Gosho 兵衛志殿御返事 六 The Three Obstacles and Four Devils

すこしも・を(怖)そるる心なかれ、

You should not have the slightest fear in your heart.

You should not have even the slightest fear in your mind.

過去遠遠劫(おんのんごう)より法華経を信ぜしかども仏にならぬ事これなり。

It is lack of courage that prevents one from attaining Buddhahood, although one may have professed faith in the Lotus Sutra many times since innumerable kalpas ago.

Even if one has upheld faith in the Lotus Sutra for immeasurable kalpas, one cannot attain enlightenment [if one abandons his faith in the face of the three obstacles and four devils].

Though a person had been believing in the Lotus Sutra from the far-off past world, the cause that he could not attain Buddhahood is this.

しを(潮)のひ(干)ると・み(満)つと月の出(い)づると・い(入)ると・夏と秋と冬と春とのさか(境)ひには必ず相違する事あり、

There is definitely something extraordinary in the ebb and flow of the tide, the rising and setting of the moon, and the way in which summer, autumn, winter, and spring give way to each other.

Changes certainly occur when the high tide yields to low tide, when the moon rises and sets, when summer gives way to autumn, or winter turns to spring.

Changes certainly occur in the ebb and flow of the sea, the rising and setting of the moon, and the time in which summer, autumn, winter, and spring give way to each other.

凡夫(ぼんぷ)の仏になる又かくのごとし。

Something uncommon also occurs when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood.

The same is true when a common mortal attains Buddhahood.

When a common human being becomes Buddha, it is the same.

必ず三障(さんしょう)四魔(しま)と申す障(さわり)いできたれば賢者(けんじゃ)はよろこび愚者(ぐしゃ)は退(しりぞ)くこれなり。

At such a time, the three obstacles and four devils will invariably appear, and the wise will rejoice while the foolish will retreat.

At a critical moment, he definitely will encounter the three obstacles and four devils. The wise will rejoice, while the foolish will retreat.

When the hindrances being called the three obstacles and four devils will appear, the wise rejoices by all means, the foolish person retreats.

此(こ)の事はわざ(態)とも申し又びん(便)ぎ(宜)にと・を(思)もひつるに御(お)使(つかい)ありがたし、

I have long been waiting to tell you this, either through my own messenger or by some other means. So I greatly appreciate your sending these messengers to me.

I have long been waiting to tell you this, either through my own messenger or by the other means. So, I appreciate your sending these messengers to me.

堕(お)ち給うならば・よもこの御(お)使(つかい)は・あらじと・をもひ候へば・もしやと申すなり。

I am sure that, if you were about to abandon your faith, you would not have sent them. Thinking it may still not be too late, I am writing this letter.

I think that, if you were about to abandon your faiths, you would not have sent them. Thinking it might be, I am writing this letter.

つづく　Continued

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