Gosho 一谷入道女房御書 Letter to the Wife of Ichinosawa nyūdō

一谷入道女房御書(いちのさわにゅうどうにょうぼうごしょ）

Letter to the Lay Priest Ichinosawa

Letter to the Wife of Ichinosawa nyūdō

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　建治元年五月八日五十四歳御作　

　　　　　　　　　　　　May 8, 1275 (Age:54)

日蓮は愚(おろか)なれども釈迦仏の御(おん)使(つかい)・法華経の行者なりとなのり候を・用いざらんだにも不思議なるべし、

I may be afool, but, having declared myself to be the envoy of Shakyamuni Buddha and the votary of the Lotus Sutra, it is nothing short of amazing that my words go unheeded.

Although, I, Nichiren, am ignorant, I have proclaimed myself the envoy of Shakyamuni Buddha and the votary of the Lotus Sutra. It is perplexing to me that the authorities of the Kamakura government do not follow [my admonition].

其の失(とが)に依(よ)つて国破れなんとす、

Because of this failure, the nation now faces ruin.

Because of this offense, this country is about to perish.

況(いわん)や或(あるい)は国国を追ひ・或は引はり・或は打擲(ちょうちゃく)し・或は流(る)罪(ざい)し・或は弟子を殺し・或は所領を取る、

Not only are my words not heeded, but I have been driven out of province after province, been dragged about, attacked and beaten, and sent into exile, and my disciples have been killed or had their fiefs taken away from them.

Even worse, the authorities persecuted me; they expelled me from several provinces, dragged me out of my house, assaulted me, banished me, killed my disciples, and confiscated the property of my followers.

現の父母の使(つかい)を・かくせん人人よ(善)かるべしや、日蓮は日本国の人人の父母ぞかし・主君ぞかし・明師ぞかし・

If someone were to mete out such treatment to an actual messenger of his parents, could that person’s actions possibly be condoned? Yet I, Nichiren, am father and mother to all the people of Japan, I am their sovereign, I am their enlightened teacher!

Nothing good will happen to the people who attacked the envoy of [ the Buddha who serves as] the father and mother, sovereign, and correct teacher for all the people in the country of Japan.

是を背(そむか)ん事よ、

Should they turn against one like me?

You must not go against this.

念仏を申さん人人は無間地獄に堕(お)ちん事決定(けつじょう)なるべし

It is absolutely certain that those who chant the Nembutsu are destined to fall into the hell of incessant suffering.

It is certain that those who chant the Nembutsu will fall into the hell of incessant suffering.


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