Gosho 義浄房御書 Letter to Gijō-bō

義浄房御書

Letter to Gijō-bō

　　　　文永十年五月二十八日　五十二歳御作

　　　　May 28, 1273 （Age: 52)

寿量品(じゅりょうぼん)の法門は日蓮が身に取つてたの(頼)みあることぞかし。

The teaching of the “Life Span” chapter is what I, Nichiren, personally depend on.

The doctrine expounded in the Life Span chapter of the Lotus Sutra is profoundly significant for me, Nichiren [in order for me to reveal my true identity].

天台(てんだい)・伝教(でんぎょう)等も粗(ほぼ)しらせ給へども言(ことば)に出(いだ)して宣(の)べ給はず、

Although T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō also understood it in a general way, they never put it into words or proclaimed it.

Although Tiantai, Dengyō, and others also had a general understanding of the doctrine, they did not dare to speak out.

竜樹(りゅうじゅ)・天(てん)親(じん)等も亦(また)是(か)くの如し。

The same is true of Nāgārjuna and Vasubandhu.

This also was true for Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, and others.

()寿量品(じゅりょうぼん)の自我偈(じがげ)に云く「一心に仏を見たてまつらんと欲(ほっ)して自(みずか)ら身命(しんみょう)を惜(お)しまず」云云(うんぬん)、

The verse section of the chapter states, “. . .single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha, not hesitating even if it costs them their lives.”

In the Jigage section of the Life Span chapter, there is a passage that states,“Single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, one does not begrudge one’s life.…”

日蓮が己(こ)心(しん)の仏界(ぶっかい)を此の文に依(よ)つて顕はすなり、

As a result of this passage, I have revealed the Buddhahood in my own life.

Thorough this passage, I, Nichiren has revealed the effect of attaining Buddhahood inherent in his own mind.

其の故は寿量品の事(じ)の一念三千の三大秘法を成就(じょうじゅ)せる事・此の経文なり、秘す可し秘す可し。

The reason is that it is this sutra passage that has enabled me to embody the Three Great Secret Laws, or the reality of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, that is found in the “Life Span” chapter. But keep this secret, keep it secret.

This is because the passage indicates that the Three Great Secret Laws of actual ichinen sanzen (three thousand realms in a single life-moment), hidden in the Life Span chapter, have been manifested [in the life of Nichiren]. This, however, should remain secret.


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