Why Chant the Shoshinge?
“Chanting the Shoshinge” is the newest Everyday Buddhist course. The Shoshinge holds an esteemed position in Shin Buddhist liturgy. In the poem’s concise 120 lines, Shinran Shonin captures the essence of his formulation of the Shin Buddhist path to awakening.
The Shoshinge appears in Shinran’s magnum opus Ken Jodo Shinjitsu Kyogyosho Monrui, more familiarly known as the Kyogyoshinsho, and is found at the end of Part II on “Practice” and before Part III on “Shinjin.” By placing it squarely between these two sections Shinran unites two key concepts—that saying the nembutsu (practice), namo amida butsu, is an essential expression of awakening (shinjin).
The full title of the poem is SHOSHIN NEMBUTSU GE and means “Hymn of True Shinjin and the Nembutsu.” The 120 lines each contain 7 syllables—each line is grouped into a four-line verse, thus creating 30 verses. Written in Classical Chinese, it is a summary of the Kyogyoshinsho and embodies the central ideas expressed in the text. This hymn, or gatha, was composed in gratitude to Amida Buddha and is based on the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha as expressed in the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life and the commentaries of the seven masters. In his introduction to the Shoshinge Shinran writes:
“Thus, taking refuge in the true words of the Great Sage and turning to the commentaries of the revered masters, I realize the depth and vastness of the Buddha’s benevolence and compose the following hymn.”
The Shoshinge was incorporated into Shin Buddhist liturgy in the 15th century by Rennyo Shonin the acknowledged “Restorer of Hongwanji.” As the 8th descendant from Shinran he became monshu, head of Hongwanji, at a time it was foundering. His vision and creativity reformulated the way Shin Buddhism was practiced and presented to its sangha members. Of his many inspired changes, the innovation to chant the Shoshinge coupled with chanting Shinran’s wasan poems was revolutionary. Thus, the Shoshinge was elevated to a key element of Shin liturgy, practiced daily. Today, the Shoshinge is chanted three times a day at the mother temple, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-Ha.
In contrast to Japan, the Shoshinge is not widely chanted in the U.S. It’s usage often seems limited to funerals or at the special services commemorating Shinran’s memorial, Ho-onko, in January, and Shinran’s birth, Gotan-e, in May. That said, there are some Buddhist Churches of America temples whose ministers will incorporate the Shoshinge on a more regular basis. For example, Rev. Sugahara at the Oregon Buddhist Temple does a pre-recorded daily morning YouTube service where he chants the Shoshinge and gives a brief dharma talk, all in less than 30 minutes. Orange County Buddhist Church chants it weekly at their 8:30am Sunday morning Mindfulness Service held before their family service. It is chanted every morning at the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley. Some ministers like Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki, Rinban of the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple and Rev. Dr. Mutsumi Wondra chant the Shoshinge daily at home.
The reason it is not more widely practiced and chanted is mostly likely due to its length and the American desire for a shorter service. The Shoshinge is just a little too long for most sangha members and therein lies the conundrum. Nevertheless, the Shoshinge can be incorporated into a regular home practice along with any other chanting protocol. Chanting at home can become a gratifying personal practice and one I would highly encourage anyone to try. For me, the process of keeping fresh flowers in the tiny obutsudan vase, lighting the candle and incense, saying the nembutsu, bowing in gassho, ringing the bell and chanting gives me a beautiful sense of calm and the gratification of having done something meaningful to start the day.