The Moon and Amida Buddha’s Compassion

One Saturday in October, our temple hosted a wonderful Moon Viewing event, organized by Margerete and Booth. Gazing at the night sky, I was captivated by the clear view of the moon’s surface and Saturn’s rings. More than that, I found myself deeply calmed by the experience of simply looking at the stars. My mind felt quieter, as if the constant stream of everyday thoughts had gently faded away.

Such moments are rare in my life. As someone who has dealt with severe nearsightedness and slightly dis­torted vision since elementary school, I rarely see things completely clearly, even with contacts. On top of that, I’ve always lived in cities where the bright lights obscure the stars. Typically, the night sky I see has only a few blurred, bright stars—hardly worth the effort to look. That evening was special. Even though I probably saw fewer stars than most of you, I was still moved by the number visible from our temple grounds, right in the middle of my everyday surroundings. Thank you, Margerete, Booth, and everyone who joined in sharing this moment of tranquility.

The moon has a special significance in Buddhist teachings, appearing in many parables across various sutras. Among these, the “finger pointing to the moon” parable is one of the most well-known. This parable is famously quoted in Bruce Lee’s movie “Enter the Dragon”: “Don’t think! Feel! It is like a finger pointing to the moon. Don’t concentrate on the finger, or you will miss all that heavenly glory.”

This parable illustrates that teachings and words serve as guides, pointing us toward deeper truths. Just as staring at the finger prevents us from seeing the moon, clinging to words alone can obscure the meaning they aim to convey. Yet, without that finger, we wouldn’t know where to look. The teachings, while not the ultimate goal, are indispensable.

When I thought about the moon in the context of Jodo Shinshu, I was reminded of a story involving Rennyo Shonin, the eighth head priest of Jodo Shinshu, and Ikkyu, a famous Zen monk of the 15th century. Rennyo Shonin is well-known for making the teachings of Jodo Shinshu accessible to ordinary people. His writing “White Ashes,” often read at funerals, is one example of his clear and compassionate communication. Ikkyu, on the other hand, is cele­brated for his sharp wit and problem-solving skills, even gaining the respect of the shogun of his time. Despite belonging to different schools of Buddhism, Rennyo and Ikkyu are said to have maintained a friendly exchange of ideas.

At one point, Ikkyu read Rennyo’s writings, which explained that Amida Buddha’s boundless compassion embraces all sentient beings without discrimination. Rennyo also emphasized that Amida’s compassionate working fully embraces “those who entrust themselves to it.” This raised a question for Ikkyu: “If Amida’s compassion embraces ‘only’ those who entrust themselves, then what about those who don’t? Isn’t that unfair? How can this be called true compassion?”

Ikkyu expressed his doubts through a poem: “Amida’s compassion is not true compassion, for it embraces only those who entrust to it.” Rennyo responded with his own poem: “Amida has no heart to divide, but the moon does not dwell in the water with a lid.”

This response offers a profound insight. Amida Buddha’s compassion, like moonlight, shines equally on all beings. The moon reflects in any body of water—whether it’s a vast ocean, a small puddle, or a soup bowl. The water’s size or cleanliness doesn’t matter. In the same way, Amida Buddha’s compassion reaches all beings, whether they are virtuous or flawed. However, if a lid covers the bowl, the moon’s reflection cannot appear. The moon’s light isn’t at fault; the lid is blocking it. This “lid” symbolizes the doubts and barriers we create in our own minds. These doubts prevent us from fully receiving the compassion Amida offers.

Importantly, Amida’s compassion is not conditional. It does not demand perfect faith or unwavering belief. Instead, Amida Buddha, embodiment of Ultimate Truth, understands our human nature—how we live in a world where unconditional trust is often difficult. Imagine receiving a call saying, “You’ve won a billion dollars; just share your bank account details!” We would naturally assume it was a scam, because we can’t think of anything we would do to deserve a billion dollars. Similarly, we find it hard to accept that someone like us, with doubts and imperfections, could be embraced by such profound compassion. Our own doubts—our belief that we must earn liberation through our own efforts, or that unconditional compassion is too good to be true—create barriers that block us from receiving Amida’s caring heart.

Consider a baby monkey clinging tightly to its mother, fearing abandonment. This clinging reflects our own struggles, believing we must do something to secure our liberation. In contrast, Amida’s compassion is like a mother cat gently carrying her kitten by the scruff of its neck. The kitten does nothing—it simply trusts and lets the mother carry it to safety. This is the way I am supposed to do it. Like the kitten, I just simply wait, trusting that the mother cat will come and hold me.

Amida Buddha’s compassionate aspiration took form in the words “Namo Amida Butsu.” This phrase is Amida’s call to us, saying, “Let me hold your heart; I truly care for you.” We don’t need to desperately cling or prove our worth. Amida embraces us just as we are, guiding us toward liberation.

Even Shinran Shonin, the founder of Jodo Shinshu, acknowledged that doubts may never fully disappear. Yet he taught that Amida Buddha’s vow ensures that all beings, regardless of their doubts, are embraced and liberated. This teaching is beautifully summarized in Rennyo’s poem: “Amida has no heart to divide, but the moon does not dwell in the water with a lid.”

Our task, then, is not to strive or cling, but to simply entrust ourselves to Amida’s compassionate working. By responding to the call of “Namo Amida Butsu,” we acknowledge this profound guidance and express our gratitude.

This is the essence of the Jodo Shinshu teaching. Even Ikkyu, the famous Zen monk, who initially doubted the universality of Amida’s compassion, eventually embraced Jodo Shinshu later in life. He expressed his admiration in a playful haiku about Shinran Shonin: “That bald priest, with a warm-looking scarf, his teaching is top-notch!”

As we reflect on the moonlight and its profound symbolism, may we also reflect on Amida Buddha’s compassion, which guides us beyond our doubts, embracing us just as we are. Let us continue to walk this path together, with gratitude in our hearts, saying, “Namo Amida Butsu.”   Namo Amida Butsu.

Supplementary Explanation:

Amida Buddha and the Pure Land are the expression of the ultimate truth, which is metaphysical, in the framework of Jodo Shinshu, using the same concrete way as we, as tangible beings do.

Amida Buddha is a symbolic representation of the principles of perfect wisdom and compassion. It is a con­crete expression of these qualities, and the personification is a way of making these concepts more comprehensible to humans. Unlike the Christian God, Amida Buddha does not possess consciousness as a creator nor does he govern events.