“Come as you are” is a heartfelt invitation that many of us have longed to hear. This message is captured in the various meanings of Namu Amida Butsu. For me, Namu Amida Butsu represents a call from the core of reality, encouraging us to return home and embrace ourselves just as we are—free from embarrassment, shame, or fear. It is a welcoming space, inviting us to be authentic rather than trying to present a version of ourselves that we think needs fixing.

The reason for this acceptance is that we possess both broken and whole parts. Leonard Cohen expresses this idea beautifully when he sings, “It is the cracks that let the light in.” I interpret this differently: the cracks actually reveal the inner luminosity of our Buddha nature. When we come home to the Way of Oneness, we recognize that we are both broken and whole at the same time. Understanding that there is no distinction between the two allows us to experience our inherent Oneness with heaven and earth.

Christopher Kakuyo Sensei