The “Creed” (Ryogemon) written by Master Rennyo begins with the following words:

Casting aside all auxiliary/mixed practices and the mind of self-centered effort with singleness of mind/heart, I rely upon Amida Tathagata for enlightenment in the life to come. I believe that at the moment of entrustment, my birth in the Pure Land is absolutely assured. Any Nembutsu recited thereafter only expresses gratitude to Amida...

These words express giving up all “auxiliary/mixed practices” (zogyo) performed through “self-centered effort” (jiriki) and also recitating the Nembutsu through that same sort of endeavor in an attempt to be born in the Pure Land. It expresses leaving “that matter of greatest importance” completely up to Amida Buddha.

The moment we leave everything up to Amida Buddha, our birth in his Pure Land is assured. Because of absolute confidence in the Buddha’s ability to cause our “salvation,” any recitation of the Nembutsu after that moment is just an expression of joy and gratitude for our indebtedness to the Buddha.

I believe the expression, “at the moment of entrustment, birth in the Pure Land is absolutely assured,” is extremely important. The moment we leave it all up to the workings of Amida Buddha, we dwell in the “‘group of those assured (of birth in the Pure Land)’ in our ‘present life’” and the conviction that our “birth in the Pure Land is settled” (ojo ichijo) arises and we dwell in a state of complete assurance. And as expressed, “any Nembutsu recited thereafter only expresses gratitude to Amida...,” the Nembutsu (Namo Amida Butsu) that we recite in that realm of assurance is a recitation of gratitude for our indebtedness.

Incidentally, Letter 10, Fascle V, of “Honorable Letters,” which is familiar to all followers of Jodo-Shinshu because it simply and concisely expresses the Venerable Master Shinran’s teaching, contains the passage:

What is taught by the Venerable Master (Shinran) and in his school is that shinjin is fundamental. The reason we do so is because our birth (in the Pure Land) is assured when we discard performing auxiliary/mixed practices and singleheartedly take refuge in Amida because of the “marvelously mysterious” working of his Vow. This state is expressed as “awakening the one thought-moment (of entrusting), and joining the group of those assured (of birth in the Pure Land).” Reciting the Name of the Buddha (saying “Namo Amida Butsu”) should therefore be understood as expressing gratitude to the Tathagata for having established the conditions for our birth (in the Pure Land).