The Problems of “Birth in the Pure Land with a Doubtful Mind” and “Birth in the Pure Land Not Determined During Our Present Life”

As already mentioned, the Venerable Master emphasized the “rightly-established group” that we join when we receive shinjin. I believe it would not be overstating the case to say that this understanding changed the Pure Land teaching. The change was from the emphasis on salvation in the next world at the moment of death, to being blessed with salvation in our present life. But although the Venerable Master went to great pains to teach about salvation in the present, what slights his great efforts are the views of “birth in the Pure Land with a doubtful mind” (gishin ojo) and “birth in the Pure Land not determined during our present life” (shogai fuketsujo).

These views have been around for a long time. Although they have always been considered wrong in Jodo-Shinshu, it is an unfortunate fact that such views are held even today.

“Birth in the Pure Land with a doubtful mind” refers to the view that asserts doubts about the Primal Vow cannot be erased as long as we are alive. “Birth in the Pure Land not determined during this life” asserts that because we are “ignorant beings filled with base passions” we cannot have the conviction that we will be born in the Pure Land without doubt. I believe both these positions are preposterous assertions that consider the splendid teaching of the Venerable Master regarding salvation in the present to be nothing more than “concepts.”

Passages that are considered to uphold the “birth in the Pure Land with doubt” position are:

Though I rely on the True Teaching
of the Pure Land (Jodo-Shinshu),
The True Mind is difficult to acquire.
I have an ignorant and insincere body
And am absolutely without a Pure Mind.
(Shozomatsu Wasan)

The highest than which there is no higher,
Is what “true liberation” is,
Is Tathagata itself.
Those who are “truly liberated”
Dwell in the state
Of “non-love” and “non-doubt.”
(Jodo Wasan)

“True liberation” in this wasan refers to birth in the Pure Land and thus some mistakenly understand it to mean that our doubts will be removed only after we are born there.