親鸞思想に基づく仏教「法学」論の研究序説(一) : 親鸞における煩悩理解の二側面=An Introduction to Research on Buddhist "Law" Based on Shinran's Ideology : The Two Aspects to understanding Affliction according Shinran
There is prior research within the study of Buddhist “law” based on Shinran’s ideology, conducted by Seiichirō Ono and Munenobu Hirakawa, in which they focus on Shinran’s anthropology and attempt to use it as the foundation for the law. After studying their method of research, I have attempted to research the Buddhist legal theory based on Shinran’s ideology through proving Shinran’s anthropology by focusing on the two aspects of the afflictions (bonnō), or earthly desires, as explained by Shinran, and discussing the law that is based on that anthropology. This paper discusses the two aspects of affliction according to Shinran as the first step in that research.
Shinran says that there are two aspects to the afflictions: the first is dan bonnō, which is the endless circle of earthly desires, and the second is fudan bonnō, which is salvation, or enlightenment through earthly desires. Dan-bonnō is shown as something that we should eliminate. It is a part of the circle of transmigration, and therefore cannot lead to salvation. At this point, Amida Buddha enters the world of affliction, and leads all the afflictions of sentient beings to the fudan bonnō aspect. As for the fudan bonnō, it is understood that earthly desires are in themselves enlightenment. There, salvation can be found.
An any case, using just the “enlightenment through earthly desires” aspect as a basis, the logic of affliction as justice would justify the convenience, greed, and earthly desires of oneself or one’s country, and the world could be filled with this affirmation. If we provisionally formulated a legal theory from only that point of view, it could go in a potentially very dangerous direction. “If the karmic cause so prompts us, we will commit any kind of act.” It is precisely because we are human that influential people and nations must always be thinking “Do not take a liking to poison just because there is an antidote.”
