Hi Dharma-friends! With this episode, we conclude our traversal of Shinran's 34 Wasan verses on Master T'an-luan, who lived in China 476-562 CE.  Master T'an-luan is the great teacher of Other Power or Power Beyond Self, which is a core feature of Shinran's understanding of Buddhism.   In today's verses, T'an-luan explains that whether one's practice is fully in accord with reality is determined by Shinjin (entrusting or awakening).  The shinjin of Self-Power is shown to be lacking, while the shinjin of Other-Power is in accordance with ultimate reality.  Other-Power o ..read more

Hi Dharma friends, Welcome back to our reading of Shinran Shonin's verses on Master T'an-luan, the third master in the Jōdo Shinshū lineage.  T'an-luan, who lived 476-542 CE in China, is the one who best explained the teaching of Other Power, a key concept in Shinran's understanding of Buddhism.  While today's verses lean more toward the biographical end of the spectrum in this collection, there are tantalizing intimations of the powerful teachings that follow.  Please enjoy them! If you like hearing the regular Wasan verses, please encourage your friends to listen also.  C ..read more

Hi Dharma Friends! Welcome back to our traversal of the Kōsō Wasan by Shinran Shonin.  Today's verses are based on the writings of Bodhisattva Vasubandhu, who lived in India from around 320-400 C.E.  Shinran particularly wishes us to pay attention to Vasubandhu's understanding of "the mind that is single," the mind that focuses completely on the path to awakening, which is Nembutsu Path.  This episode covers the first five of Shinran's verses on Vasubandhu.  Next time, we'll hear the second five.  Please be well, always saying Namo-Amida-Butsu! With palms together, Gar ..read more

Hi Dharma friends! With this episode, we conclude our journey listening to the Jōdo Wasan (Hymns of the Pure Land) of Shinran Shonin. In this section, Shinran venerates Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, who Shinran especially associates with his own teacher, Master Hōnen.  Just as he received his own profound understanding of Nembutsu through Master Hōnen, Shinran now passes it along to us.  How truly grateful we are!  It has been a joy reading this collection of Wasan verses with you.  I hope we will be able to hear other collections of Shinran's Wasan verses go ..read more

Hi Dharma-friends! This episode's verses from the Pure Land Hymns on the Right, Semblance, and Last Dharma Ages are very powerful and are among my favorite expressions of the Dharma by Shinran Shonin.  Shinran is telling us not to worry that our own limitations due to distractions and self-indulgence are too heavy for Liberation.  The Light of Amida's Vow of Wisdom is like a great torch illuminating a dark place.  That Light is boundless and reaches everywhere.  Because saying the Name, Namo-Amida-Butsu, in Shinjin is Amida's own practice, it overcomes literally every obsta ..read more

Hi Dharma Friends, Welcome to the 20th Episode of the Jodo Wasan of Shinran Shonin!  We're in the section called "Hymns on Benefits in the Present." This week, enjoy listening to the middle five Wasan verses in this section. Next week, we will conclude the section with the remaining five.  Please tell all your friends who might be interested in the podcast and help share the Dharma.  As you know, the latest episode can also be heard on the phone by calling 607-350-ABSC (607-350-2272).  Check out the American Buddhist Study Center's webpage for more cool Dharma-centered cont ..read more

Hi Dharma-friends! Welcome back for the conclusion of our traversal of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan or Hymns of the Dharma-Ages.  , These verses are among Shinran's last public thoughts and are particularly trenchant, even for such a fearless guy as Shinran.  In these verses, Shinran looks directly into the mirror and identifies himself as a fellow foolish being of this last dharma-age, our dharma-age, the time when the teaching alone remains, but the self-power practices and realization have become extinct.  Shinran, our great teacher, does not exempt himself from his understanding of ..read more

Hoshina Seki interviews Priya Kumari, author and publisher of children's books. In this interview, Priya talks about how she started writing children's books and then setting up her own publishing company Eternal Tree Books. Even though her books are for kids 3 to 8, she adds a workbook at the end for parents and teachers. Take a listen; I think you will enjoy it.  ..read more

Hi Dharma Friends!  With this episode, we conclude the reading of the Jodo Wasan section, "On the Larger Sutra."  Next time we will start another group, "On the Contemplation Sutra."  I really hope you have been enjoying these readings. Remember that when questions about Shinran's thoughts arise upon hearing some of these verses, those are golden opportunities to ask about them to your ministers, other reliable teachers, or knowledgeable Sangha friends.  In this way, your own understanding can deepen, and the Dharma will spread.  This is the true purpose of the writing ..read more

Hi Dharma-friends, In this episode we continue with 5 more verses of the Shōzōmatsu Wasan known as "Additional Hymns of Lament on the Term Hotoke."  Hotoke commonly means "Buddha."  According to the commentary found in The Collected Works of Shinran (CWS), "Probing into the origins of the term, Shinran traces it back to an early critic of Buddhism, Mononobe no Moriya (d. 587), who opposed its introduction into Japan.  According to Shinran, Moriya applied the term, with the meaning "sick with fever," to a statue of Amida that was discovered in Naniwa Bay (present Osaka) and later ..read more