Jiriki

Jiriki is a term in East Asian Buddhism that denotes self-power, the ability of an individual to attain enlightenment or favorable rebirth through personal effort, merit, and disciplined practice. The term comes from the Japanese 自力 (jiriki), literally “self” plus “power.”

The concept is most often contrasted with tariki, meaning other-power or the grace and aid provided by a Buddha or bodhisattva. In this dichotomy, jiriki refers to practices such as ethical conduct, meditation, and the cultivation of merit, while tariki emphasizes reliance on the vow and compassionate intervention of a awakened being. The distinction is especially prominent in Pure Land Buddhism, where practitioners are commonly taught to balance personal discipline with faith in Amitabha Buddha’s vow and the practice of nembutsu.

Historically, the self-power versus other-power discussion appears across East Asian schools, including Tendai and Zen, but it becomes a focal point in Japanese Pure Land thought. Figures associated with these ideas include Honen and Shinran, who articulated soteriology in relation to the role of Amitabha’s vow. In many formulations, jiriki is acknowledged as a path of effort, but ultimate liberation or rebirth is seen as dependent on tariki through the Buddha’s compassion and vow.

In contemporary usage, jiriki remains a reference point in discussions of Buddhist practice, often described alongside tariki to illustrate the relationship between personal cultivation and reliance on the Buddhas’ compassion. Related terms include tariki, Pure Land Buddhism, and the broader self-power versus other-power discourse.