Namu Amida Butsu

This work is especially dedicated to Zuiken Saizo Inagaki, who sheds light on the pristine and original teachings of Jodo Shinshu (Shin Buddhism) for many people, including myself. I regard him as my soul teacher and I am very much influenced by his words and thoughts, which are deeply imbued with the Wisdom of Compassion of Amida Buddha. I read most of his writings available in Chinese language and I wish to share some of his golden words in this blog in English. Rev. George Gatenby and Mr. Gabriel Schlaefer have been kindly and untiringly assisting me to edit the translated essays so that they are readable and true to the intent of Sensei. May all partake of the wisdom of Shinshu teaching and be overpowered by the light of Amida Buddha.

Namu Amida Butsu!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Unit 27 The Sphere of Amida Nyorai


Revised on the 21st, February 2015.

The sphere of Amida Nyorai
Reaches even to the foot of hell.
The evil karma of sentient beings is His property.
(The faults of children are the responsibility of the parents.)

Without being careless,
Oya-sama, the Rescuer,
Has beaten me to it.
The foot of hell, too,
Is the unhindered light.

At the point of death,
The real pitch darkness will certainly appear!
Right at that moment, I came to realize
The fact that I was empty.

The real pitch darkness will come at death’s door.
However, thanks to the great Vow’s karmic power,
One can still attain birth
Even if one’s eyes have gone blind.

Bonbu have no eyes, no ears,
Because of evil karma;
They are in real pitch darkness.
Amida Nyorai guides us by the hand;.
Assuredly, He carries us to His Pure Land.
How inconceivable the great Vow-Power is!

At the point of death,
Power and aspiration wither away.
The destiny after death is really pitch-dark;
Solitude and horror — these are beyond description.
This is bonbu’s reality.
How could you get through (death’s door)
By thinking that death is irrelevant to you?

The real pitch darkness at the point of death
Is bonbu’s reality.
This real pitch darkness
Is right here, right now.

Birth is possible even in the real pitch darkness.
How great the Primal Vow-Power is!

At death’s door,
Amid the real pitch darkness,
The call of Amida Buddha
Is inconceivably heard!

At death’s door,
The real pitch darkness
Is here now, this very day.

The real pitch darkness is so hard to come by.
Right at that moment, I came to realize
The fact that I was empty.

At the point of death,
The real pitch darkness will appear!
The path of karma is natural;
The flames of hell are terrifying.
Our own thoughts are not in time.

The future is dark upon the closing of our eyes.
After death, it is really pitch-dark; what can be done?
What will happen to the evil karma that I have made?
Best to listen to the cry of a dying man.

The night is dark, I wonder where to go;
At that moment, Amida Nyorai grasps me firmly by the hand.
How great the Primal Vow-Power is!

At any moment,
It is really pitch-dark, at any moment.
Amid the real pitch darkness,
Sounds of "How great the Primal Vow-Power is!" are echoing around!
My trust in the inconceivability is thanks to the inconceivable benevolence.

Contemplate death,
Karma,
And Buddha.
Listen to the Buddha-Dharma!

At death’s door,
Do you think that your mind can withstand (the pitch darkness)?

This whole life is the reflection of our mind.

At death’s door,
We are powerless,
And possess nothing.
Even so, by riding on Namo Amida Butsu,
It is simply effortless and easy!

Ah, the final moment has come!
Even when our power has been used up, we have the great Vow-Power.
Even though it’s really pitch-dark, the nembutsu of wisdom will emerge.

At the point of death,
The real pitch darkness will appear!
Now, say it—
The six character Name of the Vow!

At the point of death when the real pitch darkness has come,
It is too late for you to have regrets.

Whether you know it or not,
You can’t escape from falling.
When the wisdom and power of man wither,
They will come to realize
The inconceivable Buddha-wisdom!

Even though the real pitch darkness appears at the point of death,
By relying on the light of the treasured pearl of the Name,
We attain birth in the great hope!

At death’s door,
Only the voice of Oya-sama is heard.

At death’s door,
There is an easily accessible path.
The call of Amida Nyorai echoes,
"How great the Primal Vow is!"

Shinjin (faith) means that,
Amid the real pitch-darkness,
Amida Nyorai holds on to my hands
And enables me to enter the castle of Nirvana,
Entirely by the working of the Primal Vow-Power.

Before you hear (the Buddha-dharma),
The real pitch darkness,
Just as you stand.
How inconceivable this is!
How inconceivable this is!

At the point of death, what do you have
Other than the pitch darkness that has nothing at all?
Therefore, it is entirely
The Salvation of the Buddha.

Say, just as you stand
Truly, just as you stand!



Zuiken

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