Shinran Shonin 750th Memorial

K. Ken Fujimoto

People have been mentioning the Shinran Shonin 750th Memorial observance, but I recently realized that no one has really given an explanation of the event(s). This is another one of those cases where people assume that everyone knows what and why things are happening. The result in this case, and in many other similar situations, is that things happen without people understanding and, therefore, being totally disinterested and oblivious to what a small group of people seem to be doing.

Our mother temple, the Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto, will be having a series of services to commemorate the 750th Memorial for our doctrinal founder, Shinran Shonin. Every fifty years, the Hongwanji uses the opportunity to revitalize and re-energize the followers throughout the world by making the service something special with projects, services and events. People from throughout Japan and from around the world will be attending one or more of the services planned from April of 2011, and ending in January, 2012, to celebrate this event (56 days and 110 services in total). The World Buddhist Women’s Association conference will be held in conjunction with the services set for overseas delegations attending this event in May of 2011. The recently completed refurbishing of the Founder’s Hall, the building housing an image of Shinran and one of the largest wooden structures in the world, was a project undertaken in preparation for this event. There are other projects being undertaken and planned.

As with all memorial services, this 750th memorial is not simply to remember Shinran Shonin, but it is to refresh and revitalize the teachings that he left us so that it becomes a part of our lives and of the lives of any and all who wish to encounter it. It may be a teaching that took root some 800 years ago, but it is still meaningful for people who encounter alienation, suffering and internal contradiction in the course of their lives, in short all of us. That teaching is not meant to be a relic that is treasured in a museum, but to be a dynamic core of each and every one of our lives today.

This observance is held to communicate this teaching and to implement new programs that will help in this communication and propagation. As such, there are many lesser events leading up to the main events at the Hongwanji. Each temple, district and organization is to have events leading to the BCA observance to be held in 2010. Each of the overseas districts will be undertaking similar activities and the culmination of the observance will be the services in Kyoto. San Jose and the Coast District have the honor of hosting these activities for the BCA next February.

For these services, a new rendition of the Shoshinge, written by Shinran and the chant that should be at the core of each follower’s devotional activity, has been developed and will be used during these services. We will begin to practice this and the chanting of this will be the focus of the district Nembutsu Family Convention as well.

We can take these activities in many ways, but we should take this opportunity to learn and grow as individuals treading the same Nembutsu path. We can learn and come closer to the teaching or become jaded into thinking “it is just another attempt to raise money.” The focus of the district convention may sound boring or it can sound like a real opportunity to do something together regardless of age and primary language. How we see things can greatly affect what we gain from that experience.

Are we going to see the activities of the 750th Memorial for Shinran as being a case of meaningless pomp or as an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to listen and hear the call of the compassionate-wisdom that Shinran pointed out as being the way to liberation for all beings regardless of where or when they happen to be living? It will all depend on how we look upon this event.

© May 25, 2009