Commentaries

Notes on the Inscriptions on Sacred Scrolls (9)

The inscription on the portrait of Master Genku of Japan:

The eulogy by Gon-rishi Ryukan of Shimeizan states,

Everywhere he urged people of both priesthood and laity to think on Amida Buddha.
Those who well utter the Name all behold the manifested Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
It is clearly known that saying the Name is the essential way for attaining birth.
How splendid, Genku! Seeking the way and guiding all living things.
The jewel of faith resides in his heart; the heart illuminates beings of illusion.
The clouds of doubt clear forever, and the Buddha's light encircles the head.

Everywhere he urged people of both priesthood and laity to think on Amida Buddha: There are two kinds of priesthood - monks and nuns; and two kinds of laity - men who believe in and practice the Buddhist teaching and women who believe in and practice it. To think on Amida Buddha means to say the sacred Name.

Those who well utter the Name all behold the manifested Buddhas and bodhisattvas: Well utter the Name means to say the Name. Well utter means to entrust oneself deeply. All behold: Those who aspire to see the manifested Buddhas and bodhisattvas will all do so. The manifested Buddhas and bodhisattvas: the manifestation-bodies of Amida and the saintly host, of Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, and others.

It is clearly known that saying the Name: When persons say the Name of the Buddha, they attain birth in the Pure Land; it is clearly known that this is the essential way. Nothing surpasses saying the Name of the Tathagata as the essential in attaining birth.

How splendid, Genku: Genku is another name of Master Honen. Seeking the way and guiding all living things: Seeking the way means, "Aspire and yearn for supreme enlightenment!" Living things: sentient beings. Guiding is to bring benefits to all things.

The jewel of faith resides in his heart: The diamondlike shinjin is likened to a precious jewel. Those who have realized the jewel of shinjin in their hearts do not wander in the darkness of birth-and-death; hence, the heart illuminates beings of illusion. Possessing the jewel of shinjin, they sweep away the darkness of foolishness, and cast a bright light.

The clouds of doubt clear forever: The heart that doubts the power of the Vow is likened to clouds. Clear forever: When the clouds of the doubting heart have been swept away forever, one is born without fail in the Pure Land of peace. The person who has realized shinjin is constantly illumined and protected by the compassionate light that grasps, never to abandon, of the Buddha of unhindered light; hence, the Buddha's light encircles the head. These words praise Genku, stating that the Buddha's compassion constantly and brightly shines upon the head of the person of shinjin. Know that this is because one has been grasped by Amida.

The inscription on the portrait of Master Genku of Hodo-in, a subtemple of Enryakuji at Kurodani on Mount Hiei:

The Passages on the Nembutsu Selected in the Primal Vow states,

Namu-amida-butsu: as the act that leads to birth in the Pure Land, the nembutsu is taken to be fundamental.

It further states,

If you desire to free yourself quickly from birth-and-death, of the two excellent teachings leave aside the Path of Sages and choosing, enter the Pure Land way. If you desire to enter the Pure Land way, of the two methods of practice, right and sundry, cast aside all sundry practices and choosing, take the right practice. If you desire to perform the right practice, of the two kinds of acts, true and auxiliary, further put aside the auxiliary and choosing, solely perform the act of true settlement. The act of true settlement is to say the Name of the Buddha. Saying the Name unfailingly brings about birth, for this is based on the Buddha's Primal Vow.

It further states,

Know that because of doubt one remains in the house of birth-and-death; through entrusting oneself, one is enabled to enter the city of nirvana.

The Passages on the Nembutsu Selected in the Primal Vow is a work by Master Honen.

Namu-amida-butsu: as the act that leads to birth in the Pure Land, the nembutsu is taken to be fundamental: Know that these words proclaim the right cause of birth in the Pure Land of peace to be none other than the nembutsu. "Right cause" is the seed for being born in the Pure Land and unfailingly attaining Buddhahood.

It further states, If you desire to free yourself quickly from birth-and-death: Aspire to part immediately and without delay from birth-and-death!

Of the two excellent teachings leave aside the Path of Sages: The two excellent teachings are the gate of the Path of Sages and the gate of birth in the Pure Land.

Choosing, enter the Pure Land way: One should choose from all the good teachings and enter the Pure Land gate.

Of the two methods of practice, right and sundry, cast aside all sundry practices: Cast away and abandon all sundry practices.

Choosing, solely perform the truly decisive act: Choose to perform the act of true settlement without any double-mindedness.

The truly decisive act is to say the Name of the Buddha: The truly decisive act-as-cause is none other than to say the Name of the Buddha. This truly decisive cause is the seed of attaining without fail the enlightenment of supreme nirvana.

Saying the Name unfailingly brings about birth, for this is based on the Buddha's Primal Vow: Saying the Name, one will attain birth in the Pure Land of bliss without fail; this is because birth through the nembutsu is brought about by the Buddha's Primal Vow.

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It further states, Know that because of doubt one remains in the house of birth-and-death: When one doubts the inconceivable karmic power of the great Vow, one remains in the six courses, the four manners of arising, the twenty-five forms of existence, and the twelve kinds of arising. We are to realize that up to now we have been wandering for aeons in such a realm of illusion.

The city of nirvana is the Pure Land of peace. Through entrusting oneself, one is enabled to enter: These words exhort us to know that the person who has realized true and real shinjin is able to enter the true land fulfilled through Tathagata's Primal Vow. Know that shinjin is the seed of enlightenment, the seed for realizing the supreme nirvana.