Year-End Greeting
Reverend
Koho Takata
People
often ask me about the amount of donations to the temple.
Some people think that if you always make donation or if you donate the
big amount of the money, you will go to the Pure Land at the end of life.
However, it is misunderstanding.
"It may be possible to say
that making offerings is the practice of the paramita of charity.
But however precious a treasurer one may offer before the Buddha or give
to a teacher, it is meaningless if one lacks Shinjin (true entrusting mind to
the Buddha and his teachings). And
even though one may not make a donation of even a single sheet of paper or half
a penny to the Sangha, if one yield one's heart to Other Power and one's
Shinjin is deep, one is in accord with the essential intent of the Vow."
(The Collected Works of Shinran, P. 677)
Shinran
Shonin strongly expressed the importance of Shinjin and denied the thoughts that
one's after life depends on the amount of the donation.
There is a story in one of Rennyo Shonin's letters. There was a very rich member. One day, a minister told the rich member, "You have not realized Shinjin yet, so should further listen to the teachings of the Buddha." After listening the minister's saying, the rich member became very upset and told the minister, "My family always donated the big money to the temple for generations. When you renovated the temple, I donated the big amount of money and helped you financially. Moreover, I never missed sending you the seasonal gifts. All these donations prove my Shinjin to the Buddha and the teachings. Don't you think so? Why would you tell me that I have not received Shinjin yet? If you tell me like that, I will quit being the member of your temple."
Then, the minister thought to himself, "If he quits our temple's membership, we definitely lose the big financial supports." Then, the minister told to the rich member, "That's right. What you are saying is all correct. Nothing wrongs! The reason why I told you is that I heard somebody talking about you not having Shinjin. I am very sorry. I will not tell you anymore that you have not have Shinjin yet. So, please do not quit our temple."
To
criticize and deny this kind of wrong thoughts and ideas, Rennyo Shonin wrote
the above event in his letter and read in the temple and shared with ministers
and members.
To
donate something is a really good thing. However,
donations do not determine the attainment of birth in the Pure Land after one's death. In Buddhism, we call
donation as Dana, one of practices for selfless giving.
It is characterized by three. 1)
Purity of the giver – any gesture whatsoever of appreciation from the
receiver is not expected. 2) Purity
of the gift – all attachments to the relative value of the gift, whether
it be material goods, a helping hand, kind words and smile, etc. 3) Purity of receiver – the giver sees no receiver in
the sense of attachment of any kind in interdependence the giver becomes given.
It
is not only materials and money, but also your actions (eye – no sharp
looks; face - gentle smile; mouth - kind words; heart - kind and understanding;
body - helping; position - share honors; and hospitality).
Let
us always remember the three purities of Dana and practice the selfless giving
and further listen to the voiceless voice of Amida Buddha in our daily lives.
In closing of my message for the Year 2002, I would like to share with
you one of sayings of Rennyo Shonin.
"Knowing that on the 6th day of the 12th month Rennyo Shonin was about to leave Kyoto for Setsu-Tonda's Kyogyoji Temple, a great number of people came to see him on the eve of the 5th. Then Rennyo Shonin asked, "Why are so many people here this evening?" Junsei replied, "They are here to express their thanks to you for your many sermons over the last few days. They are here seeing you before you leave Kyoto for the country tomorrow, and because it is also the year's end, when they want to extend their year's end greetings to you!" Rennyo Shonin then simply said, "Useless are year-end greetings! Instead of expressing their year-end wishes to thank me, they should first obtain Shinjin!"
Namo-Amidabutsu