Gosho 呵責謗法滅罪抄 On Rebuking Slander of the Law and Eradicating Sins

呵責謗法滅罪抄（かしゃくほうぼうめつざいしょう）

On Rebuking Slander of the Law and Eradicating Sins

On Expiating Negative Karma by Refuting Slander

文永十年　五十二歳御作

1273 (Age:52)

五逆と謗法(ほうぼう)とを病(やまい)に対すれば五逆は霍乱(かくらん)の如くして急に事を切る。謗法は白癩(びゃくらい)病(びょう)の如し、始は緩(ゆるやか)に、後(のち)漸漸(ぜんぜん)に大事なり。

If one were to liken [the retribution for] the five cardinal sins and slander of the Law to illness, then the five cardinal sins would be comparable to sunstroke, the effects of which appear suddenly. Slander of the Law, on the other hand, is like white leprosy, which seems minor at first but bit by bit becomes very serious indeed.

If I use the symptoms of illness to explain the difference in the effects of committing the five cardinal sins and slandering the true Law, the former afflicts one acutely, just like heatstroke, while the latter appears mildly at first but gradually becomes extremely severe, just like white leprosy.

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