Thank-you Letters To Takamori-sensei From Dharma Friends
Although It’s a Profound Book, It’s Easy to Read Akihiro Tani, Osaka
When I read You Were Born For A Reason 2 I was surprised that although the content was very deep, I was able to finish reading it all at once. I think it is because Takamori- sensei’s explanations of the quotes come first and then the original quotes follow right after that. I was able to read it smoothly without any discomfort because by the time I read a quote I already understood its meaning.
Through Amida Buddha’s Vow, the sutras, and the works of the true teachers, I could immediately know about Sangan Tennyu (Salvation through the 3 Vows), which is Amida’s true salvation and the basis of Master Shinran’s teaching. Together with Master Shinran, I will continue going forward on the path of the 3 Vows until I attain true faith and birth in the Land of Infinite Light.
There Should Not Be a Day that Is Spent Meaninglessly in Our Lives Natsumi Mukai, Tokyo
While reading the chapter of “The four and eight kinds of suffering”, I realized that although I enjoy various things in my daily life, doing so is like rejoicing over a mere charade. Having been shown that my future is dark and helpless as I must die, I realised that I was forgetting the most important thing in my life and I could not help but cry.
We are rushing toward the crucial matter of the afterlife. However Master Shinran declared to us that there is a great ship: Amida’s Vow. The unbelievably vast world we enter upon boarding the great ship was described with “the ten kinds of happiness in the present life.” Each kind of happiness is so wonderful, and I feel like it is so wondrous that I’ve come to know of the truth and am now seeking it.
Though I listen to the wonderful Vow of Amida, sometimes I wonder, “Is this true?” or “Surely there’s no way I could achieve that?” and start to feel hopeless and lonely. I learned that Amida Buddha created the Vow in order to lead us to absolute happiness, but as we don’t know what will happen after death or how true the Vow is, we do not completely let Amida Buddha help us.
Having also learned that there is no way to be saved without going through Amida’s 19th Vow of doing good deeds, I felt I have already been included in Amida’s great plan.
Olympic athletes devote their lives to the Olympic Games, but I am in the process of acquiring something even bigger than them. I need to be ready for it and I must not spend even one day in a meaningless way.
The Book is Dispelling All of My Doubts Ryoko Miura, Missionary
Sakyamuni Buddha, who said that life is suffering, also teaches us the joy of life. If people hear that, they become eager to know what the joy of life he teaches is like.
I couldn’t stop reading the book until the end because it was dispelling all of my doubts. Reading the words of the true Buddhist masters in the book, I learned that we must seriously listen to Buddhism and practice the teachings in our daily life.
Some say that Master Shinran did not teach us to do good deeds, but that is totally groundless. The book teaches San-gan Ten’nyu (Salvation Through the 3 Vows) quoting various scriptures. Without Hoben (means, which is Amida Buddha’s 19th and the 20th Vows), we cannot enter the world of truth (Amida Buddha’s 18th Vow).
Queen Vaidehi attained the true faith. It is not only special people that will be saved once they go through the path of Salvation through the 3 Vows but all people who are full of worldly passions.
I was made starkly aware that we must not mix our thoughts with the teachings. As we move towards the light, we must always refer to the words of the true Buddhist masters as the criterion of our judgment.
Source: The Buddhist Village Times #37 | 2014, Thank-you Letters To Takamori-sensei From Dharma Friends
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