Gosho 観心本尊抄 The True object of Worship 7

十界互具(ごぐ)之を立つるは石中の火・木中の花、信じ難(がた)けれども縁に値(お)うて出生(しゅっしょう)すれば之を信ず

The mutual possession of the Ten Worlds is as difficult to believe as fire existing in a stone or flowers within a tree. Yet under the right conditions such phenomena actually occur and are believable.

The principle of the mutual possession of the ten worlds holds true, just as in the case of a fire existing in a rock, and flowers existing in a tree.

人界所具の仏界は水中の火・火中の水、最も甚(はなは)だ信じ難し、

　To believe that Buddhahood exists within the human world is the most difficult thing of all—as difficult as believing that fire exists in water or water in fire.

Although it is hard to believe, one can come to believe in this principle, once phenomena such as these are manifested through causal relations. The fact that the world of Buddhahood is inherent within the world of humanity is most difficult to believe, just as if one found fire in water on water in fire.

然(しか)りと雖(いえど)も竜火は水より出(い)で竜水は火より生ず、心得(え)られざれども現証有れば之を用ゆ、

Nevertheless, the dragon is said to produce fire from water and water from fire, and although people do not understand why, they believe it when they see it occur.

However, dragon fire appears from water, while dragon water comes out of fire. Even if one is not fully convinced, one can accept it if there is evidence.

既(すで)に人界の八界之(これ)を信ず、仏界何ぞ之を用いざらん

Since you now believe that the human world contains the other eight worlds, why are you still unable to include the world of Buddhahood?

Despite the fact that one believes in the eight worlds that inherently exist within the world of humanity, why is one not able to believe in the world of Buddhahood？


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