Shin
Buddhism, Jōdo Shinshū, is a spiritual path and personal journey towards being
at peace with oneself and the world. In
its most basic form it does not require blind faith or obedience to a creed or
person. But it proposes components of a
world view and life tools that will help in one’s journey. The word “proposes” is used because if one
does not find them compatible with one’s own perceptions and sensibilities then
Shin Buddhism may not be for you.
Important components of the world view
are:
·
There is something greater than us that embodies
unconditional love, perfect wisdom and compassion. It does not judge, or demand obedience and
worship. In great compassion it
understands us and therefore loves and supports unconditionally us on the path
towards peace of mind.
·
Nothing of this world is permanent. All things will change in time in small to
large ways.
·
For every action there is a reaction and it
ripples throughout the world. (last clause is related to the next component)
·
Everything is interdependent.
·
We are responsible for our own lives.
·
We have both potential and limitations.
·
Discomforts and sufferings and lack of peace of
mind are caused by oneself (in three basic ways stated below) and there is a
way of working with them.
1. Attachment
(greed, desire …)
2. Aversion
(dislike, anger …)
3.
Ignorance (unaware, uninformed, lack of
information …).
Some of the life tools are:
·
Practical and spiritual empiricism, i.e.
critical thinking and testing.
·
Practicing good emotional and thinking habits:
o Gratitude
o Self-awareness
o Empathy
o Openness
o Mindfulness
o Meditation
·
The process of accepting the self and world
as-it-is and being empowered by this acceptance.
·
The Eightfold Path in the context of
aforementioned world view and life tools.
Each
component and life tool has its own further explanation and elaboration. And, they all work together to help with
one’s growth spiritually and personally.
If
enough of these components and tools makes sense to you then perhaps you might
consider exploring Shin Buddhism more.
Audience
for this presentation: people who are experiencing unrest and are
questioning life itself. It will not be very
attractive to a person who seeking an afterlife or depends on authority and
legislation to impel their life.
