. human hair in japanese esotericizing embroideries 885
“homage to Amida Buddha.” Repeating the nenbutsu in a prayerful
way helps devotees assure their birth into Amida’s Pure Land. This six-
character invocation to Amida substitutes for a representative image
of the figure of Amida and the nenbutsu is often shown enthroned
on a lotus pedestal under a canopy, just as in a standing image of the
Buddha. The devotees’ hair is worked into the six characters compris-
ing the nenbutsu.
Searching for doctrinal justifications for the use of human hair in
Pure Land Buddhist embroideries, I have proposed a closer look at
Zennebō Shōkū (1177–1247), a prominent disciple of Hōnen
(1133–1211), founder of the Pure Land (Jōdo ) sect. Shōkū,
who is credited with having discovered the Taima Mandala at the
beginning of the thirteenth century, was the founder of the Seizan
branch of the Pure Land sect and greatly influenced Pure Land
teachings in the Kamakura and Muromachi periods (ten Grotenhuis
1999, 122–28). His influence extended beyond the Pure Land sect to
permeate the doctrines of the Time sect (Ji shū ) founded by Ippen
(1239–1289) and the True Pure Land sect (Jōdo Shinshū
) established by the followers of Shinran (1173–1262).
Shōkū’s interpretation of the prayerful nenbutsu helps illumine the
doctrinal changes that occurred in the Pure Land tradition, which led,
I believe, to the incorporation of human hair in embroideries. Shōkū
accepted the primacy of the nenbutsu but, unlike some of Hōnen’s
other disciples, he did not believe that the nenbutsu was a form of
religious practice. He interpreted the nenbutsu as a gift from Amida
that brought about the union of believer and buddha. Faith (anjin
), which leads believers to the nenbutsu, arises when believ-
ers reject religious practices and recognize the Pure Land. They then
hear the primal vow of Bodhisattva Dharmākara, who will eventually
become the Buddha Amida. In his primal vow, Dharmākara declares
that he will not accept buddhahood until he can bring to salvation all
those who call on his name with sincere faith. Believers realize that
their salvation was ensured at the moment Amida did, in fact, attain
buddhahood eons ago. Therefore, since Amida’s buddhahood is not in
doubt, there can also be no doubt about the believer’s salvation. The
absence of doubt is an expression of faith and the nenbutsu of faith sig-
nifies the union of believer and Amida, their becoming one substance
(kihō ittai ) (Dobbins 2002).
Shōkū’s teachings influenced Ippen, who was a disciple of Shōkū’s
student Shōtatsu. Ippen also believed that the nenbutsu represented