Tannisho Sections XI to XVIII

Section 11

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一ひとつ　一文不通のともがらの念仏申すにあうて、「なんぢは誓願不 思議を信じて念仏申すか、また名号不思議を信ずるか」と、いひお どろかして、ふたつの不思議を子細をも分明にいひひらかずして、 ひとのこころをまどはすこと、この条、かへすがへすもこころをと どめて、おもひわくべきことなり。	In meeting unlettered people who say the nembutsu some people disturb them with such questions as, “Do you say the nembutsu by entrusting yourself to the inconceivable power of the Vow or to the inconceivable power of the Name?” They fail to clarify the two forms of inconceivable powers and their respective significance. Thus, they confuse the people. We must turn our attention to this matter and carefully consider the connection between the two.
誓願の不思議によりて、やすくたもち、となへやすき名号を案じいだしたまひて、この名字をとなへんものをむかへとらんと、御約 束あることなれば、まづ弥陀の大悲大願の不思議にたすけられまゐ らせて生死を出づべしと信じて、念仏の申さるるも如来の御はからひなりとおもへば、すこしもみづからのはからひまじはらざるがゆゑに、本願に相応して実報土に往生するなり。	By virtue of the inconceivable power of the Vow, Amida Buddha devised the Name easy to uphold and pronounce and, thereby, promised to take in all who say the Name. Thus, when we entrust ourselves to the inconceivable power of Amida’s compassionate vow which saves us to deliver us from birth-and-death and when we realize that the saying of nembutsu occurs because of Tathagata’s working, we are in accord with the Primal Vow and will be born in the land of Fulfillment, since our own calculation is not involved.
これは誓願の不思議をむねと信じたてまつれば、名号の不思議も具足して、誓願・名号の不思議ひとつにして、さらに異なることなきなり。	When we entrust ourselves completely to the inconceivable power of the Primal Vow as the heart of the matter, then the inconceivable power of the Name is also naturally found together with it. The inconceivable powers of the Vow and of the Name are therefore one, the slightest difference between the two being nonexistent.
つぎにみづか らのはからひをさしはさみて、善悪のふたつにつきて、往生のたすけ・さはり、二様におもふは、誓願の不思議をばたのまずして、わがこころに往生の業をはげみて申すところの念仏をも自行になすなり。このひとは名号の不思議をもまた信ぜざるなり。	Next, the person who inserts his or her own calculations into the consideration of good and evil, believing that the former helps and the latter hinders birth in the Pure Land, fails to entrust the self to the inconceivable power of the Vow. Rather, such a person strives with effort to achieve birth, claiming the nembutsu uttered as one’s own practice. The person also fails to entrust the self to the inconceivable power of the Name.
信ぜざれども、 辺地懈慢・疑城胎宮にも往生して、果遂の願（第二十願）のゆゑに、つひに報土に生ずるは、名号不思議のちからなり。これすなはち、誓願不思議のゆゑなれば、ただひとつなるべし。	However, even though the person fails to entrust the self, he or she will be born in the borderland, the realm of indolence, the castle of doubt, or the palace of womb to be eventually born in the land of Fulfillment by virtue of the Vow which vowed that unless all beings are saved, Amida will not have attained Buddhahood. All this is due to the inconceivable power of the Name. Since this is also due to the inconceivable power of the Vow, the Vow and the Name are one and the same.

Section 12

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一　経釈をよみ学せざるともがら、往生不定のよしのこと。この条、すこぶる不足言の義といひつべし。	Some people say that those who do not read and study the sutras and commentaries cannot be ascertained of birth in the Pure Land. This view is hardly worthy of serious consideration.
他力真実のむねをあかせるもろもろの正教は、本願を信じ念仏を 申さば仏に成る、そのほかなにの学問かは往生の要なるべきや。ま ことに、このことわりに迷へらんひとは、いかにもいかにも学問し て、本願のむねをしるべきなり。経釈をよみ学すといへども、聖教 の本意をこころえざる条、もつとも不便のことなり。一文不通にし て、経釈の往く路もしらざらんひとの、となへやすからんための名 号におはしますゆゑに、易行といふ。学問をむねとするは聖道門な り、難行となずく。あやまつて学問して名聞・利養のおもひに住す るひと、順次の往生、いかがあらんずらんといふ証文も候ふべきや。	All the sutras which reveal the essentials of the truth of Other Power simply state: By saying the nembutsu, entrusting oneself to the Primal Vow, one attains buddhahood. What further knowledge is required for birth in the Pure Land? Truly, those who are still confused about this should by all means study hard to realize the purpose of the Primal Vow. If the true meaning of the sacred texts is not clearly understood, even though one reads and studies, it is to be pitied. Since the Name is devised to be easily said by the unlettered who cannot even grasp the basic meaning of the sutras and commentaries, such utterance is called easy practice. Learning is required in the Path of Sages; therefore, it is called difficult practice. Some people mistakenly pursue knowledge for the sake of fame and profit – their birth in the next life is doubtful, so states an attesting passage.
当時、専修念仏のひとと聖道門のひと、法輪をくはだてて、「わが 宗こそすぐれたれ、ひとの宗はおとりなり」といふほどに、報敵も 出できたり、謗法もおこる。これしかしながら、みずからわが法を 破謗するにあらずや。	Today, the people of single-hearted nembutsu and those of the Path of Sages engage in argument, claiming that one school is superior and the other inferior. Thus, enemies of dharma appear and slandering of dharma becomes rampant. But does this not slander and destroy one’s own teaching?
たとひ諸門こぞりて、「念仏はかひなきひと のためなり、その宗あさし、いやし」といふとも、さらにあらそはずして、「われらがごとく下根の凡夫、一字不通のものの、信ずれ ばたすかるよし、うけたまはりて信じ候へば、さらに上根のひとの ためにはいやしくとも、われらがためには最上の法にてまします。 たとひ自余の教法すぐれたりとも、みづからがためには器量およば ざればつとめがたし。われもひとも、生死をはなれんことこそ、諸 仏の御本意にておはしませば、御さまたげあるべからず」とて、に くい気せずは、たれのひとかありて、あだをなすべきや。かつは諍 論のところにはもろもろの煩悩おこる、智者遠離すべきよしの証文 候ふにこそ。	Even if all the other schools together proclaim, “The nembutsu is for foolish beings; its teaching is shallow and vulgar,” you should not object. And instead simply reply, “We are taught that foolish beings of inferior capacity like ourselves, unlettered and ignorant, will be saved by entrusting ourselves to Amida. As we accept this and entrust ourselves, it is the supreme dharma for us, regardless of how vulgar it may seem to people of superior capacity. No matter how superb other teachings may be, if they are beyond our grasp and mastery, we cannot uphold them. Since it is the basic intention of the Buddhas that we shall all together go beyond birth-and-death, you should not hinder us.” In this way, if we have no rancor, who would want to hurt us? An attesting passage also states, “Where there are arguments, various kinds of blind passion are awakened; the wise should avoid them.”
故聖人（親鸞）の仰せには、「この法をば信ずる衆生 もあり、そしる衆生もあるべしと、仏説きおかせたまひたることな れば、われはすでに信じたてまつる。またひとありてそしるにて、 仏説まことなりけりとしられ候ふ。しかれば往生はいよいよ一定と おもひたまふなり。あやまつてそしるひとの候はざらんにこそ、い かに信ずるひとはあれども、そしるひとのなきやらんともおぼえ候 ひぬべけれ。かく申せばとて、かならずひとにそしられんとにはあ らず、仏の、かねて信謗ともにあるべきむねをしろしめして、ひと の疑をあらせじと、説きおかせたまふことを申すなり」とこそ候ひしか。	The late master also said, “The Buddha predicted that there will be people who shall entrust themselves to this dharma, as well as those who shall slander it. I have already been made to entrust myself to the dharma, while there are those who slander it – by this we know that the Buddha’s words are true. In fact, we should realize that our birth is even more firmly settled. If, contrary to this, no one denounced the nembutsu, we might wonder why even though there are believers, there are no slanderers. But this, of course, does not mean that the teaching should become the object of slander. The Buddha taught this because he knew that both believers and slanderers would exist. It was to dispel any doubts that might arise among us.
いまの世には、学問してひとのそしりをやめ、ひとへに論議 問答むねとせんとかまへられ候ふにや。学問せば、いよいよ如来の御本意をしり、悲願の広大のむねをも存知して、いやしからん身にて往生はいかがなんどあやぶまんひとにも、本願には善悪・浄穢なき趣をも説ききかせられ候はばこそ、学生のかひにても候はめ。	Is the only purpose of knowledge to defend against criticism and to engage in arguments and debates? If a person studies properly, he or she will come to see more clearly the intention of the Buddha and realize the boundlessness of true compassion. Such a student will teach those who are unsure of birth in the Pure Land because of their defiled nature that the Primal vow does not discriminate between the good and evil, the pure and impure. Only then will knowledge be meaningful.
たまたまなにごころもなく、本願に相応して念仏するひとをも、学問してこそなんどいひおどさるること、法の魔障なり、仏の怨敵なり。 みづから他力の信心かくるのみならず、あやまつて他を迷はさんと す。つつしんでおそるべし、先師（親鸞）の御こころにそむくこと を。かねてあはれむべし、弥陀の本願にあらざることを。	People who insist that knowledge is essential for the religious life frighten those who live the nembutsu according to the Primal Vow. Such pedagogues are demons who obstruct the dharma, and they are despised enemies of the Buddha. They not only lack the true entrusting to Other Power but wrongly mislead other people. They should stand in fear lest they go against the teaching of our late master. And they should be filled with remorse for going against the Primal Vow.

Section 13

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一　弥陀の本願不思議におはしませばとて、悪をおそれざるは、 また本願ぼこりとて、往生かなふべからずといふこと。この条、本願を疑ふ、善悪の宿業をこころえざるなり。	Some people say that those who do not fear committing evil because of the inconceivable power of Amida’s Vow are guilty of taking pride in the Primal Vow and, therefore, will not attain birth. This betrays doubt in the Primal Vow and shows a lack of understanding of good and evil as the product of past karma.
よきこころのおこるも、宿善のもよほすゆゑなり。悪事のおもは れせらるるも、悪業のはからふゆゑなり。故聖人（親鸞）の仰せに は、「兎毛・羊毛のさきにゐるちりばかりもつくる罪の、宿業にあらずといふことなしとしるべし」と候ひき。	Good thoughts arise in our minds due to the effect of past good, and we are made to think and do evil because of the working of karmic evil. The late master said, “We should know that even as trifling a thing as the speck of dust on the tip of a rabbit’s hair or a sheep’s fleece is the product of past evil karma.”
またあるとき、「唯円房はわがいふことをば信ずるか」と、仰せ の候ひしあひだ、「さん候ふ」と、申し候ひしかば、「さらば、い はんことたがふまじきか」と、かさねて仰せの候ひしあひだ、つつ しんで領状申して候ひしかば、「たとへば、ひとを千人ころしてん や、しからば往生は一定すべし」と、仰せ候ひしとき、「仰せにて は候へども、一人もこの身の器量にては、ころしつべしともおぼえ ず候ふ」と、申して候ひしかば、「さては、いかに親鸞がいふこと をたがふまじきとはいふぞ」と。「これにてしるべし。なにごとも こころにまかせたることならば、往生のために千人ころせといはん に、すなはちころすべし。しかれども、一人にてもかなひぬべき業 縁なきによりて害せざるなり。わがこころのよくてころさぬにはあ らず。また害せじとおもふとも、百人・千人をころすこともあるべ し」と、仰せの候ひしは、われらがこころのよきをばよしとおもひ、 悪しきことをば悪しとおもひて、願の不思議にてたすけたまふといふことをしらざることを、仰せの候ひしなり。	At another time he asked me. “Would you agree to anything I say, Yui-en?” “Of course, I will,” I replied. “Are you sure that you won’t disobey me?,” he repeated, and when I again agreed, he continued, “Go, then and kill a thousand people and your birth in the Pure Land is settled.’ “Even though that is your order,” I protested, “and even with the capacity for evil within me, I cannot kill even a single person.” “Then why did you just say that you would not disobey what I, Shinran, said?” And then he went on, “By this we know that if we could act according to our thoughts, we could kill a thousand people for the sake of birth in the Pure Land if so required. We do not kill, not because our thoughts are good but because we do not have the karma to kill even a single person. Yet, even though we do not want to injure anyone, we may be led to kill a hundred or a thousand people.” The gist of this statement is that when we think good thoughts, we think we are good; and when we think evil thoughts, we think we are evil, not realizing fully that it is not these thoughts but the inconceivable power of the Vow that makes our salvation possible.
そのかみ邪見におち たるひとあつて、悪をつくりたるものをたすけんといふ願にてまし ませばとて、わざとこのみて悪をつくりて、往生の業とすべきよし をいひて、やうやうにあしざまなることのきこえ候ひしとき、御消 息に、「薬あればとて、毒をこのむべからず」と、あそばされて候ふは、かの邪執をやめんがためなり。まったく、悪は往生のさはり たるべしとにはあらず。持戒・持律にてのみ本願を信ずべくは、われらいかでか生死をはなるべきやと。かかるあさましき身も、本願にあひたてまつりてこそ、げにほこられ候へ。さればとて、身にそなへざらん悪業は、よもつくられ候はじものを。	Once there was a man who fell into wrong views proclaiming that he would intentionally do evil as a way of attaining birth, since the Vow is directed to those who are evil. Thus saying, he committed many evil deeds. When Shinran heard about this, he admonished in a letter, “Do not take poison just because there is an antidote.” He made this point to correct such erroneous views, but not at all to say that evil is an obstacle to attaining birth. Shinran, moreover, said, “If upholding the precepts and maintaining the disciplines are required for true entrusting, how could we ever hope to go beyond birth-and-death? It is only by encountering the Primal Vow that such hopeless beings like ourselves are shown to be prideful and haughty. And yet evil cannot be committed unless it is already within us.”
また、「海・河に 網をひき、釣をして、世をわたるものも、野山にししをかり、鳥を とりて、いのちをつぐともがらも、商ひをし、田畠をつくりて過ぐ るひとも、ただおなじことなり」と。「さるべき業縁のもよほさば、 いかなるふるまひもすべし」とこそ、聖人（親鸞）は仰せ候ひしに、 当時は後世者ぶりして、よからんものばかり念仏申すべきやうに、 あるいは道場にはりぶみをして、なんなんのことしたらんものをば、 道場へ入るべからずなんどといふこと、ひとへに賢善精進の相を外にしめして、内には虚仮をいだけるものか。	Again, he said, “People who make a living by casting nets or fishing in the seas and rivers, those who sustain themselves by hunting wild life and catching birds in the moors and mountains, and people who pass their lives by trading and cultivating fields are all alike.” According to Shinran, “Under the influence of our karmic past we human beings will do anything.” And yet, in recent years people put on the guise of striving on the nembutsu path. They claim that only good people should say the nembutsu. Or they post restrictions at gathering places, proclaiming that those who commit certain acts are prohibited from entering. Are these not the sort of people who show outwardly how wise, virtuous, and diligent they are, while inwardly cherishing vanity and falsehood?
願にほこりてつくらん罪も、宿業のもよほすゆゑなり。されば善きことも、悪しきことも 業報にさしまかせて、ひとへに本願をたのみまゐらすればこそ他力 にては候へ。『唯信抄』にも、「弥陀、いかばかりのちからましま すとしりてか、罪業の身なれば、すくはれがたしとおもふべき」と候ふぞかし。本願にほこるこころのあらんにつけてこそ、他力をた のむ信心も決定しぬべきことにて候へ。	Karmic evil committed because of taking pride in the Vow is also an effect of past karma. Thus, leave everything good and evil to the working of karma and single-heartedly entrust yourself to the Primal Vow. Such is the way of Other Power. In Essentials of Faith Alone it is said, “To what extent does one know the power of Amida’s compassion when a person believes that salvation is impossible because of karmic evil?” For the very reason that we are guilty of taking pride in the Primal Vow, the true entrusting as the gift of Other Power is settled.
おほよそ、悪業・煩悩を断 じ尽してのち、本願を信ぜんのみぞ、願にほこるおもひもなくてよかるべきに、煩悩を断じなば、すなはち仏に成り、仏のためには、五劫思惟の願、その詮なくやましまさん。	We can be free of taking pride in the Primal Vow only after we entrust ourselves to the Primal Vow, having extinguished karmic evil and blind passion. But if blind passion were extinguished, one is already a buddha; and for a buddha the Vow realized through five kalpas of profound thought would be useless.
本願ぼこりといましめら るるひとびとも、煩悩・不浄具足せられてこそ候うげなれ。それは願にほこらるるにあらずや。いかなる悪を本願ぼこりといふ、いか なる悪かほこらぬにて候ふべきぞや。かへりて、こころをさなきこ とか。	Since the people who censure others for taking pride in the Primal Vow themselves are filled with blind passion and impurities, aren’t they also guilty of taking pride in the Primal Vow? If so, what is the evil that takes pride in the Primal Vow and what is the evil that does not take pride in the Primal Vow? Indeed, all this debate reveals shallowness and immaturity.

Section 14

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一　一念に八十億劫の重罪を滅すと信ずべしといふこと。この条 は、十悪・五逆の罪人、日ごろ念仏を申さずして、命終のとき、はじめて善知識のをしへにて、一念申せば八十億劫の罪を滅し、十念 申せば、十八十億劫の重罪を滅して往生すといへり。これは十悪・ 五逆の軽重をしらせんがために、一念・十念といへるか、滅罪の利 益なり。いまだわれらが信ずるところにおよばず。そのゆゑは、弥陀の光明に照らされまゐらするゆゑに、一念発起するとき金剛の信 心をたまはりぬれば、すでに定聚の位にをさめしめたまひて、命終すれば、もろもろの煩悩・悪障を転じて、無生忍をさとらしめたまふなり。	Some people say that one should believe that heavy evils of eight billion kalpas can be extinguished in the single utterance of nembutsu. This view refers to an evil person, guilty of ten vices and five transgressions, who has never said the nembutsu throughout life but who for the first time at the moment of death is told by a good teacher: nembutsu uttered once shall extinguish the evils accumulated in eight billion kalpas, and nembutsu uttered ten times shall extinguish the evils accumulated in eighty billion kalpas, thus leading to birth in the Pure Land. Is the single utterance or ten utterances meant to suggest the relative weights of ten vices and five transgressions? if so, this refers to the utility value of nembutsu in extinguishing evil. This is far different from our understanding. The reason is that in the awakening of one thought-moment, having been illuminated by Amida’s light, we are endowed with true entrusting which is firm as a diamond; thus, we are already included in the stage of the truly settled. When our life comes to an end, all the blind passions and evil hindrances are immediately transformed into the realization of the “wisdom of non-origination.”
この悲願ましまさずは、かかるあさましき罪人、いかでか 生死を解脱すべきとおもひて、一生のあひだ申すところの念仏は、 みなことごとく如来大悲の恩を報じ、徳を謝すとおもふべきなり。	Realizing that without this compassionate Vow, wretched and evil beings such as ourselves can never go beyond birth-and-death, we should know that all the nembutsu said throughout our lifetime simply expresses our gratitude to the benevolence and virtues of Tathagata’s compassion.
念仏申さんごとに、罪をほろぼさんと信ぜんは、すでにわれと罪を消して、往生せんとはげむにてこそ候ふなれ。もししからば、一生のあひだおもひとおもふこと、みな生死のきづなにあらざることな ければ、いのち尽きんまで念仏退転せずして往生すべし。ただし業 報かぎりあることなれば、いかなる不思議のことにもあひ、また病 悩苦痛せめて、正念に住せずしてをはらん、念仏申すことかたし。 そのあひだの罪をば、いかがして滅すべきや。罪消えざれば、往生 はかなふべからざるか。	To believe that each saying of nembutsu extinguishes evil is to seek birth in the Pure Land by eliminating evil thoughts through one’s own efforts. If that is the case, since every thought we think in life binds us to birth-and-death, we must say the nembutsu until the final moment, continuously and consistently, without ever attaining birth. But since karmic consequences are decisive, we may end our life because of unforeseen accidents or we may be tormented by illness without ever attaining right-mindedness. Saying the nembutsu in such a state would be, indeed, most difficult. How are we to extinguish evil in such a state? If evil cannot be extinguished, then is attaining birth impossible?
摂取不捨の願をたのみたてまつらば、いかなる不思議ありて、罪業ををかし、念仏申さずしてをはるとも、す みやかに往生をとぐべし。また念仏の申されんも、ただいまさとり をひらかんずる期のちかづくにしたがひても、いよいよ弥陀をたの み、御恩を報じたてまつるにてこそ候はめ。罪を滅せんとおもはん は、自力のこころにして、臨終正念といのるひとの本意なれば、他 力の信心なきにて候ふなり。	When we entrust ourselves to the Vow that grasps us never to abandon us, we shall quickly attain birth, regardless of whether we commit evils for unknown reasons and even end our lives without saying the nembutsu. And when we say the nembutsu spontaneously, our trust in Amida becomes stronger and our gratitude to Tathagata becomes deeper as we approach the moment of supreme enlightenment. To desire to extinguish evil is the thought of self-power, the intention of those who hope to achieve right-mindedness at the moment of death. This shows the lack of true entrusting which is made possible by the working of Other Power.

Section 15

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一　煩悩具足の身をもつて、すでにさとりをひらくといふこと。 この条、もつてのほかのことに候ふ。	Some people say that one can attain enlightenment in this very body filled with blind passion. This is completely out of the question.
即身成仏は真言秘教の本意、三密行業の証果なり。六根清浄はまた法花一乗の所説、四安楽の行の感徳なり。これみな難行上根のつ とめ、観念成就のさとりなり。来生の開覚は他力浄土の宗旨、信心 決定の通故なり。これまた易行下根のつとめ、不簡善悪の法なり。 おほよそ今生においては、煩悩・悪障を断ぜんこと、きはめてあり がたきあひだ、真言・法華を行ずる浄侶、なほもつて順次生のさとりをいのる。いかにいはんや、戒行・慧解ともになしといへども、 弥陀の願船に乗じて、生死の苦海をわたり、報土の岸につきぬるも のならば、煩悩の黒雲はやく晴れ、法性の覚月すみやかにあらはれ て、尽十方の無碍の光明に一味にして、一切の衆生を利益せんときにこそ、さとりにては候へ。	The doctrine of attaining Buddhahood in this very body is the essential teaching of Shingon Esoterism, the ultimate attainment of the three esoteric practices. And the purifying of the six sense-organs is the doctrine of the One Vehicle teaching of the Lotus Sutra, the attainment of the four blissful practices. These are all difficult practices performed by superior religious adepts and enlightenment realized through perfecting meditative practices. In contrast, the enlightenment that unfolds in the next birth is the essence of the Pure Land way of Other Power, the true entrusting which is settled and final. This is the effortless practice undertaken by inferior religious practicers in which the distinction between good and evil is non-existent. Since it is unthinkably difficult to sunder blind passion and evil hindrances in this present life, the virtuous monks of Shingon and Tendai disciplinary practices also pray for enlightenment in the life to come. How much more so for ordinary people like ourselves! Although the upholding of precepts and attainment of wisdom are lacking, when we have crossed the painful ocean of birth-and- death on the vessel of Amida’s Vow, reaching the Other Shore of the land of Fulfillment, the dark clouds of blind passion immediately vanish and the moon of enlightenment, dharma-as-it-is, appears instantaneously. Having become united with the Unhindered Light that illuminates the ten quarters, we bring benefits to all beings. This is true enlightenment.
この身をもつてさとりをひらくと候ふ なるひとは、釈尊のごとく種々の応化の身をも現じ、三十二相・八十随形好をも具足して、説法利益候ふにや。これをこそ、今生にさとりをひらく本とは申し候へ。	Do those who believe in attaining enlightenment in this very body reveal themselves in various forms of enlightenment, as did the historical Sakyamuni? Do they possess the thirty-two features and eighty characteristics of an enlightened being? Do they benefit sentient beings by expounding the Buddha Dharma? This is what constitutes enlightenment in this life.
『和讃』（高僧和讃・七七）にいわく、「金剛堅固の信心の　さだまるときをまちえてぞ弥陀の心光 摂護してながく生死をへだてける」と候ふば、信心の定まるときに、ひとたび摂取して捨てたまはざれば、六道に輪廻すべからず。 しかれば、ながく生死をばへだて候ふぞかし。かくのごとくしるを、 さとるとはいひまぎらかすべきや。あはれに候ふをや。「浄土真宗 には、今生に本願を信じて、かの土にしてさとりをばひらくとなら ひ候ふぞ」とこそ、故聖人（親鸞）の仰せには候しか。	Shinran writes: When true entrusting, firm as a diamond, Is settled, at that very instant Amida’s light grasps us and protects us, And we forever transcend birth-and-death. This means that when true entrusting is realized, Amida grasps us never to abandon us, and we no longer transmigrate through the six realms. When we understand this fully, how can we confuse it with the enlightenment in this life? How sad that such a misunderstanding exists. As the late master said, “In the true teaching of Pure Land I have been taught that in this life we entrust ourselves to the Primal Vow and in the Pure Land attain supreme enlightenment.”

Section 16

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一　信心の行者、自然にはらをもたて、あしざまなることをもを かし、同朋・同侶にもあひて口論をもしては、はかならず廻心すべ しといふこと。この条、断悪修善のここちか。	Some people say that if a practicer of true entrusting should unexpectedly become angry, act wantonly, or argue with others, they should by all means undergo turning-of-mind. Does this mean that we should sunder evil and practice good?
一向専修のひとにおいては、廻心といふこと、ただひとたびある べし。その廻心は、日ごろ本願他力真宗をしらざるひと、弥陀の知 恵をたまはりて、日ごろのこころにては往生かなふべからずとおもひて、もとのこころをひきかへて、本願をたのみまゐらするをこそ、 廻心とは申し候へ。	In the person of single-hearted nembutsu the turning-of-mind occurs only once. The turning- of-mind refers to this: transformation of those ignorant of the Primal Vow of Other Power who, being granted Amida’s wisdom and realizing the impossibility of everyday mind attaining birth, abandon the old mind and entrust the self to the Primal Vow.
一切の事に、あしたゆふべに廻心して、往生をとげ候ふべくは、ひとのいのちは、出づる息、入るほどをまたずし てをはることなれば、廻心もせず、柔和・忍辱のおもひにも住せざ らんさきにいのちつきば、摂取不捨の誓願はむなしくならせ おはしますべきにや。	If it is necessary to undergo the turning-of-mind, day and night, about every deed in order to attain birth, we may die before doing so, or before nurturing tenderness and forbearance, since our lives may come to an end between the inhaling and exhaling of breath. Then the Primal Vow which grasps us never to abandon us would have no meaning.
口には、願力をたのみたてまつるといひて、 こころにはさこそ悪人をたすけんといふ願、不思議にましますとい ふとも、さすがよからんものをこそたすけたまはんずれとおもふほ どに、願力を疑ひ、他力をたのみまゐらするこころかけて、辺地の 生をうけんこと、もつともなげきおもひたまふべきことなり。	Even though some may claim to entrust themselves to the Primal Vow, they actually feel that only the good are saved, no matter how great the inconceivable power of the Vow to save evil doers. To that extent they are doubting the power of the Vow, lacking the thought of entrusting themselves to the Vow, and will be born in the borderland. How lamentable this is!
信心定まりなば、往生は弥陀にはからはれまゐらせてすることなれば、 わがはからひなるべからず。わろからんにつけても、いよいよ願力 を仰ぎまゐらせば、自然のことわりにて、柔和・忍辱のこころも出 でくべし。	Once true entrusting is settled, we realize that our birth is due to the working of Amida and not to our calculations. Even though we may do evil, even more should we think about the power of the Vow. Then, tenderness and forbearance will appear by virtue of “made to become so by itself.”
すべてよろづのことにつけて、往生にはかしこきおもひを具せずして、ただほれぼれと弥陀の御恩の深重なること、つねはおもひいだしまゐらすべし。しかれば念仏も申され候ふ。これ自然 なり。わがはからはざるを、自然と申すなり。これすなはち他力に てまします。しかるを、自然といふことの別にあるやうに、われ物 しりがほにいふひとの候ふよし、うけたまはる、あさましく候ふ。	In all matters regarding birth it is not necessary to contrive or design but always remember and become absorbed in the deep and profound compassion of Amida. Then we shall be able to say the nembutsu spontaneously, “made to become so by itself.” When I do not contrive or calculate, I am “made to become so by itself.” This is none other than the working of Other Power. And yet to my regret I hear some people talking knowingly about being “made to become so by itself” as if it were something special. How deplorable this is!

Section 17

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一　辺地往生をとぐるひと、つひには地獄におつべしといふこと。	Some people say that those born in the borderland will eventually fall into hell. What attesting passage makes this claim?
この条、なにの証文にみえ候ふぞや。学生だつるひとのなかに、い ひいださるることにて候ふなるこそ、あさましく候へ。経論・正教 をば、いかやうにみなされて候ふらん。信心かけたる行者は、本願を疑ふによりて、辺地に生じて疑の罪をつぐのひてのち、報土のさとりをひらくとこそ、うけたまはり候 へ。	This is asserted by those who claim to be scholars and that is truly deplorable. How are they reading the sutras, commentaries, and teachings? I have been taught that people who lack true entrusting, doubting the Primal Vow, are born in the borderland, where they atone for evil karma and ultimately attain enlightenment in the land of Fulfillment.
信心の行者すくなきゆゑに、化土におほくすすめいれられ候ふを、つひにむなしくなるべしと候ふなるこそ、如来に虚妄を申しつ けまゐらせられ候ふなれ。	Since true entrusting is very rare, many people go to the temporary land. And yet to contend that they are ultimately hopeless is to accuse the Buddha of falsehood.

Section 18

Original Japanese	Translation by Taitetsu Unno
一　仏法のかたに、施入物の多少にしたがつて、大小仏になるべし いふこと。この条、不可説なり、不可説なり。比興のことなり。	Some people say that the amount of offerings made to the Buddha Dharma will determine the size, great or small, that we will become as buddhas.
まづ、仏に大小の分量を定めんこと、あるべからず候ふか。かの 安養浄土の教主（阿弥陀仏）の御身量を説かれて候ふも、それは方 便報身のかたちなり。法性のさとりをひらいて、長短・方円のかた ちにもあらず、青・黄・赤・白・黒のいろをもはなれなば、なにをもってか大小を定むべきや。	First of all, is it possible to determine the size of a buddha, whether great or small? Even though the size of Buddha in the Pure Land is described in the sutra, it is the manifestation of dharmakaya-as- compassion, appearing for the sake of human beings. When one attains supreme enlightenment and realizes dharmakaya-as-it-is, how can size be discussed, since such shapes as long or short, square or round, do not exist; and color is also transcended, whether it be blue, yellow, red, white, or black?
念仏申すに、化仏をみたてまつるとい ふことの候ふなるこそ、「大念には大仏を見、小念には小仏を見る」 （大集経・意）といへるが、もしこのことわりなんどにばし、ひきかけられ候ふやらん。かつはまた、檀波羅蜜の行ともいひつべし、 いかに宝物を仏前にもなげ、師匠に施すとも、信心かけなば、その詮なし。一紙・半銭も仏法のかたに入れずとも、他力にこころをなげ て信心ふかくは、それこそ願の本意にて候はめ。	Some say that they see the transformed Buddha when uttering the nembutsu. Could they have based their view on such statements as the following and applied it here, “In loud utterance one sees a huge Buddha and in quiet utterance one sees a small Buddha”? Furthermore, although offerings can be part of the practice of selfless giving, no matter how many valuables we present to the Buddha or give to our teachers, the act is meaningless if true entrusting is absent. If one is made to give the self up to Other Power and true entrusting is complete, even though one does not present even a single sheet of paper or even half a coin to the Buddha Dharma, he or she is in accord with the intention of the Primal Vow.
すべて仏法にことをよせて、世間の欲心もあるゆゑに、同朋をいひおどさるるにや。	Are people intimidating their fellow practicers, using the teaching as a pretext, to fulfill their own selfish needs?