writing represents his “personal practice [rather] than a vessel for instruction for others,”237 when turning to his letters, we need to question the assumption that Shinran’s intention was purely personal and was not intended for his disciples. In addition, whereas Maimonides’ presumed elitism is often observed, especially when one is focusing on the Guide for the Perplexed, Shinran’s interpretation of the Buddhist sutras can also point out to a certain elitism. After all, this type of interpretation and complexity of its exposition are predicated upon Shinran’s knowledge of texts. Moreover, the manner in which these texts are explicated most likely was not accessible to the unlearned and illiterate common people.
Regardless of the implicit goal and the possibility of various audiences, we maintain that the overall intention remains the same—the advancement of a more inclusive practice for Shinran, and the preservation of the Jewish community placed in the conditions of exile. Honoring the divine and observing God’s commandments remain an important component for the continual existence of Jewish community which connects all of Maimonides’ works.238
NOTES
1. Yoshifumi Ueda and Dennis Hirota, Shinran: An Introduction to His Thought (Kyoto: Hongwanji International Center, 1989).
2. Alfred Bloom, Strategies for Modern Living. A Commentary with the Text of the Tannishō (Numata Center, 1992).
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