Buddhist Psalms Part 5

CONCERNING DOSHAKU-ZENJI

171. Having cast away from him all trust in the righteous deeds of the sages, Doshaku-Zenji, the Great Teacher, hath taught us to enter in at the only gate that is the Gospel of the Pure Land.

172. Having thus cast away from him the laborious study of the Doctrine of Nirvana, Doshaku, the Great Teacher, himself trusted only in the power of the Divine Promise, and he persuaded men to follow after him.

173. In this world of sin that is so far removed from the blessed day of our Lord, is there no man who attaineth unto the wisdom Supreme, yea, not though he should compa.s.s all righteous doing. So teacheth our Lord of Great Teaching.

174. He who succeeded unto the teaching of Donran-Daishi, Doshaku-zenji, the Great Priest, thus declareth: "To toil and labour after righteous deeds in this life is the unavailing toil of self-effort."

175. In this world, the doing of evil and the sin that is wrought of men is violent and furious as the storm wind and rain. Therefore have the compa.s.sionate Buddhas exhorted men to seek their refuge within the Land of Purity.

176. From him that sinneth, throughout his life shall the fetters of illusion fall away, if he shall recite the Holy Name with love and adoration.

177. That he might lead men into the Eternal Kingdom-those men who are in this life fast bound unto the evil thing, our Father teacheth us, saying, "Recite my name," and hath promised further, "Doing this, if they be not born again, I myself will not attain unto Wisdom."

CONCERNING ZENDO-DAISHI

178. Rising like unto an incarnation of the Mighty Ocean, Zendo, the great teacher, came into the world.

And for the sake of mankind in this sinful place, he called unto all the Buddhas of the Ten Regions to be his testimony unto his commentary on the Sutra.

179. Two interpreters of Zendo-Daishi were there in the age that followed his own, and these were Hosho and Shoko. They, it is, who have opened the Treasury of teaching that the inward purpose of the Blessed One should be wholly made known.

180. How should women turn their hearts unto wisdom-they who are fast bound with the five fetters? No, not through the ages of myriads of Kalpas, until they seek refuge in the Divine Promise of Him who is mighty.

181. Having thrown open the Gate of Righteousness, our Lord hath instructed mankind in every sort of righteous deed. He hath set before us how the five right deeds differ from the confused deeds that are outside the Five, so that mankind may enter the way of the Sole Practice.

182. To mingle the right action with the action that is not akin to it is called the confused practice. The man that erreth therein hath not attained unto the single heart. He knoweth not thankfulness for the grace of the Enlightened One.

183. If he entreat in prayer the good things of this world, even though he recite only the Blessed Name, he is condemned therein, being also a man of the confused practice. He shall not be born into the Land of Purity.

184. Not one, indeed, but not far asunder are the confused deed and the confused practice. The teachings that are not the teachings of the Land of Purity are to be condemned as confused deeds.

185. Having invoked the testimony of all the Buddhas, Zendo-Daishi hath set before us the story of the two rivers, the one, the river of fire, the other the river of water, that he might incline the heart to righteous deeds, and guard the true faith of the Divine Promise.

186. Verily a simple man may attain unto the true Illumination, if he believe the Holy Promise that is the spirit of the teaching of Shinshu. Because for this only was the Lord made manifest in this world, and not according to those other teachings which shall pa.s.s away and be no more.

187. Before the Almighty Power of the Divine teaching do all the fetters of evil deeds fall away. Therefore is the Divine Promise of our Father invoked as that Holy Thing which giveth unto us omnipotent strength.

188. Yet, to whomsoever would enter the Promised Land, created in the power of His Divine Vow, is belief in his own strength impotent.

And because they are needless, therefore the wise who have received the Great and Lesser Vehicles must trust unto the promise of the Almighty One.

189. Whoso hath known himself the slave of illusion shall yet, relying on the Power of the Holy Promise, enter into the immortal joy of the Truth, and all his earthly body shall fall from him.

190. Merciful and compa.s.sionate parents unto us are the Blessed One and the Lord Buddha. For they have opened before us the ways of good, having so purposed that the great Faith shall be.

191. He who is one with the True Soul hath attained unto a heart clear and hard as diamond. Therefore is he at one with that man who hath the three excellent forms of Penitence. This hath the Great Teacher shown us.

192. By that faith alone, like unto a jewel of price, we who in this sinful world have our being, may enter into the Eternal Kingdom, being eternally freed from the yoke of birth and death.

193. At that moment when faith in the Enlightened One is perfected, pure and lasting as the diamond, then shall the Spiritual Light shine upon us and guard us, the light which for ever guideth us from rebirth and death.

194. Whoso attaineth not unto the True Faith hath not in him one of the Trinity of Virtues, that are Sincerity, Faith, and Hope, and the man that hath not one of these three holdeth not the perfect faith.

195. Whoso attaineth unto the True Faith given of Him is freed from all let and hindrance, for his heart is at one with the Divine Promise, and he is obedient unto the true teaching that is the Very Word of the Buddha.

196. Whoso hath comprehended the truth of the Holy Name is at that very moment freed from doubt. He hath possessed the Right thought, and he is commended as excellent and rare in his attainment.

197. He shall be let and hindered that is not at one with the Divine Promise, and therefore he whose faith is not full of Peace is a man who holdeth not the Divine Thought.

198. The attainment of the Divine Wisdom shall come unto him who reciteth the Holy Name, for his faith cometh from the Divine Promise of Him that leadeth him into the Promised Land. He shall not fail to attain unto the Great Nirvana.

199. At this time when the five Signs of Degeneration are manifest, many men are there who doubt and blaspheme the Holy Doctrine. Yea, even the Priests, together with the people, are enemies unto him who walketh in the right way.

200. He who blasphemeth the Divine Promise is a man born blind. He shall sink into three evil worlds for age-long myriads of Kalpas.

201. Though the way into the Land that is in the West hath been made plain before us, yet the age-long Kalpas have rolled away without good fruit thereof, for we have hindered ourselves and our brethren that we might not enter therein.

202. Without the Almighty Strength of the Divine Promise how should we leave this sinful world? Wherefore we should live in hearty thanksgiving for the Grace of our Father, thinking ever upon the ocean deeps of his love.

203. For it is by the marvellous mercy of our Lord that we may cast aside the anguish of birth and death, in the shining hope of our Eternal Kingdom.

Therefore should we return unto the Lord righteous deeds in thanksgiving for His grace and mercy.

CONCERNING GENSHIN-SOZU

204. Genshin 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.

205. From 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.

206. Genshin-Sozu, he who sat in the a.s.semblage 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.

207. Acharya 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.

208. For 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.

209. Further 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.

210. Wheresoever men or women, be they n.o.ble 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.

211. Though 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.