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These latter are "conscious cessation of existence," "unconscious cessation of existence," and "space." The Reverend Shuzan Emura, of the Shin-shu sect of Japan, after specifying these seventy-five Dharmas, or things compounded and things immaterial, says: "The former include all things that proceed from a cause.
Most of the Chinese and Japanese sects avowedly base themselves upon three sutras, selected according to the taste of each school from the hundreds quoted in catalogues. Thus the T'ien-t'ai sect has for its scriptures the Lotus, the Nirvâṇa-sûtra and the Prajñâ-pâramitâ, while the Shin-shu sect admits only the three Amidist sutras.
But Shinto sentiment in Izumo was too strong to be affected much by any such declaration: indeed, the recommendation of the matches as suitable for use in a Shin-shu temple was of itself sufficient to prejudice Shintoists against them. Accordingly special precautions had to be taken before safety-matches could be satisfactorily introduced into the Province of the Gods.
Minute examination reveals the astonishing fact that every shadow and clouding is formed by a fairy text of Chinese characters so minute that only a keen eye can discern them; and this text is the entire text of two famed sutras the Kwammu-ryjo-kyo and the Amida-kyo 'text no larger than the limbs of fleas. And all the strong dark lines of the figure, such as the seams of the Buddha's robe, are formed by the characters of the holy invocation of the Shin-shu sect, repeated thousands of times: 'Namu Amida Butsu! Infinite patience, tireless silent labour of loving faith, in some dim temple, long ago.
Though Zendo and Genshin, those great teachers, have well instructed us, yet had Honen Shonin kept silence, wherewith should we know the holy teaching of Shin-Shu, we who dwell in remote country and in an evil day?
Above this long stretch of tile-capped wall rise the beautiful tilted massive lines of grey-blue temple roofs against the sky. Here all the sects dwell side by side in harmony Nichirenshu, Shingon-shu, Zen-shu, Tendai-shu, even that Shin-shu, unpopular in Izumo because those who follow its teaching strictly must not worship the Kami.
Therefore I must content myself with stating that there are Buddhist household shrines of all dimensions, prices, and degrees of magnificence; and that the butsudan of the Shin-shu, although to me the least interesting of all, is popularly considered to be the most beautiful in design and finish.
This is the sect which, being called "Reformed" Buddhism and resembling Protestantism in so many points, both large and minute, foreigners think has been borrowed or imitated from European Protestantism. As matter of fact, the foundation principles of Shin-Shu are at least six hundred years old.
Moreover, there are families in Izumo particularly in Kitzuki whose members do not profess Buddhism in any form, and a very few, belonging to the Shin-shu or Nichirenshu, whose members do not practise Shinto. But the domestic cult of the dead is maintained, whether the family be Shinto or Buddhist.
I have not been able to observe whether the same is true of Izumo Shin-shu families as a rule; but I know that some Shin-shu believers in Matsue worship at Shinto shrines. Adoring only that form of Buddha called Amida, the Shin sect might be termed a Buddhist 'Unitarianism. It seems never to have been able to secure a strong footing in Izumo on account of its doctrinal hostility to Shinto.
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