Book Review -- "Senchakushu"

by Dr. Kenneth Mullen

Honen's "Senchakushu"
English Translation Project
University of Hawaii Press 1998 pp 280.
Hard Back/ Paperback
ISBN 0-6248-2025-8

Nineteen ninety-nine marks the 800th anniversary of Honen Shonin's composition of the "Senchakushu" which is also considered his philosophical justification for founding the Jodo denomination. This was also the text that Honen allowed Shinran to copy and which had such a lasting impression on him.

Not only is this a clear translation, but the book also contains an excellent fifty-five page introduction and concludes with an informative glossary. The introduction gives a brief history of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan and also a summary of the teachings in the "Senchakushu". It goes over in detail Honen's twofold classification of Buddhist teachings into those leading to the Gateway to the Holy Path (shodomon) self-power, and those leading to the Gateway of the Pure Land (jodomon), other power. By a process of selection and rejection within the jodomon Honen shows the supremacy of the recitative nembutsu for our present dark age of mappo, and how Amida's divine light embraces those who practice it: "Honen believed that Amida Buddha exclusively selected the nembutsu as the means of salvation for all people.

 This belief was based on his spiritual conviction that the sole practice of reciting the nembutsu is the most accessible and therefore the most appropriate method for the ordinary, deluded beings living in the decadent age of mappo."(p. 35) The introduction also points out that: "... in the Pure Land school there is nothing one can call a lineage, nor is there proof of the oral transmission of its teachings. Nevertheless, on the basis of the sutras and commentaries and on my personal experience I have established the pure land sect." I find this stress on the personal experience of Amida's light an extremely important statement.

From the modern Western point of view, the core text itself can be viewed essentially as a work of hermeneutics, with Honen selecting and interpreting previous pure land Buddhist texts to give a secure foundation to the new pure land school. The depth and richness of the root texts and Honen's commentaries are such that each reader will discover their own favourite passages and ideas which will reinforce their belief in Amida's saving power. To select one quotation from Master Shan-tao: "The nembutsu alone was revealed, as (the practice with) the greatest karmic relationship. If anyone earnestly thinks of the Buddha, The Buddha in turn will think of him." Again just reading the glossary of terms would give the casual reader a good overview of Pure Land Buddhism.