By Rev. Ken Yamada
Jodo Shinshu uses words such as “salvation” and “save” which make me uneasy. They give Pure Land Buddhism the appearance of a Christian-like religion with Amida Buddha as savior.
Yet, Jodo Shinshu’s founder Shinran Shonin used these terms. In the Tannisho, he says:
As for me, I simply accept and entrust myself to what my revered teacher told me, “Just say the nembutsu and be saved by Amida”; nothing else is involved.