There is a story that comes to us from Shantao, a famous Chinese monk who lived from 613-681 A.D. The story tells us about Shantao's religious experience almost 1400 years ago. It describes the quality of true-entrusting mind or shinjin, the culminating attainment of Shin Buddhism.

Long ago, a man travelled toward the West. After awhile, he heard the shouting of robbers and the growling of wild beasts, rushing closely toward him from behind. The man began to run for his life. Soon, however, he came to a river that blocked his way westward. On the right side of the river, extending as far as he could see to the north, was cascading, turbulent water. On his left side, the river was a burning wall of fire. To enter either side of the river would bring certain death. Separating the wall of water from the wall of fire was a narrow white path, perhaps 4 or 5 inches wide.

Seeing no way to cross the river, the man ran along the shore toward the north. Soon his way became blocked by howling monsters. Running in a panic along the riverbank to the south, he encountered poisonous insects, ready to kill him. The traveller retreated to where he had started on the riverbank. He stood at the point of "Three-Way Death". Death to go backwards. Death to go North. Death to go South.

Just then, he heard a friendly voice coming from the North shore, "Take the white path!", the voice called. Now the traveller looked more carefully into the violent river, and saw again the white path, perhaps 4 or 5 inches wide, separating the wall of fire from the wall of water.

"Take the white path!", the friendly voice repeated. The traveller said to himself, "I can't go back. I can't go North. I can't go South. I can't stay here. Because the white path exists, and because my friend urges me to take it, I will go along the white path". Just then, another voice, coming from the opposite end of the white path said, "Come this way! Come as you are".

So, the traveller stepped onto the white path and began to walk. Miraculously, he safely and happily arrived on the Western Shore or the Pure Land of Amida Buddha.

This story is an allegory of the spiritual path of Pure Land Buddhism. The traveller represents every person born into human body in this world. The robbers, wild beasts, monsters, poisonous insects, raging fire and cascading water all represent the various raging passions that arise in us as we encounter life's difficulties. Anger, disappointment, grief, guilt, jealousy, revenge, greed. The point where the traveler meets the white path on the edge of the river is the point of 3 way death. The voice of his friend on the North Shore is Shakyamuni Buddha, pointing the Way. The voice coming from the Western Shore at the other end of the white path is Amida Buddha, constantly calling us to The Pure Land.

This story suggests that a person doesn't leap out of their natural everyday mind into the Pure Mind of Buddha, until circumstances force him to do so, thus seeking a new way.

Is this your experience too?