Some Thoughts on the Nembutsu

Once Dharmakara realized the suffering of beings and made a vow to deliver them. Over infinite time and space Dharmakara (lit. the dharmic actor, or the action of the Dharma) strove to enact this primal vow. He vowed that he would only attain Buddhahood if all beings could be saved by chanting his name. He did become the Buddha Amida (Limitless Light) and so the salvation of all is assured. Or rather: because the salvation of all is assured he was able to become a Buddha.

Dharma action is what realizes the suffering of beings. It is the action of the Dharma to realize the suffering of beings. Further, it is the presence of Dharma within all action that allows the realization of the suffering of all beings. It is the action of the Dharma to wish that one’s own liberation and the liberation of all others be entertwined inseperately. Since they are, it is so and it will be so endlessly.

Chanting the name of Amida Buddha is entrusting yourself to the primal vow of Amida. More accurately, it is entrusting yourself to the primal vow of Dharmakara. It is entrusting yourself to the action of the Dharma. It is entrusting yourself to the one who does Dharma actions. That one is you; that one is not you; that one is Dharmaka Bodhisattva; that one is the primal vow; that one is the inseperability of beings Awakening and Amida's awakening.

We must ask then: is someone who chants Amida's name necessarily one who entrusts themselves? Is someone who does not chant Amida's name necessarily someone who does not entrust themselves? Is chanting Amida's name entrusting oneself to the primal vow of the action of the Dharma? We must also realize that one who chants Amida's name is absolutely entrusted to the primal vow of Dharmakara; absolutely held in the light of Amida; absolutely cradled in the lap of the Buddha of the Western Paradise.