Buddhist Psalms translated from the Japanese of Shinran ShoninShinran
Religion
Buddhist Psalms translated from the Japanese of Shinran Shonin
Shinran
Buddhism
292. It is very meet that our souls rejoice exceedingly in the grace
of the great compassion of the Buddha. Yea, even to the extinction
of the body. And for the gracious giving of our spiritual teachers
we must in like manner rejoice, yea, though our very bones be
broken.
CONCERNING BELIEF AND DOUBT
293. Whoso comprehendeth not the wisdom of the Enlightened One, and
doubteth concerning His illumination, shall rise no higher than the
Outermost Places, for he hath trusted in the power of Reward, and
hath relied upon the principle of morality.
294. Whoso doubteth the wisdom of the Enlightened One—that wisdom
beyond all human understanding—and reciteth the Holy Name, trusting
in the merit of himself, shall not rise beyond the outermost bounds
of the Pure Land that is the Temporal Paradise, for he hath not the
grace of right thankfulness for His Compassion.
295. Whoso shall accept the doctrine of rewards and doubteth the
wisdom of Him that hath Light that surpasseth all knowledge of man,
shall be made captive in Doubting Castle, and the three jewels of
the faith shall no more be his.
296. For his sin, in that he hath doubted the wisdom of the
Enlightened One, shall he remain in the Outermost Places of the Land
of Purity. And for as much as we are taught that the sin of doubt
is grievous, we are also instructed that he must there dwell for
many Kalpas.
297. If the prince committeth a sin against his Father, even the
Chakravarti, the King, he is fettered as a prisoner, though the
chain be of gold.
298. Whoso reciteth the Holy Name, and so doeth as a work of
self-merit, shall be bound in the prison of the sevenfold gems, for
he believeth not right by the divine promise of that Holy One, and
heavy is the sin of his doubting.
299. Yet he even that hath a doubting soul and sinneth the sin of
self-merit, must needs strive to comprehend the merciful goodness of
the Blessed One, and he shall recite the Holy Name if he would at
all be equalled unto him that holdeth the true faith.
300. It is the Law that he who soweth shall reap what he soweth,
therefore the man that is full of righteous deeds for the sake of
self-merit shall enter into the prison of the sevenfold gems, for he
doubteth the marvellous wisdom of Him that hath the Light.
301. Whoso doubteth of the wisdom of Him that hath Light beyond the
imagining of man, and trusteth to the root of goodness and
virtue—he shall not attain unto the Soul of Great Mercy, for he is
born into the Outermost Places of Paradise, and slow and dull of
heart is he.
302. Among those men that doubt the Holy Word, some are imprisoned
in the shut bud of the Lotus. And they shall be despised as they
that in illusion are born into the outermost Paradise or are held
captive within the narrow walls of the womb.
303. Whoso doubteth the omniscience of the wisdom of the
Light-Bearer, but holdeth to his belief in Reward, excellent
ofttimes in making the root of goodness to grow,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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