Shin Buddhism in Modern Culture

Chapter 14 – The Traditional Structure of Shinran’s Thought

Multiple Choice Questions

1. For which of the following reasons was the system of lineage of the transmission of the teaching formed?
- in China the concept of lineage was so important that it was absorbed into the Buddhist tradition
- the Mahayana Buddhists had to justify the development of their tradition in the eyes of the Hinayana Buddhists
- lineage is necessary for the transmission of enlightenment
2. For Honen, the recitation of the Nembutsu was:
- one right practice among many
- only for people who lacked the capacity for more rigorous disciplines
- the sole practice for everyone
3. For Shinran, the Nembutsu was:
- a response of gratitude toward Amida
- a practice that required the right attitude
- the easy Path
4. Bodhi-citta is a term that refers to the:
- assurance of salvation
- arousing of the mind to seek enlightenment
- Buddha’s seat at the base of the Bodhi tree
5. Shinran resolved the problem of the relationship between practice and faith with the understanding that:
- practice is based on man’s effort
- faith arises from uttering the Nembutsu ceaselessly
- faith is Amida’s mind given to us
6. Which of the following statements best describes Shinran’s philosophy of history? That it:
- has no purpose since everything happens by chance
- is unrelated to Amida Buddha
- is a spiritual process leading to enlightenment
7. To which of the following ages did Shinran think the Pure Land way applied?
- the mappo age alone
- any age
- the period during which Shinran lived
8. Which of the following is not true? That Shinran:
- believed there were many paths to the truth
- considered the Pure Land to be the supreme teaching for all time
- realized that egoism is a universal human problem

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Thought Questions

1. In this chapter you have studied the evolution of religious thought, specifically that of the Pure Land. What observations have you made in regard to the process as a whole? What does this tell you about the nature of man’s search for truth?

2. How does Shinran’s approach to the Pure Land differ from that of Honen’s? Why is Shinran’s view of the relationship between faith and practice unique?

3. The author says that “truth is enmeshed in history, but it must also transcend it.” What are your thoughts regarding this? Do you think that truth must transcend history?

Shin Dharma Net

Chapter 13

Shin Buddhism in Modern Culture