My Father’s Sermon As He Was Dying
The webinar on March 20 turned out to be my father’s last bond with Takamori-sensei in this life. He suffered from a terminal illness and so had to stay in bed all day long. Regardless of his condition, just before chanting began, he straightened his back and listened intently to the lecture.
I saw Amida Buddha’s tremendous mind power in person through my father’s last time listening to Buddhism, for Amida made him listen to the truth against all odds. Till now, it had been my wish that I could convey Buddhism to my father, but in the end it was my father who taught me Buddhism through his physical state.
I will never forget his last time listening to Buddhism. Keeping it in my memory as his will, I will devote myself to listening to Buddhism. Please continue guiding us to the true teachings of Buddhism.
Shunsuke Sakane, Specialists Chapter
Glossary
Amida’s Primal Vow:
The pledge or promise made by Amida Buddha. Amida Buddha is the master of all the countless buddhas of the universe. Śākyamuni Buddha, who appeared on Earth, is one of these countless buddhas of the universe, so the relationship between him and Amida Buddha is one of student and master respectively. The role of a student is to convey their master’s true intention to as many people as possible, so Śākyamuni spent his whole lifetime conveying only Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow – the promise Amida made to “save all people into absolute happiness without fail.”
In Shōshinge, Master Shinran conveyed this with the lines, “Nyorai shōi kō shusse, yui setsu Mida Hongankai.” (“The purpose of Śākyamuni Buddha’s appearance on this earth was solely to convey the ocean-like Vow of Amida Buddha.”)
Source: The Buddhist Village Times #65 | 2016, My Father’s Sermon As He Was Dying
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