Fragrance of Light

My new Dharma crush

Namo Amida Bu.

A little news first. The stewards have been running the temple for a month now and are doing a fine job - Kaspa and I keep thinking about chasing the plumber or worrying about the weeds and then remembering that those things aren’t our responsibility any more… we are appreciating it very much! Our house-buying process has been rocky and we may complete over the next few weeks but there’s still a distinct possibility the whole thing will fall through - wish us luck.

One of our book groups starts tonight but you can still sign up to the one in the temple. These are small friendly groups for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the Dharma. And don’t forget you can join us for live streamed practice (or in your own time on Youtube).

Now: my new Dharma crush!

For months now I have been starting my day with a few pages of the book Songs of Light: Reflections on the Hymns of Shinran by George Gatenby. Rev. Gatenby was an Australian Jodo Shinshu priest who, over more than a decade, wrote commentaries on the 352 short hymns written by Shinran. The great Pure Land master Shinran wrote these hymns in everyday language (unlike his works in classical Chinese) as a way of sharing the Dharma with ordinary people.

I have always found them exquisitely beautiful. Here is one of my favourites:

The light of compassion illuminates us from afar;
Those beings it reaches, it is taught,
Attain joy in the dharma,
So take refuge in Amida, the great consolation.

The hymns contain many teachings about Shakyamuni and Amida Buddha¹, stories about the seven great Pure Land² Masters, and advice on how to live a life centred on the nembutsu³.

What I love about the hymns the most, though, is the joy that radiates from the words. It’s clear from Shinran’s writing that, as a result of his relationship with Amida Buddha, he was living a contented, grounded life full of gratitude. What better advert for spiritual practice is there?

Personally, I quite enjoy being a bit of a Pure Land nerd. I enjoy expanding my knowledge about the historical context of Pure Land, and learning about different teachers. I gather facts and doctrinal disagreements and obscure texts and I like to know things.

All of this knowing, though, is unnecessary - extra. All that is necessary is to know that Amida Buddha accepts me just as I am, and to say their name in deep gratitude for their wisdom and compassion: Namo Amida Butsu.

Shinran is reminding us that this practice is available to everyone. It is simple. It doesn’t require you to be intellectual, or that you are living an ethical life, or that you have lots of time or money. Deeply see your limited nature, and turn naturally to the Buddha - who has been just next to you all along, waiting patiently for you to see them.

When sentient beings think on Amida,
Just as a child thinks of its mother,
They indeed see the Tathagata - who is never distant -
Both in the present and in the future.

Such beings are like people who, imbued with incense,
Bear its fragrance on their bodies;
They may be called
Those adorned with the fragrance of light.

Shinran’s hymns are a testament to his love of the nembutsu, and the fragrance of light emanates from him as if he were the sun-and-the-moon. Here is some of Rev. Gatenby’s commentary on these verses:

One of the most wonderful times in my life was the first three or four years following the discovery of the nembutsu. It was indescribably liberating, as it often seems to be for so many who come to it for the first time. But it was also the period during which I became saturated with nembutsu - steeped in it. As the famous pyschologist of religion, William James, once said: it’s very much like falling in love.

As you can see, Rev. Gatenby was also adorned with the fragrance of light.

I am finding that, through immersing myself in both of their words, their light (borrowed from Amida) is seeping into me.

Maybe some of it is in these words as you read them. Maybe you can feel it?

With love,
Satya

I’d recommend buying Rev Gatenby’s work in book form, but if you’d like to get a taste it’s also available online here. I’ll be leading a book group at the temple on six of his commentaries starting in January - if there’s demand for an online version maybe I’ll do one of those in the Spring, let me know! satya@satyarobyn.com.

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1. Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life, is at the centre of Pure Land Buddhism.

2. Pure Land Buddhism is the most popular form of Buddhism in Japan.

3. The nembutsu is the practice of saying the name of Amida Buddha: Namo Amida Butsu. It is said that if we say their name, they will grasp us, never to abandon us, and we will be able to live happy lives of settled faith before going to their Pure Land upon our death where we’ll become enlightened.