IN PART TWO, I related the things about the Venerable Master Shinran’s teaching that I thought important. As already stated, his unique insights are emphasizing joining the “‘rightly-established group’ of those assured (of birth in the Pure Land) in the present” (gensho shojoju) and transforming the Pure Land teaching from a “next-world centered” teaching to a “this-world centered” teaching. His teaching emphasizes an extremely deep, profound and thorough world of self reflection; it is the salvation of the evil person and of the “ignorant who are filled with base passions.” I seem to keep repeating myself, but I firmly believe that this teaching has much to teach our present world that is so confused.

Here, I would like to briefly take up several problems that are considered important today and consider how they are related to the Venerable Master’s teaching. They include matters such as the relationship between religion and medicine, and environmental problems.