The Two Aspects of “Utterance of the Nembutsu as the Expression of Gratitude” in Kakunyo’s Teaching

Abstract

This paper clarifies the two aspects of Kakunyo’s 覚如 idea of the “utterance of the nembutsu as the expression of gratitude 称名報恩”: a contrast between shinjin 信心 and nembutsu 称名, and a contrast between self-effort and Amida’s power. The former term is used for what is not the cause for Birth in Amida’s Pure Land, and the latter is used to distinguish between self-effort and Amida’s power. This paper points out that the latter, Amida’s power, is the important meaning of gratitude in Kakunyo’s writing.