MURYOKO
'Infinite Light'
Journal of Shin Buddhism
John Paraskevopoulos
Imperturbability
There is an expectation, among many people, that the purpose of any religious teaching is to promote spiritual well-being and endow us with qualities such as serenity, happiness and strength. It is often assumed that this is simply done by a feat of 'positive thinking', ie. the elimination of all negative elements in one's disposition and outlook. By simply purging oneself of these hindrances, it is expected that one can attain a state of imperturbability (similar to the ataraxia of the ancient Greeks)- a tranquil conquest of the ordinary human passions that defile and debase us.
Unfortunately, the way in which such teachings are often presented leads to unrealistic expectations which can be psychologically harmful. In striving to transcend the infirmities of the human condition one often forgets to be altogether human, with all the frailties and vulnerabilities that this entails. In other words, the self-conscious pursuit of spiritual 'perfection' almost invariably leads to a disfigurement of our real nature and to an act of violence done to our psyche. Why should this be so? To be human is to be capable of the very best and the very worse that people can be. The human condition is deeply ambiguous and full of terrible paradoxes that cannot be simply charmed away by a formulaic course in meditation or the undertaking of conventional 'good deeds'. To be fully human means to be completely aware of this condition; both the majestic joyful peaks and the dark shadows that can wreak so much havoc in our lives. Neither is a genuine spiritual path about improving our self-esteem. Sometimes the honest pursuit of 'enlightenment' requires us to confront some appalling truths about ourselves - a confrontation that is an indispensable prerequisite for genuine liberation.
Shinran, pre-eminently among the great spiritual teachers of the world, was painfully aware of the precariousness of following a spiritual path without hypocrisy and self-deception. This led him to the conclusion (formed not without some courage) that perfection, in the traditional Buddhist sense, could not be attained while we remain fully human - for to be human, was to to be finite, conditioned, flawed and benighted. Accordingly, while possessing minds likened to 'snakes and scorpions', Shinran believed that we cannot rely or place any confidence in such an inherently unstable entity as 'ourselves' in order to resolve the acute existential crisis in which we are immersed. All this must sound terribly pessimistic but, in truth, it is the beginning of a realization that can bring the greatest spiritual relief and joy.
What is the substance of Shinran's liberating realization ? In order to understand it, one must accept, or at least be open to, the reality of the Buddha - more precisely, the Buddha of Infinite Light (Amida) which is a designation of the ultimate reality (blissful, pure and eternal) that both transcends our limitations in every way yet embraces all things without exception. Many in the modern world find it difficult to accept such a reality but this is more often the result of prejudiced pre-conceptions rather than any reservations based on an open and impartial exploration of the spiritual life.
Through the spiritual practice of the nembutsu (the invocation of Amida's name - Namu Amida Butsu) the radiant world of the Buddha's wisdom and compassion is opened up for ordinary people who are then left with no option but to completely entrust themselves to its beneficent working. Such an attitude of faith and entrusting is known as shinjin which is really the dawning of Amida's light within us. It is through our awakening to this light, that we can truly see ourselves as we really are - 'warts and all' as the saying goes - and thus be freed from the illusions and fetters that bind us to a life of needless suffering. In doing so, we allow the Buddha's life to subsume and transform our own, thus bringing us to the peaceful shores of Nirvana when we eventually abandon the human state at death. But even here and now, the life of shinjin is a source of constant joy and consolation in the 'dark night of ignorance' for it shows us a mirror to our real selves and its multifarious deceptions while, at the same time, illuminating the path to freedom from such bondage and to achieving true 'selfhood' through our identity with Amida Buddha and the boundless, enlightened life with which he enfolds our brittle existence if we would only allow it to do so.