The senchaku shōjō 選択証誠, the “selection made by all buddhas of the six directions witnessing the authenticity of the nenbutsu,” is one of eight kinds of “selection” that Hōnen 法然 (1133–1212), in the sixteenth chapter of his Senchakushū 選択集, derived from the Pure Land Sūtras. The eight are: (1) senchaku hongan 選択本願 (selection of the nenbutsu in Amitābha’s original vow), (2) senchaku sandan 選択讃歎(selection of the nenbutsu through the special praise of Śākyamuni), (3) senchaku rukyō 選択留教 (selection of the teaching of the nenbutsu by Śākyamuni when he designated it to stand alone), (4) senchaku sesshu 選択摂取 (selection of the nenbutsu through Amitābha’s divine light embracing those who practice it), (5) senchaku kesan 選択化讃 (selection of the nenbutsu made when Amitābha Buddha in his transformation body praised the beings of the highest level of the lowest class who utter his name), (6) senchaku fuzoku 選択付属 (selection of the nenbutsu made by Śākyamuni when he entrusted it to Ananda for transmission to future generations), (7) senchaku shōjō: (selection made by all buddhas of the six directions witnessing the authenticity of the nenbutsu), and (8) senchaku gamyō 選択我名 (selection of the name).
These eight “selections” are the most important concepts of Hōnen’s Pure Land teachings, extolling the fact that the shōmyō nenbutsu 称名念仏 is the selection of Amitābha, Śākyamuni, and other buddhas. The senchaku shōjō is derived from the Amituo jing’s 阿弥陀経 discussion of the buddhas of the six directions, discussed in chapter 14 of the Senchakshū.
Having examined previous research and discussions of the eight kinds of selection, I earlier established Genshin 源信 (810–869) as their creator, and discussed the process of composition of the Ōjōyōshū 往生要集, Gyakushu seppō 逆修説法, and Senchakushū. In this paper, I look at the Amidakyō shaku 阿弥陀経釈 in further detail.
The Amidakyō shaku presents the “nenbutsu from one to seven days” (shōjō kanjin 証誠勧進) and the proof of promotion ( josei shōjō 助成証誠) of the buddhas of the six directions. Next, in the discussion of the 37th day in Hōnen’s Gyakushu seppō, I discuss each formulation. In the discussion of the 17th day in this text, commenting on the “nenbutsu from one to seven days” Hōnen refers to its quotation in Shandao’s 善導 Fashi zan 法事賛 and its mention of “the Tathāgata selecting the key method” (如来選要法) in reference to the buddhas of the six directions, in commenting on Amitābha, Śākyamuni, and other buddhas. In the 27th day, Amitābha and Śākyamuni are discussed. Finally, in the Senchakushū only the proof of the buddhas of the six directions is infused into the “selection made by all buddhas of the six directions witnessing the authenticity of the nenbutsu.”
