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YOKAWA HOGO
f@(942-1017)
translated by Hisao Inagaki
It is a great joy for us sentient beings
to escape from the three evil
realms and be born as humans. Even if our
status in society is low, could
it be worse than the state of animals? Even
if we are born in a poor family,
we are in a far better condition than hungry
spirits. Even if our wishes
are not fulfilled, our suffering cannot be
compared with tortures of hell.
We should not sorrow over unhappiness in
this life; we should consider
our lower social position as an incentive
to seek Enlightenment. For this
reason, we should rejoice at having been
born as humans.
Even though the mind of faith is shallow,
anyone who takes refuge in Amida
will unfailingly attain birth, because the
Original Vow is deep. Even though
the Nembutsu comes from a reluctant heart,
anyone who recites it never
fails to see Amida welcoming him to his Pure
Land; so great is the merit
of the Nembutsu. For this reason, we should
rejoice at having encountered
the Original Vow.
Delusion is the nature of ordinary beings.
Apart from delusion, there is
no mind in us. If we recite the Nembutsu
while resigned to the fact that
we are to remain ordinary beings full of
delusion until death, we shall
be received in welcome by Amida; then, as
soon as we mount the lotus seat,
our mind of delusion will be turned into
that of Enlightenment. The Nembutsu
that is uttered with the mind of delusion
is like a lotus flower unstained
by the muddy water. There should not be any
doubt as to our attainment
of birth.
We should not be concerned about our delusion,
but reflecting on the shallowness
of our mind of faith,@continually recite
the Name in earnest.
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