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Page 2 of 3
The two benefits that we receive in the present and in the future are clearly expressed here:
(Note that in the above discussion, sometimes the term “settled group” (joju) is used, sometimes “correctly assured” (shojo), and sometimes “group of those correctly assured (of birth in the Pure Land)” (shojoju). Essentially, they all refer to the same thing. “Settled group” and “correctly assured” are partial combinations of the kanji characters used to write “group of those correctly assured (of birth in the Pure Land),” sho, jo and ju.) Further, regarding the matter of Amida Buddha coming to welcome us at death, that same Letter 4 of Fascle One contains the following passage: As for “not waiting for Amida to meet us at the moment of death” (furaiko), when we realize that with the “awakening of the one thought-moment,” we join the “group of those correctly assured (of birth in the Pure Land)” (receive shinjin), there is no longer a need to anticipate Amida’s coming. Waiting for “Amida to meet (us at the moment of death)” (raiko) is a matter of concern only to those who perform various other practices. Doers of true and real shinjin no longer need wait for (Amida’s) coming to meet (them) because with the awakening of the one thought-moment, they immediately receive the benefit of being in the “light that embraces and never abandons.” As expressed here, those with true shinjin join the group of those whose birth in the Pure Land is correctly determined. They are protected by the “light that embraces and never abandons,” and therefore there is no need to await Amida Buddha coming to welcome them at the moment of death. Again, in that same Letter 4 of Fascle One is the following: “Completing the cause (of our birth in the Pure Land) in everyday life” (heizei gojo) means hearing and fully understanding this principle, and being assured of birth (in the Pure Land). This is variously referred to as “joining the group of those (whose birth in the Pure Land is) truly settled” by awakening the one thought-moment, “completing the cause (of our birth in the Pure Land) in our everyday life,” and “immediately attaining birth (in the Pure Land) from which there is no retrogression.” This passage points out that “completing the cause (of our birth in the Pure Land) in everyday life” means that the moment we receive shinjin in our “everyday life” (heizei), our “birth in the Pure Land where we will become a Buddha is settled” (gojo) and emphasizes that this begins from the present. |