The Universal Vow Difficult to Fathom

The universal Vow difficult to fathom is indeed a great vessel bearing us across the ocean difficult to cross. The unhindered light is the sun of wisdom dispersing the darkness of our ignorance. (The Major Expositions)

“The universal Vow difficult to fathom is indeed a great vessel bearing us across the ocean difficult to cross” is birth through the Primal Vow-power. "The unhindered light is the sun of wisdom dispersing the darkness of our ignorance" is the removal of our karmic evil through the inconceivable Buddha-wisdom, and birth is attained upon the removal of karmic evil. This is Buddha-dharma. These two verses are the essence of Jodo Shinshu; there is no Jodo Shinshu apart from this. The belief of "having to obtain shinjin" and "having to say the nembutsu" for birth is self-power. 

“Other-power" is the Buddha's Primal Vow-power, which is "the universal Vow difficult to fathom." "The Name" is "the unhindered light." With "the Primal Vow" and "the Name," aren’t you satisfied? These are enough to quench the thirst of ten thousand kalpas. "The Primal Vow" and "the Name" are called "the power of the Buddha-dharma." The power of the Buddha-dharma is inconceivable. Before the power of Buddha-dharma, external hindrances and karmic fetters (諸邪業繋) are like dew drops vanishing without a trace when the dawn breaks. 

“The Primal Vow” and “the Name” are “the Dharma” (Other-power); we rely on the Dharma to hear the Dharma, "smoothed out" by the Dharma to be born there; this is termed “the inconceivable Buddha-wisdom.” To know “the inconceivable Buddha-wisdom” as truly “inconceivable” is shinjin; this is the true cause of birth in the Pure Land of Recompense. 

“The Primal Vow” and “the Name” are the Buddha’s power; other than the Buddha’s power the fruition of our Buddhahood is not possible. The truthful transmission of the Buddha’s power to bombu is Shin Buddhism. 

“The Buddha’s mind, the Buddha’s power, the Primal Vow-power -- reliance on the Primal Vow-power for birth.”