renouncing the world　出家 Renouncing the worldly life, according to ancient Indian tradition, meant to become a wandering monk so that he could exclusively perform practices through an ascetic life in order to attain emancipation from suffering. Generally in the Buddhist tradition, one is expected to leave secular life, join the Buddhist order, and receive the precepts to become a monk or nun with his or her head shaved. In Jodo Shinshu, however, whether or not we renounce secular life and abandon worldly desires has no bearing on attaining birth in the Pure Land so long as we have the “entrusting heart”.