The way of Bodhisattva Nembutsu (3) Juji

There are several words where the meaning is so different in general in the way we use them in Tao Sangha. For example, development, spiritual development. When people hear the word “development,” it sounds like they have to do something right. Like a discipline. A certain, very solid image of development. But actually, in Tao Sangha, the real universal meaning of development is to awaken potential.

We have infinite potential.

Deep inside ourselves is Amida Buddha.

Deep inside ourselves is the same as the source of the universe, so we have infinite potential and one of the purposes of Nembutsu is to awaken our potential.

We can be awakened as a Buddha, we can even create the future.

We can awaken our potential by practising Nembutsu. This is one of the main concepts of Tao Sangha, and it is connected with the method of Nembutsu.

When we chant Medium Nembutsu, the subject is Juji.

Juji, in general, in Buddhism means “receive the teachings,” but in Tao Sangha we use the word Juji to mean “be responsible.”

When we hear the word “responsible” we easily think of it as a “duty.” This is because in our society, usually to be responsible relates to consuming: because I get this amount of money, I’ll be responsible at a job.

People don’t think more than this about the word “responsible,” but actually, as human beings, we have a responsibility.

You don’t think so?
For example, let’s say if parents are not responsible toward their baby, the baby will die.

If you are not responsible for the words you speak, you will break relationships, because you lose the trust.

Being responsible is basic for us as human beings because to be responsible, especially in dharma, is equal to receiving the Great Spirit, especially the wisdom of the Great Spirit.

The purpose of Juji is to receive the Great Spirit, the wisdom of the Great Spirit. Once you become responsible to dharma, you will receive the wisdom of the Great Spirit, the “wisdom light” of Amida Buddha.

This is a question like that of the egg and the chicken, because if the wisdom of the Great Spirit doesn’t dwell in you, doesn’t live in you, you cannot be responsible to the Buddha dharma sangha. Also, if you are not responsible to the Buddha dharma sangha, you won’t receive the wisdom, it will not dwell in you.

This is one of the big paradoxes of the Spirit of the Universe, because you cannot be responsible if you don’t receive the Great Spirit, but if you don’t receive the Great Spirit, you cannot be responsible.

So how do you do it?

This is the question.

How can you receive the wisdom and how can you be in the state of Juji?

It’s interesting because even if it’s not related to Buddha dharma sangha, a person who has wisdom is really responsible to many things.

A person who is responsible has wisdom. When the person is responsible, the person gets wisdom; when they get wisdom, they become responsible. It’s like “back and forth.”

So, how can we do this, especially in the Buddha dharma sangha state?

This is one of the methods of Nembutsu.

Nembutsu has three steps.
1. You need to accept the nose form of Amida Buddha, which illuminates a purple golden light, 100 percent accept into Gogyoku. This is the first step.

[The nose form of Amida Buddha is connected to how you hold your ego. The term “hold your ego” is very different in meaning in Tao Sangha than in the general use of the phrase. To “hold your ego” doesn’t mean to follow another person’s ego, don’t make a mistake. Hold your ego toward the Buddha dharma sangha, not toward a person, not toward a guru or whatever, but 100 percent accept into Gogyoku.]

But in Nembutsu, “just to accept” is not enough.

In Nembutsu you are responsible for “letting all other beings” accept the nose form of Amida Buddha into Gogyoku as a second step.

This is the basic thing.

If you accept the nose form of Amida Buddha into Gogyoku, you’ll be ready to have Juji because your ki will be purified. Your spirit will be purified by this. Gogyoku is the strongest part of your heart, which can control your will in your subconscious. Accepting the nose form helps you to purify your karma.

2. The second step is Juji: being responsible to the Buddha dharma sangha.

Let me explain what being responsible to Buddha Dharma Sangha means.

What is Juji to Buddha?

What is Juji to Dharma?

What is Juji to Sangha?

Let me explain first what Juji is to Dharma.

Dharma is not a word.
Only in Tao Sangha can we clearly know what ki shows.

If the ki is

• light or heavy,

• comfortable or uncomfortable,

• warm or cold,

this is dharma.

We don’t need to be told what to do. We can know what to do. Ki can tell us what to do.

If the ki is light, if the ki is comfortable, if the ki is warm, this is the world you have to choose; if the ki is heavy, if the ki is uncomfortable, if the ki is cold, you shouldn’t do it, you shouldn’t think that way.

Very simple, right, as a principle of the universe. This is Dharma in Tao Sangha.

So, Juji to dharma means that you have to be responsible to follow what ki shows you because ki is the Universe and ki is clearly showing you the way. So if the ki tells you to practise Nembutsu, if the ki is much lighter, more comfortable, and warm if you practise Nembutsu, then you have to do it! You have to be responsible to follow it.

If it’s not, if the ki is not light, if the ki is uncomfortable when you do Nembutsu, then don’t do Nembutsu. Very simple.

We are not saying do Nembutsu or do volunteer work or that you have to be responsible to this or that—it is only what ki shows you that you have to follow. Very simple.

Actually, this is everything because sangha also means ki. Sangha is a field of energy, energy among people.

Being responsible to Sangha means that you have to make sure that the ki is light, comfortable, and warm when you are with other people. If you are not being responsible to ki when you are with someone, that ki will become heavy, uncomfortable, and cold, and this means you are not being responsible to sangha.
If you are not responsible to sangha, there is no wisdom there; if you are responsible to sangha, wisdom will be there. Very simple. Sangha means “be responsible to the ki, the field of the ki, when you are with other sangha people.”

Don’t create any heaviness in the ki field when you are with other people. If you are not responsible, the ki will become uncomfortable. It means that you are putting your karma into the ki field, into the sangha.

If you are responsible, then wisdom comes to the ki field. If you are not responsible, you are putting your karma there. Very simple.

Now, what is being responsible to Buddha? I said, in the beginning, we all have potential because deep inside our self is Amida Buddha.

We have responsibility to our potential. We have the responsibility to awaken to all the possibilities that can be realized in our lives. Because we have infinite potential within ourselves, we have that responsibility. Of course, we help other people in this way too.

If you are not responsible, if you don’t put effort into realizing your possibilities, and don’t awaken your potential, then there is no value in your life, there is no value in your existence. We are given the responsibility in our life to awaken our potential because deep inside us is Amida Buddha. We have the responsibility to realize all possibilities because we are given a life full of potential in our deep subconsciousness.

Amida Buddha is in you. “Our self is Amida Buddha” means that we have to live the life of Amida Buddha. Don’t live the life of your ego. Live life as Amida Buddha and make life shine as much as possible.

This is the meaning of Juji in the Buddha Dharma Sangha. Let’s make the existence of our self and others shine as much as possible.

OK! See you next week, same time, same channel.