True Shin Buddhism

Music and Poetry of Faith

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Richard St. Clair: Impromptu Ballade for Piano

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A Plague: Donald Trump

Pandemic ain’t the only plague— The one sitting in the West Wing is: I cannot in truth be less vague, Pandemic ain’t the only plague. The time has come for voters’ rage Time for come-uppance is now his: Pandemic ain’t the only plague— The one sitting in the West Wing is.

Richard St. Clair 19 July 2020

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Amida Buddha’s Many Names, by Shinran Shonin

Since attainment of Buddhahood, ten kalpas have passed; The Buddha's life indeed has no measure. Dharma-body's wheel of light pervades the dharma-realm, Shining on the blind and ignorant of the world; hence, I bow in homage. Further, Amida is called: 1 Immeasurable Light 2 True and Real Light 3 Boundless Light 4 Enlightenment of Nondiscrimination 5 Unhindered Light 6 Beyond Conception 7 Unequaled Light 8 Ultimate Shelter 9 Lord of Blazing Light 10 Great One Worthy of Offerings 11 Light of Purity 12 Light of Joy 13 Great Consolation 14 Light of Wisdom 15 Uninterrupted Light 16 Inconceivable Light 17 Inexpressible Light 18 Light that Surpasses the Sun and Moon 19 One who is without Equal 20 One of the Vast Assembly 21 Oceanlike Great Mind 22 Supremely Honored One 23 Power of Nondiscrimination 24 Power of the Great Mind 25 Inexpressible Buddha 26 Bhagavat 27 One of the Hall 28 Pure One who Broadly Grasps All Beings 29 Honored-one beyond Conceptual Understanding 30 One of the Bodhi-tree 31 Truly Immeasurable One 32 Music of Purity 33 Store of Virtues Fulfilled through the Primal Vow 34 One Imbued with Purity 35 Treasury of Virtues 36 Ultimately Honored One 37 Inconceivable Light

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Dump Trump

Don’t you dare pull a coup d’état You’ll be kicked from office, Donald Trump The voters’ will, that is the law Don’t you dare pull a coup d’état Your attacks on liberty we repeatedly saw So get ready, you dastardly chump, Don’t you dare pull a coup d’état You’ll be kicked from office, Donald Trump.

Richard St. Clair, 19 July 2020

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John Lewis, Rest In Peace

John Lewis has gone to his reward A stalwart voice of what is just A lion was he, and not a coward John Lewis has gone to his reward To his ideal we must move toward And from our eyes shake off the dust John Lewis has gone to his reward A stalwart voice of what is just.

Richard St. Clair

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Science is Truth

Science ain’t a liberal plot Facts is facts, so get a life What’s true is true, what’s not is not Science ain’t a liberal plot By no one can its truth be bought So sing it with a drum and fife, Science ain’t a liberal plot Facts is facts, so get a life.

Richard St. Clair, July 18, 2020

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Trump and His Fake News

The myth of the Liberal Media Is Trump’s version of his Fake News Yes Fake News is all that he’ll feed ‘ya, The myth of the Liberal Media. If you let him, Trump will bleed ‘ya And the truth he will falsely accuse. The myth of the Liberal Media Is Trump’s version of his Fake News.

Richard St. Clair, 19 July 2020

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Amazon Fires: A Harbinger

by Richard St. Clair

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse: Deforestation, wild fires in the Amazon, Huge tracts of the rain forest there now gone, The change of climate haunts us like a curse. So many species now are lost or harmed: Their lives on earth precariously do hang As climate deniers line up like a gang, And few by these conditions are alarmed. My call to folks to wake up are ignored: The NGOs who care are far between, Politicians shrug at this grim scene, While most are in denial or just bored. By these developments I’ve got depressed: Like Cassandra are my warnings unaddressed.

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Pleasure-Pain Principle

A Classic Sonnet by Richard St. Clair This mortal life, for those who have some leisure, Can be a world of titillating joy, That is, if pain does not our lives annoy, And so can we take refuge in much pleasure. But all is fleeting, taken in full measure, We can’t live ever as a girl or boy, Eventually signs of age alloy Our joy with unremitting karmic censure. When this life comes to its certain end, All memory of pleasure nigh forgotten, Our very flesh decays, becoming rotten: We fight to keep from where we sure are destined. So while I relish joys this life provides, I do as well endure it on all sides.

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Cool Aid

by Richard St. Clair O, if I’d been a banker or a broker Doing all the greedy things they do, What time would I have left to watch and rue The crisis obvious to the wise onlooker That’s looming ever dangerously, I ken. Blinded by a political nightmare daily, Factions fighting factions in a melee, Others delving into musty zen, Cold-hearted men enrobed in power’s folly, Dealing death in generous deploy At the slightest provocation to annoy, Demolishing a child’s defenseless dolly. Wake up to this, you stupid human race, Or all will surely die a fool’s disgrace.

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Thoughts on a Spring Day - A Sonnet

By Richard St. Clair

Grateful for this slice of life I am, Unknown from whence it came, a mystery: I’m told it is a karmic history That’s got me in this pickle of a jam! Some sing a song that life is but a dream, The music goes in circles, round and round, It certainly’s a hypnotizing sound, Like rippling waves on a gently flowing stream. I’ve come to accept whatever life will bring To this old fool, who clings to his delusion: Immersed I am in petulant confusion, My mind attached to many a silly thing. I ask for Buddha’s guidance day and night: With His calm mien I’m spared a world of fright.

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Song of My Salvation

by Richard St. Clair

In my bombu mind I say The Nembutsu every day: I celebrate the Buddha And His Saving Dharma. Amida is my Lord, To Him I sing my praise: He leads me ever toward His Realm at my last days. I yearn for Buddhahood: Amida will me grant This rebirth true and good - Achieve this myself I can't. Yes Buddhahood is sure Through Amida's Primal Vow: His Gift of karmic cure For me I know, even now. Amida's Light shines strong And penetrates all space; I gratefully ride along On the Great Ship of His Grace. No evil force will ever From this my Shinjin sever: Through my faith, adamantine, Amida soon will be seen. Namu Amida Butsu, The Call of His Great Name: For all who karma rue Amida Buddha He became. Thank You, Lord Amida, My Parent and my Savior, You've freed me from my karma, I praise Thee evermore!

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A Green New Deal - Too Late?

By Richard St. Clair

Impoverished and starving are so many, Living on a dollar a day or less. How this happened is anybody's guess, For your thought of explanation here's a penny. Ashamed to say, I live in such disgrace, In relative luxury, ease, and delight, In contrast to the third world's grinding plight: Upon what throw of dice was all this based? And in a world of growing climate change, The strained resources of the world declining, Countries now are grudgingly aligning In feeble measures - likened to spare change. It pains me, in this wakened state of sorrow, To forecast, like Cassandra, grim tomorrow.                        

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Devotional Prayer of Thanksgiving to Amida Buddha

Devotional Prayer of Thanksgiving

by Richard St. Clair

Thank you, Amida Buddha, for your unconditional care, For looking upon me as your own son, And showing me the way out of calculation and self-judgement Into the light of Diamondlike Faith and Assurance of Buddhahood. You hold back nothing from me that I need: Even in the deepest darkness of my blind passions You are there, leading me onward and forward, Out of the desert of delusion and ignorance Into the everlasting blessedness of Nirvana at this life's end. Thank you for your great gift each and every day: For by it, when I ultimately go to your Pure Land And I too become Buddha through your Vow Power I will then foreverafter help others as you have helped me, To see Your Light of truly Boundless Wisdom and Compassion As revealed in the great Sutra of Your Limitless Life. May I honor and bless you forever, Amida my savior! Namu Amida Butsu --Richard St. Clair (Shaku Egen) 

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Oya-Sama: Our Beloved Parent

by Richard St. Clair (Shaku Egen)

Who has offered us REBIRTH As BUDDHAS in His Land of Peace and Bliss? Our BELOVED PARENT, Amida Buddha.

He sustains and nurtures Our spiritual lives And has done so For inconceivable eons - Past, Present And future.

Who loves and cares for us Not Notwithstanding, But BECAUSE OF Our defects and evils? Amida Buddha, Our truly Beloved Parent.

Who folds us in His arms And gives us the Milk of Pure Dharma Sustaining our entire Karmic destiny? Amida Buddha, Our truly Beloved Parent.

Who by His Gift of Shinjin Has grasped us Never to abandon us? Amida Buddha, Our truly Beloved Parent!

What Love Amida Buddha Shines on us all, What Boundless Compassion By which He saves us From birth-and-death! Amida Buddha is Truly our Beloved Parent!

Namu Amida Butsu Thank You, Amida Buddha!

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Prognosis: A Sonnet by Richard St. Clair

When all is said and done at last, my friend, The truth will out, as once a wise man said, But will we be alive, or maybe dead, When the curtain comes down at the bitter end? I’ve not much hope, sir, for our sickly world, Where greed and folly penetrate the mind Of all but them who escape the daily grind Only to end each day in fetal curled. The warnings in a clarion call are made To those who have the ears to hear the news, To those who quiver from their hat to shoes As through the ecologic mess they wade. Wake up, O World, before it is too late: There’s no excuse for ignorance and hate.

February 16, 2019

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Grateful for My Sangha

Thank You, Amida Buddha For the blessings of this Sangha And for saving foolish me Through Your Meritorious Karma. The power of Your Sacred Name Brings joy to a suffering world, The wisdom of the Larger Sutra Like a banner here unfurled. I'm relieved of painful rebirths, No longer here will I roam: In Your wondrous Land of Bliss Have I found my lasting Home. This Gift of Shinjin and The promise of Pure Land birth Is a treasure I've received Of incalculable worth. This day I give my thanks To my loving Parent True, That Buddhahood awaits me, Never again a lost bombu!

Namu Amida Butsu

Richard St. Clair (Shaku Egen)