which our Catechism proceeds to discuss ( section section 33-37). Its composition is ascribed to Rennyo Shonin, the great renovator of the Shinshu in the fifteenth century, and the Faith is therein treated of as consisting of two portions,--the shintai, or "true position," and the zoku-tai or "ordinary position." I have been unable to satisfy myself in the choice of a term with which to render these expressions into English. They correspond roughly speaking to the "duty towards God" and the "duty towards one's neighbour" in the English Church Catechism, but they are more than that. They imply grounds of belief as well as duty based on belief, and so may be looked upon as half-creed, half-duty. In another light, shintai may be spoken of as our justification, zokutai as the gradual sanctification of the heart and life.

The shintai is the short-cut (keiro) of the believing heart which intuitively sees what it does not yet possess or understand, and which apprehends the fruits of Amida's Enlightenment through faith in him. The shintai is especially the faith of those who make a special profession of religion. It is shusseken no ho. The zokutai, on the contrary, is the position of the man who is in the world and who has to do his duty in that position. All sects of Buddhism make the same distinction, but the Shinshu, which is especially the religion of the layman, lays especial stress on the zokutai, considering it of more importance among Shinran's followers than anywhere else in Buddhism. The distinction is also found in the Larger Sukhavati Vyuha. It is claimed

that the Eighteenth Section of Amida's Great Vow contains both. [**]

I will end this chapter by giving a translation (taken from Satow and Hawes' Guidebook to Japan. Introd. p. 92) of this Shinshu Creed.

Shintai.--"Rejecting all religious austerities and other action, giving up all idea of self-power, we rely upon Amida Buddha with the whole heart for our salvation in the future life, which is the most important thing; believing that at the moment of putting our faith in Amida Buddha our fate is settled. From that moment, invocation of His Name is observed as an expression of gratitude and thankfulness for Buddha's mercy. Moreover, we bear in thankful remembrance our reception of this doctrine from the Founder, and succeeding chief priests, whose

teachings have been as benevolent and as welcome as light shining in a dark place."

Zokutai.--"Furthermore, we must, during our whole life, observe the laws which are appointed for our duty."

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NOTE ON SHINTAI AND ZOKUTAI.