Gosho 報恩抄 The Duty of Repaying Good Will

極楽(ごくらく)百年の修行は穢土(えど)の一日の功徳(くどく)に及ばず、

A hundred years of practice in the Land of Perfect Bliss cannot compare to the benefit gained from one day’s practice in the foul world.

An ascetic practice for hundred years in the paradise do not surpass one day benefit of the foul world.

　正像(しょうぞう)二千年の弘通(ぐつう)は末法の一時に劣るか、

Two thousand years of propagating Buddhism during the Former and Middle Days of the Law are inferior to an hour of propagation in the Latter Day of the Law.

The propagation of two thousand years during the proper and image times of the Law is inferior to a second of propagation of the latter day of the Law.

是(こ)れひとへに日蓮が智のかしこきには・あらず時のしからしむる耳(のみ)、

This is in no way because of Nichiren’s wisdom, but simply because the time makes it so.

This is not a thing by the wisdom of Nichiren totally, the time only makes so.

春は花さき秋は菓(このみ)なる、夏は・あた(暖)たかに冬は・つめ(冷)たし、

In spring the blossoms open, in autumn the fruit appears. Summer is hot, winter is cold.

In spring, the blossoms open, in autumn, the fruit ripens. Summer is warm, and winter is cold.

時のしからしむるに有らずや。

The season makes it so, does it not?

　Does not the time make so?

　Continued

　

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