お念仏の功徳 The Merits of Nembutsu

食いっぱぐれの浪人、十蔵は辻斬りに成りはてます。闇夜に乗じて物陰に潜み、通りかかった安吉を一刀両断のもとに切り捨てて懐の金銭を奪います。地面に横たわる屍に合掌してつぶやきます。「迷わず往生しろよ、南無阿弥陀仏、南無阿弥陀仏。」三文芝居そのままの一場面、はたして、十蔵の念仏で安吉は極楽浄土に往生できるのでしょうか。

　「慈悲の心を大切にし、良いことを行い、悪いことをしないようにする」ことは仏教徒として当然のことだと、法然上人は説かれています。辻斬りの十蔵に慈悲心があるとは思われません。また、殺生と偸盗は仏教が戒める十悪に挙げられています。十蔵の空念仏で安吉が往生するはずはありません。それどころか、無念の最後を迎えた安吉は幽霊となってあたりをさ迷い、十蔵は悪業の報いで、地獄に落ちる・・・などと考えるのは、短絡的です。

　まず、安吉が念仏の信者であるなら、死に方のいかんに関わらず極楽に往生することは定まっています。十蔵にしても、己の悪業を悔い改め、念仏信者となれば極楽に往生します。
　殺された安吉が念仏の信者でなくても、十蔵や安吉の縁者が念仏の功徳を回向すれば安吉の往生はなかうでしょう。ことほどさように、ひとり残さず衆生を救済しようという阿弥陀仏の慈悲心は広くて深いのです。

　ただ、勘違いしないでください。「慈悲の心を大切にし、良いことを行い、悪いことをしないようにする」ことが極楽往生に必要だということではありません。そのことを心がけることは仏教徒としてあたりまえのことだということです。そもそも、仏教徒でない人が、お念仏を称えようとするはずもなく、称えたとしても意味はないのですから。

　仏教の勧める生き方は崇高な理想です。あきらめたり、ひらきなおったりせずに実践することが大切です。失敗しても大丈夫です。一向にお念仏を称えて日々を過して行けば、必ず阿弥陀様は私達を導いてくださいます。また、最後にはお浄土に招いてくださるのですから。
　一年の締めくくりである仏名会を迎えるにあたり、お念仏の功徳について確認したいものです。

The Merits of Nembutsu
 
   Juzo, a ronin with no money to eat, had become a street killer. Taking advantage of the darkness, he lurked in the shadows, cutting down a passing Yashukichi with a single cut and robbing him of the money in his pocket. He then laid down on the ground and murmured to the corpse, "Don't get lost. Go straight to Amitabha’s heaven. Nam-Mu-Amidabutsu, Nam-Mu-Amidabutsu". In a scene out of a cheesy drama, does this Nenbutsu prayer by Juzo lead to the Pure Land of ultimate bliss?
　The founder of the Nembutsu sect in the Kamakura period, Honen, taught that it is essential for Buddhists to "cherish compassion, do what is good, and avoid doing what is evil.”
　It is unlikely that the street killer, Juzo, has compassion. Killing and theft are also listed among the ten evils that Buddhism condemns. It is impossible for Yashukichi to be reborn through Juzo's empty nembutsu.
　 Yashukichi, on the contrary, who has met his regretful end, will become a ghost and wander around the world, while Juzo will fall into hell as a reward for his evil deeds, you may imagine. If so, it reveals your shortsightedness.
 　First of all, if Yashukichi is a believer of Nembutsu, then he will be reborn in Amitabha’s paradise, regardless of the manner of his death, which is the promise made by Amitabha.
 　Even, Juzo, if he repents his evil deeds and becomes a believer in Nembutsu, will be reborn in paradise.
　 Supposing that Yashukichi, who was murdered, was not a believer. Then he would be invited to Amitabha’s world on condition that the converted Juzo or one of Yasukichi's acquaintances, who believes in Amitabha, turns to the merits of nembutsu.
 　You can see how broad and deep Amida Buddha's compassion to save all sentient beings is. However, please do not misunderstand. It does not mean that "cherish compassion, do good things and avoid doing bad things" is necessary for one’s rebirth in paradise. It just declares these to be fundamental for those who recite nembutsu to cherish Buddha's teachings. In the first place, it is unlikely for a person who is not a Buddhist to recite nembutsu, and even if he or she did, it would be a meaningless gesture without a sincere heart.
    The way of life recommended by Buddhism is a noble ideal. It is important to practice it without giving up or running into escapism.
 　Even if you fail the Buddha’s standards, it is okay. If we spend our days in single-hearted recitation of the Nembutsu, Amitabha will surely guide us. And in the end, he will invite us to the Pure Land.
 　As we approach the butsu-myo-e, the end of the year annual service, we can reconfirm the merits and virtues of nembutsu chanting.
   
Excerpt from Saint Honen's Dharma Words

If someone says, "Reciting Nembutsu is enough, because it will gain you rebirth to Amitabha's world," or causes bad karma without hesitation, fails to act benevolently, or neglects reciting of nembutsu, that is against the teaching of Buddhism.

 "Do not do evil but do good" is a teaching equally recommended by the Buddhas of all three worlds: past, present, and future. Those who do good deeds will receive good rewards, and those who do evil deeds will receive evil rewards in the next life.

Gasho