Buddhist Psalms Part 3

OF THE MANY SUTRAS CONCERNING THE INFINITE ONE

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 compa.s.sionate, 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.

CONCERNING THE WELFARE OF THE PRESENT WORLD

94. He that hath unending pity, the Buddha of Infinite Life, hath given unto us in the Sutra of Golden Light a teaching concerning long life, that the way of long life and the welfare of the people might be made known unto them.

95. Dengyo-Dais.h.i.+, he who taught the Tendai-shu in the mount of Hiye, hath compa.s.sionately instructed us that we should recite Namuamida-butsu, that Holiest Name, as a sure s.h.i.+eld against the seven sorts of calamities.

96. Whoso reciteth the Holy Name, that is higher than all other virtues, shall be set free from the fetters of the past, the present, and the future.

97. To him that reciteth the Holy Name shall be good unending even in this world, for the sin of his former births is vanquished and his youth set free from death.

98. To him that reciteth the Holy Name, shall Brahma and Chakra the great king bring homage, and about him shall heavenly beings and benignant deities keep watch throughout the days and nights.

99. That man that reciteth the Holy Name shall the four mighty Regents in Heaven guard through the days and nights against the disturbance of all evil spirits.

100. To him that reciteth the Holy Name shall the Deity of the Earth bring homage, watching over him throughout the day and night, as the shadow follows its substance.

101. To him who reciteth the Holy Name, Nanda and Upananda the Naga Kings, together with their attendant deities shall bring homage, watching over him throughout the day and night.

102. To him who reciteth the Holy Name, the King of Death, together with his ministers in the five worlds, shall do reverence, guarding him throughout the days and nights.

103. Mara, the Tempter, he who is Ruler of that heaven, where pleasures are collected, hath sworn unto the Lord to s.h.i.+eld him from temptation who reciteth the Holy Name.

104. All good deities in Earth and Heaven shall be gracious unto him who reciteth the Holy Name, s.h.i.+elding him throughout the days and nights.

105. All evil spirits in heaven and earth tremble before that believer who standeth upon the Immutable promise. For even in this world hath he the mind of Divine Illumination.

106. Kwannon and Seis.h.i.+, the Bodhisattvas of incarnate Pity and Wisdom, together with their companions, innumerable as the sands of Ganges, shall be beside him who reciteth the Holy Name, even as the shadow cleaves to the substance.

107. Within the Light of Buddha of Infinite Light are unnumbered Buddhas, and of these, each and every one shall s.h.i.+eld him who hath within him the true Faith.

108. Whoso reciteth the Holy Name shall be surrounded himself by those Buddhas who cannot be numbered, who in the Ten Regions with joy protect and guide him.

Upon the Sutra of Suraigama-Samadhi, I, s.h.i.+nran Shonin, have uttered these eight lauds praising the virtue of Seis.h.i.+ the Bodhisattva of Wisdom.

109. Seis.h.i.+, he who is the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, having comprehended the fullness of the Holiest Name, rising from his seat, prostrated himself beneath the feet of our Lord, wors.h.i.+pping Him, he and his fellows.h.i.+p, and thus he spake:

110. "O my Lord, in the ancient time, before the Kalpas innumerable as the sands of Ganges, there was manifest in this world a Buddha, and His Name was called-The Buddha of Infinite Light.

111. "In His footsteps twelve Buddhas followed, and twelve long Kalpas have rolled away. And of these Buddhas the last was He that is called that Buddha in whose glory the Sun and Moon are even as darkness.

112. "Unto me hath that Buddha revealed the Path of the meditation of the Supreme-that meditation wherein He instructeth us that all the Buddhas of all the Ten Regions compa.s.sionate as even as a father pitieth his child.

113. Whoso seeketh refuge in Buddha, as a child in the bosom of his mother shall verily perceive Him now or in the time that shall be.

And it shall be soon.

114. "As a man encompa.s.sed by the cloud of incense casteth sweet odours about him, so he that trusteth in the Holy Promise is spiritually endued with the Divine Essence.

115. "When I was initiate in right doing, I attained unto the high way of that a.s.surance that freed me from birth and death, through the teaching of the n.o.ble Doctrine of the Holy Name.

"Therefore in this world, rejoicing, I guide the faithful believer into the way of Purity."

116. Now with all praise let us give thanks unto the merciful goodness of the Bodhisattva of Wisdom.

OF THANKSGIVING FOR NAGARJUNA, THE GREAT TEACHER OF INDIA

117. Nagarjuna, the great teacher, setting forth in many excellent writings the praise of the Kingdom of Purity, hath instructed us to recite the Holy Name.

118. For the Lord Buddha declared in prophecy that in India, in the Southern Parts, should arise a great Teacher, trampling upon the false teachings of affirmation and denial.

119. Nagarjuna, the Great Teacher, he who mightily set forth the n.o.ble doctrine of the greater Vehicle, and himself attained unto that height whereon a man rejoiceth eternally in the Faith, hath very sweetly persuaded men that they should receive the teaching of the Holy Name.

120. Nagarjuna, that great priest, setting forth the two ways-the way that is straight and plain, and the way of high austerity, leadeth very gently to the Ark of the Divine Promise such as are driven through the weariness of births and deaths.

121. He who receiveth this teaching of Nagarjuna the Great Teacher, should recite always the Holy Name, believing the Divine Promise of the Buddha of Infinite Light.

122. Whoso would quickly attain unto that resting-place where illusion ceaseth, should recite the Holy Name holding his mind in steadfast piety.

123. One Ark only, that Ark of the Divine Promise of our merciful Father, doth voyage and bear us unto the sh.o.r.e of the eternal peace-even us who so long have drifted hither and thither in the ocean of birth and death.

124. This great priest hath in one utterance set forth that the Lord is Ruler indeed of the sacred teaching, and that herein are the holy Bodhisattvas His ministers. Therefore should we bring homage unto our Lord.

125. The mighty company of the Bodhisattvas utter these words, "When we became wise in holiness, yea, we who have striven through Kalpas unnumbered,

126. "Yet could we not root out our earthly desires which are the very seed of birth and death. But through that only way of the meditation of the Highest did we attain unto the final deliverance that hath destroyed all our sin."

OF THANKSGIVING FOR VASUBANDH, THE GREAT TEACHER OF INDIA