GOSHO 上野尼御前御返事 Wu-lung and I-lung 8

勅(ちょく)定(じょう)度度(たびたび)重(おも)かりしかば、不孝はさる事なれども当座の責をのが(免)れがたかりしかば、法華経の外題(げだい)を書きて王へ上(ささ)げ、

The ruler repeated his strict order several times. I-lung, though unwilling to be unfilial, realized that he could no longer disobey the royal command, so he wrote the titles [of the eight volumes] of the Lotus Sutra and presented his work to the ruler.

Even though it meant he would be disobeying his father, in order to avoid punishment, Yi-long succumbed to the king’s unrelenting demands and wrote out the titles of the eight volumes of the Lotus Sutra and presented his work to the king.

宅に帰りて父のはか(墓)に向いて血の涙を流して申す様は、天子の責(せめ)重きによつて亡き父の遺言をたがへて、既に法華経の外題(げだい)を書きぬ。不幸の責免(まぬか)れがたしと歎(なげ)きて三日の間、墓を離れず食を断(た)ち既(すで)に命に及ぶ。　　

Returning home, I-lung faced his father’s grave and, shedding tears of blood, reported, “The ruler commanded me so strictly that, against your will, I wrote the titles of the Lotus Sutra.” In his griefat having been unable to escape the offense of being unfilial, he remained by the grave side for three days on end, fasting until he was on the verge of death.

Upon returning home, Yi-long faced hisfather’s grave, and shedding anguished tears of remorse, lamented, “Father, I have surrendered to the king’s harsh command and in disobeying your prohibition against inscribing the titles of the Lotus Sutra, I have sinned and cannot reverse it.” He remained at his father’s grave for three days refusing to take nourishment, his death approaching.

三日と申す寅(とら)の時に已(すで)に絶死し畢(おわ)つて夢の如し。

At the hour of the tiger (3:00–5:00 a.m.) on the third day, he was almost dead and felt as if he were dreaming.

In the pre-dawn of the hour of the tiger, on the morning of the third day, losing consciousness, Yi-long felt as though he had entered a dream.

虚空(こくう)を見れば天人(てんにん)一人おはします、帝釈を絵(え)にかきたるが如し、無量の眷属(けんぞく)、天地に充満せり。

He looked up at the sky and saw a heavenly being, who was like a painting of the god Shakra and whose multitude of followers filled both heaven and earth.

As Yi-long looked up into the sky, he saw a heavenly being who looked to him like a painting of the deity Taishaku. Innumerable legions of his followers appeared, filling the heavens and the earth.


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