5-13 The Unsurpassed, Profound Virtues
The Name, “Na-mo-a-mi-da-butsu,” consists of only six characters, and so it may not appear to have much merit. Yet, the greatness of the unsurpassed, profound virtues and benefits contained in this six-character Name is truly beyond measure.
We should then know that the significance of attaining the entrusting heart is contained in these six characters. There is no entrusting heart apart from the six-character Name.
Shan-tao explains the six-character Name, “Na-mo-a-mi-da-butsu,” as follows:
“Na-mo” means “taking refuge” and also implies “aspiring and directing virtue.” “A-mi-da-butsu” is “the practice.” For this reason, one can surely be born in the Pure Land.
How should we understand this explanation? Even though we are full of evil karma and blind passions, at the moment we take refuge in Amida Buddha with a single thought of entrusting, the Buddha recognizes this and saves us.
“Taking refuge” means entrusting oneself to Amida’s saving power. “Aspiring and directing virtue” means Amida’s bestowing of the unsurpassed, great virtues to those who entrust themselves to the Buddha with singleness of thought.
Since the great good and great virtue realized through “aspiring and directing virtue” are bestowed to us, our evil karma and blind passions that we have had since the beginningless past are eliminated all at once. With complete elimination of our blind passions and evil karma, we are made to dwell in the stage of the truly settled, or the stage of non-retrogression.
For this reason, we know even more clearly that the six-character Name, “Na-mo-a-mi-da-butsu,” manifests how we attain birth in the land of bliss. Then, concerning the settled mind, or the entrusting heart, those who thoroughly understand the significance of the six-character Name are called persons who have attained the great entrusting heart of Other Power.
Such being the profound meaning of the Name, we should deeply accept it.
Humbly and respectfully.
5-13 無上甚深章
それ､ 南無阿弥陀仏と申す文字は､ その数わづかに六字なれば､ *さのみ功能のあるべきともおぼえざるに､ この六字の名号のうちには無上甚深の功徳利益の広大なること､ さらにそのきはまりなきものなり｡
されば信心をとるといふも､ この六字のうちにこもれりとしるべし｡ さらに別に信心とて六字のほかにはあるべからざるものなり｡
そもそも､ この ｢南無阿弥陀仏｣ の六字を善導釈していはく､ ｢南無º といふは帰命なり､ またこれ発願回向の義なり｡ ª阿弥陀仏º といふはその行なり｡ この義をもつてのゆゑにかならず往生することを得｣ (玄義分) といへり｡
しかれば､ この釈のこころをなにとこころうべきぞといふに､ たとへばわれらごときの悪業煩悩の身なりといふとも､ 一念阿弥陀仏に帰命せば､ かならずその機をしろしめしてたすけたまふべし｡
それ帰命といふはすなはちたすけたまへと申すこころなり｡ されば一念に弥陀をたのむ衆生に無上大利の功徳をあたへたまふを､ 発願回向とは申すなり｡
この発願回向の大善大功徳をわれら衆生にあたへましますゆゑに､ 無始曠劫よりこのかたつくりおきたる悪業煩悩をば一時に消滅したまふゆゑに､ われらが煩悩悪業はことごとくみな消えて､ すでに正定聚不退転なんどいふ位に住すとはいふなり｡
このゆゑに､ 南無阿弥陀仏の六字のすがたは､ われらが極楽に往生すべきすがたをあらはせるなりと､ いよいよしられたるものなり｡ されば安心といふも､ 信心といふも､ この名号の六字のこころをよくよくこころうるものを､ 他力の大信心をえたるひととはなづけたり｡
かかる殊勝の道理あるがゆゑに､ ふかく信じ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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