aspiring and directing virtue　発願回向 This phrase appears in Shan-tao’s analysis of the six-character Name: “Na-mo-a-mi-da-butsu” (“taking refuge in Amida Buddha”). “Namo” signifies “taking refuge”, and to take refuge in Amida is to aspire to attain birth in the Pure Land through accumulating merits and directing them to the Buddha for that purpose. However, in most cases of Rennyo’s analysis of the six-character Name, the one who aspires and directs merits is not the practicer, but is Amida. Namely, the significance of “namo” is that Amida aspires to save all sentient beings and directs virtue to them for their attainment of birth in the Pure Land. This interpretation of Shan-tao’s analysis of the Name was first clarified by Shinran.