Daien Kaneko Sensei (1881-1979) was a Jodo Shinshu priest, teacher, scholar and one of several influential religious thinkers on Shinran Shonin in the 20th Century. I was fortunate to hear many lectures and dharma talks of this gentle and kind teacher during my student days in Kyoto in the 1960's. His thoughtful reflections and analysis are manifest in his writings on Shinran Shonin's teachings together with his deep appreciation of Amida Buddha's incomprehensible wisdom and compassion at the heart of his spiritual life. This month, I wish to share my translation of his short article, Gokuraku to Jigoku (The realm of Bliss and Hell) from his booklet entitled, "Gendaijin no Shinko Mondai (Issues of Faith for Contemporary People)".

Question: Does the realm of Bliss (Pure Land) and Hell really exist? If so, where do they exist?

Response: In Buddhism, hell does not exist in so far as we do not create it. For example, a prison is made and created because there are people who commit crimes. Since hell is a condition we ourselves create, we should have no worries or anxieties about it as long we are not creating such conditions. In other words, all that is necessary is that we do not create conditions in our life that bring about a hellish existence.

There is an exposition on hell in Genshin's Ojoyoshu (Essentials of Birth [in the Pure Land]), in which a dialogue between the evil person and the demon of hell takes place. The evil person asks, "Why did you subject me to the extreme sufferings of hell?" "I don't know what you're talking about," the demon replies. "After all, you created me with your own karmic actions. I am the creation of your hellish karmic acts!" The evil person created his own demons and, now, in turn, is subject to the torments of the demon. This is the hellish condition which the evil person himself created and is now reaping. In other words, the fire which destroys one's life is the very fire which is created by one's own karmic acts.

If hell already existed, then there is a way of escaping it. But, when hell is created and established out of one's own karmic actions, then there is no escape from hell. "Hell being my only destination" as stated in the Tannisho refers to this ego-self who is capable of creating any kind of karmic actions and conditions. Thus, if one does not create hellish conditions out of one's karmic actions, then hell becomes non-existent. Unfortunately, however, we karmically act in ways that continue to create our own hells. In our spiritual journey, this is what we become aware of and consequently find ourselves sincerely reflecting on our karmic actions.

In contrast to hell, the Pure Land truly exists. But in order to know the existence of the Pure Land, it is necessary to come to know the emptiness and the false existence of this world. If we try to prove the existence of the Pure Land in the same manner we try to prove the existence of this world, then the proof of the Pure Land remains in the same dimension and nature of this world; thus, making the Pure Land invalid and incomprehensible.

We cannot compare nor come to know the existence of this world and the Pure Land in the same way we come to know the existence of Japan and China. The Pure Land cannot be grasped and understood in this way. Rather, when we come to apprehend, realize, and experience the empty, untrue, and false nature of all phenomenal existence of this world, then we apprehend and awaken to the real existence of another realm of reality which is itself a pure land or realm.

The religious consciousness is awakened when we encounter a network of contradictions running through our human life. When this consciousness comes to itself we feel as if our being were on the verge of total collapse. We cannot regain the sense of security until we take hold of something overriding the contradictions….The solution must be in terms of experience. We then abandon all the contradictions that appear on the plane of intellection, for we must feel in a practical way contented with life.

-- D.T. Suzuki