5) At the heart of the teaching of the True Pure Land School—traditionally founded by Shinran Shōnin—lies the Other Power (Jap. Tariki) of Amida Buddha, transferred through the Thought/Utterance of His Name, the Nembutsu (recited “Namo Amida Butsu!”, or more colloquially “Nam’An Da Bou!”: “Homage to the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life!”) in accordance with the 18th Vow of the Great Sutra of Infinite Life (Jap. Dai Muryōju-kyō), even if uttered but once. This is Buddhism’s easy practice, the Path on which one becomes a Buddha in ordinary life—“a Buddhism for all,” to borrow the late Rev. Jean Eracle’s apt phrase.

All other spiritual Paths (the True Pure Land School alone excepted) share a single structure: teaching, faith, practice, realisation (Jap. kyō, shin, gyō, shō). A teaching is offered; a person first grants it faith (takes it into consideration); then practises it, and finally obtains—or fails to obtain—the requisite realisation. This scheme, defining the Path of the Sages (Jap. Shōdō-mon), makes reliance on human personal power (Jap. jiriki) indispensable, while hinting at that power’s intrinsic limits—hence the Goal of the Path is difficult to attain, hypothetical.

The True Pure Land School—arguably the most representative of the Pure Land Path (Jap. Jōdo-mon)—is unique in adopting a wholly different structure: teaching, practice, faith, realisation (Jap. Kyō, Gyō, Shin, Shō)—a pattern free of any trace of personal power. Each of its four elements rests entirely on Amida Buddha’s immeasurable Other Power:

 I) the transfer, in line with the 18th Vow of Universal Salvation, to those who thereby,

 II) utter with a Sincere Heart the Name of Amida Buddha,

 III) of the Serene, pure Faith of that Buddha and of all the merits He amassed during His long Bodhisattva career—a career crowned by the Realisation of the Western Pure Land; a Pure Land where all beings, having awakened the Desire for Birth,

 IV) are born and at once realise the Supreme Awakening.

Such is Buddhism’s easy practice: a simple, supremely sudden Path that makes no distinctions among beings—evil or good, weak or strong, foolish or wise, ignorant or learned, poor or rich, women or men, unbeliever or devout. It is a sure practice through which one does not fall back from Supreme and Perfect Enlightenment.