Buddhist Psalms Part 6

212. Whatsoever 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.

213. To 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 HONEN SHONIN

214. Since the day when Honen Shonin 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.

215. For from the strength of the wisdom of light, Honen, the Great Teacher, came into the world and hath taught the chosen doctrine of the Divine Promise, and he hath built Jodo-s.h.i.+nshu upon the rock.

216. Though Zendo and Gens.h.i.+n, those great teachers, have well instructed us, yet had Honen Shonin kept silence, wherewith should we know the holy teaching of s.h.i.+n-Shu, we who dwell in remote country and in an evil day?

217. Throughout the long, long Kalpas of my lives that are overpast could I never find the way of Deliverance, and if Honen Shonin, the Great Teacher, had not arisen in this world, vainly had I spent the precious hours of my life.

218. When his years were but fifteen, Honen Shonin 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.

219. The excellent righteousness of Honen Shonin, 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.

220. Even while Honen Shonin yet walked in this world, there issued from his body rays of a golden s.h.i.+ning, and this, so it is said, hath Kanezane Fujiwara beheld with his own eyes.

221. The people pa.s.sed it from mouth to mouth that this Honen Shonin was the living incarnation of Doshaku Zenji, or yet again of Zendo Dais.h.i.+.

222. Before the eyes of men Honen Shonin 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.

223. He who had been Emperor, in the time of Jokyu, brought homage to Honen Shonin. All the priests and scholars of the word of Confucius had understanding of the doctrine of s.h.i.+n Shu.

224. A chosen vessel of the Blessed One that men might be saved, Honen Shonin was manifested in the world, and he opened wide the gate of perfect wisdom, having instructed mankind in the Holy Faith.

225. Of 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.

226. Honen Shonin 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 n.o.ble and the lowly born.

227. And now, his time being at hand, Honen Shonin 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."

228. Once did Honen Shonin speak, saying: "In the glorious day of our Lord was I among the holy a.s.semblage on the Peak of Vultures, and my Spirit was rapt in self-instruction and in the doctrine of salvation."

229. Having taken birth in that small and remote island, Honen Shonin 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.

230. That Buddha, whose light is infinite, was made flesh in this world as Honen Shonin, and when his merciful work was accomplished, he returned into the Land of Purity.

231. When 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.

232. Following 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 n.o.bles and of the lowly born.

233. Now the time when Honen Shonin 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.

234. It 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.

OF THE THREE PERIODS

235. Two thousand years and yet more are departed since the day when our Lord entered into Nirvana. Ended are the two glorious periods-the orthodox and the representative. Lament, O ye disciples, who in this closing age would follow after the Lord.

236. The teachings of our Lord have entered into the Dragon Palace, for in this closing age they are too high for men. Men are impotent to follow after their practice or to attain unto them.

237. Throughout the three periods hath the Divine Promise of the Buddha of Infinite Light prospered and grown. But in this period of the closing age all righteous deeds are hidden within the Dragon Palace.

238. In a certain Sutra are we thus instructed, since the age that now is a part of the fifth in this closing age wherein men are fast bound in warfare, all righteous deeds have disappeared from the world.

239. Since the ancient days the life of men, whose age counted as 80,000 years, hath declined and lessened. And when they could live but 20,000 years, they were men living in an evil world, and with the five signs of degeneration upon them.

240. And since time itself hath decayed, the bodily frame of man hath waxed smaller and feebler, and they are as furious serpents or as wicked dragons, for the decay of time worketh within them.

241. The illusion that is bred of ignorance increaseth, and is driven over the world like dust. Hatred great and unbreakable as the high mountains is in the stead of love.

242. The perversity of man is as strong and piercing as the thorn of the jungle. With eyes of suspicion and venomous anger do they accuse and persecute them who believe upon the Holy Name.

243. It is a mark of the degeneration of time that man's life is brief and death cometh upon him early and with iron hands breaketh up his body and that which surrounds him wherein he dwelleth. And they who leaving justice turn to wickedness do destroy one another by their evil deeds.

244. No hope is there that the men now living in these last days shall escape the fetters of birth and death if they refuse the merciful promise of the Blessed One.

245. Of heretics in the faith are there ninety sorts that defile the world and only the teaching of the Enlightened One cleanseth it. By him alone that attaineth unto wisdom shall true joy to man be fulfilled according to nature and in peace.

246. In these last times of decay the priests, together with the people, do evil unto him that trusteth in the doctrine of the Holy name.

247. Whoso attaineth not unto wisdom is eager to harm that man who, with single heart, accepted the exalted promise. There is no end to the infinity of the ocean of birth and death for those men who raven to destroy the doctrine that is mighty to save them if they would have it so.

248. Though the days of our present time are those that are called orthodox, we, in whom ignorance is fulfilled, have not within us the heart that is pure and true. How, then, can we of our own help attain unto the deeds that shall gain the wisdom that is made perfect.

249. The strong heart that is able to attain unto wisdom by self-help is beyond human knowledge and speech. How is it possible that men full of ignorance, fettered unto birth and death, should possess such a heart.

250. Though we were masters of the strong will of self-effort, even should we have seen face to face the Buddhas, myriad as the sands of Ganges-they who in this world were manifested the one after the other, yet were we drifted on the torrent of birth and death, in self-effort were no rescue for us.

251. In these sinful days that are called the representative and last times all the teachings of the Lord Buddha, the Sakiya-Muni have vanished away, but the Divine Promise of the Buddha of Infinite Light, s.h.i.+ning greatly over the world, prosperously leads mankind unto the Eternal Kingdom.

252. After choice that is peerless and beyond the world's understanding, after five Kalpas of musing, the Blessed One builded up the Divine Promise of the Light and Life Infinite. And this is the Essence of His Mercy showed upon us.

253. The n.o.ble mind that shall attain unto wisdom in the doctrine of the Pure Land is the mind that fain would become Buddha, and it is named: "The mind that shall save men who suffer."