April 26, 2026
Dharma Message

Names are used to refer to someone or something. Instead of calling a person, “Hey you” or “hey it!”, we call a person generally by their first names. From a young age to now, I am sometimes called by one of my many nicknames. The names have ranged from twin, muscles 2, Nom, Nomi, Nyummy, and even Nobs. My mother would go through the list of my siblings and finally to my name and sometimes a middle name. It is when they call us by the first and middle name that we know we are in trouble.

Imagine being called by your given name and as life goes on, your name is changed a number of times. At birth (May 21, 1173), Shinran Shonin was given the name Matsuwakamaro. At the age of 9 years old, he would enter the monastic life and be ordained, given the name, Hannen. He would be called this name for 20 years, while studying on Mt. Hiei.

Not being able to attain his goal of enlightenment, Hannen descends Mt. Hiei for a 100-day meditation retreat. On the 95th day, he has a dream of Prince Shotoku (founder of Japanese Buddhism). This conferring dream tells Hannen to take the name Zenshin and to seek out the teacher Honen. Zenshin would again be given the name, Shakku by his teacher Honen. Due to jealousy and politics of other Buddhist sects, Honen and Shakku are exiled to different parts of Japan.

Being stripped of this name and exiled, he is now named Yoshizone Fujii. However, he would refer to himself as Gutoku, ignorant, stubble-haired one; for he was no longer a monk nor a layperson. There is no date that indicates when he began to call himself Shinran, however, he was still in exile when taking this name. He took part of Vasubandhu’s name (Jpn.Seshin, the first patriarch of Jodo Shinshu) and part of Tanlu-an‘s name (Jpn Donran, the third patriarch of Jodo Shinshu). From then, he would be referred to as Shinran Shonin (Shonin is honorific and is translated as “revered priest”, “high ranking monk” or “saint”). It would be in the Meiji era (1860-1912) that Shinran Shonin would posthumously be given the title Kenshin Daishi.

Shinran Shonin was humble, wise, and scholarly, yet he knew he was also an imperfect being. He taught and lived Nembutsu (Namu Amida Butsu). Shinran Shonin promoted that everyone, regardless of so-cial status, economic status, gender, age or “perceived goodness” can attain Enlightenment by reciting Nem-butsu. Shinran Shonin never saw himself as a “founder”, it was his followers who gave him that title.

Since it is customary to celebrate birthdays, we observe Shinran Shonin’s birthday with thankfulness, gratitude and appreciation for his strength and perseverance. He challenged the traditional monastic practices and was the first monk to marry and raise a family. He also saw himself as a person who would follow Honen everywhere in spirit. He explained that true entrusting (shinjin) is not earned but rather bestowed upon us by Amida Buddha. He explained that self-enlightenment was futile, and it is the working of Other Power. Shinran Shonin realized that Nembutsu was inseparable from true entrusting (shinjin), also known as settled mind (Anjin). There is so much more.

We honor Shinran Shonin in our Nembutsu on his birthday. An American custom calls forth our “Happy Birthday Shinran Shonin!”. We continue to follow his teachings in search of our meaning of Namu Amida Butsu and what is called the true self.

Gassho,
Rev. Naomi Nakano



No services will be held at the temple on Sunday May 24, 2026. Rev. Nakano will be conducting services at the following cemeteries at the times indicated: