Buddha's exhortation to strive and rely only on oneself for salvation is hard to square with orthodox Pureland Buddhism. Shakyamuni came from a culture in which people would make sacrifices to dozens of gods on a daily basis and was rightly appalled by such ignorance and superstition. However, if you forget the orthodox tradition for a minute and consider the esotoric tradition (Himitsu Nembutsu) a lot of these seeming contradictions are resolved. Kakuban, though he was not of the Jodo school, I think gave a pretty clear description of the basic creed of esoteric Pureland Buddhism in his
Amida Hishaku. Therefore, I will quote him in support of the following suppositions:
1. Amida's help is an act of grace. Much like the Christian God, he doesn't expect anything -- whether it be roasted lambs or good works -- in exchange for his help. Once you've settled on Ojo then enlightenment in guarranteed and there is nothing more to do. No sacrifices to make. No priests to pander to.
Any living being who hears the Name and genuinely and completely rejoices in serene trust, even if it is only for a moment, immediately gains entry (into the Pureland). They will not fall back.
- The Larger Pureland Sutra
2. Amida isn't a god, he's a Buddha. Being a Buddha, he isn't bound by space, time, or Aristotle's law of identity. In fact, since all things have Buddha-nature we are not truly distinct from Amida or any other Buddha. Like a radio station, Amida is no-where and every-where broadcasting 24/7. All you have to do is tune in to the proper frequency by reciting namo-amida-butsu.
Since all dharmas are identical with the One Mind, the realm of Buddhas and that of sentient beings are at once dual and non-dual. Further, one's mind and the Buddha are, from the beginning, one.
- Kakuban, Amida Hishaku
3. Pureland isn't a place, it's a state of mind. A pure mind percieves a pure land. Ojo can be a literal rebirth, but it can also be seeing the same thing again for the first time like a small child or like a Buddha.
The difference between delusion and enlightenment rests with your mind, and so, there is no Buddha apart from your three modes of action. Since the true and the delusory are one, you can perceive the Land of Utmost Bliss in the five states of samsaric existence.
- Kakuban, Amida Hishaku
Esoteric Pureland relies on the assumption that we are all inherently pure and enlightened. Striving for enlightenment only emphasizes that you aren't enlightened. Pureland isn't about striving for enlightenment, it's about giving up, trusting in Amida, and letting the light dawn.
Do not attempt to make this mind become a Buddha. When delusion subsides, wisdom appears and then you become a Buddha with the present body
- Kakuban, Amida Hishaku
This is the essence of
Jinen:
Jinen signifies being made so from the very beginning. Amida's Vow is, from the very beginning, designed to bring each of us to entrust ourselves to it - saying "Namu-amida-butsu" - and to receive us into the Pure Land; none of this is through our calculation. Thus, there is no room for the practicer to be concerned about being good or bad. This is the meaning of jinen as I have been taught.
-Shinran Shonin, Lamp for the Latter Ages
For Shinran, total enlightenment could only come after death and perhaps there is some truth to this. As long as we are embodied in form and personality, we are prone to both the strengths and weaknesses of selfish human Bombu nature. However, this does not necessarily make Pureland Buddhism some pie-in-the-sky-when-you-die faith. Shinran's teacher, Honen, achieved high levels of samadhi while still alive solely through nembutsu recitation. I myself can personally attest to the effects of prolonged nembutsu recitation. I'm generally not someone any Buddhist would want representing their faith, but even I have gotten pretty damn high on nembutsu (among other things), which just proves the truth of what Honen and Shinran have been saying all along.