When you become a Shin Buddhist do you start on the path of being a bodhisattva or do you have to make the decision to become a bodhisattva? How do you become a bodhisattva? What is important to keep in mind being a bodhisattva in today’s world?
One of the unique things about Shin Buddhism is that one does not change when becoming a Shin Buddhist. The basis of Shin Buddhism is that we are all Bombu (limited and full of evil human beings), and there is nothing that we can do to change our limited and evil self. Thus, for us, the only alternative is to rely on the Infinite Wisdom and Compassion shared with us by Amida Buddha.
And this is complete reliance on Amida is called shinjin. Shinjin is the Awakening in this life that we Shin Buddhists look forward to.
Yet, we cannot do anything that will cause shinjin. Shinjin simply happens, it comes to us from Amida. Shinjin is not caused by any action or practice we humans can do.
Shinjin assures us birth in the Pure Land, and one can enjoy the benefits of the Pure Land in this life. However, if we do not receive or encounter shinjin in this life, that is fine because birth in the Pure Land is assured after death.
True, one becomes a bodhisattva of the Highest Rank of Non- Retrogression when one encounters shinjin in this life, but it is unrealistic to strive to become a bodhisattva because we are just too limited.
It is that spiritual contradiction; we cannot hope to become a bodhisattva by our own efforts, yet we can become a bodhisattva just by being our limited selfish human being.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron