Shoshin Ge Resource Page

By tradition, Shoshin Nembutsu Ge (or Shoshin Ge for short) is chanted in several styles depending on the occasion among Temples of the BCA. Most common is the Sōfu style, found in most BCA service books. The second most common style is Gyōfu, used at funerals. The Gyōfu version differs from the Sofu version in terms of melody; the text is the same across both. The third version is Junirai, using the melody of the Junirai and sometimes is employed for the convenience of the Sangha using a familiar tune.

QUICK LINKS

Shoshin Nembutsu Ge (Sōfu Style) Video with Wasan (Rev. Kusunoki)

Recommended

Video for Practice of Shoshinge (Sōfu)

Shoshin Nembutsu Ge (Sōfu Style) by Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki (28:12) (Note: Wasan start with Nembutsu at 14:37 [ BTSD Service Book, p. 74; BCA (1994), p. 49])

Date not available. Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki, Rinban at the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple, chants Shoshin Nembutsu Ge and Wasan as a solo chanter. Kusunoki Sensei is certified as a chanting instructor by the Ritual Department of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji (international Jodo Shinshu headquarters). See demonstrations of more sutras by Rev. Kusunoki as posted on the Midwest Buddhist Temple website.

Note: In October 2022, in a training session for Minister’s Assistants preparing for Tokudo, Kusunoki Sensei forwarded this link of the Sofu style in a Japanese video: https://youtu.be/HHFhqrMNn7s.

For Midwest Buddhist Temple, solo demonstration by Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki (28:12) (with Wasan)

Date not available. Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki, Rinban at the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple, chants Shoshin Nembutsu Ge and Wasan as a solo chanter. Kusunoki Sensei is certified as a chanting instructor by the Ritual Department of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji (international Jodo Shinshu headquarters). See demonstrations of more sutras by Rev. Kusunoko as posted on the Midwest Buddhist Temple website.

At Orange County Buddhist Church, solo demonstration by Rev. Dr. Mutsumi Wondra (20:16) (Shoshinge only)

From April 8, 2020. Rev. Wondra presents the Shoshinge with introductory comments and offers it as a sound-based meditation. The words are displayed onscreen in English and Japanese, with verse numbers, while Wondra Sensei chants, making the video especially appropriate for practice. (Onscreen shows words only; the display does not include tonal markings.)

BCA Ministers, led by Rev. Katsuya Kusinoki (24:07) (with Wasan)

This rendition was recorded on March 29, 2011, at the Jodo Shinshu Center (JSC) in Berkeley as a part of a Ministers' Continuing Education Project. Chanting participants include Revs. Kakihara, Adams, Kuwahara, Nakata, and Sakamoto.

At Vista Buddhist Temple led by Bishop Marvin Harada (12:56) (Shoshinge Only)

From Jan. 14, 2018. Before becoming Bishop in 2020, Rev. Harada was resident minister at Orange County Buddhist Church and was supervising minister for Vista Buddhist Temple.

TEXT for Practice of Verses and Wasan (Sōfu)

PDF of Shoshin Nembutsu Ge (Sōfu-Style) and Wasan (34 pp.) (9 MB) << UPDATE - now includes verse numbers and page numberes of BTSD Service Book

This version is from the Shin Buddhist Service Book published by the BCA in 1994 in a purple hardcover. This is the edition used at the Jodo Shinshu Center and by several BCA temples. It was also used at BTSD for many years. The musical annotation is unique to the BCA, developed in hope it would be widely accessible. (We hope to post alternatives on this site in future.) Please note that the version of Shoshinge in the current BTSD service book (blue softcover) is nearly identical page for page to the version here; as a convenience, in this PDF we inserted San Diego service book page references in red boldface.

With Western Musical Notation: PDF of Shoshin Nembutsu Ge (Sōfu Style) and Wasan (2MB). From the Shin Buddhist Service Book, published by the Buddhist Education Center of the Orange County Buddhist Church in 2013,

Gyōfu

PDF of Shoshin Nembutsu Ge [without Wasan](Gyōfu Style) (30 pp.) (2.6 MB)

This version isn from the Jodo Shinshu Service Book, published by the Hongwanji International Center in 2015 in a lavnder cover. This is the edition used for English-speaking students in Japan. As to layout, note that chanting flows top to bottom, right to left. A full verse could be displayed in this format:

  4          3           2         1    

ZAI     HOU      NA       KI
SE      ZOU      MO      MYOU
JI        BO         FU       MU
ZAI    SATSU   KA       RYOU
OU     IN          SHI      JU
BUS-   NI          GI        NYO
SHO   JI           KOU    RAI       

 Numbers surrounded by a red cloud refer to verses (30 in all). To accommodate occasioanl notation, some sheets include two verses, some a single verse, and some half a verse. Half verses are broken across two sheets such as at 1 and 1A; 2 and 2A; etc. Marks to the left of the kanji indicate changes in tone or pitch. Some passages also use melodic notation as mentioned (see verse 2A)

With Western Musical Notation: PDF of Shoshin Nembutsu Ge (Gyōfu Style) and Wasan (2.3MB). From the Shin Buddhist Service Book, published by the Buddhist Education Center of the Orange County Buddhist Church in 2013,

Junirai

PDF of Shoshin Nembutsu Ge (Junirai Style) with Western musical notation (3 pp.) (1.4 MB). Does not include Wasan.

This version isn from the Shin Buddhist Service Book, published by the Buddhist Education Center of the Orange County Buddhist Church in 2013, in a tan cover with the Nembutsu and a portion of the Wisteria mon.

Video for Practice of Shoshinge (GYōfu)

For Midwest Buddhist Temple, solo demonstration by Rev. Kusunoki (27:12) (with Wasan)

Date not available. Rev. Katsuya Kusunoki, Rinban at the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple, chants Shoshin Nembutsu Ge in the Gyōfu style.

Note: In October 2022, in a training session for MGyōfu inister’s Assistants preparing for Tokudo, Kusunoki Sensei forwarded this link of the Gyōfu style in a Japanese video: https://youtu.be/bqo87Cn6664

SHOSHINGE STUDY RESOURCE

As recommended by Rev. Laverene and Rev. Smitty, see Shoshinge podcasts from Rev. Henry Adams, of the San Mateo Buddhist Temple.

1. Please email the Temple for the Zoom log-in.

2. Click the link 5 minutes before the session is scheduled to start. (The host usually logs in about 15 minutes prior to the session.)

3. You will have to wait to be admitted by the host.

4. We will be chanting Shoshinge in the Sōfu style. This is the style most frequently used in our Temple services.

5. If you don't have a copy of the blue BTSD service book or other version, you can follow along with the Shoshinge by using the Text link above or repeated here: Shoshin Nembutsu Ge.

6. Zoom Etiquette. Please share your video camera but put yourself on mute during the chanting. Although you will be on mute, we encourage you to chant along with the person on mic.

7. Kenji Sensei will lead us in gassho and start the Shoshinge.

8. For at least the month of August, the chanting will be led by Kenji Sensei, the MAs and members of the Sangha who have been practicing Shoshinge for the past several months.

9. We look forward to chanting with you!

Miscellaneous Notes

• Shoshinge is the short name or nickname for the Shoshin Nembutsu Ge.

• The Sōfu style is most commonly chanted at Temple services. Other versions exist and are used for special occasions

• The PDF text provided here is from the purple hardcover volume, Shin Buddhist Service Book (Buddhist Churches of America: San Francisco CA, 1994). Because the text will be used by some participants using the San Diego service book, the PDF includes San Diego page numbers in red.

• San Diego’s service book is the blue softcover volume, Jodo Shinshu Service Book (Buddhist Temple of San Diego: San Diego CA, 2011). The San Dieg book uses the Shin Service Book version of Shoshinge almost exactly on a page-by-page basis, although the page numbers differ.

• The Wasan that follow the Shoshinge are poems written by Shinran, and the Wasan presented here are often chanted in all or part following the Shoshinge. In BCA tradition, typically the same six Wasan follow the Shoshinge.

• While the Shoshinge is written in classical Sino-Japanese, the Wasan are written in the vernacular Japanese of Shinran’s time. Shinran composed three volumes of such Wasan late in life.

• In usual BCA practice, the chanting style of the Wasan is the same regardless of the style of Shoshinge being chanted.