Tannisho Sections I to X

Section 1

Original text	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　弥陀みだの誓願せいがん不思議ふしぎにたすけられまゐいらせて、往生おうじょうをばとぐるなりと信しんじて念仏ねんぶつ申もうさんとおもひいたつこころのおこるとき、すなはわち摂取せっしゅ不捨ふしゃの利益りやくにあづけしめたまふもうなり。弥陀みだの本願ほんがんには、老少ろうしょう・善悪ぜんあくのひとをえらばれず、ただ信心しんじんを要ようとすとしるべし。	“When the thought of saying the nembutsu erupts from deep within, having entrusted ourselves to the inconceivable power of Amida’s vow which saves us, enabling us to be born in the Pure Land, we receive at that very moment the ultimate benefit of being grasped never to be abandoned.”
そのゆゑえは、罪悪ざいあく深重じんじゅう・煩悩ぼんのう熾盛しじょうの衆生しゅじょうをたすけんがための願がんにまします。	“Amida’s Primal Vow does not discriminate between the young and old, good and evil – true entrusting alone is essential. The reason is that the Vow is directed to the person burdened with the weight of karmic evil and burning with the flames of blind passion.”
しかれば本願ほんがんを信しんぜんには、他たの善ぜんも要ようにあらず、念仏ねんぶつにまさるべき善ぜんなきがゆゑえに。悪あくをもおそるべからず、弥陀みだの本願ほんがんをさまたぐるほどの悪あくなきゆゑえにと云々うんぬん。	“Thus, in entrusting ourselves to the Primal Vow, no other form of good is necessary, for there is no good that surpasses the nembutsu. And evil need not be feared, for there is no evil which can obstruct the working of Amida’s Primal Vow.”

Section 2

Original Text	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　おのおの十余箇国のさかひいをこえて、身命をかへえりみずして、 たづねきたらしめたまふ御もうおんこころざい、ひとへに往生おうじょう極楽ごくらくのみちを問ひといきかんがためなり。しかるに念仏ねんぶつよりほかに往生おうじょうのみちをも存知ぞんじし、また法文等ほうもんとうをもしりたるらんと、こころにくくおぼしめしておはわしましてはんべらんは、おほおきなるあやまりなり。もししからば、南都なんと北嶺ほくれいにもゆゆしき学匠がくしょうたちおほおく座おわせられて候そうろふうなれば、 かのひとにもあひいたてまつりて、往生おうじょうの要ようよくよくきかるべきなり。	“I believe that the reason you have come here, crossing over more than ten provinces at the risk of your lives, is solely to ascertain the path that leads to birth in the Pure Land. But if you suspect that I know ways other than the nembutsu to attain birth, or that I am versed in the scriptures connected with them, you are greatly mistaken. If that be the case, there are many eminent scholars in the monasteries of Nara and Mt. Hiei, so you should go see them and ask them in detail about the way to attain birth in the Pure Land.”
親鸞しんらんにおきては、ただ念仏ねんぶつして弥陀みだにたすけられまゐいらすべしと、 よきひと（法然ほうねん）の仰おおせをかぶりて、信しんずるほかに別べつの子細しさいなきなり。	“As for myself, Shinran, I simply take to heart the words of my dear teacher, Honen, “Just say the nembutsu and be saved by Amida,” and entrust myself to the Primal Vow. Besides this, there is nothing else.”
念仏ねんぶつは、まことに浄土じょうどに生うまるるたねにてやはんべるらん、また地獄じごくにおつべき業ごうにてやはんべるらん。総そうじてもって存知ぞんじせざるなり。たとひい法然ほうねん聖人しょうにんにすかされまゐいらせて、念仏ねんぶつして地獄じごくにおちたりとも、さらに後悔こうかいすべからず候そうろふう。そのゆゑえは、自余じよの行ぎょうもはげみて仏ぶつに成なるべかりける身みが、念仏ねんぶつを申もうして地獄じごくにもおちて候そうらはわばこそ、すかされたてまつりてといふう後悔こうかいも候そうらはわめ。いづれの行ぎょうもおよびがたき身みなれば、とても地獄じごくは一定いちじょうすみかぞかし。	“I really do not know whether the nembutsu may be the cause for my birth in the Pure Land, or the act that shall condemn me to hell. But I have nothing to regret, even if I should have been deceived by my teacher, and, saying the nembutsu, fall into hell. The reason is that if I were capable of realizing buddhahood by other religious practices and yet fell into hell for saying the nembutsu I might have dire regrets for having been deceived. But since I am absolutely incapable of any religious practice, hell is my only home.”
弥陀みだの本願ほんがんまことにおはわしまさば、釈尊しゃくそんの説教せっきょう虚言きょごんなるべからず。仏説ぶっせつまことにおはわしまさば、善導ぜんどうの御釈おんしゃく虚言きょごんしたまふもうべからず。善導ぜんどうの御釈おんしゃくまことならば、法然ほうねんの仰おおせそらごとならんや。法然ほうねんの仰おおせまことならば、親鸞しんらんが申もうすむね、またもってむなしかるべからず候そうろふか。詮せんずるところ、愚身ぐしんの信心しんじんにおきてはかくのごとし。このうへえは、念仏ねんぶつをとりて信じたてまつらんとも、またすてんとも、面々めんめんの御おんはからひいなりと云々うんぬん。	“If Amida’s Primal Vow is true, Sakyamuni’s teaching cannot be false. If the Buddha’s teaching is true, Shantao’s commentaries cannot be false. If Shantao’s commentaries are true, how can Honen’s words be empty of meaning? If Honen’s words are true, what I, Shinran, say cannot be meaningless. In brief, such is the true entrusting of this foolish one. Now, whether you accept the nembutsu, entrusting yourself to it, or reject it, that is your own decision.”

Section 3

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　善人ぜんにんなほおもって往生おうじょうをとぐ、いはわんや悪人あくにんをや。	“Even the good person attains birth in the Pure Land, how much more so the evil person.”
しかるを世よのひとつねにいはく、「悪人あくにんなほお往生おうじょうす、いかにいはんや善人ぜんにんをや」。 この条じょう、一旦いったんそのいはれあるに似にたれども、本願ほんがん他力たりきの意趣いしゅにそむけり。そのゆゑえは、自力じりき作善さぜんのひとは、ひとへえに他力たりきをたのむこころかけたるあひいだ、弥陀みだの本願ほんがんにあらず。しかれども、自力じりきのこころをひるがへえして、他力たりきをたのみたてまつれば、真実しんじつ報土ほうどの往生おうじょうをとぐるなり。	“But the people of the world constantly say, even the evil person attains birth, how much more so the good person. Although this appears to be sound at first glance, it goes against the intention of the Primal Vow of Other Power. The reason is that since the person of selfpower, being conscious of doing good, lacks the thought of entrusting the self completely to Other Power, he or she is not the focus of the Primal Vow of Amida. But when self-power is turned over and entrusting to Other Power occurs, the person attains birth in the land of True Fulfillment.”
煩悩ぼんのう具足ぐそくのわれらは、いづれの行ぎょうにても生死しょうじをはなるることあるべからざるを、あはわれみたまひいて願がんをおこしたまふもう本意ほんい、 悪人あくにん成仏じょうぶつのためなれば、他力たりきをたのみたてまつる悪人あくにん、もっとも往生おうじょうの正因しょういんなり。よって善人ぜんにんだにこそ往生おうじょうすれ、まして悪人あくにんはと、仰おおせ候そうらひいき。	“The Primal Vow was established out of deep compassion for us who cannot become freed from the bondage of birth-and-death through any religious practice, due to the abundance of blind passion. Since its basic intention is to effect the enlightenment of such an evil one, the evil person who is led to true entrusting by Other Power is the person who attains birth in the Pure Land. Thus, even the good person attains birth, how much more so the evil person!”

Section 4

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　慈悲じひに聖道しょうどう・浄土じょうどうのかはりめあり。聖道しょうどうの慈悲じひといふうは、ものをあはわれみ、かなしみ、はぐくむなり。しかれども、おもふうがごとくたすけとぐること、きはわめてありがたし。	“There is a difference in compassion between the Path of Sages and the Path of Pure Land. The compassion in the Path of Sages is expressed through pity, sympathy, and care for all beings, but rare is it that one can help another as completely as one desires.”
浄土じょうどうの慈悲じひといふうは、 念仏ねんぶつして、いそぎ仏ぶつになりて、大慈だいじ大悲心だいひしんをもって、おもふうがごと く衆生しゅじょうを利益りやくするをいふうべきなり。	“The compassion in the Path of Pure Land is to quickly attain Buddhahood, saying the nembutsu, and with the true heart of compassion and love save all beings completely as we desire.”
今生こんじょうに、いかにいとほおし不便ふびんとおもふうとも、存知ぞんじのごとくたすけがたければ、この慈悲じひ始終しじゅうなし。 しかれば、念仏ねんぶつ申もうすのみぞ、すゑえとほおりたる大慈だいじ悲心ひしんにて候そうろふうべきと云々うんぬん。	“In this life no matter how much pity and sympathy we may feel for others, it is impossible to help another as we truly wish; thus our compassion is inconsistent and limited. Only the saying of nembutsu manifests the complete and never ending compassion which is true, real, and sincere.”

Section 5

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　親鸞しんらんは父母ぶもの孝養きょうようのためとて、一返いっぺんにても念仏ねんぶつ申もうしたること、 いまだ候そうらはわず。そのゆゑえは、一切いっさいの有情うじょうはみなもって世々せせ生々しょうじょうの父母ぶも・兄弟きょうだいなり。いづれもいづれも、この順次生じゅんじしょうに仏ぶつに成なりてたすけ候そうろふうべきなり。	“I, Shinran, have never even once uttered the nembutsu for the sake of my father and mother. The reason is that all beings have been fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, in the timeless process of birth-and-death. When I attain buddhahood in the next birth, each and everyone will be saved.”
わがちからにてはげむ善ぜんにても候はばこそ、念仏を回向えこうして父母ぶもをもたすけ候そうらはわめ。ただ自力じりきをすてて、いそぎ浄土じょうどのさとりをひらきなば、六道ろくどう・四生ししょうのあひいだ、いづれの業苦ごっくにしづめりとも、神通じんずう方便ほうべんをもって、まづ有縁うえんを度どすべきなりと云々うんぬん。	“If it were a good accomplished by my own powers, then I could transfer the accumulated merits of nembutsu to save my father and mother. But since such is not the case, when we become free from self-power and quickly attain the enlightenment of the Pure Land, we will save those bound closest to us through transcendental powers, no matter how deeply they are immersed in the karmic sufferings of the six realms and four modes of birth.”

Section 6

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　専修せんじゅ念仏ねんぶつのともがらの、わが弟子でし、ひとの弟子でしといふ相論そうろんの候そうろふうらんこと、もってのほかの子細しさいなり。	“It is utterly unthinkable that among the followers of single-hearted nembutsu practice there are arguments about “my disciples” and “other’s disciples.”
親鸞しんらんは弟子でし一人いちにんももたず候そうろふう。そのゆゑえは、わがはからひいにて、ひとに念仏ねんぶつを申もうさせ候そうらはわばこそ、弟子でしにても候はめ。弥陀みだの御おんもよほおしにあづかつて念仏申もうし候そうろふうひとを、わが弟子でしと申もうすこと、きはわめたる荒涼こうりょうのことなり。	“As for myself, Shinran, I do not have a single disciple. If I could make others say the nembutsu through my own devices, they would be my disciples. But how arrogant it is to claim as disciples those who live the nembutsu through the sole working of Amida’s compassion.”
つくべき縁えんあればともなひい、はなるべき縁えんあればはなるることのある をも、師しをそむきて、ひとにつれて念仏ねんぶつすれば、往生おうじょうすべからざる ものなりなんどといふうこと、不可説ふかせつなり。如来にょらいよりたまはわりたる信心しんじんを、わがものがほおに、とりかへえさんと申もうすにや。かへえすがへえすもあるべからざることなり。	“If the karmic condition for us is to come together, we shall be together; but if the karmic condition for us is to be separated, we shall be separated. How absurd it is that some people assert that if one goes against a teacher and says the nembutsu under another, that person cannot attain birth in the Pure Land. Are they saying that they will take back the entrusting which is a gift from Amida as if it belonged to them? Impossible is it that such a thing should happen.”
自然じねんのことわりにあひいかなはわば、仏恩ぶつおんをもしり、また師しの恩おんをもしるべきなりと云々うんぬん。	“When we live according to the truth of ‘made to become so by itself’, we shall know gratitude to the Buddha and to our teachers.”

Section 7

Original Japanese

Translation by Taitetsu Unno

一ひとつ　念仏ねんぶつ者しゃは無碍むげの一道いちどうなり。そのいはわれいかんとならば、信心しんじんの行者ぎょうじゃには、天神てんじん・地祇じぎも敬伏きょうぶくし、魔界まかい・外道げどうも障碍しょうげすることなし。 罪悪ざいあくも業報ごうほうを感かんずることあたはわず、諸善しょぜんもおよぶことなきゆゑえなりと云々うんぬん。

“In the person of nembutsu opens up the great path of unobstructed freedom. The reason is that the gods of heaven and earth bow before the practicer of true entrusting, and those of the world of demons and rival ways cannot obstruct such a person. The consequences of karmic evil cannot bear fruit, nor does any form of good equal the nembutsu. Thus, it is called the great path of unobstructed freedom.”

Section 8

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　念仏ねんぶつは行者ぎょうじゃのために、非行ひぎょう・非善ひぜんなり。わがはからひいにて行ぎょうずるにあらざれば非行ひぎょうといふう。わがはからひいにてつくる善ぜんにもあらざれば非善ひぜんといふう。ひとへえに他力たりきにして自力じりきをはなれたるゆゑえに、 行者ぎょうじゃのためには非行ひぎょう・非善ひぜんなりと云々うんぬん。	“The saying of nembutsu is neither a religious practice nor a good act. Since it is practiced without any calculation, it is “non-practice.” Since it is also not a good created by my calculation, it is “non-good.” Since it is nothing but Other Power, completely free of self-power, it is neither a religious practice nor a good act on the part of the practicer.”

Section 9

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　念仏ねんぶつ申もうし候そうろへえども、踊躍ゆやく歓喜かんぎのこころおろそかに候そうろふうこと、またいそぎ浄土じょうどうへまゐいりたきこころの候そうらはわぬは、いかにと候そうろふうべきことにて候そうろふうやらんと、申もうしいれて候そうらひいしかば、親鸞しんらんもこの不審ふしんありつるに、唯円ゆいえん房ぼうおなじこころにてありけり。	“Although I say the nembutsu, I rarely experience joyful happiness nor do I have the desire to immediately go to the Pure Land. What should be done about this?” I asked. Then he responded, “I, Shinran, have been having the same question also, and now you, Yui-en, have the same thought.”
よくよく案あんじみれば、天てんにをどり地ちにをおどるほどによろこぶべきことを、よろこばぬにて、いよいよ往生おうじょうは一定いちじょうとおもひいたまうもうなり。よろこぶべきこころをおさへえて、よろこばざるは、煩悩ぼんのうの所為しょいなり。しかるに仏ぶつかねてしろしめして、煩悩ぼんのう具足ぐそくの凡夫ぼんぶと仰おおせられたることなれば、他力たりきの悲願ひがんはかくのごとし、われらがためなりけりとしられて、いよいよたのもしくおぼゆるなり。	“When I carefully consider the matter, my birth in the Pure land is settled without doubt for the very reason that I do not rejoice about that which I should be bursting with joy. It is the working of blind passion which suppresses the heart that would rejoice and prevents its fullest expression. All this the Buddha already knew and called us foolish beings filled with blind passion. Thus, when we realize that the compassionate Vow of Other Power is for beings like ourselves, the Vow becomes even more reliable and dependable.”
また浄土じょうどうへいそぎまゐいりたきこころのなくて、いささか所労しょろうのこともあれば、死しなんずるやらんとこころぼそくおぼゆることも、煩悩ぼんのうの所為しょいなり。久遠劫くおんごうよりいままで流転るてんせる苦悩くのうの旧里きゅうりはすてがたく、いまだ生れざる安養あんにょう浄土じょうどうはこひいしからず候そうろふうこと、まことによくよく煩悩ぼんのうの興盛こうじょうに候そうろふうにこそ。なごりをおしくおもへども、娑婆しゃばの縁尽えんつきて、ちからなくしてをおはわるときに、かの土どへはまゐいるべきなり。いそぎまゐいりたきこころなきものを、ことにあはわれみたまうもうなり。これにつけてこそ、いよいよ大悲だいひ大願だいがんはたのもしく、往生おうじょうは決定けっしょうと存存ぞんじ候そうらへえ。	“The working of blind passion also causes us not to want to go to the Pure land and makes us feel uneasy worrying about death when we become even slightly ill. Impossible it seems to leave this old house of agitation where we have wandered aimlessly since the beginning of time, nor can we long for the Pure Land of peace which we have yet to know. This is due to blind passion so truly powerful and overwhelming. But no matter how reluctant we may be, when our life in this world comes to an end, beyond our control, then for the first time we go to the land of Fulfillment. Those who do not want to go immediately are the special concern of true compassion. For this very reason the Vow of true compassion is completely dependable, and our birth in the Pure Land is absolutely certain.”
踊躍ゆやく歓喜かんぎのこころもあり、いそぎ浄土じょうどうへもまゐりたく候そうらはわんには、煩悩ぼんのうのなきやらんと、あやしく 候そうらひいなましと云々。	“If our hearts were filled with joyful happiness and we desired to go swiftly to the Pure Land, we might be misled to think that perhaps we are free of blind passion.”

Section 10

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　念仏ねんぶつには無義むぎをもって義ぎとす。不ふ可か称しょう不ふ可か説せつ不ふ可か思し議ぎのゆゑえにと仰おおせ候そうらひいき。	“In the nembutsu no selfworking is true-working; it is beyond description, explanation, and conception.”

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