5-12 Holding on to Amida’s Sleeves
Those who wish to know in detail the essentials of the settled mind in our tradition do not necessarily require wisdom and learning. While aware of their deep karmic evil and helplessness, they should realize that Amida Tathagata is the only Buddha capable of saving such beings; putting aside all calculations, they should single-mindedly entrust themselves to the Buddha for their emancipation in the afterlife, as if holding fast to Amida’s sleeves. Then, Amida Tathagata will greatly rejoice and send forth from his body eighty-four thousand magnificent rays of light, embracing those beings in this light.
We should remember that this is described in the [Contemplation] Sutra as: “The light shines everywhere throughout the ten quarters, embracing and not forsaking sentient beings of the nembutsu.” Therefore, there is no problem about our becoming Buddhas.
How wonderful is the all-surpassing Primal Vow! How benevolent is Amida Tathagata’s light! Unless we had a chance to encounter this light, we could not possibly be cured of the dreadful illness of ignorance and karmic hindrances we have had since beginningless past.
Prompted by the working of this light, those endowed with past karmic good have come to attain the entrusting heart of Other Power. Thus, it has now become clear that the entrusting heart is bestowed by Amida Tathagata.
Accordingly, we now clearly know that this is not the mind created by the followers but the great entrusting heart of Other Power given to us by Amida Tathagata.
Hence, those who have ever had the fortune to attain the entrusting heart of Other Power should remember their indebtedness to Amida’s benevolence and always say the nembutsu as an expression of gratitude for it.
Humbly and respectfully.
5-12 御袖章
当流の安心のおもむきをくはしくしらんとおもはんひとは､ あながちに智慧・才学もいらず､ ただわが身は罪ふかきあさましきものなりとおもひとりて､ かかる機までもたすけたまへるほとけは阿弥陀如来ばかりなりとしりて､ なにのやうもなく､ ひとすぢにこの阿弥陀ほとけの御袖にひしとすがりまゐらするおもひをなして､ 後生をたすけたまへとたのみまうせば､ この阿弥陀如来はふかくよろこびましまして､ その御身より八万四千のおほきなる光明を放ちて､ その光明のなかにその人を摂め入れておきたまふべし｡
さればこのこころを 経 (観経) には､ ｢光明遍照 十方世界 念仏衆生 摂取不捨｣ とは説かれたりとこころうべし｡ さてはわが身のほとけに成らんずることは､ なにのわづらひもなし｡
あら､ 殊勝の超世の本願や､ ありがたの弥陀如来の光明や｡ この光明の縁にあひたてまつらずは､ 無始よりこのかたの無明業障のおそろしき病のなほるといふことは､ さらにもつてあるべからざるものなり｡
しかるにこの光明の縁にもよほされて､ 宿善の機ありて､ 他力信心といふことをばいますでにえたり｡ これしかしながら､ 弥陀如来の御かたよりさづけましましたる信心とはやがてあらはにしられたり｡
かるがゆゑに行者のおこすところの信心にあらず､ 弥陀如来他力の大信心といふことは､ いまこそあきらかにしられたり｡
これによりて､ かたじけなくもひとたび他力の信心をえたらん人は､ みな弥陀如来の御恩をおもひはかりて､ 仏恩報謝のためにつねに称名念仏を申したてまつるべきものなり｡
あなかしこ､ あなかしこ｡
Index of individual letters:
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.
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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