SHINRAN'S
SHOSHINGE 正信偈
Hymn of True Faith and the Nembutsu
Portrait painting of Shinran by Ms Mutsu
Yamashita in the 1960's. |
An English translation with the original
Japanese script and Romanized Japanese
by Hisao Inagaki
.Those who have no facility to read Chinese
characters are advised to go to Shoshinge-eng.htm.
<Revised Feb. 25, 2002>
[1] 歸 命 無 量 壽 如 來 Kimyo Muryoju Nyorai
I take refuge in the Tathagata of Infinite Life;
南 无 不 可 思 議 光 Namo Fukashigiko
I take refuge in the Buddha of Inconceivable Light.
法 藏 菩 薩 因 位 時 Hozo Bosatsu inni ji
Dharmakara, at the outset of his career as a Bodhisattva,
在 世 自 在 王 佛 所 Zai Sejizaio Bussho
Was in the presence of Lokeshvararaja,
the Enlightened One.
[2] 覩 見 諸 佛 淨 土 因 Token shobutsu jodo in
He saw the pure lands of many Buddhas, observed how they had been established,
國 土 人 天 之 善 惡 Kokudo ninden shi zenmaku
And examined everything, good and bad, about the humans and devas inhabiting
them.
建 立 無 上 殊 勝 願 Konryu mujo shusho gan
He then brought forth the unsurpassed and most excellent Vows,
超 發 希 有 大 弘 誓 Chohotsu keu daiguzei
The Great Vows, immeasurable in scope and depth, which the world had
never known.
[3] 五 劫 思 惟 之 攝 受 Goko shiyui shi shoju
Dharmakara chose and cherished his Vows after contemplation for five
kalpas.
重 誓 名 聲 聞 十 方 Ju sei myosho mon jippo
He further vowed that his Name would be heard throughout the ten quarters.
.
普 放 無 量 無 邊 光 Fu ho muryo muhen ko
Amida sends forth universally the immeasurable and boundless Light,
無 礙 無 對 光 炎 王 Muge mutai koenno
The unimpeded, incomparable and majestically flaming Light,
[4] 清 淨 歡 喜 智 慧 光 Shojo kangi chie ko
The pure Light, the Light of Joy, the Light of wisdom,
不 斷 難 思 無 稱 光 Fudan nanji musho ko
The unceasing, inconceivable and ineffable Light,
超 日 月 光 照 塵 刹 Chonichigakko sho jinsetsu
And the Light outshining the sun and the moon; with these Lights he
illumines the innumeasurable worlds.
一 切 群 生 蒙 光 照 Issai gunjo mu kosho
All sentient beings are shone upon by his Light.
[5] 本 願 名 號 正 定 業 Hongan myogo shojogo
The Name promised in the Primal Vow is the Act of Right Assurance;
至 心 信 樂 願 爲 因 Shishin shingyo gan niin
The Vow of Sincere Mind and Joyful Faith provides the cause of our
Birth;
成 等 覺 證 大 涅 槃 Jo togaku sho dainehan
To attain the state next to the Buddha and realize Great Nirvana
必 至 滅 度 願 成 就 Hisshi metsudo gan joju
Is due to the fulfillment of the Vow which assures our unfailing attainment
of Nirvana.
[6] 如 來 所 以 興 出 世 Nyorai shoi koshusse
The reason for the Buddha's appearance in the world
唯 説 彌 陀 本 願 海 Yui setsu Mida hongan kai
Is, above all, to expound the Primal Vow of Amida, wide and deep
as the ocean.
五 濁 惡 時 群 生 海 Gojoku akuji gunjo kai
All beings in the evil age of the five defilements
應 信 如 來 如 實 言 O shin nyorai nyojitsu gon
Should believe in the truth of the Buddha's words.
[7] 能 發 一 念 喜 愛 心 No hotsu ichinen kiai shin
If the single thought of Joy and Gratitude is awakened in us,
不 斷 煩 惱 得 涅 槃 Fudan bonno toku nehan
We shall realize Nirvana without severing our blind passions.
凡 聖 逆 謗 齊 廻 入 Bon sho gyaku ho sai enyu
When ordinary people and sages as well as those who commit the gravest
offenses and abusers of the Dharma are taken into the Vow,
如 衆 水 入 海 一 味 Nyo shusui nyu kai ichimi
They become one in spiritual attainment, just as many rivers become
of one taste upon entering the sea.
[8] 攝 取 心 光 常 照 護 Sesshu shinko jo shogo
The Light of All-embracing Compassion always illumines and protects
us;
已 能 雖 破 無 明 闇 I no sui ha mumyo an
The darkness of ignorance has already been destroyed by it,
貪 愛 瞋 憎 之 雲 霧 Tonnai shinzo shi unmu
But still the clouds and mists of greed, desire, anger and enmity
常 覆 眞 實 信 心 天 Jo fu shinjitsu shinjin ten
Continually cover the sky of True Faith;
[9] 譬 如 日 光 覆 雲 霧 Hi nyo nikko fu unmu
Yet, just as the sunlight is obstructed by clouds or mists,
雲 霧 之 下 明 無 闇 Unmu shi ge myo mu an
Below them it is light and there is no darkness.
獲 信 見 敬 大 慶 喜 Gyaku shin ken kyo daikyoki
When we receive Faith, regard and revere the Dharma, and attain Great
Joy,
即 横 超 截 五 惡 趣 Soku o chozetsu goakushu
We immediately transcend the five evil realms.
[10] 一 切 善 惡 凡 夫 人 Issai zenmaku bonbunin
If ordinary people, whether good or evil,
聞 信 如 來 弘 誓 願 Mon shin nyorai guzeigan
Hear the Dharma and trust Amida's Universal Vow,
佛 言 廣 大 勝 解 者 Butsu gon kodai shoge sha
Shakyamuni praises them as 'men of great and superior understanding';
是 人 名 分 陀 利 華 Ze nin myo fundarike
Such people are called 'white lotus-flowers'.
[11] 彌 陀 佛 本 願 念 佛 Mida butsu hongan nembutsu
The Nembutsu promised in the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha
邪 見 ア 慢 惡 衆 生 Jaken kyoman aku shujo
Is difficult for evil people who have wrong views and are arrogant
信 樂 受 持 甚 以 難 Shingyo juji jin ni nan
To receive and retain with Joyful Faith;
難 中 之 難 無 過 斯 Nan chu shi nan mu ka shi
Of all difficulties nothing is more difficult than that.
[12] 印 度 西 天 之 論 家 Indo saiten shi ronge
The discourse-writers of India, the land in the west,
中 夏 日 域 之 高 僧 Chuka jichiiki shi koso
And noble masters of China and Japan
顯 大 聖 興 世 正 意 Ken daisho kose shoi
Revealed the true purpose of the Great Sage's appearance
明 如 來 本 誓 應 機 Myo nyorai honzei o ki
And clarified that Amida's Primal Vow responds to our need.
[13] 釋 迦 如 來 楞 伽 山 Shaka nyorai Ryogasen
Shakyamuni, the Tathagata, while dwelling on Mount Lanka,
爲 衆 告 命 南 天 竺 I shu gomyo Nantenjiku
Prophesied to the assembly of monks that in Southern India
龍 樹 大 士 出 於 世 Ryuju daishi shutto se
A Great Being named Nagarjuna would appear in the world
悉 能 摧 破 有 無 見 Shitsu no zaiha umu ken
And destroy all the wrong views on 'existence' and 'non-existence'.
[14] 宣 説 大 乘 無 上 法 Senzetsu daijo mujo ho
Proclaiming the unsurpassed teaching of Mahayana;
證 歡 喜 地 生 安 樂 Sho kangiji sho Anraku
He would reach the Stage of Joy and attain birth in the Land of Peace
and Bliss.
顯 示 難 行 陸 路 苦 Kenji nangyo rokuro ku
He taught that the difficult practices are toilsome like traveling
by land,
信 樂 易 行 水 道 樂 Shingyo igyo shido raku
And urged us to believe that the Easy Practice is pleasant like sailing
on water.
[15] 憶 念 彌 陀 佛 本 願 Okunen Midabutsu Hongan
When a thought of mindfulness of Amida's Primal Vow arises,
自 然 即 時 入 必 定 Jinen sokuji nyu hitsujo
At that instant we spontaneously enter the Stage of Assurance.
唯 能 常 稱 如 來 號 Yui no jo sho nyorai go
Always reciting only the Name of the Tathagata,
應 報 大 悲 弘 誓 恩 O ho daihi Guzei on
We should seek to repay our indebtedness to his Great Compassion.
[16] 天 親 菩 薩 造 論 説 Tenjin bosatsu zo ron setsu
The Bodhisattva Vasubandhu composed a discourse, in which he professed
歸 命 無 礙 光 如 來 Kimyo Mugeko nyorai
That he took refuge in the Tathagata of Unhindered Light;
依 修 多 羅 顯 眞 實 E shutara ken shinjitsu
In accordance with the sutras he expounded the true merits,
光 闡 横 超 大 誓 願 Kosen ocho Daiseigan
And clarified that the Great Vow enables us to leap over Samsara crosswise.
[17] 廣 由 本 願 力 廻 向 Ko yu Honganriki eko
He revealed One Mind in order to emancipate multitudes of beings
爲 度 群 生 彰 一 心 I do gunjo sho Isshin
Through Amida's transference of merits by the Power of his Primal
Vow.
歸 入 功 徳 大 寶 海 Kinyu kudoku daihokai
Upon entering the Great Treasure-Ocean of Merits,
必 獲 入 大 會 衆 數 Hitsu gyaku nyu daieshu shu
We will unfailingly join the Great Assemblage.
[18] 得 至 蓮 華 藏 世 界 Toku shi Rengezo sekai
Upon reaching the World of Lotus-store,
即 證 眞 如 法 性 身 Soku sho Shinnyo Hosshojin
We will realize True Suchness and attain Dharma- body.
遊 煩 惱 林 現 神 通 Yu bonno rin gen jinzu
Then, playing in the forests of evil passions, we will display supernatural
powers;
入 生 死 園 示 應 化 Nyu shoji on ji oge
Entering Samsaric states, we will manifest accommodative and transformed
bodies to save beings.
[19] 本 師 曇 鸞 梁 天 子 Honshi Donran Ryo tenshi
Master T'an-luan was venerated by the King of Liang;
常 向 鸞 處 菩 薩 禮 Jo ko Ransho bosatsu rai
Facing toward his place, the king worshiped him as a Bodhisattva.
三 藏 流 支 授 淨 教 Sanzo Rushi ju jokyo
When Bodhiruci, the Tripitaka master, gave him a Pure Land scripture,
焚 燒 仙 經 歸 樂 邦 Bonjo sengyo ki Rakuho
T'an-luan burned his Taoist texts and took refuge in the Land of Bliss.
[20] 天 親 菩 薩 論 註 解 Tenjin bosatsu ron chuge
He wrote a commentary on the Bodhisattva Vasubandhu's discourse, explaining
in it:
報 土 因 果 顯 誓 願 Hodo inga ken Seigan
Both the cause and the effect of our birth in the Land of Recompense
come from Amida's Vows;
往 還 廻 向 由 他 力 Ogen eko yu Tariki
The karmic energy for our birth and returning to this world originates
from the Other-Power.
正 定 之 因 唯 信 心 Shojo shi in yui Shinjin
The cause of attaining the Stage of Right Assurance is Faith alone.
[21] 惑 染 凡 夫 信 心 發 Wakuzen bonbu Shinjin potsu
When Faith is awakened in the minds of deluded and defiled ordinary
people,
證 知 生 死 即 涅 槃 Shochi shoji soku Nehan
They are made aware that birth-and-death is Nirvana.
必 至 無 量 光 明 土 Hitsu shi Muryo Komyo do
After they unfailingly reach the Land of Infinite Light,
諸 有 衆 生 皆 普 化 Shou shujo kai fu ke
They will save sentient beings everywhere, so says T'an-luan.
[22] 道 綽 決 聖 道 難 證 Doshaku ketsu shodo nan sho
Master Tao-ch'o determined that by the Path of Sages Bodhi is difficult
to attain
唯 明 淨 土 可 通 入 Yui myo Jodo ka tsunyu
And clearly presented the Pure Land Path as the only way of salvation.
萬 善 自 力 貶 勤 修 Manzen jiriki hen gonshu
He disparaged practicing thousands of acts of merits with self-power
圓 滿 徳 號 勸 專 稱 Enman tokugo kan sen sho
And urged us to recite exclusively the Name of perfect virtues.
[23] 三 不 三 信 誨 慇 懃 Sanpu sanshin ke ongon
He kindly cautioned against imperfect faith, which has three aspects.
像 末 法 滅 同 悲 引 Zo matsu hometsu do hiin
He compassionately guided those of the ages of Semblance Dharma,
Decadent
Dharma and Extinct Dharma alike.
一 生 造 惡 値 弘 誓 Issho zoaku chi Guzei
Whatever evils we may commit throughout our lives, if we encounter
the Universal Vow,
至 安 養 界 證 妙 果 Shi Annyogai sho myoka
We shall reach the Land of Peace and Provision and realize the Supreme
Fruition.
[24] 善 導 獨 明 佛 正 意 Zendo doku myo Busshoi
Shan-tao alone clarified the true intent of the Buddha Sakyamuni.
矜 哀 定 散 與 逆 惡 Koai josan yo gyakuaku
Out of compassion for those who practice meditative or non-meditative
good
as well as those who commit the five gravest offenses and the ten transgressions,
光 明 名 號 顯 因 縁 Komyo Myogo ken innen
He clarified that the Light and the Name are the cause and condition
for birth in the Pure Land.
開 入 本 願 大 智 海 Kainyu Hongan daichikai
When aspirants are led into the Sea of Great Wisdom of the Primal
Vow,
[25] 行 者 正 受 金 剛 心 Gyoja shoju Kongoshin
They are endowed with Faith, indestructible as diamond;
慶 喜 一 念 相 應 後 Kyoki ichinen soo go
After attaining a single thought of Joy of oneness with Amida,
與 韋 提 等 獲 三 忍 Yo Idai to gyaku sannin
They obtain the three insights, as did Vaidehi,
即 證 法 性 之 常 樂 Soku sho Hossho shijoraku
And will realize the Eternal Bliss of Dharma-nature.
[26] 源 信 廣 開 一 代 教 Genshin kokai ichidaikyo
Genshin widely expounded the Buddha's lifetime teachings;
偏 歸 安 養 勸 一 切 Hen ki Annyo kan issai
While he devoutly sought refuge in the Land of Peace and Provision,
he urged all to follow him.
專 雜 執 心 判 浅 深 Sen zo shushin han senjin
He distinguished between deep faith in practicing the Nembutsu exclusively
and shallow faith in doing miscellaneous acts of merits,
報 化 二 土 正 辨 立 Hoke nido sho benryu
And so clarified the different states of attainment: birth in the
Land of Recompense and birth in the Transformed Land.
[27] 極 重 惡 人 唯 稱 佛 Gokuju akunin yui sho Butsu
Those with extremely heavy evil karma should only recite Amida's
Name.
我 亦 在 彼 攝 取 中 Ga yaku zai hi sesshu chu
Although I, too, am in his embracing Light,
煩 惱 障 眼 雖 不 見 Bonno sho gen suifu ken
My evil passions hinder me from perceiving it,
大 悲 無 倦 常 照 我 Daihi muken jo sho ga
But his Light of Great Comnpassion never ceases to shine on me untiringly.
[28] 本 師 源 空 明 佛 教 Honshi Genku myo bukkyo
Honen, the master of our school, was well-versed in Buddhism;
憐 愍 善 惡 凡 夫 人 Renmin zenmaku bonbunin
He was compassionately mindful of both good and wicked ordinary people.
眞 宗 教 證 興 片 州 Shinshu kyo sho ko henshu
Disseminating the teaching of the True Way throughout Japan,
選 擇 本 願 弘 惡 世 Senjaku Hongan gu akuse
He spread the selected Primal Vow in this evil world.
[29] 還 來 生 死 輪 轉 家 Genrai shoji rinden ge
Transmigration in the house of Samsara
決 以 疑 情 爲 所 止 Ketsu i gijo i shoshi
Is definitely caused by the fault of doubt;
速 入 寂 静 無 爲 樂 Soku nyu jakujo mui raku
Quick entry into the Capital of Uncreated Tranquility
必 以 信 心 爲 能 入 Hitsu i Shinjin i nonyu
Is necessarily realized by Faith.
[30] 弘 經 大 士 宗 師 等 Gukyo daiji shushi to
The bodhisattvas and masters of this school who spread the teaching
of the Pure Land sutras
拯 濟 無 邊 極 濁 惡 Josai muhen gokujoku aku
Have saved innumerable beings, totally defiled and evil.
道 俗 時 衆 共 同 心 Dozoku jishu gu doshin
People of the present age, both priests and laymen, should with one
accord
唯 可 信 斯 高 僧 説 Yui ka shin shi koso setsu
Only accept in faith the teachings of those virtuous masters.
[Source] Chapter on the True
Practice (Part 2), Kyogyoshinsho.
[Bibliography] H. Inagaki, The
Way of Nembutsu-Faith: A Commentary on the Shoshinge, Nagata Bunshodo,
1996, pp. 163-183.
[Reference] A different version
of Shoshinge, "Nembutsu Shoshin Ge,"
contained in the Monruijusho.
Return to Dharmakara-Index; Index