The Place of Shinran

Toward a Secular Pure Land Buddhism

“A mind that aspires to bodhi or enlightenment is the pure land of the bodhisattva.” — Vimalakirti Nirdesa

“Buddha Preaching,” generated using AI

In this follow-up to my earlier exploration of Buddhist reform movements, I aim to delve into Shinran Shonin’s teachings and key aspects of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, drawing heavily on Jeff Wilson’s Living Nembutsu and Paul Watt’s Demythologizing Pure Land Buddhism, the latter of which examines the modernist interpretations of Yasuda Rijin. By interpreting Pure Land Buddhism through a secular lens, I hope to align its principles with a modern scientific naturalist worldview, minimizing mythologizing and supernaturalism while retaining the profound ethical and psychological insights of Shinran Shonin.

Shinran Shonin (1173–1263) was a Japanese Buddhist monk and the founder of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism. He shifted the focus of Buddhist practice from self-power to other-power, emphasizing reliance on Amida Buddha’s vow to bring all beings to enlightenment. This perspective liberated practitioners from the arduous ascetic practices of traditional Buddhism, offering instead a path of faith, humility, and gratitude. Shinran’s radical teaching emphasized that awakening is not achieved through personal effort but is a gift bestowed by Amida’s boundless compassion. Moreover, Amida’s gift of Great Compassion is bestowed on all beings, whether good or evil, as Amida does not discriminate. Shinran even regarded himself as a bonbu or “ordinary person,” stressing the idea that all people are inherently imperfect and, therefore, equally in need of enlightenment and compassion.

“If you become a saint, you are different from suffering beings and can no longer relate. Thus, from Shinran’s perspective the arrogance of the saint represents a type of failure.” — Jeff Wilson (Living Nembutsu)

Japanese Buddhism traditionally focused on karmic punishment and suffering in hell realms as a way to scare people into behaving a certain way. Shinran, however, presented a Buddhism where the Buddha Amida’s boundless compassion embraces everyone, where there is no need for fear because all people can enter the Pure Land regardless of whether they keep the precepts or have fully “repaid” their prior karmic debts. Shinran’s Buddhism is focused on the boundless love and compassion of Amida, the primordial Buddha and the personification of love.

Central to Jodo Shinshu is the practice of nembutsu, chanting “Namu Amida Butsu” (“I take refuge in Amida Buddha”) recited as an expression of gratitude and a means of deepening one’s connection to Amida’s vow. For Shinran, the nembutsu was not a magical incantation but a profound acknowledgment of human limitation and the transformative power of grace.

“Compassion in the Pure Land path should be understood as first attaining buddhahood quickly through saying the nembutsu and, with the mind of great love and compassion, freely benefiting sentient beings as one wishes.” — Shinran (Tannisho)

As a school of Mahayana Buddhism, Jodo Shinshu emphasizes the bodhisattva path. This means that Pure Land Buddhists seek enlightenment or “birth into the Pure Land” so that they can then return to samsara, the cycle of suffering, to liberate others.

“For a person seeking birth [in the Pure Land] through Nenbutsu, birth is possible without loss of this mortal frame.”—Shinran (in A Portrait of Shinran: As Presented in Kakunyo’s Three Classical Collections)

Demythologizing the Pure Land

Yasuda Rijin challenged traditional supernatural interpretations of the Pure Land as a literal, physical paradise. Instead, he reframes the Pure Land as a metaphorical space representing a state of mind imbued with compassion, wisdom, and interconnectedness. By interpreting the Pure Land as a psychological and ethical ideal, contemporary practitioners can engage with Shinran’s teachings without requiring belief in metaphysical realms. This interpretation, however, has its basis in Shinran’s own writings and is echoed in Jeff Wilson’s book Living Nembutsu. Yasuda Rijin’s interpretation of Pure Land Buddhism is an orthodox interpretation, in line with what the sutras themselves state.

“As Shinran says, ‘When a person has entered completely into the Pure Land of happiness, they immediately realize the supreme nirvana; they realize the supreme enlightenment.’ This is because the Pure Land is itself nirvana — it is a way of conceiving and discussing the inconceivable.” — Jeff Wilson (Living Nembutsu)

In a secular context, Amida Buddha can be understood not as a literal entity but as a symbol of ultimate concern, embodying the values of infinite compassion and boundless inclusivity. Similarly, the recitation of nembutsu can be seen as a meditative practice fostering mindfulness, gratitude, and humility rather than a plea for supernatural intervention.

“It is not that one is born in the Pure Land through the nenbutsu; the nenbutsu is birth in the Pure Land. Birth in the Pure Land signifies a new existence. Each day is a new life.” — Yasuda Rijin

Key Aspects of Jodo Shinshu Through a Secular Lens

1. Faith as Trust and Humility: Shinran’s concept of faith (“shinjin”) can be reinterpreted as an acknowledgment of interdependence and the limitations of individualism. This aligns well with modern psychological insights into the benefits of gratitude and humility in fostering mental well-being.
2. Amida’s Vow as Ethical Ideal: Amida’s primal vow, which promises universal liberation, can be understood as an ethical commitment to strive for the alleviation of suffering and the cultivation of compassion in a world marked by impermanence and uncertainty.
3. Nembutsu as Mindful Practice: The repetition of “Namu Amida Butsu” can be adapted into a mindfulness practice, grounding individuals in the present moment and reminding them of the interconnectedness of all life.
4. Pure Land as a Vision for Society: Rather than envisioning the Pure Land as an otherworldly paradise, it can be seen as a metaphor for an enlightened society — one characterized by equality, compassion, and justice. This perspective aligns Jodo Shinshu with socially engaged Buddhism.

Integrating Secular Buddhism and Jodo Shinshu

Jeff Wilson’s Living Nembutsu provides a valuable framework for integrating traditional Pure Land practices with modern secular sensibilities. Wilson emphasizes the practical and emotional benefits of nembutsu practice, such as fostering resilience, gratitude, and a sense of purpose. By approaching these teachings with a critical yet appreciative mindset, secular Buddhists can draw inspiration from Shinran’s vision without the need to adopt supernatural beliefs.

Stephen Batchelor’s secular reinterpretation of Buddhism, which emphasizes pragmatic ethics and personal transformation, offers a complementary lens. By applying Batchelor’s critical approach to Shinran’s teachings, we can reinterpret the Pure Land path as a practical philosophy for navigating life’s challenges with humility, compassion, and gratitude.

Conclusion: A Modern Vision of Pure Land Practice

Interpreting Pure Land Buddhism through the lens of Secular Buddhism allows us to honor Shinran Shonin’s profound insights while adapting his teachings to contemporary contexts. By demythologizing concepts like Amida Buddha and the Pure Land, we can focus on the ethical, psychological, and social dimensions of Jodo Shinshu. This approach not only preserves the transformative power of Shinran’s vision but also makes it accessible to modern practitioners seeking a meaningful, grounded spiritual path.

P.S. Egalitarianism and Radical Inclusion

Shinran’s Jodo Shinshu Buddhism embodies a profound ethos of inclusivity and universalism. At its heart lies Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow, a promise to embrace all beings without discrimination. This foundational principle transforms Jodo Shinshu into a spiritual path where societal distinctions — such as race, gender, or sexual orientation — hold no bearing on one’s ability to achieve enlightenment. Shinran taught that the “Ocean of Great Shinjin” (Great Trust) transcends all dualities, affirming equality for all regardless of moral achievements, societal labels, or religious practices.

This inclusivity extends to contemporary issues of social justice. Jodo Shinshu communities have long championed racial equality and LGBTQ rights. For example, the Buddhist Churches of America have actively supported same-sex marriage since the 1970s, making them pioneers among global religious groups. Ministers performed some of the first same-sex weddings in Buddhism, often citing Amida Buddha’s non-discriminating compassion as their religious/philosophical foundation. Similarly, the tradition’s embrace of marginalized communities reflects Shinran’s radical stance that Amida’s compassion prioritizes those whom society labels as “evil” or “inferior.”​

The general philosophy of Jodo Shinshu also promotes solidarity with movements like Black Lives Matter, emphasizing the importance of addressing systemic inequities. The teaching that Amida’s compassion encompasses all beings resonates with the call to dismantle structures of oppression and uplift those who face systemic injustice. By rooting their activism in the wisdom of non-discrimination, Jodo Shinshu practitioners aim to create a world where every individual is valued and supported.