Buddhist Psalms translated from the Japanese of Shinran Shonin

by Shinran

249. The strong heart that is able to attain unto wisdom by self-help is beyond human knowledge and speech. How is it possible that men full of ignorance, fettered unto birth and death, should possess such a heart.

250. Though we were masters of the strong will of self-effort, even should we have seen face to face the Buddhas, myriad as the sands of Ganges—they who in this world were manifested the one after the other, yet were we drifted on the torrent of birth and death, in self-effort were no rescue for us.

251. In these sinful days that are called the representative and last times all the teachings of the Lord Buddha, the Sakiya-Muni have vanished away, but the Divine Promise of the Buddha of Infinite Light, shining greatly over the world, prosperously leads mankind unto the Eternal Kingdom.

252. After choice that is peerless and beyond the world’s understanding, after five Kalpas of musing, the Blessed One builded up the Divine Promise of the Light and Life Infinite. And this is the Essence of His Mercy showed upon us.

253. The noble mind that shall attain unto wisdom in the doctrine of the Pure Land is the mind that fain would become Buddha, and it is named: “The mind that shall save men who suffer.”

254. The mind that shall save men is that mind given by the high promise of the Blessed One. Whoso attaineth unto the faith He giveth shall be lord of the great Nirvana.

255. Whoso attaineth unto the mind that would fain become Buddha, having sought refuge in the gift of the Blessed One, hath no term in his own gift of welfare to mankind, having for ever laid down all self-righteousness.

256. According to the all-seeing promise of the Blessed One when the water of the faith He giveth entereth the soul, illusion passeth straight-way into wisdom through the virtue of that true land of the Divine Promise.

257. That man who trusteth in the two gifts granted by the Buddha of Infinite Light, is raised up into the sphere of the Lesser Enlightenment, and thence hath he the heart that dwelleth always on the perfection of the Blessed One.

258. He that attaineth unto the faith that is true gift of the promise of wisdom from the Blessed One, cometh unto the sphere of the Lesser Enlightenment, for he is embraced in the arms of the spiritual light that is of the Father Eternal.