Letters

A Collection of Letters

8

Have you been well since your return? I met Gen Toshiro unexpectedly. Glad at being able to entrust him with a letter for you, I am writing now. Has there been any change?

I am extremely happy to hear from various people that matters involving the lawsuit over the nembutsu have eased. I rejoiced that now the nembutsu will surely spread more and more widely.

In relation to this, your understanding of the nembutsu has now been confirmed. While holding the nembutsu in your heart and saying it always, please pray for the present life and also the next life of those who slander it. With the understanding of the people there, what more is necessary now regarding the nembutsu? But if you simply pray for the people in society who are in error and desire to lead them into Amida's Vow, it will be a response out of gratitude for the Buddha's benevolence. You should hold the nembutsu deeply in your hearts and say it together. Since the nembutsu practice held on Master Honen's memorial day, the twenty-fifth of each month, is also in the end for the sake of saving such people of wrong views, you should say the nembutsu together, earnestly desiring to save those who slander the nembutsu.

All these matters are as I have written you many times. I am very happy to be able to send a letter with Gen Toshiro.

Respectfully.

I want to write to Nyusai-bo also, but since the content is the same, please communicate these matters to him.

Respectfully.

To: Shoshin-bo

Shinran