right mindedness　正念 For Shinran, right-mindedness is nothing other than shinjin, the entrusting of oneself to the Vow, in which the mind of Amida becomes one with the mind of practicers. Thus, right-mindedness is also the saying of the nembutsu as the manifestation of shinjin.
　This term originally derives from contemplative practice, in which it refers to the attainment of undistracted concentration. In traditional Pure Land Buddhism before Shinran, right-mindedness is that state of practice in which one establishes a relation­ship with Amida by pronouncing the Name and thus occasions the Buddha’s coming to receive one at the end of life. There are two major interpretations of right-mindedness in traditional nembutsu practice. One is nembutsu samadhi―the entrance into deep concentration on Amida through repeated utterance of the Name, although utterance itself is regarded as sufficient practice to bring about Amida’s coming. The other interpretation views most men as incapable of meditative practices of any kind; nevertheless, the purifying merit of the Name itself repeated at the moment of death will neutralize all one’s evil karma, so that Amida will receive one into the Pure Land. Through this encounter with Amida, one attains a state of right-mindedness and remains in it as life ends.