Tao Te Ching Chapter 62-3 Akunin shoki setsu / Feel safe

Today's Tao

It's the place where not so good people feel safe. (Ch.62)


Tao is the place where everyone feels safe, even a not-so-good person.

Why?


Shinran 親鸞 answered:

「善人なおもて往生をとぐ、いはんや悪人をや」

[zennin naomote ojo o togu, iwan-ya akunin o ya]

"Even good people will become Buddha, not to mention evil people".

(«Tannisho 歎異抄», Chapter 3)


This summarizes the idea of Shinran and Honen's Akunin shoki setsu 悪人正機説: the Doctrine of Evil Persons as the Object of Salvation.

It sounds like bad people have a better chance of salvation, doesn't it?

Some people have thought so.

But, please remember there is neither good nor evil in Tao.

Don't impose judgment on Tao.

Besides, salvation is "right here right now".

True You are Tao, so you are the one who saves all by sustaining the circulation of Tao's energy.


«Related Articles»
-Hidden Tao 62-1
-Treasure 62-2
-Akunin shoki setsu / Feel safe 62-3
-Adorned words 62-4
-Adorned acts 62-5
-Don't abandon 62-6
-An emperor enthroned 62-7
-Why Taoism? 62-8
-Guilty? 62-9
-Highly appreciated 62-10
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 62
-State filth 78-8 That's why the sage says, "Those who accept the filth of the country are called the master of the state". «Akunin shoki setsu 悪人正機説: the Doctrine of Evil Persons as the Object of Salvation» is also discussed here.

-Shinran@wiki
-Honen@wiki


Tao answers your question!



☞Let's review Dogen and Shinran roughly and vulgarly.
✒Japanese Soto Zen Buddhism - Dogen - «Shobogenzo» - Jiriki / Self-power.
✒Jodo Shin Buddhism - Shinran - «Tannisho» by Yuien - Tariki / Other-power.
☞You can find Shinran's Akunin shoki setzu in «Tannisho», which is not so abstract as Dogen's «Shobogenzo». If you still need some modern help, Hiroyuki Itsuki's «Tariki» will be handy.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 49-4 Non-good

Today's Tao

I think something not good is good, too. (Ch.49)


Good is good.

Non-good is good, too. That is to say, evil is good, too.


Shinran said:

"Even good people will become Buddha, not to mention evil people".

(«Tannisho», Chapter 3)

「善人なおもて往生をとぐ、いはんや悪人をや」

This is Akunin shoki setsu (The Doctrine of Evil Persons as the Object of Salvation / becoming Buddha).


Dogen wrote:

"It is not that something evil does not exist. Just do nothing. It is not that something evil exists. Just do nothing."

(Shoakumakusa 諸悪莫作, «Shobogenzo»)

「諸悪なきにあらず、莫作なるのみなり。諸悪あるにあらず、莫作なるのみなり」


To Lao Tzu it was much clearer.

If you don't judge, there is neither good nor evil.


«Related Articles»
-No heart 49-1
-People's heart 49-2
-A study of the Good 49-3
-Non-good 49-4
-Goodness 49-5
-Tariki / faithful 49-6
-Not faithful 49-7
-Faith 49-8
-Have no heart 49-9
-Inmo and No mind 49-10
-Close ears and eyes 49-11
-Tao by Matsumoto / Tao Te Ching / Chapter 49
-No good man 27-9
-No bad man 27-10
-Lost completely 27-11
-No arrogance 30-8


Tao answers your question



☞Don't do any extra effort. Just thank everything for taking place. Instead of helping yourself by effort, let Tariki / Other Power help you. Tannisho is supposed to have written in the thirteenth century by Yuien, a disciple of Shinran, who himself was Honen's. Honen is the founder of Japanese Pure Land school Buddhism / Jodo shu Buddhism. Shinran is the founder of Jodo Shin shu (the true school of Pure Land) Buddhism. Shinran is contemporary to Dogen, the founder of Japanese Soto shu Zen Buddhism.