rennyo shoshinge tai

7/24/2019 Rennyo Shoshinge Tai

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Shoshinge Tai'i :

The Main Import of Shoshinge

Rennyo Shonin's Shoshinge Tai'i:

A Commentary on Shinran Shonin's Verses on TrueShinjin

Translated from Japanese by Kenneth K. Tanaka

Now, this Shoshinge contains one hundred twenty verses and sixty lines. Itexpresses the essential meaning of the fundamental teachings of our sectbased on the interpretations of the [seven] masters of the three countries.

There are forty-four verses and twenty-two lines from the opening words "Itake refuge" to "Is hard to accept [in shinjin]." (verses 1 - 44) This [section]expresses the essence of the Larger Sutra. The four verses beginning with"India" (verses 45 - 48) summarize the essence of the Pure Land teachingsof the masters of the three countries. Next, [the section from] "Shakyamuni[Tathagata, on Mount Lanka]" to the end of the verses (verses 49 - 120)

expresses the essence of the praises of the seven masters.

Question: What is the meaning of "Shoshinge" (The Verses on TrueShinjin)?Answer: "True" (sho) is a word that is in contrast to "peripheral," in contrastto "heretical," and in contrast to "mixed." "Shinjin" (shin) is a word that is incontrast to "doubt" and in contrast to "practice."

(Verse 1)"I take refuge in the Tathagata of Immeasurable Life."

[This verse] refers to the essence [of Tathagata] which is immeasurable lifeas expressed in the Chinese language. [the verse] exhorts us to take refugein Amida Tathagata.

(2)"I entrust myself to the Buddha of Inconceivable Light."


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[This verse] refers to the wondrous virtues of the light of wisdom. Hence, "Itake refuge in the Tathagata of Immeasurable Life" [mentioned earlier]conveys the essence of Namo-Amida-Butsu. This Namo-Amida-Butsushould neither be measured by conceptual mind nor be explained in words.It is precisely the state when these two modes [of comprehending Namo-

Amida-Butsu] are exhausted that [the above verse] "I entrust myself to theBuddha of Inconceivable Light" refers to.

This is called the Tathagata of Fulfilled Body, the "Tathagata of UnhinderedLight that Exhausts the Ten Quarters", and the Tathagata that is theUltimate Body of Skillful Means. This skillful means takes on a form, revealsthe sacred Name, and makes itself known to sentient beings; this is noneother than Amida Buddha. This Tathagata is light; light is wisdom; wisdomis the form of light. When wisdom lacks form it is referred to as the Buddhaof Inconceivable Light.

Precisely because this Tathagata pervades the countless worlds in the tendirections, it is referred to as the Buddha of Boundless Light. It is for thisreason that Bodhisattva Vasubandhu (in his Treatise on the Pure Land)named it the "Tathagata of Unhindered Light that Exhausts the TenQuarters." Thus, if we take refuge and entrust in this Tathagata, we areembraced and not abandoned, and thereby realize birth in the True FulfilledLand.

(3-6)"Bodhisattva Dharmakara, in his causal stage,

Under the guidance of Lokeshvararaja Buddha,Searched into the origins of the Buddhas' pure lands,And the qualities of those lands and their men and devas"

Lokeshvararaja Buddha refers to Amida Buddha's teacher in the past.Under the tutelage of this Buddha, [Bodhisattva Dharmakara] observed thegood and the evil in the pure lands of 21 billion Buddhas, selected thepositive qualities, rejected the negative qualities, and determined what hewanted for his own pure land.

(7-8)

"He then established the supreme, incomparable Vow; He made the Vowrare and all-encompassing."

Since he established the incomparable Pure Land of the Western Realm ofUtmost Bliss upon selecting [the positive qualities among] the pure lands of[innumerable] Buddhas, [Bodhisattva Dharmakara's vow] is referred to asthe "World-Transcending, Rare Great Vow" or the "Great Vow of HorizontalTranscendence".


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"(9)"In five kalpas of profound thought, he embraced this Vow."

"Kalpa" is the time it takes for a heavenly being to wear down a rock 40 ri

(97.6 miles) high and 40 ri wide by brushing against it once every threeyears with a feathered garment weighing the equivalent of only three of thefour [Chinese] characters [written on a paper money].

When Amida Buddha was previously called Monk Dharmakara, hecontemplated for a period of time for five of these [rock "mountains"] to bewhittled down to nothing. He vowed to reveal the true Dharma and to lead[all beings] to birth in the Pure Land without leaving out even persons ofkarmic evil who have committed the Ten Evils or the Five Grave Offensesas well as women who are limited by restrictions known as] the FiveObstacles and the Three Subservient Relationships

(10)"Then resolved again that this Name be heard throughout the tenquarters."

[This verse] expresses the heart of Amida Tathagata who, in aspiring [tosee all beings realize] Buddhist enlightenment, vowed that he would notattain full enlightenment [for himself] if there is any place in the ten quarterswhere the sound of the Name is not heard.

(11-15)[The verses] from "Everywhere he casts light immeasurable, boundless," to"Light excelling sun and moon" describe each of the sacred names of thetwelveBuddhas of light {i.e. attributes of Amida Buddha}.

"Buddha of immeasurable light" expresses the immensity of the benefits [ofthe light], for in the past, present and future there is no limit to itsmeasurement, and there is no number equal to it.

"Buddha of boundless light" expresses the enormous virtues of its

illumination, for [the light] exhausts the ten quarters and beyond, and thereis nothing that is not illuminated, conditioned [by the light].

"Buddha of unhindered light" expresses the unhindered features of theextraordinary light, for it cannot be obstructed by both the animate and theinanimate. There are two obstructions of the inner and the outer with regardto this hindrance. Outer obstructions refer to mountains, rivers, great earth,clouds, fog, smoke, haze, etc. Inner obstructions refer to greed, hatred,


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ignorance, pride, etc. If there is the virtue of "the cloud of light that isunhindered like boundless space" (Verses in Praise of Amida Buddha) theobjects of outer obstructions will not hinder [the light]. [Similarly,] if there isthe power of "a person unhindered by the snarls of his unwholesome karmicactions" (Commentary of the Contemplation Sutra), the various inner

obstructions will not hinder [the light]. That is why Bodhisattva Vasubandhu(in his Pure Land Treatise) praised it as "Tathagata of Unhindered Light thatExhausts the Ten Quarters."

"Buddha of unequaled light" means that in terms of light nothing compareswith it, since it is beyond the realm of realization [even] by the variousbodhisattvas.

"Buddha of Flaming-Lord Light" is also expressed as "Buddha of the Lord ofLight Flames," since its light is unrestricted and is supreme. It is this lightthat the Larger Sutra (in the second scroll) extolls when it states, "it is like

the lord of fire, because it burns and destroys the firewood of all blindpassions." Just as when fire burns the firewood we do not say [the fire]does not exhaust [the firewood], we similarly do not say that when thewisdom-fire of light burns the firewood of blind passions, it fails to destroy[the blind passions]. The benefit of this light is also responsible for thosesentient beings [wallowing] in the darkness of the Three Realms whoreceive the illuminating light and gain liberation.

"Buddha of Pure Light" is produced from the wholesome roots of non-greed.This light, therefore, quells the greed and desires of sentient beings.

"Buddha of Joyful Light" is produced from the wholesome roots of non-hatred.This light, therefore, destroys the hatred of sentient beings.

"Buddha of the Light of Wisdom" is produced from the wholesome roots ofnon-foolishness. This light, therefore, eliminates the darkness of ignorance.

"Buddha of Constant Light" means that throughout all time there is noperiod in which it fails to shine. It constantly illuminates and offers benefitsthroughout the three periods [of past, present, and the future].

"Buddha of Inconceivable Light" should not be named separate from itsqualities of extra-ordinary light, since it far transcends the realm oflanguage. When [the light] cannot be measured by the mind, it is referred toas "the Buddha of Inconceivable Light," and when [the light] cannot beexplained in words, it is called "the Buddha of Ineffable Light." The Sutra ofthe Tathagata of Immeasurable Life refers to the Buddha of InconceivableLight as "the Inconceivable Light" and the Buddha of Ineffable Light as "the


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Light of Ineffable Measurement."

"Buddha of Light that Excels the Sun and the Moon" means that the sunand the moon shines upon only below the Four Heavens but not the higherheavens and the lower hells. 18 [In contrast,] the Buddha's light shines

unhindered throughout all eight quarters as well as the [quarters of] zenithand nadir. That is why, [this light] excels the sun and the moon. Therefore,these twelve lights are emitted to illuminate the innumerable worlds in orderto benefit [all] sentient beings.

(16)"The multitudes of beings all receive the radiance."

All beings with good karmic actions in their past lives are able to availthemselves to the benefits of this radiance.

(17)The Name embodying the Primal Vow is the act of true settlement.

[This verse] expresses the import of the Seventeenth Vow. [BodhisattvaDharmakara] vowed that his own Name be praised by the Buddhas of theten quarters. The form in which the vow is to be fulfilled is none other thanthe Name-essence of this Vow. We should know, then, that this is thepractice-essence that enables the realization of our birth [in the Pure Land].

(18-20)

The Vow of entrusting with sincere mind is the cause of birth;We realize the equal of enlightenment and supreme nirvana;Through the fulfillment of the Vow of attaining nirvana without fail,

When we realize the true Shinjin of the Eighteenth Vow, we dwell in theAssembly of the Truly Settled. To go beyond that to [the level of] SupremeEnlightenment and to realize the Great Nirvana is on account of thefulfillment of the Eleventh Vow, the Vow of Necessary Attainment ofNirvana. This is called Completing the Karma [Necessary for Birth in thePure Land] in Ordinary Life. The Assembly of the Truly Settled is the rankof nonretrogression, which constitutes the benefit [to be realized] in this

land. Extinction is the rank of nirvana, which is to be understood as thebenefit [to be realized] in that land (Pure Land). The Hymns (Hymns of thePure Land Masters) states,

On reaching the land of the Vow,We immediately realize supreme nirvana,And thereupon we awaken great compassion,All this is called Amidas directing of virtue.


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We ought to be mindful of this.

(21-24)Shakyamuni Tathagata appeared in this world

Solely to teach the ocean-like Primal Vow of Amida;We, an ocean of beings in an evil age of five defilements,Should entrust ourselves to the Trathagatas words of truth.

These [verses] show that the original intent of Shakyamuni Buddhasappearance in the world was solely for the purpose of revealing the PrimalVow of Amida [Buddha]. [These verses further] express the [Buddhas] wishfor the sentient beings of the evil age of Five Defilements to whole-heartedly entrust in the Primal Vow of Amida [Buddha].

(25)

When the one thought-moment of joy arises,

[This verse] refers to Shinjin of the one thought-moment of joy.

(26)Nirvana is attained without severing blind passions.

Since the power of the Vow is inconceivable, even if our blind passions arenot severed, our Buddhahood is already settled as people who are destinedto attain Nirvana.

(27-28)When ignorant and wise, even grave offenders and slanderers of thedharma, all alike turn and enter Shinjin,They are like waters that, on entering the ocean, become one in taste withit.

When ordinary beings, the saints, the offenders of the Five Grave Offenses,and the Slanderers of the Dharma all enter the great wisdom ocean of thePrimal Vow, they are like the various [river] waters that enter the ocean tobecome of one taste.

(29-34)The light of compassion that grasps us illumines and protects us always;The darkness of our ignorance is already broken through;Still the clouds and mists of greed and desire, anger and hatred,Cover as always the sky of true and real Shinjin.But though light of the sun is veiled by clouds and mists,Beneath the clouds and mists there is brightness, not dark.


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The light that embraces the sentient beings of Nembutsu [followers of]Amida Tathagata is always shining. Even though [the light] is said todestroy the darkness of ignorance, ignorance and hatred -- like the cloudsand mists -- cover up the sky of Shinjin of truth. Just as the brilliance of the

sun's rays are hidden by the covering of the clouds and mists but is stillilluminated beneath [the clouds and mists], so is the case [with the light ofcompassion].

(35)"When one realizes Shinjin, seeing and revering and attaining great joy,"

[This verse] refers to a person who greatly rejoices in listening to theDharma and does not forget. Shakyamuni Buddha called [such a person],"my good close friend" (The Larger Sutra, the second scroll).

(36)"One immediately leaps crosswise, closing off the five evil destinies."

When the mind of the one thought -moment of joy arises, due to theinconceivability of the Vow power, our ties to [the destinies of] hell, hungryghosts, beasts, titans, humans and heaven are sideways andspontaneously severed.

(37-40)"All foolish beings, whether good or evil,

When they hear and entrust to Amida's universal Vow,Are praised by the Buddha as people of vast and excellent understanding;Such a person is called a pure white lotus."

If any person, whether good or evil, hear and entrust in [Amida] Tathagata'sPrimal Vow, Shakyamuni [Buddha] called him "a person of immenseresolve", likened him to "a white lotus", and praised him as "a person of thehighest of the highest grade" and as "a person of rarity".

(41-44)"For evil sentient beings of wrong views and arrogance,

The nembutsu that embodies Amida's Primal VowIs hard to accept in Shinjin;This most difficult of difficulties, nothing surpasses."

It is the most difficult of the difficulties for those with wrong views, those ofarrogance, and evil persons is to truly entrust in the Nembutsu of AmidaTathagata's Primal Vow. Nothing surpasses this [difficulty].


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(45-48)"The masters of India in the west, who explained the teaching in treatises,And the eminent monks of China and Japan,Clarified the Great Sage's true intent in appearing in the world,And revealed that Amida's Primal Vow accords with the nature of beings."

"Indo-saiten" refers to India, "Chuka" refers to China, and "Jichi'iki" refers toJapan.These masters and others from the three countries expounded the singlepractice of Nembutsu and strove to show that the original intent ofShakyamuni's appearance in the world was solely to widely reveal thePrimal Vow of Amida [Buddha], which accords with the capacity of theordinary beings in the Last Period [of the Dharma].

(49-52)"Shakyamuni Tathagata, on Mount Lanka,

Prophesied to the multitudes that in south IndiaThe mahasattva Nagarjuna would appear in this worldTo crush the views of being and non-being;Proclaiming the unexcelled Mahayana teaching,He would attain the stage of joy and be born in the Land of Happiness."

Bodhisattva Nagarjuna was the founding teacher of eight [Buddhist] schoolsand a commentarial master of one thousand works. He appeared in theworld five-hundred years or so after the death of Shakyamuni. Knowing thisbeforehand Shakyamuni prophesied in the Lankavatara-sutra, "There will

be a monk named Nagarjuna from a country in South India, who will crushthe incorrect views of being and non-being, propound the highestMahayana teachings, realize the Stage of Joy and attain birth in the [Landof] Happiness.

(55-56)

"Nagarjuna clarifies the hardship on the overland path of difficult practice,And leads us to entrust to the pleasure on the waterway of easy practice."

In extolling the [path of] Nembutsu, Nagarjuna in his Comnmentary to the

Ten Stage Sutra establishes two kinds of path. One is the path of difficultpractice and the second is the path of easy practice. He likens the difficultyof cultivating the path of difficult practice to walking the overland road, andlikens the ease of cultivating the path of easy practice to traveling by boaton water.

(57-58)"He teaches that the moment one thinks on Amida's Primal Vow,


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One is naturally brought to enter the stage of the definitely settled;"

One who contemplates deeply on the inconceivability of the power of PrimalVow enters, on its natural accord, [the stage of] the definitely settled.

(59-60)"Solely saying the Tathagata's Name constantly,One should respond with gratitude to the universal Vow of greatcompassion."

One who attains true Shinjin recites the Name whether he is moving,standing, sitting, or lying down, and repays the caring virtues [receivedfrom] the Universal Vow of Great Compassion.

(61-62)"Bodhisattva Vasubandhu, composing a treatise, declares

That he takes refuge in the Tathagata of unhindered light,"

Like Nagarjuna, this Bodhisattva Vasubandhu is also a commentarialmaster, [in his case) of one thousand works. He appeared in the world ninehundred years after the death of [Shakyamuni] Buddha. In composing thePure Land Treatise in one scroll, he clearly stated the main import of thethree [Pure Land] sutras, and took refuge exclusively in the Tathagata ofUnhindered Light.

(63-66)

"And that relying on the sutras, he will reveal the true and real virtues,And make widely known the great Vow by which we leap crosswise beyondbirth -and-death.He discloses the mind that is single so that all beings be savedBy Amida's directing of virtue through the power of the Primal Vow."

This Bodhisattva revealed truth based on the Mahayana sutras, and thattruth is none other than Nembutsu. He revealed the great Vow of thecrosswise leap in order to save the multitudes of beings by the directing [ofvirtues] through [the power of] the Primal Vow; in so doing, thecommentarial master (Vasubandhu) himself took singleminded refuge in the

[Tathagata of] Unhindered Light and encouraged sentient beings to similarlytake single-minded refuge in that Tathagata.

(67-68)"When a person turns and enters the great treasure-ocean of virtue,Necessarily he joins the assembly;"

The great treasure-ocean is likened to the non-discriminating [quality of]


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water in the great ocean, which guides all sentient beings without dislikes,hindrances and distinctions. When a person enters the great treasure-ocean of virtue, one will necessarily join Amida's assembly.,(69-70)

"And when he reaches that lotus-held world,He immediately realizes the body of suchness or dharma-nature."

The Lotus-Held World is the World of Peace and Sustenance. When aperson reaches that land, one quickly attains the body of suchness ordharma-nature.

(71-72)"Then sporting in the forests of blind passions, he manifeststranscendent powers;Entering the garden of birth-and-death, he assumes various forms to

guide others."

[These verses] express the import of [the doctrine of] the Phase ofReturning [to this world from the Pure Land] Directed [to us by Amida].Once reaching Amida's Pure Land, one returns to this Saha [World] tobenefit the sentient beings by the free and spontaneous [application of his]transcendental powers in accordance with his [enlightened] mind.

(73-74)"Turning toward the dwelling of Master T'an-luan, the Emperor of Liang

Always paid homage to him as a bodhisattva."

Great Master T'an-luan (Donran) previously belonged to the Four TreatiseSchool. The four treatises are the three treatises plus the Treatise on theWisdom [Sutra]. The first of these three treatises is the Treatise of theMiddle, the second is the Treatise af the One Hundred, and the third is theTreatise of the Twelve Gates. The master was thoroughly knowledgeableabout these four treatises. Consequently, the Emperor Hsiao of Liang whowas deeply devout revered him as "Bodhisattva" T'an-luan whenever hereferred to him.

(74-75)"Bodhiruci, master of the Tripitaka, gave T'an-luan the Pure Land teachings,And T'an-luan, burning his Taoist scriptures, took refuge in the land ofbliss."

Great Master T'an-luan was first with the Four Treatise School. But as hestrove to plumb the depth of the Buddhist teachings [as espoused by theFour Treatise School], he wondered how many people he could actually


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save since life was so short. He, thus, went to a [famous Taoist] figure bythe name of Tao Ying-chu and immediately [devoted himself to] learning themethod of long life and non-death.

Upon completing his studies for three years under the guidance of this

Taoist ascetic, he began his return home. On the road he met a TripitakaMaster named Bodhiruci to whom he asked, "Is there a method for[realizing] long life and non-death in the Buddhist teachings that is superiorto that found in the Taoist books of this land?" The Tripitaka Master spat onthe ground and said, "Nowhere in this region will you ever find a method oflong life and non-death; even if you were able to gain longevity and put offdeath for some time, you would still be transmigrating in the ThreeRealms."

He then gave [T'an-luan] the Sutra on Visualizing the [Buddha of]Immeasurable Life of the Pure Land [teachings] and said, "This is, indeed,

the true method of long life and non-death, for if one recites [the Name of]the Buddha relying upon [this sutra] one will quickly avoid birth-and-deathand realize life that cannot be measured."

In receiving this [sutra], T'an-luan immediately burned ten scrolls of Taoistbooks and took single-minded refuge in the Pure Land [teaching].

(76-77)"In his commentary on the treatise of Bodhisattva Vasubandhu,He shows that the cause and attainment of birth in the fulfilled land lie in the

Vow."

Master T'an-luan composed a text called the Cornmentory to the Pure LandTreatise by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu, in which he clarified the causes andresults related to [one's birth in] the [Land of] Extreme Bliss and each of theVows.

(79-80)"Our going and returning, directed to us by Amida, come about throughOther Power;The truly decisive cause is Shinjin."

The Phase of Going and the Phase of Return, the two kinds of [virtues thatare] directed to us [by Amida], is never realized by the [power of] foolishordinary beings, for they are realized by the Other Power. The truly decisivecause is due to that by which Shinjin is realized (Other Power).

(81-82)"When a foolish being of delusion and defilement awakens Shinjin,


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He realizes that birth-and-death is itself nirvana."

When the one thought-moment of Shinjin is realized even though one's[spiritual] capacity is deluded and defiled, one is able to say that birth-and-death is none other than nirvana because of [the workings of the

inconceivable Dharma.

(83-84)"Without fail he reaches the land of immeasurable lightAnd universally guides sentient beings to enlightenment."

In defining Amida's true land, our eminent teacher (Shinran) stated, "TheBuddha is none other than the inconceivable light, and the land is noneother than the land of immeasurable light. When one reaches that land, hereturns to this defiled land to guide all beings.

(85-86)"Tao-ch'o determined how difficult it is to fulfill the Path of Sages,And reveals that only passage through the Pure Land gate is possible forus."

Tao-ch'o was formerly a scholar belonging to the Nirvana School. He wasnot a disciple who received [instructions] in person from Master T'an-luan,for one hundred some years separated them. [Tao-ch'o], however, read thewords on T'an-Iuan's memorial at Hsuan-ch'ung Temple (Genchiiji) in PingProvince and took refuge in the Pure Land [path], thereby becoming a

disciple [of T'an-luan]. [Tao-ch'o] further set aside his prodigious effort tolecture on] the [enormously long and difficult] Nirvana[-sutra] to, instead,earnestly propagate the practices for [the birth in] the Western Quarter.Since the Path of the Sages is the difficult practice and [the Path of thePure Land is the easy practice, he taught that the foolish ordinary beings ofthe present age have only the one gate to pass through.

(87-88)"He criticizes self-power endeavor in the myriad good practices,And encourages us solely to say the fulfilled Name embodying true virtue."

Since the myriad good [practices] constitute self-power practice, those ofthe [foolish, ordinary] capacities of the Last Period [of Dharma] will not beable to cultivating [these myriad good practices]. Since the fulfilled Nameembodying true virtue constitutes the practice of Other Power, this is mostappropriate for those of the [foolish, ordinary] capacities of the Last Period[of Dharma].

(89-90)


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"With kind concern he teaches the three characteristics of entrusting andnon-entrusting,Compassionately guiding all identically, whether they live when the dharmasurvives as but form, when in its last stage, or when it has become extinct."

Meditation Master Tao-ch'o commented on the doctrine of "the threecharacteristics of entrusting and non-entrusting." He states (in the first scrollof his Collection [of Passages} on the [Realm of] Peace), "First, theentrusting mind is not firm, for it exists at times but disappears at othertimes. Second, the entrusting mind is not singular, for it is not firmly settled.Third, the entrusting mind is not continuous, for it is intruded by extraneousthoughts." He, thus, taught accordingly with kindness, feeling compassionequally for those sentient beings living when the dharma survives as butform, or when in its Last Period of Dharma (mappo).

(91-92)

"Though a person has committed evil all his life, when he encounters thePrimal Vow,He will reach the world of peace and realize the perfect fruit ofenlightenment."

By being planted within the universal Vow of Amida, even persons whohave committed evil throughout their life will reach the World of Peace andSustenance and immediately realize the supreme perfect fruit ofenlightenment.

(93-94)"Shan-tao alone in his time clarified the Buddha's true intent;Sorrowing at the plight of meditative and non-meditative practicers andpeople of grave evil,"

Teachers were numerous within the Pure Land Gate, but Shan-tao alonesought Buddha's realization and correctly clarified the Buddha's true intent.He felt sorrow for everyone, without exception, whether they were ofMeditative or Non-meditative [practicers] or people of grave evil.

(95)

"He revealed that Amida's light and Name are the causes of birth."

Among Amida Tathagata's forty-eight vows, the twelfth vow pledged "mylight has no limits." This [vow] was meant to embrace the sentient beings ofNembutsu. This vow has now been fulfilled, for its ubiquitous, unhinderedlight illuminates the innumerable worlds of the ten quarters and for a longperiod of time illuminates the sentient beings' evil karma of blind passions.In meeting up with the light -- the indirect cause, when those sentient


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beings whose darkness of ignorance at long last becomes faint and theseeds of virtuous actions in their previous lives sprout forth, they hear theName of the causal vow -- the Eighteenth Vow which [expresses] birth byNembutsu -- for birth in the Fulfilled Land. Thus, to hold onto the Name [inone's mind] does not constitute self-power, since one is completely given to

do so by the light. Accordingly, the Name -- the direct cause [of birth] -- isrevealed having been made to sprout by the light, the indirect cause.

(96-97)"When the practicer enters the great ocean of wisdom, Primal Vow,He receives the diamond-like mind."

When one returns and enters the great wisdom ocean of the Primal Vow,one receives the true diamond-like mind.

(98-100)

"And accords with the one thought-moment of joy; whereupon,Equally with Vaidehi, he acquires the threefold wisdomAnd is immediately brought to attain the eternal bliss of dharma-nature."

When the Shinjin of the one thought-moment of joy becomes settled in asingle-minded Nembutsu practicer, he becomes equal to Queen Vaidehisince he acquires the three wisdoms of joy, awakening and entrusting. Thethree wisdoms of joy, awakening and entrusting are first, joy wisdom,secondly, awakening wisdom, and thirdly, entrusting wisdom. Joy wisdomreveals the benefit derived from the joy of entrusting. Awakening wisdom is

the wakening to the Buddha's wisdom. Entrusting wisdom is none otherthan the state in which the entrusting mind has been fulfilled. Vaidehi, thus,obtained the benefits of these three wisdoms. Accordingly, one who comesto possess the true entrusting mind acquires the three wisdoms equal tothose of Queen Vaidehi, and realizes the eternal bliss of dharma-nature.

(101-102)"Genshin, having broadly elucidated the teachings of Shakyamuni's lifetime,Wholeheartedly took refuge in the land of peace and urges all to do so."

The Master [Genshin] of Ryogon broadly elucidated the teachings [taught

during Shakyamuni Buddha's] lifetime, but selected only the Nembutsu[teaching] and urged all sentient beings to [seek] birth in the WesternQuarter.

(103-104)"Ascertaining that minds devoted to single practice are profound, to sundrypractice, shallow,He sets forth truly the difference between the fulfilled land and the


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transformed land."

A person with the mind of attachment that prevents him from abandoningthe penchant for sundry practices and sundry cultivation would withcertainly be born in the transformed land of the Country of Sloth and Torpor.

A person with the mind of attachment to carry out the correct practices ofsingle cultivation would with certainty be born in the Fulfilled Land of theCountry of Extreme Bliss. This [distinction] determines the shallowness andthe depth of the two kinds of cultivation, the single and the sundry. Weought to know that this meaning is expressed in the Hymns [of the PureLand Masters] (verse no. 93) which states,

"He declares that births into the fulfilled Pure Land are not numerous,And teaches that sentient beings born into transformed lands are not few."

(105)

"The person burdened with extreme evil should simply say the Name:"

As there are no other skillful means [for liberation] for the extremely evilperson, this passage admonishes him to simply recite Amidas Name] andgain birth in the [Pure Land of] Extreme Bliss.

(106-108)"Although I too am within Amida's graspPassions obstruct my eyes and I cannot see him;Nevertheless, great compassion is untiring and illumines me always."

A person who attains true Shinjin finds that his body is still in this SahaWorld but is within the grasp of the light. Even though the blind passionsobstruct my eyes and prevents me from taking complete refuge, AmidaTathagata does not tire and illumines me always.

(109-110)"Master Genku, well-versed in the Buddha's teaching,Turned compassionately to foolish people, both good and evil."

Though the masters of Nembutsu [teaching] were numerous in Japan, no

one was more revered by people of the world than Honen Shonin. This wasdue to his deep understanding of the Buddhist teaching. He was, thus, saidto be the transformed body of Amida, a manifestation of BodhisattvaMahasthamaprapta, or the rebirth of Shan-tao. An erudite teacher, he feltpity for us foolish ordinary people, both good and evil, and urged us to enterthe Pure Land.

(111-112)


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"Establishing in this remote land the teaching and realization that are thetrue essence of the Pure Land way,He transmits the selected Primal Vow to us of the defiled world."

This Shonin established the Pure Land School (Jodoshu) for the first time in

Japan, and having composed a writing called the Collection of Passages onthe Selected [Nembutsu), he propagated [its message] widely in the defIledworld.

(113-116)"Return to this house of transmigration, of birth-and-death,Is decidedly caused by doubt.Swift entrance into the city of tranquility, the uncreated,Is necessarily brought about by Shinjin."

This house of transmigration of birth-and-death refers to transmigration

within the six destinies. One returns to this home on account of havingdoubt. [On the other hand,] one attains the Pure Land of Tranquility, theUncreated on account of having Shinjin. This is what is meant when theCollection of Passages on the Selected [Nembutsu] states, "With doubt onedwells in the house of birth-and-death, but with an entrusting [mind] oneenters the capital of nirvana."

(117-120)"The mahasattvas and masters who spread the sutrasSave the countless beings of utter defilement and evil.

With the same mind, all people of the present, whether monk or lay,Should rely wholly on the teachings of these venerable masters."

The great beings who spread the sutras refer to the bodhisattvas andmasters of India, China and our country Japan. These teachers of peopleappeared in the world having felt compassion for us in the future [world] ofutter defilement and evil. Thus, monks and laypersons should entrustthemselves to the teachings of the eminent masters from the threecountries. We should, therefore, not say that our being taught the teachingsof birth in True Fulfilled Land has nothing to do with the [genuine] caring[shown us] by these masters. We should repay with gratitude the [debt we

owe them] for their caring virtues.

Postscript

The above The Main Import of Shoshinge was written in response tonumerous previous requests by Dosai of Kanemori for his personal plans. Ipondered over the request for some time but refused the request. However,because he was so persistent in his requests, I [gave in] to jot [down my


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thoughts], without giving much consideration to the structure of the phrases,not checking for consistency of logic, and using simpler words inaccordance with the wishes of the person making the request. What I havewritten is in response to [a specific] request, so this should not be revealedto the general public.

I ended inking my brush in the Sixth Month of the Fourth Year of Choroku(1460).

rennyo shoshinge tai

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