SHINRAN'S

SHOSHINGE
Hymn of True Faith and the Nembutsu
An English translation with the original a!anese s"ri!t
and Romani#ed a!anese
by Hisao Inaga$i
Those who ha%e no fa"ility to read &hinese "hara"ters are ad%ised to go to Shoshinge'eng(htm(
)Re%ised Feb( *+, *---.
/*0 1imyo 2uryo3u Nyorai
I ta$e refuge in the Tathagata of Infinite 4ife5
Namo Fu$ashigi$o
I ta$e refuge in the 6uddha of In"on"ei%able 4ight(
Ho#o 6osatsu inni 3i
7harma$ara, at the outset of his "areer as a 6odhisatt%a,
8ai Se3i#aio 6ussho
9as in the !resen"e of 4o$esh%arara3a, the Enlightened One(
/:0 !"#$% To$en shobutsu 3odo in
He saw the !ure lands of many 6uddhas, obser%ed how they had been established,
&%'()*+ 1o$udo ninden shi #enma$u
And e;amined e%erything, good and bad, about the humans and de%as inhabiting them(
,-./01 1onryu mu3o shusho gan
He then brought forth the unsur!assed and most e;"ellent <ows,
2345678 &hohotsu $eu daigu#ei
The Great <ows, immeasurable in s"o!e and de!th, whi"h the world had ne%er $nown(
/=0 9:;)<=Go$o shiyui shi sho3u
7harma$ara "hose and "herished his <ows after "ontem!lation for fi%e $al!as(
>8?@ABC u sei myosho mon 3i!!o
He further %owed that his Name would be heard throughout the ten >uarters(
(
DEF Fu ho muryo muhen $o
Amida sends forth uni%ersally the immeasurable and boundless 4ight,
GHI 2uge mutai $oenno
The unim!eded, in"om!arable and ma3esti"ally flaming 4ight,
/?0 J$KLMN Sho3o $angi "hie $o
The !ure 4ight, the 4ight of oy, the 4ight of wisdom,
OPQ Fudan nan3i musho $o
The un"easing, in"on"ei%able and ineffable 4ight,
2RSTUV &honi"higa$$o sho 3insetsu
And the 4ight outshining the sun and the moon5 with these 4ights he illumines the innumeasurable
worlds(
WXYZ[T Issai gun3o mu $osho
All sentient beings are shone u!on by his 4ight(
/+0 \1?]^_Hongan myogo sho3ogo
The Name !romised in the @rimal <ow is the A"t of Right Assuran"e5
`ab1c Shishin shingyo gan niin
The <ow of Sin"ere 2ind and oyful Faith !ro%ides the "ause of our 6irth5
defg6hi o toga$u sho dainehan
To attain the state ne;t to the 6uddha and reali#e Great Nir%ana
j`kl1dm Hisshi metsudo gan 3o3u
Is due to the fulfillment of the <ow whi"h assures our unfailing attainment of Nir%ana(
/A0 nopNyorai shoi $oshusse
The reason for the 6uddha's a!!earan"e in the world
qrst\1u Bui setsu 2ida hongan $ai
Is, abo%e all, to e;!ound the @rimal <ow of Amida, wide and dee! as the o"ean(
9v+YZu Go3o$u a$u3i gun3o $ai
All beings in the e%il age of the fi%e defilements
wxy O shin nyorai nyo3itsu gon
Should belie%e in the truth of the 6uddha's words(
/C0 z3W{L|a No hotsu i"hinen $iai shin
If the single thought of oy and Gratitude is awa$ened in us,
O}~hi Fudan bonno to$u nehan
9e shall reali#e Nir%ana without se%ering our blind !assions(
6on sho gya$u ho sai enyu
9hen ordinary !eo!le and sages as well as those who "ommit the gra%est offenses and abusers of
the 7harma are ta$en into the <ow,
uW Nyo shusui nyu $ai i"himi
They be"ome one in s!iritual attainment, 3ust as many ri%ers be"ome of one taste u!on entering the
sea(
/D0 <aT Sesshu shin$o 3o shogo
The 4ight of All'embra"ing &om!assion always illumines and !rote"ts us5
z I no sui ha mumyo an
The dar$ness of ignoran"e has already been destroyed by it,
|) Tonnai shin#o shi unmu
6ut still the "louds and mists of greed, desire, anger and enmity
xa( o fu shin3itsu shin3in ten
&ontinually "o%er the s$y of True Faith5
/-0 R Hi nyo ni$$o fu unmu
Bet, 3ust as the sunlight is obstru"ted by "louds or mists,
) Enmu shi ge myo mu an
6elow them it is light and there is no dar$ness(
"6L Gya$u shin $en $yo dai$yo$i
9hen we re"ei%e Faith, regard and re%ere the 7harma, and attain Great oy,
29+So$u o "ho#etsu goa$ushu
9e immediately trans"end the fi%e e%il realms(
/*F0 WX*+' Issai #enma$u bonbunin
If ordinary !eo!le, whether good or e%il,
A781 2on shin nyorai gu#eigan
Hear the 7harma and trust Amida's Eni%ersal <ow,
y60 6utsu gon $odai shoge sha
Sha$yamuni !raises them as 'men of great and su!erior understanding'5
'?t 8e nin myo fundari$e
Su"h !eo!le are "alled 'white lotus'flowers'(
/**0 st\1{ 2ida butsu hongan nembutsu
The Nembutsu !romised in the @rimal <ow of Amida 6uddha
" +Z a$en $yoman a$u shu3o
Is diffi"ult for e%il !eo!le who ha%e wrong %iews and are arrogant
b=-nP Shingyo 3u3i 3in ni nan
To re"ei%e and retain with oyful Faith5
P)P Nan "hu shi nan mu $a shi
Of all diffi"ulties nothing is more diffi"ult than that(
/*:0 l() Indo saiten shi ronge
The dis"ourse'writers of India, the land in the west,
R) &hu$a 3i"hii$i shi $oso
And noble masters of &hina and a!an
6o 1en daisho $ose shoi
Re%ealed the true !ur!ose of the Great Sage's a!!earan"e
\8w 2yo nyorai hon#ei o $i
And "larified that Amida's @rimal <ow res!onds to our need(
/*=0 Sha$a nyorai Ryogasen
Sha$yamuni, the Tathagata, while dwelling on 2ount 4an$a,
c( I shu gomyo Nanten3i$u
@ro!hesied to the assembly of mon$s that in Southern India
6p Ryu3u daishi shutto se
A Great 6eing named Nagar3una would a!!ear in the world
z5" Shitsu no #aiha umu $en
And destroy all the wrong %iews on 'e;isten"e' and 'non'e;isten"e'(
/*?0 r6. Sen#etsu dai3o mu3o ho
@ro"laiming the unsur!assed tea"hing of 2ahayana5
gKLZb Sho $angi3i sho Anra$u
He would rea"h the Stage of oy and attain birth in the 4and of @ea"e and 6liss(
P 1en3i nangyo ro$uro $u
He taught that the diffi"ult !ra"ti"es are toilsome li$e tra%eling by land,
bb Shingyo igyo shido ra$u
And urged us to belie%e that the Easy @ra"ti"e is !leasant li$e sailing on water(
/*+0 {st\1 O$unen 2idabutsu Hongan
9hen a thought of mindfulness of Amida's @rimal <ow arises,
j^ inen so$u3i nyu hitsu3o
At that instant we s!ontaneously enter the Stage of Assuran"e(
qzQ] Bui no 3o sho nyorai go
Always re"iting only the Name of the Tathagata,
w678 O ho daihi Gu#ei on
9e should see$ to re!ay our indebtedness to his Great &om!assion(
/*A0 (r Ten3in bosatsu #o ron setsu
The 6odhisatt%a <asubandhu "om!osed a dis"ourse, in whi"h he !rofessed
G 1imyo 2uge$o nyorai
That he too$ refuge in the Tathagata of Enhindered 4ight5
x E shutara $en shin3itsu
In a""ordan"e with the sutras he e;!ounded the true merits,
26811osen o"ho 7aiseigan
And "larified that the Great <ow enables us to lea! o%er Samsara "rosswise(
/*C0 \1 1o yu Honganri$i e$o
He re%ealed One 2ind in order to eman"i!ate multitudes of beings
clYZWa I do gun3o sho Isshin
Through Amida's transferen"e of merits by the @ower of his @rimal <ow(
6u 1inyu $udo$u daiho$ai
E!on entering the Great Treasure'O"ean of 2erits,
j6 Hitsu gya$u nyu daieshu shu
9e will unfailingly 3oin the Great Assemblage(
/*D0 ` To$u shi Renge#o se$ai
E!on rea"hing the 9orld of 4otus'store,
g So$u sho Shinnyo Hossho3in
9e will reali#e True Su"hness and attain 7harma' body(
}~ Bu bonno rin gen 3in#u
Then, !laying in the forests of e%il !assions, we will dis!lay su!ernatural !owers5
Zw Nyu sho3i on 3i oge
Entering Samsari" states, we will manifest a""ommodati%e and transformed bodies to sa%e
beings(
/*-0 \( Honshi 7onran Ryo tenshi
2aster T'an'luan was %enerated by the 1ing of 4iang5
o $o Ransho bosatsu rai
Fa"ing toward his !la"e, the $ing worshi!ed him as a 6odhisatt%a(
$ San#o Rushi 3u 3o$yo
9hen 6odhiru"i, the Tri!ita$a master, ga%e him a @ure 4and s"ri!ture,
b 6on3o sengyo $i Ra$uho
T'an'luan burned his Taoist te;ts and too$ refuge in the 4and of 6liss(
/:F0 ( Ten3in bosatsu ron "huge
He wrote a "ommentary on the 6odhisatt%a <asubandhu's dis"ourse, e;!laining in itG
%81 Hodo inga $en Seigan
6oth the "ause and the effe"t of our birth in the 4and of Re"om!ense "ome from Amida's <ows5
Ogen e$o yu Tari$i
The $armi" energy for our birth and returning to this world originates from the Other'@ower(
^)qa Sho3o shi in yui Shin3in
The "ause of attaining the Stage of Right Assuran"e is Faith alone(
/:*0 a3 9a$u#en bonbu Shin3in !otsu
9hen Faith is awa$ened in the minds of deluded and defiled ordinary !eo!le,
gZhi Sho"hi sho3i so$u Nehan
They are made aware that birth'and'death is Nir%ana(
j`% Hitsu shi 2uryo 1omyo do
After they unfailingly rea"h the 4and of Infinite 4ight,
#5ZD Shou shu3o $ai fu $e
They will sa%e sentient beings e%erywhere, so says T'an'luan(
/::0 Pg 7osha$u $etsu shodo nan sho
2aster Tao'"h'o determined that by the @ath of Sages 6odhi is diffi"ult to attain
q$% Bui myo odo $a tsunyu
And "learly !resented the @ure 4and @ath as the only way of sal%ation(
* 2an#en 3iri$i hen gonshu
He dis!araged !ra"ti"ing thousands of a"ts of merits with self'!ower
]Q Enman to$ugo $an sen sho
And urged us to re"ite e;"lusi%ely the Name of !erfe"t %irtues(
/:=0 San!u sanshin $e ongon
He $indly "autioned against im!erfe"t faith, whi"h has three as!e"ts(
k 8o matsu hometsu do hiin
He "om!assionately guided those of the ages of Semblan"e 7harma, 7e"adent
7harma and E;tin"t 7harma ali$e(
WZ+78Issho #oa$u "hi Gu#ei
9hate%er e%ils we may "ommit throughout our li%es, if we en"ounter the Eni%ersal <ow,
`!g" Shi Annyogai sho myo$a
9e shall rea"h the 4and of @ea"e and @ro%ision and reali#e the Su!reme Fruition(
/:?0 *#$ 8endo do$u myo 6usshoi
Shan'tao alone "larified the true intent of the 6uddha Sa$yamuni(
%&^'(+ 1oai 3osan yo gya$ua$u
Out of "om!assion for those who !ra"ti"e meditati%e or non'meditati%e good
as well as those who "ommit the fi%e gra%est offenses and the ten transgressions,
?]) 1omyo 2yogo $en innen
He "larified that the 4ight and the Name are the "ause and "ondition for birth in the @ure 4and(
*\16Mu 1ainyu Hongan dai"hi$ai
9hen as!irants are led into the Sea of Great 9isdom of the @rimal <ow,
/:+0 =+,a Gyo3a sho3u 1ongoshin
They are endowed with Faith, indestru"tible as diamond5
LW{-w. 1yo$i i"hinen soo go
After attaining a single thought of oy of oneness with Amida,
(/0e1 Bo Idai to gya$u sannin
They obtain the three insights, as did <aidehi,
g)b So$u sho Hossho shi3ora$u
And will reali#e the Eternal 6liss of 7harma'nature(
/:A0 2*W3 Genshin $o$ai i"hidai$yo
Genshin widely e;!ounded the 6uddha's lifetime tea"hings5
4!WX Hen $i Annyo $an issai
9hile he de%outly sought refuge in the 4and of @ea"e and @ro%ision, he urged all to follow him(
56a789 Sen #o shushin han sen3in
He distinguished between dee! faith in !ra"ti"ing the Nembutsu e;"lusi%ely and shallow faith in
doing mis"ellaneous a"ts of merits,
:%;- Ho$e nido sho benryu
And so "larified the different states of attainmentG birth in the 4and of Re"om!ense and birth in
the Transformed 4and(
/:C0 <>+'qQ Go$u3u a$unin yui sho 6utsu
Those with e;tremely hea%y e%il $arma should only re"ite Amida's Name(
=>?< Ga ya$u #ai hi sesshu "hu
Although I, too, am in his embra"ing 4ight,
}~@A" 6onno sho gen suifu $en
2y e%il !assions hinder me from !er"ei%ing it,
6BT= 7aihi mu$en 3o sho ga
6ut his 4ight of Great &omn!assion ne%er "eases to shine on me untiringly(
/:D0 \2C Honshi Gen$u myo bu$$yo
Honen, the master of our s"hool, was well'%ersed in 6uddhism5
DE*+' Renmin #enma$u bonbunin
He was "om!assionately mindful of both good and wi"$ed ordinary !eo!le(
FgoGH Shinshu $yo sho $o henshu
7isseminating the tea"hing of the True 9ay throughout a!an,
IJ\17+Sen3a$u Hongan gu a$use
He s!read the sele"ted @rimal <ow in this e%il world(
/:-0 ZKL Genrai sho3i rinden ge
Transmigration in the house of Samsara
nMNcO 1etsu i gi3o i shoshi
Is definitely "aused by the fault of doubt5
PQRcb So$u nyu 3a$u3o mui ra$u
Hui"$ entry into the &a!ital of En"reated Tran>uility
jnacz Hitsu i Shin3in i nonyu
Is ne"essarily reali#ed by Faith(
/=F0 76Fe Gu$yo dai3i shushi to
The bodhisatt%as and masters of this s"hool who s!read the tea"hing of the @ure 4and sutras
STF<v+ osai muhen go$u3o$u a$u
Ha%e sa%ed innumerable beings, totally defiled and e%il(
UVa 7o#o$u 3ishu gu doshin
@eo!le of the !resent age, both !riests and laymen, should with one a""ord
qr Bui $a shin shi $oso setsu
Only a""e!t in faith the tea"hings of those %irtuous masters(
/Sour"e0 &ha!ter on the True @ra"ti"e I@art :J, 1yogyoshinsho(