In his great work, True Teaching, Practice and Realization of the Pure Land Way, Shinran answered critics within Buddhism - particularly scholars - who thought his teaching of no practice except simple faith in Amida was not Buddhism at all.

Those scholars were experts on the Path of the Sages. For them, the teachings of Nagarjuna on emptiness (sunyata) were critical as they sought to end their own suffering and become Buddhas at last.

Here’s how one teacher on the Path of the Sages explains Nagarjuna’s contribution to Buddhist thought:

Nagarjuna sought to liberate the mind from its tendencies to cling to tidy or clever formulations of truth, because any truth short of Sunyata, the voidness of reality, is inherently misleading. Relative truths are not like pieces of a puzzle, each of which incrementally adds to the complete design. They are plausible distortions of the truth and can seriously mislead the aspirant. They cannot be lightly or wholly repudiated, however, for they are all the seeker has, and so he must learn to use them as aids whilst remembering that they are neither accurate nor complete in themselves.

Nagarjuna himself realized how difficult it would be, even before the Age of Dharma Decline, for people to realize Buddhahood by embracing the idea, and the experience, of emptiness.

For that reason, Shinran quoted Nagarjuna to make that critical point to the Path of the Sages practitioners of his day - and of ours.

Here (as an example) is just ONE of Nagarjuna’s verses praising Amida Buddha and the Easy Path of the Pure Land.

By means of this vehicle of the Eightfold Path,

One can cross the ocean difficult to traverse,

To save himself and to save others. I pay respect to the highest of men.

So, if you are trying to end your suffering once and for all - and achieve the goal of full liberation into Buddhahood - listen deeply to Shinran - and then join Shinran in listening deeply to Nagarjuna as well.

Here’s Shinran:

In the Buddha’s teaching there are countless gates. Just as there are difficult and easy among the paths of this world

- for journeying overland is full of hardship while sailing on board of a boat is pleasant - so it is with the paths of bodhisattvas. Some engage in rigorous practice and endeavor. Others quickly reach the stage of non-retrogression through the easy practice of entrusting as the means [for attaining it]…

Since so many practitioners of the various dharma gates on the Path of the Sages STILL look to the great Nagarjuna for wisdom and direction, let’s listen deeply together to his verses on Amida Buddha and his Pure Land.

1. Amitabha (Amida Buddha) radiates wisdom.

His body is like the Mountain of Pure Gold.

In joining my hands now, with bowed head,



I pay respect to him through body, speech and mind. 2. His wondrous golden light flows throughout the worlds.

Following on, things reveal his beauty. This is why I pay respect to him with bowed head. 3. If someone at the end of his life is reborn in his state,

Then he is endowed with innumerable qualities.



This is why I take refuge in him. 4. He who begins to think about this Buddha,

Has his virtues and infinite power,

Entering immediately into the sure State (of becoming a Buddha).



This is why I think always of him. 5. The man, in this state, at the end of his life,

Even though he must endure torments,

Will not be unhappy or go (fall) to hell. This is why I take refuge and pay respect to him. 6. If someone is born in this realm,

He does not fall again into the three evil destinies,

Not even to the realm of the Asuras (Gods).



I take refuge in him and pay respect to him now. 7. The gods and men have qualities in common

And resemble the summit of the mountain of gold.

All superior beings are reunited there. This is why I pay respect and turn towards him. 8. Those who are born in that realm

Are endowed with divine powers of the eye and the ear:

They penetrate the ten directions without obstruction. I bow my head before the most noble of saints. 9. In that realm, all the living beings

have divine power of transformation,

And those who study in their hearts

Are endowed with remembering the past lives. This is why I pay respect to him with bowed head. 10. For those who are born in this realm

there is no longer “me” or “mine”,

They are not born to such thoughts. It is why I pay respect and bow my head to him. 11. Once having left the prison of the three worlds,

One has an appearance like the petals of a white lotus.

The number of disciples is infinite.



This is why I pay respect and bow my head to him.



12. The living beings of this realm have the nature of this Buddha;

They are gentle and harmonious.

Spontaneously, they accomplish the ten good actions (perfections). I bow my head before the King of Saints. 13. Following on from their good actions,

A pure light arises in them,

Incommensurable and infinite;

They are the foremost amongst men (humans) This is why I take refuge in him. 14. If someone takes the vow to become a Buddha,

and thinks of Amida,

At the moment of this vow (wishing),

He will reveal his body to him.



This is why I take refuge in him. 15. By the power of the original vow of this Buddha,

The Bodhisattvas of the ten directions

Come and make offerings to him and listen to the Dhamma.



This is why I bow my head before him. 16. The Bodhisattvas of this realm

Are endowed with all the signs and marks.

They are adorned (endowed) similarly on their bodies. Now, I take refuge in him and pay respect.



17. The great Bodhisattvas of this realm.

Three times each day make offerings

to the Buddhas of the Ten directions.



This is why I pay respect and bow my head to him. 18. If someone cultivates the roots of wholesomeness, but has doubt,

His lotus does not open for him.

Upon becoming pure, his lotus opens for him,

And then he sees the Buddha. 19. The Buddhas who dwell in the ten directions,

In the middle of their diverse causes and conditions,

Are not able to vie with the virtues of this Buddha.



I take refuge in him now. 21. Wheels of a thousand rays from the feet of the Buddha

Have the beauty of delicate lotus.

Those who see them are always filled with joy.



In my turning towards him,

I pay respect to the feet of the Buddha. 22. The light from the white hair between his eyebrows

resembles the pure moon,

and adds to the beauty of his face.



In my turning towards him,

I pay respect to the feet of the Buddha. 23. In the beginning when he made the vow to become a Buddha,

He made some things rare and marvelous.

Thus it is written in the Sutra.



In my turning towards him,

I pay respect and bow my head to him. 24. The teaching given by this Buddha destroys all the roots of evil.

By his sweet words, one receives a number of benefits.



This is why I pay respect with bowed head. 25. With his sweet words he comes to the aid of the sufferer who asks for happiness .

He has rescued those in the past and he rescues those still today.



This is why I pay respect and bow my head to him. 26. He is extremely venerated by gods and men.

The gods turn toward him and pay

Homage with the crowns of seven joys.



This is why I take refuge in him. 27. All the gathering of saintly and virtuous beings,

As well as devas and men,

Gather round to take refuge in him.



This is why I also, I pay homage to him. 28. By means of this vehicle of the Eightfold Path,

One can cross the ocean difficult to traverse,

To save himself and to save others.



I pay respect to the highest of men.



29. The Buddhas during innumerable world cycles,

Praise and speak of the virtues of this Buddha,

Without ever exhausting themselves.



I take refuge in this pure man. 30. Now, myself also, the same as them,

Praise his innumerable virtues

On the virtue of this cause. I wish that the Buddha thinks always of me. 31. That in my present or past life,

The merits that I have gained,

Be they big or small,

I wish to go to the realms of the Buddha,

And to have always a pure heart. 32. By the virtue of this cause and condition of this merit (Amida’s),

This superior and marvelous quality that I have received.



I wish all living beings similarly obtain it.

Note: The Stanzas of Nagarjuna on the Amida Buddha and His Pure Land, Translated from the Pure Land, Vol. 1, No. 1, June, 1979, from the French, by Franny Sime, August, 1980. First published by the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd, Newsletter No. 5, September, 1981.