Gosho 兵衛志殿御返事 四 The Three Obstacles and Four Devils

さえ(左衛)もん(門)の大夫(たゆう)殿は今度(このたび)・法華経のかた(敵)きに・なりさだまり給うとみへて候。え(衛)もん(門)のたいうの志(さかん)殿は今度(このたび)法華経の行者(ぎょうじゃ)になり候はんずらん。

Your father, Saemon no Tayū, now seems to have become an enemy of the Lotus Sutra, yet your brother, Uemon no Tayū Sakan, will now become one of its votaries.

Your father, Saemonno Tayu, now seems to have become an enemy of the Lotus Sutra, yet your elder brother, Uemonno Tayu Sakan,will become one of the votary of the Lotus Sutra this time.

との(殿)は現前の計(はからい)なれば親につき給はんずらむ。もの(物)ぐる(狂)わしき人人はこれをほめ候べし。

You, who think only of immediate affairs, will obey your father, and deluded people will therefore praise you for your filial devotion.

You will think only of what is before you and will obey your father, and delirious people will praise your filial devotion.

宗(むね)盛(もり)が親父(おや)入道(にゅうどう)の悪事に随(したが)いてしのわら(篠原)にて頚(くび)を切られし、重盛(しげもり)が随わずして先(さき)に死せし、いづれか親の孝人なる。

Munemori obeyed his father’s tyrannous commands and was finally beheaded at Shinohara. Shigemori disobeyed his father and preceded him in death. Who was truly the filial son?

The samurai Munemori obeyed his father's tyrannous commands and was beheaded at Shinohara. Shigemori disobeyed his father and passed away earlier than father. Which one of these is a filial devotion?

法華経のかた(敵)きになる親に随(したが)いて一乗(いちじょう)の行者なる兄をす(捨)てば、親の孝養となりなんや。

If you obey your father who is an enemy of the Lotus Sutra and abandon your brother who is a votary of the one vehicle, are you then being filial?

If you obey your father who is an enemy of the Lotus Sutra and abandon your elder brother who is a votary of the sole teachings, does it become the filial devotion?

つづく　Continued

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