Shin Aphorism (3)
Zuiken's Sayings

Translated by Zuio H. Inagaki
From the Horai magazine Dec. 2000

"What should we do in a lifetime?"

Man's life - spanning no more than ninety years - is like a blade of grass floating midstream in a river. It appears long but is, in fact, quite short. Our present life is precious. Human life is extremely precious. We have each received a life which is hard to come by in millions of kalpas. The storm of impermanence is always threatening our lives which are as precarious as dewdrops in the morning sun. There is no knowing when and how we will die.

There are many things we should do in a lifetime, one of which stands out as the most important. It is to acquire the treasure which is indestructible through all eternity - namely, the attainment of True Faith.

Attainment of Faith sounds easy, but is, indeed, of all difficulties, the most difficult. Unless one dedicates all one's available time and effort to resolving the problem of emancipation from birth-and-death while leading a life of sincerity, diligence and kindness, it will be all but impossible to attain True Faith.

In order to secure birth in the Pure Land, one pithy phrase to contemplate, like a koan in Zen, is enough, for example: "The Unhindered Light is the sun of wisdom, which disperses the darkness of ignorance" (Kyogyoshinsho, Preface). One sacred phrase has profound significance and works wonders for our salvation.

We are preoccupied daily with endless work, so that it is difficult to find time for reading scriptures. Be that as it may, the sacred teaching urging us "to entrust yourself to Amida and teach others to do the same" and the admonition "to seek to repay your indebtedness even by grinding your body to powder," along with the words of the Primal Vow ending with the phrase, "if you are not born in the Pure Land, may I (Dharmakara) not attain perfect enlightenment," resound in my ears reassuringly, leaving an indelible impression in my heart.

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