Shorter Works

Hymn of the Two Gateways of Entrance and Emergence (4)

Master Shan-tao of Kuang-ming Temple

Master Shan-tao explains:
Attaining Buddhahood through the nembutsu: this is the true essence of the Pure Land way.
It is called the ocean of the One Vehicle;
It is also called the bodhi[sattva]-pitaka.

It is the consummate teaching among consummate teachings,
The sudden teaching among sudden teachings.
It is hard to encounter the true essence of the Pure Land way, hard to realize shinjin.
This is the most difficult of difficulties; nothing surpasses it.

Sakyamuni and all the other Buddhas
Are truly our compassionate father and mother.
With various compassionate means they lead us to awaken
Supreme shinjin that is true and real.

The foolish being possessed of blind passions,
Through the power of the Buddha's Vow, comes to be grasped.
Such a person does not belong to the group of ordinary beings;
Such a person is a white lotus among people;

This person of shinjin is the finest and most rare among human beings;
This person is wondrous, excellent, the best among the best.
On reaching the land of happiness, necessarily, by the spontaneous working [of the Vow],
Such a person immediately attains the eternal bliss of dharma-nature.