"The Youth Conv." on the Wisdom of Tannisho Why is "Only the Nembutsu is True?"
At “the Youth Convention”, on March 22, Takamori Sensei taught the true intent of Master Shinran through the words in Postscript, Tannisho (Lamenting the Deviations),
After the great earthquake, the entire country of Japan has been going under the slogan “Move Forward,” but the question is which direction is “forward.” Young Shinran followers pledged to convey Master Shinran’s teachings which clearly show the most important matter for us, the direction we should move towards.
Young people from across Japan hosted a lecture called “the Youth Convention”. The subject of the lecture was the following words from Tannisho:
“In this world as fleeting and unstable as a burning house, inhabited by ordinary people beset by worldly passions, all is idleness and foolishness, utterly devoid of truth. Only the nembutsu is true.”
People cannot live without believing in something. However, everything in this world is impermanent. What we believe one moment betrays us in the next. Furthermore, we all are “ordinary people beset by worldly passions (100% worldly passions),” who only know “idleness and foolishness,” things that will betray us without fail. This is the reality of all humankind. Shinran followers at the 2000-Tatami-Mat Hall listened seriously to the teachings of Master Shinran, who pointed us in the right direction, saying, “If you want to achieve true happiness, move forward only towards Amida Buddha (ikko sennnen muryoju butsu, i.e., one must leave aside all other buddhas, bodhisattvas, and gods, and turn only to Amida), for only Amida Buddha’s Vow is true.
Overcome the disaster and listen to Buddhism
Now is the time when the whole world is watching Japan’s recovery from the great earthquake. The pamphlet published by young Shinran followers is full of enthusiasm to share the Japanese Buddhist spirit with people all over the world.
Mr. Keisuke Minami, a representative of young Shinran followers, edited the pamphlet and said, “There are many Buddhist friends who are engaged in the reconstruction assistance in the disaster sites. They all feel sad about the disaster and gave us a lot of heartfelt messages, hoping that this tragedy will provide a good opportunity to convey Master Shinran’s teachings.”
Mr. Junpei Uratani from Tokyo and Mr. Tsuyoshi Takihara from Hiroshima delivered Followers’ Speeches. After the speech, Mr. Takihara said, “Recently people often say ‘Let’s move forward.’ But if we move forward towards something that will betray us, we will end up piling stones in sai no kawara or Children’s Limbo. I want to tell as many people as possible about the existence of “the ship of Amida’s Vow.”
Source: The Buddhist Village Times #06 | 2011, "The Youth Conv." on the Wisdom of Tannisho Why is "Only the Nembutsu is True?"
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