Buddhist Psalms of Shinran ShoninBuddhismAccepted by Some TraditionsJapaneseShareBuddhist Psalms 14S. Yamabe & L. Adams Beck (1921) - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableS. Yamabe & L. Adams Beck (1921)LanguageEnglishEspañol‹Buddhist Psalms 1Buddhist Psalms 2Buddhist Psalms 3Buddhist Psalms 4Buddhist Psalms 5Buddhist Psalms 6Buddhist Psalms 7Buddhist Psalms 8Buddhist Psalms 9Buddhist Psalms 10Buddhist Psalms 11Buddhist Psalms 12Buddhist Psalms 13Buddhist Psalms 14Buddhist Psalms 15Buddhist Psalms 16Buddhist Psalms 17Buddhist Psalms 18Buddhist Psalms 19›Concerning Genshin-SozuBuddhist Psalms 14ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter204Genshin the Great Teacher declareth: “In this world have I, even I, appeared as an incarnation of the Buddha, and now, my work of Salvation being accomplished, I return unto the Eternal Kingdom that is my home. 205From the teaching of our Lord hath Genshin, the Great Teacher, tenderly opened unto us the gate of the Doctrine of the Holy Name, and hath so taught mankind in this evil world that is far removed from the Golden Day of our Lord. 206Genshin-Sozu, he who sat in the Assemblage on the Peak of Vultures in the time of our Lord, hath taught us that there are two Paradises, that which is eternal and that which is temporal, and thus setteth forth the merit and the defect of the Right Practice and of the Mingled Deed. 207Acharya Genshin, the Great Teacher, considering one of the Sutra with the commentary of Ekanzenji, hath made plain the attributes of the Land of Outermost Places. 208For he said: “Not one man is there of thousands who may not be born into the Land of Purity.” And thus saying, he commendeth the followers of the Right Practice. And again: “There is not even one among tens of thousands who may enter it.” And so saying, he condemneth the doers of the mingled deed. 209Further he setteth forth how few are the men who can enter into the True Land of Purity. And very solemnly he warneth us that more are they that are born into the Temporal Paradise. 210Wheresoever men or women, be they noble or lowly born, recite the Holy Name of our Father, there is no pre-eminence of place or time. Freely may they do this, whether walking, resting, sitting, or lying. 211Though our eyes are so blinded by illusion that we discern not the light whereby He embraceth us, yet that great mercy for ever shineth upon us and is not weary. 212Whatsoever may be his Visible Deed that would be born into the Promised Land, he shall not forget day or night to hold fast unto the name of the Divine Promise. 213To us that in this world are sinners most sinful, there is none other way of Salvation save that we should enter into the Land of Purity, by reciting the holy name of Him who is our Father. CONCERNING HŌNEN SHŌNIN 214Since the day when Hōnen Shōnin appeared in the world, and set forth the single Ark of the Divine Promise, hath the Doctrine of the Pure Land gloriously shone upon the hearts of all men in the land of Nihon. 215For from the strength of the wisdom of light, Hōnen, the Great Teacher, came into the world and hath taught the chosen doctrine of the Divine Promise, and he hath built Jodo-Shinshu upon the rock. 216Though Zendo and Genshin, those great teachers, have well instructed us, yet had Hōnen Shōnin kept silence, wherewith should we know the holy teaching of Shin-Shu, we who dwell in remote country and in an evil day? 217Throughout the long, long Kalpas of my lives that are overpast could I never find the way of Deliverance, and if Hōnen Shōnin, the Great Teacher, had not arisen in this world, vainly had I spent the precious hours of my life. 218When his years were but fifteen, Hōnen Shōnin entered into the Way of Illumination, for in departing from worldly life he fulfilled his heart’s desire, and by him was clearly understanded the doctrine of the transience of life. 219The excellent righteousness of Hōnen Shōnin, his deeds and the wisdom that was in him, drew unto him for refuge many even of chief priests of the heretics that seek Nirvana through the way of the sages. Yea, they sought him even as their appointed teacher, radiant and stray of soul as the diamond. 220Even while Hōnen Shōnin yet walked in this world, there issued from his body rays of a golden shining, and this, so it is said, hath Kanezane Fujiwara beheld with his own eyes. 221The people passed it from mouth to mouth that this Hōnen Shōnin was the living incarnation of Doshaku Zenji, or yet again of Zendo Daishi. 222Before the eyes of men Hōnen Shōnin stood as the Boddhisattva of Wisdom, or, yet more, as the Blessed One again made flesh. The Emperor and all his ministers did homage unto him, yea, and the men of the chief city and of the far countries. 223He who had been Emperor, in the time of Jokyu, brought homage to Hōnen Shōnin. All the priests and scholars of the word of Confucius had understanding of the doctrine of Shin Shu. 224A chosen vessel of the Blessed One that men might be saved, Hōnen Shōnin was manifested in the world, and he opened wide the gate of perfect wisdom, having instructed mankind in the Holy Faith. 225Of all rare things it is the rarest that we should ourselves meet with the True Teacher, yet verily the chain of doubt in the Divine Mercy is the true cause of unending birth and death. 226Hōnen Shōnin issued forth from the mysterious Light and his disciples beheld it. In his eyes was there nought of disparity between the wise and them that know not, between the noble and the lowly born. 227And now, his time being at hand, Hōnen Shōnin spake: “Thrice have I taken birth in the Land of Purity, and of these three times the last hath given unto me the fullness of peace.” 228Once did Hōnen Shōnin speak, saying: “In the glorious day of our Lord was I among the holy Assemblage on the Peak of Vultures, and my Spirit was rapt in self-instruction and in the doctrine of salvation.” 229Having taken birth in that small and remote island, Hōnen Shōnin spread abroad the doctrine of the Holy Name for the sake of all men’s salvation. And thus had he done not only then, but many times in ages gone by. 230That Buddha, whose light is infinite, was made flesh in this world as Hōnen Shōnin, and when his merciful work was accomplished, he returned into the Land of Purity. 231When his life was drawing to a close, light was manifested about him as a cloud of glory, yea, and music of the heavenly places, sweet and excelling in harmony, and sweet odours scattered about him. 232Following steadfastly after the ensample of the Nirvana of the Lord, he laid himself upon his right side, his head inclined unto the north, his face turned unto the west. And the crowding people attended upon him, even the priests and men and women of the nobles and of the lowly born. 233Now the time when Hōnen Shōnin departed from this life was the twenty-fifth day of the young spring. In the second year of Kenriyaku he returned in peace unto the Land of the Father. On the ninth day of February and the second of Ko-Yen, the revelation that here followeth was sent unto me in a dream of morning. 234It is necessary that men should believe the divine promise of Him who is Infinite. Whoso believeth shall attain unto Perfect Wisdom, by the virtue of that Light which embraceth him and shall never forsake him. ‹Previous chapterBuddhist Psalms 13Next chapterBuddhist Psalms 15›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain