Because we all have self-centeredness from our births to deaths, we cannot see the truth. We often see others, but we cannot see ourselves. For instance, people often grumble and complain to others, because they can see faults of others very well. However, they do not reflect upon themselves. They cannot see themselves because of their self-attachments. As I often mention to you, our teaching is to realize our evilness which is our ineradicable blind passions and to become a humble person. It is important for us to realize our ignorance in our daily lives through the guidance of the Buddha and the teachings.

One day, one of members told me that he could not be humble to one of his friends. I know he is trying to be humble to every beings, however, he cannot be humble to this particular friend because of his self-centeredness becoming a hindrance. As you know, we are all imperfect beings. Nobody can be perfect. Even though we cannot be perfectly humble, however, we need to practice the humility in our daily lives.

"With a foolish being full of blind passions, in this fleeting world–this burning house–all matters without exception are empty and false, totally without truth and sincerity. The nembutsu alone is true and real."

(The Collected Works of Shinran, P. 679)

Shinran Shonin used ‘this burning house’ as a metaphor. He was talking about our living world as like burning house with fire full of blind passions. Since the moment we are born and until the day we die, we cannot escape from this fleeting world. We always keep holding to our blind passions and desires to survive. Though we try to control our feelings, our desires and self-attachments keep obstructing us. Because we are always desiring and striving to get something, we grumble and complain about others. This is why Shinran Shonin mentioned that all matters without exception are empty and false, totally without truth and sincerity.

As Shinran Shonin mentioned that all matters are empty and false, then, what is the truth for you? Only the nembutsu is true and real. Nembutsu is Namo-Amidabutsu. This Amida’s Name is one and the same with Amida’s great mind and love. Therefore, all of Amida’s power and virtues are contained in this name. It is always in the Nembutsu that we realize Amida Buddha calling to us.

As you all know, my daughter is still a baby. Like her, we are all babies from Amida’s great eyes. We always give signals by complaining, grumbling, fighting, laughing, crying, enjoying, etc. to our ‘Oya-sama (Amida Buddha)’. Although we always show signals of small and petty things to our ‘Oya-sama’, he never ignored and abandoned us. He always embraces and takes care of us with a great mind. Let us see the Truth in our inner eyes and reflect upon and rededicate ourselves in our daily lives.

P.S.: Last my article, I shared with you about the name. As you already know, my daughter’s Japanese name is ‘Mai’. I chose her name from the Tannisho (A Record in Lament of Divergences) which I quoted in this article from the Collected Works of Shinran. ‘Mai’ means that ‘the nembutsu alone is true and real.’ I and my wife’s best wishes to my daughter are reflected on her name. As you can see from the meaning of her name, it is our hope that she walks path of the True Teachings of the Nembutsu in her daily lives.