Shinran and Heidegger on Dwelling: Reading Shinran as a Phenomenology of Shinjin

This article explores Shinran's depiction of the life of nembutsu through a discussion of his use of the term 'dwelling'. It seeks thereby to propose a way of reading his writings that might serve as a corrective to the more usual doctrinal views of his teaching. In order to elucidate Shinran's phenomenological endeavour, I consider his writings together with Heidegger's exposition of 'dwelling' in his later essays. There are four characteristics of dwelling in particular that both Shinran and Heidegger elaborate in ways that resonate with each other: settledness, freedom, joy, and nearness. The article takes up each of these aspects of the account of dwelling in the two thinkers with the aim of casting new light on Shinran's understanding of human existence in its fullest potential.