment of Birth.

Not only was I led to believe in this teaching bequeathed by Master Zendo; I was also led to follow earnestly the Original Vow of Amida Buddha. And that passage, '....because it is in accordance with the Original Vow...' was etched deeply into my heart.7

Based on Zendo's Commentary, "...to recite single-heartedly and intently the name of Amida Buddha," Honen arrived at the teaching that would bring salvation to the masses. The recitation of Nembutsu does not rely on the Three-fold Discipline -- it is a different path for salvation from that of the practice of precepts.

Honen stated in the Senchakushu, "The recitation of Nembutsu is foremost among practices for birth in the Pure Land." He concluded his One Sheet Document (Ichimai Kishomon) with the admonition, "Devote yourself to the recitation of Nembutsu." Not only did he believe that the recitation of Nembutsu is easy enough to be practiced by the simplest of beings, he stated in the Senchakushu that the recitation of Nembutsu is decidedly superior to all other practices.

Nembutsu is superior, and other practices are inferior. This is because into the Name flow all of Amida's countless virtues. That is to say, in the Name are contained all the merits and virtues of Amida's inner enlightenment, such as the four kinds of wisdom, the three bodies, the ten powers, and the four kinds of fearlessness. Also contained in His name are all the merits and virtues of His external attributes, such as major and minor physical characteristics, the emanation of light, preaching of the Dharma, and the benefit He brings to sentient beings. For these reasons, the merits of His name are incomparably 'superior.' Other practices are not the same; each one of them produces only a limited quantity of merit and virtue. For this reason they are called 'inferior.'

This may be likened to an ordinary house. The name, 'house,' includes all of its constituent elements; the ridgepoles, the beams, the rafters, the pillars -- but the parts themselves -- 'ridge pole,' 'beam,' 'rafters,' and 'pillars' -- do not denote the total 'house.' From this we see that the merits and virtues of Amida Buddha's name are superior to those of all other practices.

It must be for this reason that Amida Buddha cast aside the inferior and embraced the superior in establishing (the practice corresponding to) His Original Vow.8

The superiority of the recitation of Nembutsu is validated not only by the fact that the name of Amida Buddha encompasses all virtues, but that the name and the person of Amida Buddha are one and the same, and that the recitation of his name means "to possess and receive all merits."9 In other words, the grace of recitation of Nembutsu makes it a superior practice in comparison with all other practices.

Recitation of Nembutsu means to repeat the name of Amida Buddha, Namu Amida Butsu. In A Reply to Taro Sanehide in Ogo10 Honen stated, "We must not reflect on the amount of our evil passions; do not think about our sins, just recite Namu Amida Butsu out loud, and believe that in accordance with our voices we will be born in the Pure Land without fail." Further in his Dialogue on Twelve Topics, Honen is quoted:

Question: Some practitioners of Nembutsu daily recite the Name audibly, while others repeat it in their hearts while counting its numbers. Which is preferable?

Answer: The vocalized Nembutsu is the Name of Amida Buddha, and the meditative Nembutsu is also the Name of Amida Buddha; therefore, both become the causal karma for Birth. However, since the recitation of Nembutsu is the Original Vow of Amida Buddha, one should vocalize Nembutsu. The Meditation Sutra states, "....with an uninterrupted voice, the person says Namu Amida Butsu, demonstrating ten moments of thought." The Hymns in Praise of Birth in the Pure Land states, "....(those) who call out my name at least ten times..." If the voice can be heard, it would be considered the recitation of Nembutsu in a loud voice.11

The recitation of Nembutsu means to speak aloud the name of Amida Buddha, and if the voice is audible, it is deemed "reciting the Nembutsu in a loud voice." We must not overlook the fact that first and foremost in the "recitation of Nembutsu" is the fact that the Nembutsu must be voiced. Both "Nembutsu with the Three Devotional Hearts (sanjin)" and "anjin (the Steadfast Heart) and kigyo (practice; the recitation of Nembutsu)" are usually regarded as if they were two wheels of a vehicle, but here they do not imply that one is prepared with the Steadfast Heart prior to the vocalization of Nembutsu. The recitation of Nembutsu espoused by Honen, while not negating Nembutsu with the Three Devotional Hearts, implies that the "voice" in Nembutsu results in cultivation of the "mind (or heart)."

When Honen stated, "...just repeat Namu Amida Butsu out loud, and believe that in accordance with our voices we will be born in the Pure Land without fail," he meant that the voice is clearer than the heart; in other words, it cannot be denied that voice precedes heart. It can be said that the essence of the recitation of Nembutsu is described as vocalization resulting in the cultivation of the mind. That having been said, it is clearly not a denial of the fact that the sincere recitation of Nembutsu is the practice of the Original Vow of Amida Buddha. It means not to vocalize Nembutsu because one possesses the Devoted Heart (meditation on Amida Buddha), but to attain the Devoted Heart as a result of vocalization of the name of Amida Buddha, which results in the cultivation of unshakable faith in Birth. It need not be said that the practice of the recitation of Nembutsu espoused by Honen is elaborated and based on the premise that meditative practice and the recitation of Nembutsu are one and the same,12 as was commented on by Honen in the Senchakushu.

The Nembutsu taught by Honen is the vocal practice of Nembutsu. However, according to the Daigo Version of the Biography of Honen Shonin, it is known that Honen himself attained the state of samadhi through the recitation of Nembutsu. In the section, A Record of the Awakening of Samadhi (Sanmai Hottokuki), it states:13 ﾒDuring his lifetime, Honen Shonin attained the Recitation Samadhi, always visualized both Amida Buddha and the majestic adornments of His Pure Land, and left a record of this attainment. Seishibo has transmitted this fact."
Honen, who espoused the recitation of Nembutsu in the absence of meditation, had attained the Recitation Samadhi. To have attained the Recitation Samadhi means that Honen did not personally and aggressively pursue this goal, but that the continual recitation of Nembutsu resulted in the natural realization of samadhi without conscious intent.
Through the attainment of the Recitation Samadhi, Honen saw both Amida Buddha and the adornments of the Pure Land, as taught in the section of the Meditation Sutra describing the thirteen types of meditation with the Focused Mind. The Sutra describes the visualization of Amida Buddha and the adornments of the Pure Land. It is crucial that Honen was able to attain visualization of these objects, deepening the meaning of Nembutsu recitation in the absence of meditation. Meditation and Recitation are differentiated by Bencho in the Jodo Shu Yoshu (A Collection of the Essentials of Jodo Shu) below:14

Question: If the Meditation Samadhi is to be called samadhi, it is samadhi. Recitation by an unfocused mind is not samadhi. Why the name, Recitation Samadhi?

Answer: There are two meanings in the recitation of Nembutsu. Even if it were mere recitation, to enter a meditation hall of practice, to hope to visualize Amida Buddha, to rid oneself of illusory thoughts, and to practice the recitation of Nembutsu with heroic effort -- all have the significance of samadhi. There is justice for samadhi in the recitation of Nembutsu. There is also justice in not entering a meditation hall of practice; if recitation is practiced with concentration, one naturally attains non-thought samadhi. With the accumulation of merit and virtue, one will attain the visualization of Amida Buddha naturally. At this moment one's samadhi is awakened, and this state is called the Nembutsu Samadhi.15

Leaving the issue of Meditation Samadhi aside, it is on record that whether or not it is possible to attain samadhi through the recitation of Nembutsu while one's mind is distracted is open to question. The answer lies in the fact that there are two points of significance in the Recitation Samadhi -- within the meditation hall of practice and outside of the hall of practice -- both are ways of attaining samadhi and visualizing Amida Buddha. The period in which one concentrates on the recitation of Nembutsu causes one to attain non-thought samadhi. This is truly the Recitation Samadhi through the Nembutsu Recitation. .

The writer assumes that it is valid to consider the contents of the attainment of such a holy state to be within the context of the profundity of Nembutsu recitation. However, the late Koshiro Tamaki stated,16 "...if we will look at the following as a stage of development in the attainment of samadhi: 1) the perception of the buddha's body and His land, 2) the perception of the image of the buddha, and 3) the perception of the features of the buddha, we will have within our grasp the faith of Honen -- from the objective to the subjective, the surface of consciousness to the depths of consciousness, fragmented faith to total faith, from effort to effortlessness -- the total maturity of the entire being." This is the result of the pursuit of the Nembutsu Recitation (Samadhi) that Honen himself recounted in His Record of Attaining Samadhi, which Tamaki analyzed and synthesized in three distinct steps. It is an analysis rich in suggestion.
However, although this analysis may be appropriate in reference to the deep religious experience of Honen, it would not be appropriate as an analysis of Honen's thought (or practice). This is because the religious experience of Honen's Recitation Samadhi cannot cover his entire teachings of Nembutsu. Honen did not emphasize the profundity of the Nembutsu Recitation.

Honen compiled the Senchakushu at the behest of the former chief minister of State, Fujiwara Kanezane, systematizing his personal practice of Nembutsu thought. It is said that the compilation of the Senchakushu was achieved in the state of samadhi.17 The following description is found in the Record of the Awakening of Samadhi:18 "On the first day of January in the ninth year of Kenkyu (1198); that is, the 66th year of the birth of Honen (1133), upon his return from a visit with Hokkyo and Kyokai of Yamamomo, Honen commenced regular practice of Nembutsu on the seventh day of each month." In this Betsuji Nembutsu (the special practice of Nembutsu for a fixed period of time), the sensation of the mysterious efficacy of the state of samadhi is recorded. The record commences on January 1 of the ninth year of Kenkyu (1198) and is continued on ensuing dates. From this, one can conclude that the Senchakushu is a compilation in the state of samadhi.

Honen stated in Chapter 16 of the Senchakushu that Master Zendo awakened to samadhi, and within the awakening, experienced mysterious efficacy and compiled his Commentary on the Meditation Sutra." Honen further elaborates:

As I reflect on these matters, it becomes clear that the Commentary on the Meditation Sutra by Zendo is the very guide to the Pure Land in the West and is essential to Nembutsu practitioners.

Therefore, whosoever practices the way of the Pure Land should certainly hold it in highest regard. Above all, the monk [Zendo] who appeared nightly in a dream and instructed in the profound meaning of the sutra was most probably a manifestation of Amida Buddha himself.

Hence, it can be said that the Commentary is a direct exposition of Amida Buddha. Further, was it not commonly accepted during the T'ang Dynasty that Zendo was Amida Buddha himself in a transformed body? Therefore, I aver that this text is the direct teaching of Amida Buddha. Are not the above-cited words the very truth: 'When people wish to transcribe (these words), let them do so in exactly the same manner in which they would transcribe the sutra?' The words that he accurately received in samadhi leave no question about birth in the Pure Land.19

Honen even went so far as to say that the Commentary was the direct transmittal of the teachings of Amida Buddha, and if it is a commentary of validation of the state of Samadhi, it is identical to the teachings of the Buddha, emphasizing the validity of the Commentary. This resulted in Honen's belief that Zendo's words, received accurately while in samadhi, leave no question about birth in the Pure Land. Relating to his own Senchakushu compilation, Honen deemed it a work in the state of samadhi and that the precise words that he received leave no question about birth in the Pure Land, emphasizing its veracity.

Honen, in Chapter 16 of the Senchakushu, states his position as "total reliance on Master Zendo, the only master."20 This is because Jodo Shu (the Pure Land School) is the School of Zendo, and Zendo is the person who was awakened to samadhi. The words of the awakened person, "the words he accurately received in samadhi leave no question about birth in the Pure Land," expressed the fact that there is no doubt that there is an all-encompassing trust in these words. It can be inferred that Honen sought authenticity from Zendo, "One Awakened to Samadhi"; at the same time he placed himself within the state of samadhi and compiled his Senchakushu.

Notes
l) This work is believed to have been compiled around I 1 98, at the age of 66. According to the final statement in Chapter 16, we know that it was written by the request of the former chief of state, Fujiwara Kanezane. Prior to the Senchakushu, Honen composed the Sanbukyoushaku at the age of 58, and the Gyakushu Seppo, at the age of 62.
2) Honen himself wrote both the title and the fourteen-word statement in the opening of the Senchakushu. This further validates that the essence of this work is encompassed in the opening statement. Bencho also wrote the same fourteen-word statement in his Tetsu Senchakushu. See the Jodo Shu Seiten 3, p, 196.
3) The usage of the termsﾓ foremost" and "essential" is controversial; Jodo Shu employs the term, "foremost." Senchakushu Zenko, Ishii Kyodo, pp. 5-12.
4) Honen encountered the statement of Zendo, "...to recite single-heartedly and intently the name of Amida Buddha while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, without regard for length of time; to engage in the recitation of Nembutsu without cessation for life. This is called the Rightly Established Act because it is in accordance with the Original Vow of the Buddha." Jodo Shu Seiten 2, p. 294.
5) Jodo Shu Seiten 3, p. 190.
6) Jodo Shu Seiten p. 284.
7) Jodo Shu Seiten pp. 284-285.
8) Jodo Shu Seiten p, 118.
9) See the Honen Jodokyo no shiso to rekishi, pp.78-89.
10) See the Jodo Shu Seiten 4, p. 119. Also see the Goshosoku in the Jodo Shu Seiten 4, p. 255 and the Jodo Shu Ryakusho in the Jodo Shu Seiten 4, p. 77
11) See the Jodo Shu Seiten 4, p. 153.
12) Jodo Shu Seiten 3, p. 122.
13) Showa shinshu Honen Shonin Zenshu, p. 863. Seishibo and Seikanbo are usually considered to be the same person.
14) Jodo Shu Seiten 10, p. 234.
15) Concerning the realization of the holy state in the Recitation Samadhi, refer to my Honen Jodokyo no Shomondai, pp. 322-~27.
16) Nippon Bukkyo Shisoron I , by Tamaki Koshiro, p. 291.
17) Honen Jodokyo no shiso to rekishi, Katsuki Joko, pp. 450-45
18) Showa shinshu Honen Shonin Zenshu, p. 863.
19) Jodo Shu Seiten 3, p. 190.
20) Jodo Shu Seiten pp. 185-186.

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