Essay 15

Oh Buddha, I am so indebted to Your call on this foolish person!

It is not true to say that ‘evil beings are unable to be saved’ or that ‘it does not matter how much evil you do’. It is also wrong to claim that ‘without saying the Nembutsu one is unable to be saved’ or that ‘it does not matter if you don’t say the Nembutsu’.

Rennyo Shonin says it well in a hymn. With this hymn you can go to the Pure Land.

When, deeply burdened with evil karma,
We come to rely profoundly on the Tathagata,
By the power of the Dharma (the Primal Vow-Power of Namu-amida-butsu),
We will go to the West.*

The Tathagata has the power to save foolish beings of karmic evil; He has the compassion, wisdom and virtue.

Namu-amida-butsu.

Namu-amida-butsu.

Zuiken Sama

Note:

The verses from Gobunsho IV.4, which is given in the BDK version as follows:

The mind that even once relies on Amida: that mind is in accord with the True Dharma.

When, deeply burdened with evil karma, we come to rely profoundly on the Tathagata,
by the power of the Dharma, we will go to the West.

When our minds are settled in the path of hearing the Dharma, let us simply say “Namu-amida-butsu.”