Next to the term, “vow that eventually causes birth (in the Pure Land),” is the comment, “Even those who recite the Name with ‘self-centered effort’ will eventually be born (in the Pure Land).”

Further, in the Kugan-mon (The Nine Vows), the Venerable Master explains the text of the 20th Vow in the following way:

This vow guarantees that all those who recite the Nembutsu with “self-centered effort” will be born in the Pure Land. It is referred to as the vow in which “(Amida Buddha) directs his thoughts towards those who seek to be born in his Pure Land through ‘self-centered effort’ and absolutely guarantees their birth there.”

All these passages contain hints that we should strive to accomplish the goal of the 20th Vow, that is, to use the “Nembutsu of ‘self-centered effort’” (jiriki Nembutsu) to attain shinjin.

And then in the Chapter on Transformed Land of the Kyogyoshinsho, the Venerable Master wrote:

Monks and lay persons of this corrupt age should promptly enter the “true gate” of the “perfectly accomplished utmost virtue” and aspire for that marvelous birth in the Pure Land which is incapable of being thought of ... (that is why) Shakyamuni Buddha opened his treasure-house of virtue and urged all those in the ten directions of this corrupt age (to avail themselves of it). Amida Tathagata had previously established his “vow that eventually causes birth (in the Pure Land)” to guide all beings...

This is in the Chapter on Transformed Land, so it is considered a “provisional gate,” but it does recommend the “true gate” of the 20th Vow, which is also referred to as the “vow that eventually causes birth (in the Pure Land).”

The above passages are generally the ones that are used as the basis for asserting that the Venerable Master recommended using “‘self-centered effort’ to enter the ‘true gate’ of the Nembutsu” (jiriki shinmon nembutsu) before shinjin is determined. As already indicated, there are passages in the Chapter on Transformed Land, which is the chapter on the expedient and the provisional, that seem to urge following the “Nembutsu of the ‘true gate’ (20th Vow)” but as might be expected, there are also passages that admonish against following it.