Chapter 2

Hard is it to see the hidden blossom of the myriad-century-blooming Lotus, so hard also is it for a man’s understanding to receive the message of that Blessed One.

53. Ten Kalpas of Ages have rolled away since He who is Infinite attained unto the Wisdom, yet before the myriads of the Kalpas He _was_.

54. He who is of the Light Ineffable, Holiest Refuge of men, ordaining that His saving grace should be made manifest, duly considered all the worlds of the Ten Regions, under the guidance of the holy Buddha of Loka-is-Vara-Raja.

55. Purity, Rejoicing, Wisdom, these three are the Supernal Essence of the light of the Infinite One that enlighteneth all things, communicating good to all the worlds of the Ten Regions.

56. Teaching all that have life in the Ten Regions, that they might, with sincerity, faith, and hope, be born again into Paradise, He set forth that promise infinite and divine—the true seed of birth within the Kingdom of Truth.

57. Whoso attaineth unto the True Faith is in unity with them that return no more to birth and death, for having thus attained, they pass onward into Nirvana, their lives being ended.

58. In His great compassion the Blessed One accomplished His infinite wisdom in His divine promise, ordaining that womanhood shall be raised into manhood.

59. Instructing all that have life in the Ten Regions how they should through sincerity, effort, and hope be born into the Temporal Paradise, He faithfully promiseth to manifest Himself unto the eyes of the dying, opening wide the gate of all righteousness before them.

60. By the divine promise to the dying of His consoling presence our Lord instructeth men that they shall make to grow all righteousness revealed in the Sutra of Meditation upon the Buddha of Infinite Life.

61. All righteous deeds done of men in true obedience to the holy Doctrine of Sincerity and right-doing, are but the seed of merit that shall be born within the Temporal Paradise.

62. Instructing All that have life in the Ten Regions how that they may through sincerity, merit, and hope be born into the Temporal Paradise, He promiseth that no man shall lose salvation, for He hath opened the Gate of Truth.

63. By the Divine Promise of the final salvation hath our Lord instructed the men of the Single Vehicle to recite His Holy Name that is the Essence of all the merit revealed in the Lesser Sutra of the Buddha of Infinite Life.

64. He that reciteth the Holy name by his own effort and in the mind of meditation or of dispersing, being led by the virtue of the divine promise of final salvation, turneth naturally in at the Gate of Truth.

65. He that holds not the True Faith, even though he desire to be born into the Pure Paradise of Joy, must go unto his own place, and it shall be in the border of the Outermost Places, for this is the fruit of doubting the mystery of the Supreme Wisdom.

66. That a man should be a Buddha, made manifest in this world, is a rare thing and difficult. So difficult is it also to hear the excellent doctrine of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. In all the myriads of Kalpas such a way comes seldom.

67. Difficult is it for men to find a wise Teacher; so is it also for them to be instructed and to hear the Holy Law. More difficult still is it to receive the True Faith.

68. More difficult is it for men to receive the Divine Promise made unto men than to receive all other teachings.

The Lord Buddha teacheth that this is of all hard things most difficult and yet again more difficult.

69. The true Doctrine teacheth men that they may become Buddhas in reciting the Holy Name, and so therefore is it that all other faiths and moralities are but transitory doorways unto the Truth. Man comprehendeth not that Pure Land of Peace unless he holdeth fast the true Doctrine, casting aside that which is transitory.

70. Seek refuge in the Sole Vehicle of merciful promise. For the transitory teachings have let and hindered men in the Way of Enlightenment so that they must needs pass through the long weariness of births and deaths.

CONCERNING THE SUTRA OF THE MEDITATION

71. That Lord that was made flesh in India, the Lord of great pity, showing unto Vaidehi, Queen of Magadha, the golden mirror created by his marvellous power, commanded her to choose the Land of Pure Joy among all the worlds therein appearing.

72. Binbisara, he who commanded that an ascetic should be slain before his pre-ordained time was come, by his own son was imprisoned in a seven-walled prison as the due recompense of his violence.

73. Ajāta-Šatru, prince and heir of Magadha, denouncing his mother as a traitor, with drawn sword ran furiously upon her.

74. Then said Jīvaka the minister and another with him: “This act is worthy only of an outcast. For the fame of our race unworthy art thou to dwell in the Palace.” And earnestly did they counsel him to change his evil purpose.

75. Laying his hand on his sword-hilt, Jīvaka, the minister, drew backwards a few steps, steadfastly regarding the prince, that he might avert this great sin. And so it was that the prince laid down his sword, and secluded his mother in a palace.

76. Certain is it that Ananda with Vaidehi, Devadatta and yet others, bearing their part in this great sorrow of the royal palace of Magadha, must needs so suffer that they might know the infinite pity of the Blessed One, that Lord who in this world made manifest the true teaching.

77. And all these wise ones having so received instruction revealed unto us, who are of all evil-doers worst, the true way, the refuge of His divine promise that absolveth all the sins of men.

78. For when the full time was come that by the will of our Lord and of Vaidehi the teaching of the Pure Land should be made known here on Earth, Ajāta-Šatru, her son, sinned this sin, Varshakara his minister bearing testimony against it.

79. It is needful that the heart of a man be opened unto the Faith universal which He who is Blessed hath shown us, forsaking the belief that his own works shall save him, for in every man the power to perform righteous deeds is differing.

CONCERNING THE LESSER SUTRA

80. The Eternal Father is called the Buddha of Infinite Light, because very mightily He holdeth in safety all beings dwelling in the Ten Regions of the world who, by His merciful enlightenment, recite His Holy Name.

81. The myriad Buddhas, unnumbered as the sands of Ganges, counsel all having life to trust in the Supernal Virtue of the Holy Name, declaring that weighed against this even righteous deeds are the lesser good.

82. The innumerable Buddhas, countless as the sands of Ganges, are a testimony and a shield to all that have life in this sorrowful and sinful world, declaring unto them that teaching most high and difficult of acceptance, which is the true faith.

83. Whoso attaineth unto a Soul clear and enduring as diamond shall testify unto his thankfulness for the limitless grace of the Blessed One, for even the testimony and the safeguarding that he hath of all the Buddhas proceed only from the fulfilment of His most merciful promise.

84. The innumerable Buddhas, countless as the sands of Ganges, guide into a sure trust in the Holy Name those sinful creatures and evil-hearted that wander in the darkness of this wicked world bearing the five signs of degeneration upon it.

OF THE MANY SUTRAS CONCERNING THE INFINITE ONE

85. Having great pity, our Eternal Father lighteneth the dark night of ignorance, manifesting Himself in that Land of Joy as the Buddha of Infinite Light which enlighteneth all the worlds with its immeasurable glory.

86. That Lord most compassionate, the Buddha of immeasurable Light, He who had attained unto the Supreme Wisdom even before the myriads of Kalpas were, pitying them that know not, made himself manifest in the Palace of Kapila as the Lord Sakya-muni.

87. If a man had the duration of all the myriad Kalpas, had he innumerable tongues and each of these tongues innumerable voices, yet should he vainly essay the praises of that Blessed One.

88. The Lord instructeth us that the way into Paradise is straight and easy. Therefore whoso receiveth not this Truth is, in verity, called a man that hath not eyes to see nor ears to hear.

89. The One true freedom is the Highest, and the Absolute is perfect freedom. And when we attain unto that freedom, for us shall desire and doubt vanish away.

90. When every man is beloved of us, even as the son of our own body, there is the Universal Mind made perfect in us. And this shall be in Paradise.

91. He who is in all things supreme, is Himself Nirvana, and Nirvana is that true light that abideth in the Land that is to come, but this world cannot know it.

92. Our Lord instructeth us that he who rejoiceth in his faith is, in so doing, in unity with the Highest. For true faith is the seed of light, and the seed of true light is in itself the potentiality of that which is Deity.

93. Whoso trusteth not in the Supreme Wisdom of the Enlightened One, clinging unto his own purblind knowledge, must suffer by fire for long Kalpas of ages.

CONCERNING THE WELFARE OF THE PRESENT WORLD

94. He that hath unending pity, the Buddha of Infinite Life, hath given unto us in the Sutra of Golden Light a teaching concerning long life, that the way of long life and the welfare of the people might be made known unto them.

95. Dengyo-Daishi, he who taught the Tendai-shu in the mount of Hiye, hath compassionately instructed us that we should recite Namuamida-butsu, that Holiest Name, as a sure shield against the seven sorts of calamities.

96. Whoso reciteth the Holy Name, that is higher than all other virtues, shall be set free from the fetters of the past, the present, and the future.

97. To him that reciteth the Holy Name shall be good unending even in this world, for the sin of his former births is vanquished and his youth set free from death.

98. To him that reciteth the Holy Name, shall Brahma and Chakra the great king bring homage, and about him shall heavenly beings and benignant deities keep watch throughout the days and nights.

99. That man that reciteth the Holy Name shall the four mighty Regents in Heaven guard through the days and nights against the disturbance of all evil spirits.

100. To him that reciteth the Holy Name shall the Deity of the Earth bring homage, watching over him throughout the day and night, as the shadow follows its substance.

101. To him who reciteth the Holy Name, Nanda and Upananda the Naga Kings, together with their attendant deities shall bring homage, watching over him throughout the day and night.

102. To him who reciteth the Holy Name, the King of Death, together with his ministers in the five worlds, shall do reverence, guarding him throughout the days and nights.

103. Mara, the Tempter, he who is Ruler of that heaven, where pleasures are collected, hath sworn unto the Lord to shield him from temptation who reciteth the Holy Name.

104. All good deities in Earth and Heaven shall be gracious unto him who reciteth the Holy Name, shielding him throughout the days and nights.

105. All evil spirits in heaven and earth tremble before that believer who standeth upon the Immutable promise. For even in this world hath he the mind of Divine Illumination.

106. Kwannon and Seishi, the Bodhisattvas of incarnate Pity and Wisdom, together with their companions, innumerable as the sands of Ganges, shall be beside him who reciteth the Holy Name, even as the shadow cleaves to the substance.

107. Within the Light of Buddha of Infinite Light are unnumbered Buddhas, and of these, each and every one shall shield him who hath within him the true Faith.

108. Whoso reciteth the Holy Name shall be surrounded himself by those Buddhas who cannot be numbered, who in the Ten Regions with joy protect and guide him.

Upon the Sutra of Suraigama-Samadhi, I, Shinran Shōnin, have uttered these eight lauds praising the virtue of Seishi the Bodhisattva of Wisdom.

109. Seishi, he who is the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, having comprehended the fullness of the Holiest Name, rising from his seat, prostrated himself beneath the feet of our Lord, worshipping Him, he and his fellowship, and thus he spake:

110. “O my Lord, in the ancient time, before the Kalpas innumerable as the sands of Ganges, there was manifest in this world a Buddha, and His Name was called—The Buddha of Infinite Light.

111. “In His footsteps twelve Buddhas followed, and twelve long Kalpas have rolled away. And of these Buddhas the last was He that is called that Buddha in whose glory the Sun and Moon are even as darkness.

112. “Unto me hath that Buddha revealed the Path of the meditation of the Supreme—that meditation wherein He instructeth us that all the Buddhas of all the Ten Regions compassionate as even as a father pitieth his child.

113. Whoso seeketh refuge in Buddha, as a child in the bosom of his mother shall verily perceive Him now or in the time that shall be. And it shall be soon.

114. “As a man encompassed by the cloud of incense casteth sweet odours about him, so he that trusteth in the Holy Promise is spiritually endued with the Divine Essence.

115. “When I was initiate in right doing, I attained unto the high way of that assurance that freed me from birth and death, through the teaching of the Noble Doctrine of the Holy Name.

“Therefore in this world, rejoicing, I guide the faithful believer into the way of Purity.”

116. Now with all praise let us give thanks unto the merciful goodness of the Bodhisattva of Wisdom.

OF THANKSGIVING FOR NAGARJUNA, THE GREAT TEACHER OF INDIA

117. Nagarjuna, the great teacher, setting forth in many excellent writings the praise of the Kingdom of Purity, hath instructed us to recite the Holy Name.

118. For the Lord Buddha declared in prophecy that in India, in the Southern Parts, should arise a great Teacher, trampling upon the false teachings of affirmation and denial.

119. Nagarjuna, the Great Teacher, he who mightily set forth the noble doctrine of the greater Vehicle, and himself attained unto that height whereon a man rejoiceth eternally in the Faith, hath very sweetly persuaded men that they should receive the teaching of the Holy Name.

120. Nagarjuna, that great priest, setting forth the two ways—the way that is straight and plain, and the way of high austerity, leadeth very gently to the Ark of the Divine Promise such as are driven through the weariness of births and deaths.

121. He who receiveth this teaching of Nagarjuna the Great Teacher, should recite always the Holy Name, believing the Divine Promise of the Buddha of Infinite Light.

122. Whoso would quickly attain unto that resting-place where illusion ceaseth, should recite the Holy Name holding his mind in steadfast piety.

123. One Ark only, that Ark of the Divine Promise of our merciful Father, doth voyage and bear us unto the shore of the eternal peace—even us who so long have drifted hither and thither in the ocean of birth and death.

124. This great priest hath in one utterance set forth that the Lord is Ruler indeed of the sacred teaching, and that herein are the holy Bodhisattvas His ministers. Therefore should we bring homage unto our Lord.

125. The mighty company of the Bodhisattvas utter these words, “When we became wise in holiness, yea, we who have striven through Kalpas unnumbered,

126. “Yet could we not root out our earthly desires which are the very seed of birth and death. But through that only way of the meditation of the Highest did we attain unto the final deliverance that hath destroyed all our sin.”

OF THANKSGIVING FOR VASUBANDH, THE GREAT TEACHER OF INDIA

127. Among those doctrines taught of our Lord Vasubandh, the great priest hath persuaded us who are full of sinful desires to accept the Divine Promise of our infinite Father.

128. Only to Him who is above all things is known the glory of the Land of Peace. Wide as the sky and boundless is it spread forth.

129. Whoso believeth in the power of the Divine Promise shall verily be at one with the holy Essence, even as the turbid stream is clear and pure within the ocean depth when they have flowed together.

130. When the assemblage of the believers in the holy faith is born within that Land of Purity that hath sprung from the lotus of the true enlightenment, soon shall their heart’s desire be fulfilled in them.

131. The heavenly spirits and those souls freed from illusion, they who are born in the land of purity from the wisdom deep as the ocean of the Divine Promise, differ not the one from the other in their powers. Pure are they as the air is pure.

132. Vasubandh, that exalted master of excelling works, who himself hath found refuge in the Buddha of Infinite Light, hath declared that whoso is borne in the Vehicle of the Divine Promise shall without doubt attain unto the Promised Land.

133. Whoso taketh refuge in the Buddha of Infinite Light, that light that shineth unto all the worlds of the Ten Regions, shall be called, according to the teaching of that master of excelling works, a man whose heart is great, and to him shall the True Light be shown.

134. He whose heart is great and who shall attain unto the true enlightenment is he also that desireth the salvation of all living, and verily the true faith given of that Blessed One is salvation.

135. The single heart perceiveth the true faith, and so doing is strong and clear as the diamond, and this strength is the wisdom of the supreme that strengthened us.

136. When we shall attain, unto the Promised Land, which is that Nirvana past all understanding, there shall we labour abundantly for the salvation of all living things. For so the Sutra teaches us in these words: “A heart that inclineth to the succour of others.”

OF THANKSGIVING FOR DONRAN, THE GREAT TEACHER OF CHINA

137. Donran, that great teacher of China, being instructed of Bodhi-ruci, the priest of India, sought refuge in the Land of Purity, and thus doing he burned with fire the books of the Taoist teaching which he had aforetime held in honour.

138. Having thus cast from him the writings that he had so many years diligently studied, he preached unto all men the doctrine of the Divine Promise, and, so teaching, he led men that are fast bound in the fetters of illusion, in at the Gate of the Great Peace.

139. A mighty King of this world brought homage unto him in his monastery and put unto him this question, saying: “If so it is that the Land of Purity should be in all the Ten Regions, how then is it declared unto us in the Sutra that it is in the Western Heaven?”

140. And with humble piety he replied:

“Of this matter can I not tell thee. It is too high for me. Still am I in the lower rank of wisdom, even still small is my knowledge. I cannot fathom this great mystery.”

141. All men in the priesthood or the people who know not the rock of their trust, did Donran the Great Priest guide unto the sure refuge of the doctrine of the Land of Bliss.

142. He abode in the Temple of the Great Rock, being favourably bidden thereto by the King of the Gi Dynasty, and in the evening of his days he travelled into the district of Dun.

143. And this King of the Gi Dynasty reverently offered unto him the holy title of Shinran (Ran of Divinity) and the honourable name of “Rock of the Venerable Ran”—that his dwelling-place should be called by it.

144. Great and mighty upon the people was his spiritual power in the temple of Genchu and in the fourth year of Kokwa of the Gi Dynasty the Temple of Yosen became his beloved dwelling.

145. And when he had reached sixty-seven years, he sought his final refuge in the Eternal Kingdom. And at that departing were vouchsafed many holy marvels unto which all men, both of the priests and people, came and did reverence.

146. And when Donran the Great High Priest had departed into the Peace, the King of the Gi Dynasty by a royal order commanded there should be built for him a holy monument in the lands of Dun.

147. What man could know the unsearchable mystery of the faith and deeds of the Divine Promise were it not for that most excelling commentary of Donran the wise Priest, which he wrote concerning the teaching of Vasubandh that had lived aforetime.

148. He who believeth that the Sole Vehicle of the Divine Promise, most perfect, most mighty, receiveth within itself the Greatest of Sinners, and this because it is its chief will so to do, will receive the depth of this essential teaching—namely, that before the eyes of the Instructed, illusion and wisdom are in their Essence One.

149. Among the Five Mysteries that are preached in this Sutra, the mystery of the Divine Power of the Enlightened One is highest, and this is the holy vow of our Blessed One, this and this only.

150. Unto us hath our Father given those two spiritual gifts. Of these the first is the Virtue whereby we attain unto His Kingdom, and the second is the Virtue whereby having so attained we return into this world for the Salvation of men. By the merit of these two gifts are we initiates of the true faith and of its deeds.

151. When we shall have attained unto the faith and the deeds of the Merciful Promise through our Father that is in all things able to give them unto us, birth and death are henceforward as Nirvana. And this is called the Gift of Departure.

152. And when we shall have attained unto that height which is desire for the ingathering of all beings into Paradise, shall we return again into this world that we may be Saviours of Men. And this is called the Gift of Returning.

153. That “Single Mind” expounded unto us by Vasubandh, the Master of Writings that excel, is nothing other than the faith of us that are now fast bound in illusion. So teacheth Donran the Great Teacher in his Commentary.

154. The Buddha of that inexpressible Light that shineth into the worlds of the Ten Regions, being for ever enlightened in the night of ignorance, hath most certainly opened the way of Nirvana to every man who even for one moment rejoiceth in receiving His Divine Promise.

155. By the merit of His Infinite Light, when we attain unto that faith divine and omnipotent, the ice of illusion shall melt into the water of perfect wisdom.

156. Sin is made one with virtue in its essence, even as ice is one with water. The more there is ice, so much the more water is there. So also is the binding up of sin with virtue.

157. In the unbounded ocean of the Holy Name is not seen even one single death of a blasphemer. For the myriad streams of sin are on purity with the ocean of righteousness when they have flowed into the impurity thereof.

158. When the streams of illusion have flowed into the Great Sea of the Merciful Promise of the Enlightened One, whose light shineth into all the worlds of the Ten Religions, then shall they too become the pure water of the Perfect Wisdom.

159. No other way is there of attaining unto the Perfect Enlightenment save only by birth into the Land of Gladness, and therefore have all the Enlightened Ones exhorted men that they should receive the Doctrine of the Kingdom Purity.

160. The Great Priest hath well taught us that in order to cleanse our deeds, words, and thoughts of deceitfulness, our Father hath performed the three of His pure and universal.

161. There is no way unto the Kingdom of Gladness save only by attaining unto the true faith through that Holy Name, the very Jewel of Wonder.

162. When the new birth through the clearness of the Divine Promise is attained in the Eternal Kingdom, it is not like unto the birth of this world; then is there no inferiority even in those that in this world were sinners, for they have entered into Paradise.

163. The Holy Name of the Buddha of that Boundless Light that shineth into all the worlds of the Ten Regions, and the glory of His Wisdom, destroy the darkness of ignorance in the Eternal Night, thus fulfilling all the desires of men.

CONCERNING UNRIGHTEOUS DEEDS