Religion

Of the Many Sutras Concerning the Infinite One

by Shinran Shōnin 1173–1263

Translated by S. Yamabe and L. Adams Beck (1921) · From Buddhist Psalms (1921)

Religion

85. Having great pity, our Eternal Father lighteneth the dark night of ignorance, manifesting Himself in that Land of Joy as the Buddha of Infinite Light which enlighteneth all the worlds with its immeasurable glory.

86. That Lord most compassionate, the Buddha of immeasurable Light, He who had attained unto the Supreme Wisdom even before the myriads of Kalpas were, pitying them that know not, made himself manifest in the Palace of Kapila as the Lord Sakya-muni.

87. If a man had the duration of all the myriad Kalpas, had he innumerable tongues and each of these tongues innumerable voices, yet should he vainly essay the praises of that Blessed One.

88. The Lord instructeth us that the way into Paradise is straight and easy. Therefore whoso receiveth not this Truth is, in verity, called a man that hath not eyes to see nor ears to hear.

89. The One true freedom is the Highest, and the Absolute is perfect freedom. And when we attain unto that freedom, for us shall desire and doubt vanish away.

90. When every man is beloved of us, even as the son of our own body, there is the Universal Mind made perfect in us. And this shall be in Paradise.

91. He who is in all things supreme, is Himself Nirvana, and Nirvana is that true light that abideth in the Land that is to come, but this world cannot know it.

92. Our Lord instructeth us that he who rejoiceth in his faith is, in so doing, in unity with the Highest. For true faith is the seed of light, and the seed of true light is in itself the potentiality of that which is Deity.

93. Whoso trusteth not in the Supreme Wisdom of the Enlightened One, clinging unto his own purblind knowledge, must suffer by fire for long Kalpas of ages.

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Rendered in numbered prose-verse

MLA

Shōnin, Shinran. “Of the Many Sutras Concerning the Infinite One.” Translated by S. Yamabe and L. Adams Beck. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shinran/5/.

Chicago

Shōnin, Shinran. “Of the Many Sutras Concerning the Infinite One.” Translated by S. Yamabe and L. Adams Beck. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shinran/5/.

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