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SF: I'd like to ask, what do you think are the core sort of ideas or core philosophical positions of JoudoShinshu sect Buddhism? The main things in your view.

RI: Well, in -- Joudo Shinshu's quite different from the other sects. The other ones are called self-power schools, where you strive to gain awakening and enlightenment for yourself. And Joudo Shinshu is, is very different in that rather than seeking that for yourself, the goal is to see others as enlightened, you see. And so you find a certain humility built in, and also awareness of the greatness of everyone else. That there's a Buddha in every -- not only human being but all the animals and all the plants. So it's quite a compassionate, healing way of looking at life. In Bud -- in Joudo Shinshu we have our own, what we call mudra or hand motion, mantra of what we say, and then the thought that goes along with it. And so if you go to a Buddhist temple you always see them put their hands together like this, and say, "Namu-Amida-Butsu." And this is the core of JoudoShin Buddhism. Namu means "this blind arrogant person here." And Amida-Butsu means "Amida Buddha" or the "great reality -- universal reality that embraces this blind selfish person constantly." And so this is the basis of Buddhism, realizing -- of Shin Buddhism -- is realizing that all the, all the good things in my life are gifts, undeserved gifts, and any troubles that I perceive are self-created. And this kind of stupid, foolish person here still enjoys a very wonderful life in comparison to others. That is undeserved. There's no reason why I should be healthy and eating and living in a large home. I'm no better than the person starving, not even on the other side of the world, but just down the street, or who doesn't enjoy longer life and all this. So, I think this is the basic understanding of Buddhism, of Joudo Shin Buddhism that distinguishes it from the other forms. But I think the other forms of Buddhism, in the end, all come to this. After they've striven -- is that a word, striven? [Laughs] For their own freedom or emancipation. Being human, we come short a lot. And then to still feel embraced by a greater reality or compassion is wonderfully -- very warm and, you know, brings warm tears of gratitude that I'm not, I'm not judged or forsaken like in some other religions where there's good people and bad. Here we're all equally human and foolish. And this is what makes us lovable. And this is why we should all accept each other on that basis and not have unrealistic expectations of others and so on. So you can see how it's reflected in a healthy marriage, if you see yourself -- you and your spouse that way. And you see all the mistakes you make as a couple. It's both something to work on, also very humorous, too, when you think about how foolish we are. How we get worked up over who's gonna wash the dishes, or why didn't you mow the lawn, you know? Divorces happen from that, right? You can see what's with working with children. At work, where people often get quite arrogant about their titles and their accomplishments, not realizing that all these are gifts. So, anyway, that's kind of the core.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.