Shushogi Chapter Four

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Section Eighteen

Original Text	Romanization
菩提心を発（おこ）すというは、己（おの）れ未だ度らざる前に一切衆生を度さんと発願し営むなり、設（たと）い在家にもあれ、設い出家にもあれ、或いは天上にもあれ、或いは人間にもあれ、苦にありというとも楽にありというとも、早く自未得度先度佗（じみとくどせんどた）の心を発（おこ）すべし。	Bodaishin wo okosu to iu wa, onore imada watarazaru saki ni issai shujō wo watasan to hotsugan shi itonamu nari, tatoi zaike ni mo are, tatoi shukke ni mo are, arui wa tenjō ni mo are, arui wa ningen ni mo are, ku ni ari to iu to mo raku ni ari to iu to mo, hayaku ji mi tokudo sen dota no kokoro wo okosu beshi.

Awakening the wisdom mind means vowing to save all beings before we ourselves have crossed to the other shore. Everyone — whether layman, priest, deva, or man — whether enjoying pleasure or suffering pain — should quickly awaken this vow.

Section Nineteen

Original Text	Romanization
其（その）形陋（いや）しというも、此（この）心を発（おこ）せば、已（すで）に一切衆生の導師なり、設（たと）い七歳（しちさい）の女流なりとも即ち四衆（ししゅ）の導師なり、衆生の慈父（じふ）なり、男女（なんにょ）を論ずること勿れ、此れ仏道極妙（ごくみょう）の法則なり。	Sono katachi iyashi to iu to mo, kono kokoro wo okoseba, sude ni issai shujō no dōshi nari, tatoi shichi sai no nyoryū nari to mo sunawachi shishu no dōshi nari, shujō no jifu nari, nannyo wo ronzuru koto nakare, kore butsudō gokumyō no hōsoku nari.

Though humble in appearance, anyone who has awakened this vow is already the teacher of mankind. Even a girl of seven may be the teacher of the four classes of Buddhists and the compassionate mother of all beings. This emphasis on the equality of the sexes represents one of the finest teachings of Buddhism.

Section Twenty

Original Text

Romanization

若し菩提心を発（おこ）して後、六趣四生（ろくしゅししょう）に輪転すと雖（いえど）も其（その）輪転の因縁皆菩提の行願（ぎょうがん）となるなり、然（しか）あれば従来の光陰は設い空（むなし）く過すというとも、今生（こんじょう）の未だ過ぎざる際（あい）だに急ぎて発願すべし、設（たと）い仏に成るべき功徳熟して円満すべしというとも、尚お廻らして衆生の成仏得道（とくどう）に回向するなり、或は無量劫（ごう）行いて衆生を先に度（わた）して自からは終（つい）に仏に成らず、但し衆生を度し衆生を利益（りやく）するもあり。

Moshi bodaishin wo okoshite nochi, rokushu shishō ni rinden su to iedomo, sono rinden no innen mina bodai no gyōgan to naru nari, shika areba jūrai no kōin wa tatoi munashiku sugosu to iu to mo, konjō no imada sugirazu aida ni isogite hotsugan subeshi, tatoi hotoke ni naru beki kudoku juku shite enman subeshi to iu to mo, nao megurashite shujō no jōbutsu tokudō ni ekō suru nari, arui wa muryō gō okonaite shujō wo saki ni watashite mizukara wa tsui ni hotoke ni narazu, tadashi shujō wo watashi shujō wo riyaku suru mo ari.

After the desire for Buddhahood has been aroused, even wandering in the six worlds and the four forms of life becomes an opportunityto realize this desire. Though we may have wasted our time in the past, we still have time to arouse this vow. Our merits toward Buddhahood may have fully ripened, but let us concentrate this merit on enlightening all living beings. Through all ages some have put Buddhahood for themselves secondary to working for the benefit and salvation of all beings.

Section Twenty-One

Original Text

Romanization

衆生を利益すというは四枚（しまい）の般若あり、一者（ひとつには）布施（ふせ）、二者（ふたつには）愛語（あいご）、三者（みつには）利行（りぎょう）、四者（よつには）同事（どうじ）、是れ則ち薩埵の行願なり、其（その）布施というは貪らざるなり、我物に非ざれども布施を障えざる道理あり、其物の軽きを嫌わず、其功の実（じつ）なるべきなり、然あれば則ち一句一偈の法をも布施すべし、此生侘生（ししょうたしょう）の善種となる、一銭一草の財（たから）をも布施すべし、此世侘世（しせたせ）の善根を兆す、法も財（たから）なるべし、財（たから）も法なるべし、但彼が報謝を貪らず、自らが力を頒（わか）つなり、舟を置き橋を渡すも布施の檀度（だんど）なり、治生（ちしょう）産業固より布施に非ざること無し。

Shujō wo riyaku su to iu wa shimai no hannya ari, hitotsu ni wa fuse, futatsu ni wa aigo, mitsu ni wa rigyō, yotsu ni wa dōji, kore sunawachi satta no gyōgan nari, sono fuse to iu wa musaborazaru nari, waga mono ni arazaredomo fuse wo saezaru dōri ari, sono mono no karoki wo kirawazu, sono kō no jitsu naru beki nari, shika areba sunawachi ikku ichige no hō wo mo fuse subeshi, shishō tashō no zenshu to naru, issen issō no takara wo mo fuse subeshi, shise tase no zengon wo kizasu, hō mo takara naru beshi, takara mo hō naru beshi, tada kare ga hōsha wo musaborazu, mizukara ga chikara wo wakatsu nari, fune wo oki hashi wo watasu mo fuse no dando nari, chishō sangyō moto yori fuse ni arazaru koto nashi.

To benefit others we have four types of wisdom: charity, tenderness, benevolence, and sympathy. These represent the desires and efforts of the Bodhisattvas. Charity stands opposed to covetousness. It is the principle of not preventing offerings though we ourselves give nothing. We need not mind how small the gift so long as the results are true. Offering even a phrase or a verse of the teaching becomes the seed of good in this world and the next. Similarly goodness arises from the gift of one cent or a single blade of grass. The teaching is the treasure, and the treasure is the teaching. Let us not covet reward but share our power with others. Supplying a ferry and building a bridge are acts of charity — nor is industry in all its form separated from it.

Section Twenty-Two

Original Text

Romanization

愛語というは、衆生を見るに、先ず慈愛の心を発（おこ）し、顧愛の言語を施すなり、慈念衆生（じねんしゅじょう）猶如（ゆうにょ）赤子（しゃくし）の懐（おも）いを貯えて言語するは愛語なり、徳あるは讃むべし、徳なきは憐れむべし、怨敵を降伏（ごうふく）し、君子を和睦ならしむること愛語を根本とするなり、面（むか）いて愛語を聞くは面を喜ばしめ、心を楽しくす、面（むか）わずして愛語を聞くは肝に銘じ魂に銘ず、愛語能く廻天の力あることを学すべきなり。

Aigo to iu wa, shujō wo miru ni, mazu jiai no kokoro wo okoshi, koai no gongo wo hodokosu nari, jinen shujō yūnyo shakushi no omoi wo takuwaete gongo suru wa aigo nari, toku aru wa homu beshi, toku naki wa awaremu beshi, onteki wo gōbuku shi, kinshu wo waboku narashimuru koto aigo wo konpon to suru nari, mukaite aigo wo kiku wa omote wo yorokobashime, kokoro wo tanoshikusu, mukawazu shite aigo wo kiku wa kimo ni meiji tamashii ni miezu, aigo yoku kaiten no chikara aru koto wo gaku subeki nari.

Tenderness means viewing all beings with compassion and addressing them with kind words. Tenderness is to speak while bearing in mind the words: “I love all living beings as my children.” Praise the virtuous and pity the virtueless. Through tenderness we make friends of our enemies and strengthen intimacy with our friends. Kind words, when spoken directly to anyone, brighten his face and warm his heart. When spoken behind his back, they leave a deep impression. We should learn that tenderness has a revolutionary impact on the human mind.

Section Twenty-Three

Original Text	Romanization
利行というは貴賎の衆生に於きて利益の善巧（ぜんぎょう）を廻らすなり、窮亀（きゅうき）を見病雀（びょうじゃく）を見しとき、彼が報謝を求めず、唯単（ひと）えに利行に催おさるるなり、愚人（ぐにん）謂（おも）わくは利侘を先とせば自らが利省かれぬべしと、爾（しか）には非（あら）ざるなり、利行は一法なり、普（あまね）く自侘を利するなり。	Rigyō to iu wa kisen no shujō ni okite riyaku no zengyō wo megurasu nari, kyūki wo mi byōjaku wo mi shi toki, kare ga hōsha wo motomezu, tada hitoe ni rigyō ni moyo osaruru nari, gunin omowaku wa rita wo saki to seba mizukara ga ri habukarenu beshi to, shika ni wa arazaru nari, rigyō wa ippō nari, amaneku jita wo ri suru nari.

Benevolence means devising wise ways to benefit beings both hight and low. Those who rescued the helpless tortoise or the sick sparrow did not look for reward: they acted solely out of benevolence. The foolish believe that their benefits dwindle because they help others, but this is not true. Benevolence, the universal law, benefits oneself as well as others.

Section Twenty-Four

Original Text	Romanization
同事というは不違なり、自にも不違なり、侘（た）にも不違なり、譬えば人間の如来は人間に同ぜるが如し、侘をして自に同ぜしめて後に自をして侘に同ぜしむる道理あるべし、自侘は時に随（したご）うて無窮なり、海の水を辞せざるは同事なり、是故（このゆえ）に能く水聚（あつま）りて海となるなり。	Dōji to iu wa fui nari, ji ni mo fui nari, ta ni mo fui nari, tatoeba ningen no nyorai wa ningen ni dōzeru ga gotoshi, ta wo shite ji ni dōze shimete nochi ni ji wo shite ta ni dōze shimuru dōri aru beshi, jita wa toki ni shitagōte mukyū nari, umi no mizu wo jisezaru wa dōji nari, kono yue ni yoku mizu atsumarite umi to naru nari.

Sympathy means non-differentiation — the identity of self and not-self. For example, the Tathagata appeared in the human world in human form. Sympathy refutes the distinction between self and others. Sometimes the self is infinite; sometimes, others. Sympathy, like the sea, repulses no water, and all waters gather to form the sea.

Section Twenty-Five

Original Text	Romanization
大凡（おおよそ）菩提心の行願（ぎょうがん）には是（かく）の如くの道理静かに思惟すべし、卒爾にすること勿れ、済度（さいど）摂受（しょうじゅ）に一切衆生皆化（みなけ）を被（こう）ぶらん功徳を礼拝（らいはい）恭敬（くぎょう）すべし。	Ōyoso bodaishin no gyōgan ni wa kaku no gotoku no dōri shizuka ni shiyui subeshi, sotsuji ni suru koto nakare, saido shōju ni issai shujō mina ke wo kōburan kudoku wo raihai kugyō subeshi.

Seekers of enlightenment, meditate on these teachings. Do not belittle them. Revere and respect the merits that benefit all living beings and help them cross to the other shore.

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