Gosho 四条金吾殿御返事（煩悩即菩提御書）Ｗorldly Desires are namely Buddhahood

四条金吾殿御返事（煩悩即菩提御書）

Earthly Desires Are Enlightenment

Ｗorldly desires are namely Buddhahood

文永九年五月二日　五十一歳御作

The second day of May 1272. Fifty-one years old.

法華経の信心をとをし給へ。

Carry through with your faith in the Lotus Sutra.

Persevere in faiths of the Lotus Sutra.

火をきるにやす(休)みぬれば火をえず。

You cannot strike fire from flint if you stop halfway.

You cannot take a fire from flint if you stop it halfway.

強(ごう)盛(じょう)の大信力(だいしんりき)をいだして法華宗の四条金吾・四条金吾と鎌倉中の上下万人、乃至(ないし)日本国の一切衆生の口にうたはれ給へ。

Bring forth the great power of faith, and be spoken of by all the people of Kamakura, both high and low, or by all the people of Japan, as “Shijō Kingo, Shijō Kingo of the Lotus school!”.

Bring forth the strong power of faiths, and be called so by all of the people in Kamakura or by all the people of Japan, as “Shijo Kingo, Shijo Kingo of the Lotus sect!”.

あ(悪)しき名さえ流す、況(いわ)んやよき名をや。いかに況んや法華経ゆへの名をや。

Even a bad reputation will spread far and wide. A good reputation will spread even farther, particularly if it is a reputation for devotion to the Lotus Sutra.

Even a bad reputation will spread far and wide. Particularly if it is a reputation for devotion to the Lotus Sutra, it will spread farther!

女房にも此の由(よし)を云ひふくめて日月・両眼さう(双)のつば(翼)さ調ひ給へ。

Explain all this to your wife too, and work together like the sun and moon, a pair of eyes, or the two wings of a bird.

Explain all this to your wife too, and harmonize together like the sun and moon, a pair of eyes, or the two wings of a bird.

日月あらば冥途(めいど)あるべきや、

With the sun and moon, could there be a path of darkness?

Under the sun and moon, would there be a path of hell?

両眼あらば三仏の顔貌(げんみょう)拝見疑ひなし。

With a pair of eyes, no doubt you will see the faces of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions.

With a pair of eyes, no doubt you will see the feature of Shakyamuni, Taho Buddha, and ten direction's Buddha.

さう(双)のつば(翼)さあらば寂光(じゃっこう)の宝刹(ほうさつ)へ飛ばん事須臾(しゅゆ)刹那(せつな)なるべし。

With a pair of wings, you will surely fly in an instant to the treasure land of Tranquil Light.

With a pair of wings, you will surely fly to the land of treasure surrounded by tranquil light in an instant.

委(くわ)しくは又々申すべく候。恐惶(きょうこう)謹言(きんげん)

I will write in more detail on another occasion. 　With my deep respect.

I will write it in detail on another occasion.　　Very truly yours.

五月二日　　日蓮花押(かおう)

The second day of the fifth month. 　Nichiren.

The second day of May. 　Nichiren.

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