Buddhist Psalms of Shinran ShoninBuddhismAccepted by Some TraditionsJapaneseShareBuddhist Psalms 17S. 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›In Praise Of Prince ShotokuBuddhist Psalms 17ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter316Through the compassion of Shotoku the great prince we, having accepted the Divine Promise sprung from the unsearchable wisdom of the Illuminated One, are made equal unto Maitreya. Bodhisattva—the Buddha that shall be—having been united unto those men who return no more to birth and death. 317The mighty Bodhisattva of Compassion, he who is the Saviour, was made manifest in this world as Shotoku the Prince, who, like a father, hath not forsaken us, and like a mother is ever amongst us. 318From that past where was no beginning until the day that now is, hath Shotoku the great prince, the Compassionate, dwelt among us like unto a father and a mother. 319Shotoku the Prince, from his Compassion, hath persuaded us to enter in at the Divine Promise of the wondrous wisdom of the Light-Bearer. And through this are we joined unto those men who return no more unto birth and death. 320Whoso attaineth unto the holy faith that is the power of divinity, must, in the Ten Regions of the world, find the twofold gift of the Enlightened One, that he may live in thankfulness for His grace. 321Shotoku, he who is mercy’s self, the Compassionate, he who is like unto a father, and the Bodhisattva of Mercy, the divine tenderness, his succour is merciful as the pity of a mother. 322Testimony is there that Shotoku the prince hath mercy upon us, from the myriads of Kalpas even unto this day, because the wondrous wisdom of Him who is Light beareth the load of his debt for the believer. Therefore before the eyes of His wisdom is the evil as the good, the pure as the unclean. 323Shotoku, the Prince, he that is in Japan called the Lord of Teaching, he whose great mercy overtops all spoken words of gratitude, must we therefore praise for evermore, having with single heart sought refuge in him. 324He who hath pitied the dwellers in the lands of Japan, the Prince of Jogu, he whose ways are merciful, hath spread abroad the Divine Promise of the Enlightened One. Therefore let us praise him with great rejoicing. Throughout the many myriads of Kalpas, birth after birth fell hitherto upon us. 325We to whom he showed forth his compassion must be swift to praise him, having continually sought refuge in him, and with a single mind. 326The high Prince Shotoku, he who hath guarded us and with great carefulness led us upwards from remotest times, hath lovingly entreated us to seek our refuge in the two-fold gift of the Enlightened One. ‹Previous chapterBuddhist Psalms 16Next chapterBuddhist Psalms 18›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