The World Of Heizei G Ojo

The term heizei gojo refers to the fact that our “karma (for being born in the Pure Land) is determined” (gojo) during our “everyday life” (heizei). It means the same as being in the “‘group of those assured (of birth in the Pure Land)’ in our ‘present life.’” As I have repeated many times already, the outward expression in the sutras is that we will be included among those in the “group of those assured” when we are born in the Pure Land, but that it was the Venerable Master Shinran who taught us that when our “shinjin is determined” (shinjin ketsujo) in our “present life” (gensho)—in other words, in our “everyday life” (heizei)—is when we actually join that group.

Actually, however, the Venerable Master Shinran did not use the phrase “karma (for being born in the Pure Land) determined during our everyday life.” This phrase was used by Master Kakunyo (1270 - 1351 AD) and by his son Master Zonkaku (1290 - 1373 AD). Master Rennyo also frequently used this phrase.

I believe “karma (for being born in the Pure Land) determined during our everyday life” can be considered an expression that condenses all of the Venerable Master Shinran’s teaching.

Master Rennyo urged us to always keep “this greatest matter of the next life” (gosho no ichidaiji) in mind. What he meant by that was to urge us to receive “settled shinjin” in our everyday life.

As an example, in Letter 16, Fascle V of “Honorable Letters,” he wrote:

And so, because the impermanence of this world creates uncertainty for young and old alike, we should all immediately take to heart this greatest matter of the next life, and, deeply entrusting ourselves to Amida Buddha, recite the Nembutsu.

As indicated here, “this greatest matter of the next life” that he urged us to consider was relying completely on Amida Buddha, and becoming a person whose “shinjin is settled.”

The foundation for, “this matter of greatest importance in the next life” is the following passage in the “Larger Sutra”:

... later being born in the country of immeasurable life and basking in limitless joy.

The phrase translated above as “later being born” is gosho, literally “next life,” which does not merely mean the next world. It has the meaning of “birth in the Pure Land.” Accordingly, “this matter of greatest importance in the next life” really means, “this matter of ‘birth in the Pure Land’ is what is of greatest importance.”

In Letter 50 of the “Chogai Honorable Letters” is the phrase:

Nothing surpasses the urgent desire of being born in that good place in the next life.

As expressed here, “this matter of greatest importance in the next life” is this matter of greatest importance “in that good place in the next life.” That is why it has the meaning of “this matter of greatest importance in the ‘Buddha’s country of immeasurable life’ (the Pure Land) in the next life.” This is another indication that gosho no ichidaiji refers to “this matter of greatest importance is ‘birth in the Pure Land.’”