Gobunshō – 御文章 – Fascicle 1-6 – Drowsiness – 睡眠章 –

1-6　 Drowsiness

I wonder why I am so drowsy and sleepy especially this summer. I feel that the time of departure from this world is definitely drawing near. I am indeed disheartened to think about it and sad to part. But I have carefully prepared myself until now for the moment of my passing.

The only wish I always have in connection with this, day and night, is that even after I am gone those who have settled the entrusting heart will continue to appear in the assemblage at this place.

As things now stand, I see no problem even after my passing. However, I feel that I must warn you against becoming lax in your thinking. As long as I am alive, you will be just as you are now, but in many ways I am not satisfied with the state of your minds.

Since life may end before tomorrow, anything you say will be in vain when you die. Unless you quickly clear your doubts while alive, you will certainly have nothing but regret. This you should bear in mind.

Humbly and respectfully.

This letter is intended for those who are on the other side of the sliding door. I would like them to take it out and read it sometime in the future.

Written on the 25th day of the 4th month, 5th year of Bunmei [1473]

1-6　睡眠章

そもそも､ 当年とうねんの夏なつこのごろは､ なにとやらんことのほか睡眠すいめんにをかされて､ ねむたく候そうろふはいかんと案あんじ候そうらへば､ 不ふ審しんもなく往おう生じょうの死期しごもちかづくかとおぼえ候そうろふ｡ まことにもつてあぢきなく名な残ごりをしくこそ候そうらへ｡ さりながら､ 今日こんにちまでも､ 往おう生じょうの期ごもいまや来きたらんと油ゆ断だんなくそのかまへは候そうろふ｡

それにつけても､ この在所ざいしょにおいて､ 以後いごまでも信心しんじん決けつ定じょうするひとの退転たいてんなきやうにも候そうらへかしと､ 念願ねんがんのみ昼ちゅう夜や不ふ断だんにおもふばかりなり｡

この分ぶんにては往おう生じょうつかまつり候そうろふとも､ いまは子し細さいなく候そうろふべきに､ それにつけても､ 面々めんめんの心しん中ちゅうもことのほか油ゆ断だんどもにてこそは候そうらへ｡ いのちのあらんかぎりは､ われらはいまのごとくにてあるべく候そうろふ｡ よろづにつけて､ みなみなの心しん中ちゅうこそ*不ふ足そくに存ぞんじ候そうらへ｡

明みょう日にちもしらぬいのちにてこそ候そうろふに､ なにごとを申もうすもいのちをはり候そうらはば､ いたづらごとにてあるべく候そうろふ｡ いのちのうちに不ふ審しんも疾とく疾とくはれられ候そうらはでは､ さだめて後悔こうかいのみにて候そうらはんずるぞ､ 御おんこころえあるべく候そうろふ｡

あなかしこ､ あなかしこ｡

この障しょう子じのそなたの人々ひとびとのかたへまゐらせ候そうろふ｡ のちの年としにとり出だして御ご覧らん候そうらへ｡

文明ぶんめい五ご年ねん卯う月づき二に十じゅう五ご日にちこれを書かく｡

Index of individual letters:

Fascicle 1-2 – Renouncing the World and Awakening the Bodhi-mind – 出家発心章

Fascicle 1-3 – Hunting and Fishing – 猟すなどり章

Fascicle 1-5 – Journey in the Snow – 雪中章

Fascicle 1-6 – Drowsiness – 睡眠章

Fascicle 1-8 – Construction at Yoshizaki – 吉崎建立章

Fascicle 1-13 – A Wrong View Concerning “Ten Kalpas Ago” – 此方十劫邪義章

Fascicle 2-4 – Severing Crosswise the Five Evil Courses – 横截五悪趣章

Fascicle 2-5 – Juzu – 珠数章

Fascicle 2-7 – Going Is Easy, but No One Is Born There – 易往無人章

Fascicle 2-11 – The Fivefold Doctrine – 五重義章

Fascicle 3-4 – The Great Sage, the World-honored One – 大聖世尊章

Fascicle 3-6 – Solely Saying the Name Constantly – 唯能常称章

Fascicle 4-10 – This Present Age – 今の世章

Fascicle 4-11 – The Unity of Beings and the Dharma – 機法一体章

Fascicle 4-12 – The Meetings Twice Every Month – 毎月両度章

Fascicle 4-14 – The Settled Mind of Our Tradition – 一流安心章

Fascicle 4-15 – Construction at Ozaka – 大坂建立章

Fascicle 5-1 – Those Lacking Wisdom in the Latter Age – 末代無智章

Fascicle 5-2 – Eighty Thousand Dharma-teachings – 八万法蔵章

Fascicle 5-3 – Women Remaining in Lay Life – 在家尼入道章

Fascicle 5-4 – Whether Men or Women – 抑男子女人章

Fascicle 5-5 – Attaining the Entrusting Heart – 信心獲得章

Fascicle 5-6 – Singleness of Heart, Great Benefit – 一念大利章

Fascicle 5-9 – All the Sacred Scriptures – 一切聖教章

Fascicle 5-10 – The Tradition of Shinran Shonin -聖人一流章

Fascicle 5-11 – The Annual Memorial Observance for Shinran Shonin – 御正忌章

Fascicle 5-12 – Holding on to Amida’s Sleeves – 御袖章

Fascicle 5-13 – The Unsurpassed, Profound Virtues – 無上甚深章

Fascicle 5-16 – White Ashes -白骨章

Fascicle 5-17 – All Women – 一切女人章

Fascicle 5-18 – The Master of Our Tradition – 当流聖人章

Fascicle 5-21 – Clear Statements in the Scriptures – 経釈明文

Fascicle 5-22 – The Teaching of Our Tradition – 当流勧化章

Other Resources:
Letters of Rennyo: The Essence of Shin Buddhism (essay/talk by Rev. Daien T. Haseo)

Letters of Rennyo – On Youtube (presented by Rev. Sugahara Yuki)

Complete Letters of Rennyo translation by the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai follow this link to their website to download a copy.

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To purchase the book ‘Letters of Rennyo’ , Translated by as part of the Hongwanji Shin Buddhism Translation Series, this is the publication information & link:

• Title ：Letters of Rennyo
• ¥1,100
• Author ：Shin Buddhism Translation Series
• Language ：English
• ISBN ：4-938490-20-X
• pages ：164

Buy from Hongwanji International Center: https://international.hongwanji.or.jp/html/c3b1p1.html

If you would like a digital copy containing more translated letters than listed above (albeit not translated by Hongwanji), you can download a PDF from the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (BDK – Amercia) website here: Link: https://bdkamerica.org/product/tannisho-passages-deploring-deviations-of-faith-and-rennyo-shonin-ofumi-the-letters-of-rennyo/

Credits: The text for the Letters of Rennyo as presented on this and subsequent pages was originally shared on the following site : http://www.yamadera.info/seiten/seiten_index.htm

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