Reflecting on the Meaning of the Juseige
By Josh McKinney | He/Him/His | Seattle Betsuin Youth Minister's Assistant
Originally Published: January 18th, 2020
Practicing the Holy Way – Selflessness,
Depth in right reflection and pure wisdom,
Aspiring toward the highest path,
I will be the teacher of devas and men.
Namo Amida Butsu
The quote above may or may not be familiar, but as Shin Buddhists it's one we encounter often. Below are those same lines in Japanese, where they will most likely be more familiar.
Rl YOKU JIN SHO NEN
JO E SHU BON GYO
SHI GU MU JO DO
I SHO TEN NIN SHI
That’s right, it's the Juseige. I’ve been chanting the Juseige just about once a week for the past 20 years now, and even though the english translation is right below the Sanskrit in our Purple Service Books, I never really read it, or knew of it’s meaning until I had to write this Dharma Talk. In case you haven’t read it in a while, here are the first 4 stanzas.
I establish the Vows unexcelled,
And reach the Highest Path, Bodhi
Were these Vows unfulfilled,
I would never attain Enlightenment.
I will be the greater provider
Throughout innumerable kalpas.
Should I fail to save all in need,
I would never attain Enlightenment.
Upon my attaining Enlightenment,
If my Name were not heard anywhere
In the ten quarters of the universe,
I would never attain Enlightenment.
And finally the line I opened my talk with,
Practicing the Holy Way – Selflessness,
Depth in right reflection and pure wisdom,
Aspiring toward the highest path,
I will be the teacher of devas and men.
It may be a little confusing at first glance. Clarifying questions immediately come to my mind. Questions like what does that even mean? Why is it significant to us as Jodo Shinshu Buddhists? And why do we recite it almost every week? As you might already know, the phrase Juseige itself means “Three Sacred Vows” and it is originally from the end of the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life, also known as just The Larger Sutra. The Larger Sutra was first recited by Bhiksu Dharmakara, later known as Amida Buddha, to his teacher Buddha Lokesvararaja. In it Dharmakara declares 48 vows that sum up his intent to become a Buddha himself and to create a Land of Highest Happiness where all suffering beings can be saved, also known as the Pure Land. After reciting the 48 vows to his master, Dharmakara recites the three vows we now know as the Juseige. These three vows are Dharamakara promising to
establish the most incomparable vow in the world, a promise to attain perfect Buddhahoood
a vow to save everyone in need
and a vow to have his name heard throughout the world after he attains Buddhahood
Those three vows are the first three stanzas of the Juseige. The first verse is Dharmakara’s promise to attain perfect Buddhahood
I establish the Vows unexcelled (A vow unlike any other vow)
And reach the Highest Path, Bodhi (Perfect Buddhahood)
Were these Vows unfulfilled,
I would never attain Enlightenment.
The second is his vow to save everyone
I will be the greater provider
Throughout innumerable kalpas.
Should I fail to save all in need,
I would never attain Enlightenment.
And his last vow is a promise to have his name heard everywhere.
Upon my attaining Enlightenment,
If my Name were not heard anywhere
In the ten quarters of the universe,
I would never attain Enlightenment.
These are Amida's vows. Become enlightened, save everyone, and spread his name, thus his teachings, throughout the world. That’s it.
And right after these vows, Dharmakara says this:
Practicing the Holy Way – Selflessness,
Depth in right reflection and pure wisdom,
Aspiring toward the highest path,
I will be the teacher of devas and men.
This is how he achieves his vows. Selflessness, right reflection, and pure wisdom, always walking the path to enlightenment. I sum these ideas up as selflessness, wisdom, and compassion. Because wisdom is not pure if it isn’t used with good intention. And once Dharmakara achieves his vows, he will teach everyone. That’s what the Juseige is all about. It’s the Dharmakara, the one who upon his enlightenment, his fulfillment of these vows, becomes Amida Buddha, declaring his intent to not only free himself from suffering and ignorance, but to reach all ten quarters of the universe and free everyone in them from suffering and ignorance as well.
All Dharmakara, Amida, wanted to do was help people. Through selflessness, reflection, wisdom, and compassion, he believed that he could save every being that the sun touched from suffering, even if it took thousands upon thousands of years. And here we are today, gathering here together, listening to the words of the Buddha, and spreading his ideas thousands of years later.
I guess the point of this talk is that it’s just as much our job to help people from suffering as it is Amida’s. His ideas have lasted the test of time for us to hear them, learn from them, and better ourselves with them. And then by living a life of Buddhahood and being selfless, wise, and compassionate people we can help others do the same.
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read the rest of the Juseige in english. One could spend a lifetime extracting valuable meaning from it's text.
If my Vows be certainly fulfilled,
May this whole universe quake.
And may the host of devas
Rain wondrous blossoms from the sky.
Namo Amida Butsu
