Interdependent

G Sakamoto

The Juseige is something we read in our services regularly. The Sanbutsuge, not so much. Both the Juseige and the Sanbutsuge are gathas found in the Larger Pureland Sutra. They are verses recited by Dharmakara before his teacher the Buddha Lokesvararaja. Between these two gathas are the Forty-eight Vows which Dharmakara fulfills to become Amida Buddha.

The quick chronology of this section of the sutra begins with a long series of Buddhas, beginning with the Buddha Dipankara, spanning an infinite amount of time, then the appearance the Buddha Lokesvararaja. During LokesvararajaÕs time a king, hearing the Buddha, leaves behind his life as a king to become a mendicant. This king, who renounces his past, is known as Dharmakara. Dharmakara praises the virtues of Lokesvararaja (Sanbutsuge) and then asks for his help. Lokesvararaja helps Dharmakara understand what is necessary to fulfill his aspiration to attain enlightenment. Dharmakara contemplates all that he has been shown, then returns to Lokesvararaja and states what he will do (Forty-eight Vows). Then in verse he reaffirms his intentions (Juseige).

In this short section of the Larger Pureland Sutra, the course of Amida BuddhaÕs appearance is described. From a king who becomes a mendicant, then as Dharmakara who vows to provide a means through which all beings can become Buddha, then fulfilling those vows and becoming Amida Buddha. Although, the Vows of Dharmakara, are essential to our understanding of Jodo Shinshu, I believe Sanbutsuge, and what follows, also contains values that we can learn from.

Dharmakara praises the virtues of Lokesvararaja in the Sanbutsuge and declares his intentions. He then asks for LokesvararajaÕs help to make real his aspirations. At this point in the sutra, DharmakaraÕs vows are a broad and general statement. With LokesvararjaÕs help Dharmakara is able to think through what he must do to fulfill his hopes. With LokesvararajaÕs help he is able to refine his aspirations into the Forty-eight Vows.

There is no question in my mind that Dharmakara does the work to become Amida Buddha, but it is also true that it is with LokesvararajaÕs help that Dharmakara begins to see how to fulfill his aspirations.

Whether we take this story of Lokesvararaja and Dharmakara as historical truth or not, does not matter so much. If we can see that here too, even with the beginnings of Amida Buddha, it is a relationship that is important. Amida does not become Amida alone. It is the result of a relationship that Amida comes into being.

Our lives too, are the result of relationships. Relationships, infinite causes and conditions, that bring us into being, nurture us and sustain us. When we recognize this, we can begin to appreciate what Shakyamuni described as the interdependency of all things.