I suppose there is always the hope that whatever led the Brontës to pull great books out of themselves might work again if one only entrusted oneself to the same brooding surroundings.
Although deeply familiar with such comprehensive modes of practice embracing physical, mental, and verbal discipline, and although widely revered for his own contemplative and scholarly attainments, Hōnen taught that simply uttering the Name of Amida Buddha, "Namu-amida-butsu," entrusting oneself to his vow to save all beings, results in birth into Amida's buddha-field of enlightened activity.
In other words, he was unable to give a persuasive account of the nexus between sentient being and Other Power, and appears finally to affirm anew the efficacy of human action, as either recitation of the name of Amida or entrusting of oneself to Amida's vow, or as a combination of both.
For Hōnen, these two elements of practice and faith utterance of the nembutsu and the entrusting of oneself to Amida's vow were mutually and unproblematically interfused, but many who sought to follow his teaching found that in actual engagement, the path appeared to be defined by emphasis on one element or the other.
A better definition of faith is a power to believe what you have reason to think is true, and includes the "entrusting of oneself to God".
"One must show oneself deserving," he said.
Is it possible to smack down oneself?
Pacing oneself, thus, is virtually impossible.
The potential for enriching oneself is ample.
Pacing oneself is key this week.
the ability to sell oneself.
