大聖人様のお言葉 八 御義口伝 Words of Daishonin. 8 Annotations on the Lotus Sutra through Oral Tradition

　

　御義口伝に云く、南無とは梵語なり。　

　Orally Transmitted Teachings say: Nam is a Sanskrit.

　此には帰命(きみょう)と云う。人法之れ有り。

　Here it means to dedicate one’s life, that is, to the Person and to the Law.

　人とは釈尊に帰命し奉るなり。

　In terms of the person, one dedicates one's life to Shakyamuni Buddha.

　法とは法華経に帰命し奉るなり。

　In terms of the Law, one dedicates one's life to the Lotus Sutra.

　又云く、南無妙法蓮華経の南無とは梵語、妙法蓮華経は漢語なり。

　In addition, Daishonin says, Nam of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is in Sanskrit, myoho-renge-kyo are Chinese words.

　梵漢共時(ぐじ)に南無妙法蓮華経と云うなり。

　Nam-myoho-renge-kyo means chanting the same time of India and China.

　妙とは法性なり。法とは無明なり。

　Myō stands for the Dharma nature or enlightenment, while hō represents darkness or ignorance.

　

　無明・法性一体なるを妙法と云うなり。

　Myōhō expresses the idea that ignorance and the Dharma nature are a single entity.

　蓮華とは因果の二法なり。　

　Renge stands for the two elements of cause and effect.

　是(これ)又因果一体なり。

　Causes and effects are also a single entity.

　経とは一切衆生の言語音声を経と云うなり。

　Kyo means the language sound of all creatures.

　釈に云く「声仏事を為す、之を名けて経と為す」と。

　A commentary On “The Profound Meaning,” volume one says, “The voice carries out the work of the Buddha, and this is called kyō, or sutra.”

　或は三世常恒(じょうごう)なるを経と云うなり。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　南無妙法蓮華経

　 Also, kyo is defined as that which is constant and unchanging in the three existences of past, present, and future.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

　諸法の心とは妙法蓮華経なり。

　The heart or core of all phenomena is Myoho-renge-kyo.

　伝教云く「法華経を讃むると雖も還つて法華の心を死(ころ)す」と、死の字に心を留めて之を案ず可し。

　The Great Teacher Dengyō in his Outstanding Principles of the Lotus Sutra says, “Though he praises the Lotus Sutra, in fact he kills the heart of the Lotus.” You must let your mind dwell on the word “kill.”

　所詮日蓮等の類いを以て如是我聞の者と云う可きなり云云。

　In effect, then, Nichiren and his associates are persons to whom the phrase “This is what I had heard” may apply.

　今日蓮等の類いは阿闍世王なり。

　In this sense, Nichiren and his associates today are like King Ajātashatru.

　其の故は南無妙法蓮華経の剣を取つて貪愛(とんあい)・無明の父母を害して教主釈尊の如く・仏身を感得するなり。

　For that reason they take up the sword of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, kill the mother, greed and attachment, and kill the father, ignorance, and like the lord of teachings, Shakyamuni Buddha, come to experience and attain the state of Buddhahood.

　貪愛の母とは勧持品三類の中第一の俗衆なり、無明の父とは第二第三の僧なり云云。

　

　The mother, greed and attachment, is the first of the three powerful enemies described in the “Encouraging Devotion” chapter, that is, laypersons who attack the votaries of the Lotus Sutra. The father, ignorance, is the priests who make up the second and third enemies.

日蓮は生年卅二より南無妙法蓮華経を護念するなり。

　Nichiren has been guarding Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo since he was 32 years old and has kept it in his heart.

　今日蓮等の類い・聖霊を訪う時、法華経を読誦し、南無妙法蓮華経と唱え奉る時、題目の光・無間に至りて即身成仏せしむ。

　Now when Nichiren and his associates perform ceremonies for the deceased, reciting the Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the ray of light from the title reaches all the way to the hell of incessant suffering and makes it possible for them to attain Buddhahood then and there.

　廻向の文・此れより事起こるなり。

　This is the origin of the prayers for transference of merit for the deceased.

　今日蓮等の類いは無問自説なり。

　Now Nichiren and his associates also take it on themselves to preach without being asked.

　念仏無間・禅天魔・真言亡国・律国賊と喚(さけ)ぶ事は無問自説なり。

　When they declare that the Nembutsu leads to the hell of incessant suffering, that Zen is the teaching of the heavenly devil, that Shingon will ruin the nation, and that Precepts are treacherous, they are taking it upon themselves to preach without being asked.

　三類の強敵・来たる事は此の故なり。

　　　　　　　　　　　 序品七箇の大事

　Because they do so, the three types of powerful enemies have appeared on the scene.

　Chapter One: Introduction. Seven important points

　妙法蓮華経　序品　平安時代　

　The Introduction Chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Heian period (8th to 12th century A.D.)

　又云く、法界三千を秘妙とは云うなり。

　Also Daishonin says: The three thousand worlds of the Dharma-realm may be termed secret and wonderful.

　秘とはきびしきなり、三千羅列なり。

　Secret means strict or without a single exception. The three thousand worlds, every single one of them, exist in one’s mind.

　是より外に不思議之無し。

　There is nothing more unfathomable than this.

　大謗法の人たりと云うとも、妙法蓮華経を受持し奉る所を妙法蓮華経方便品とは云うなり。

　Even persons who are called great slanderers of the Law will in time come to accept and uphold Myoho-renge-kyo—this is the purpose of the “Expedient Means” chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

　今末法に入つて正しく日蓮等の類の事なり。

　Now that we have entered the Latter Day of the Law, Nichiren and his associates are carrying out this task correctly.

　妙法蓮華経の体内に爾前の人法を入るゝを妙法蓮華経方便品とは云うなり。

　To take the persons and teachings of the sutras preached prior to the Lotus Sutra and lead them into the body of teachings of the Lotus Sutra.

　是を即身成仏とも如是本末究竟等とも説く。

　This is also termed the attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form, or “their consistency from beginning to end” (chapter two), the consistency of the ten factors.

　又方便とは十界の事なり、又は無明なり。

　Also, the “Expedient Means” chapter represents the Ten Worlds, or in another sense it represents ignorance or darkness.

　妙法蓮華経は十界の頂上なり、又は法性なり、煩悩即菩提・生死即涅槃是なり。

　Myoho-renge-kyo, or the Lotus Sutra, stands at the apex of the Ten Worlds, and at the same time represents the Dharma nature. It exemplifies the principle that earthly desires are identical with enlightenment without change, that the sufferings of birth and death are identical with nirvana as they are.

　此の妙は前三教に未だ之を説かず、故に秘と云うなり。

　This wonderful principle was never expounded in the three teachings previous to the Lotus Sutra, the Tripitaka teaching, the connecting teaching, and the separate teaching. Therefore it is called “secret.”

　故に知んぬ、南無妙法蓮華経は一心の方便なり。

　From all this you should understand that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo represents the expedient means of the single mind or life.

　妙法蓮華経は九識なり、十界は八識已下なり。

　Myoho-renge-kyo represents the ninth consciousness, while the Ten Worlds represent the levels from the eighth consciousness on down.

　心を留めて之を案ず可し。

　

　You must think all these matters over carefully.

　方とは即十方、十方は即十界なり、便とは不思議と云う事なり云云。

　The hō of hōben also refer to the ten directions. The ten directions are the same as the Ten Worlds. The ben of hōben means something that is unfathomable in nature.

　中に竪に高く・横に広しとは、竪は本門なり・横は迹門なり。

　In the passage referring to the vertical and horizontal dimensions, the vertical dimensions represent the essential teaching and the horizontal dimensions represent the theoretical teaching.

　

　根とは草木なり・草木は上へ登る、此れは迹門の意なり。

　The “roots” are the roots of a plant or tree. Plants and trees in their growth climb upward. Hence the roots here stand for the theoretical teaching that leads one upward to enlightenment in the essential teaching.

　源とは本門なり、源は水なり・水は下へくだる、此れは本門の意なり。

　The “source” represents the essential teaching. The source is the fountainhead from which the river flows. Rivers flow downward. Hence the source here stands for the essential teaching from which enlightenment flows downward.

　条茂(えだしげし)とは迹門十四品なり、流(ながれ)長しとは本門十四品なり。

　Hence the source here stands for the essential teaching from which enlightenment flows downward. The flourishing branches stand for the fourteen chapters of the theoretical teaching in the Lotus Sutra, and the long-lasting flow or the river stands for the fourteen chapters of the essential teaching.

今日蓮等の類い・南無妙法蓮華経と唱え奉るを智慧とは云うなり。

　Now when Nichiren and his associates humbly recite Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, they are giving expression to this wisdom.

　譬喩品に云く「唯有一門」と。

　The “Simile and Parable” chapter says, “This house has only one gate (door).”

　門に於て有門・空門・亦有亦空門(やくう・やくくうもん)・非有非空門あるなり。

　With regard to gates, there is the gate of being, the gate of emptiness, the gate that is both being and emptiness, and the gate that is neither being nor emptiness.

　有門は生なり、空門は死なり、亦有亦空門は生死一念なり、非有非空門は生に非ず・死に非ず。

　The gate of being is birth. The gate of emptiness is death. The gate that is both being and emptiness is the birth and death of a single mind or life. The gate that is neither being nor emptiness is that which is not birth and not death.

　有門は題目の文字なり。

　The gate of being is exemplified by the five characters that make up the title.

　空門は此の五字に万法を具足して一方にとどこうらざる義なり。

　The gate of emptiness is exemplified by the way in which these five characters are endowed with all the phenomena of the universe, without respect to any one particular direction or another.

　亦有亦空門は五字に具足する本迹なり。

　The gate of both being and emptiness is exemplified by the way in which these five characters are endowed with the essential and the theoretical teachings.

　非有非空門は一部の意なり。　

　 And the gate that is neither being nor emptiness is exemplified by the underlying meaning of the whole sutra.

　此の内証は法華已前の二乗の智慧の及ばざる所なり。

　This kind of inner enlightenment is not something that can be comprehended by the wisdom of the people of the two vehicles who had yet to hear the Lotus Sutra.

　第三　唯以一大事因縁の事 　

　Point Three, regarding the passage “the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appeared in the world for causes and relationships of only one great important matter.”

　文句の四に云く「一は即ち一実相なり。

　Words and Phrases, volume four, says, “‘only one’ here means the one true aspect.

　五に非ず・三に非ず・七に非ず・九に非ず、故に一と言うなり。

　It is not simply ‘one’ as contrasted to five, or to three, or to seven, or to nine. Therefore the text says ‘only one’.

　其の性広博(こうはく)にして五三七九より博し。

　In its nature this ‘one’ is vast and broad, far broader than five, three, seven, or nine.

　故に名づけて大と為す。

　Therefore the text defines it as ‘great’.

　諸仏出世の儀式なり。

　It is the ceremony in which the Buddhas appear in the world.

　故に名けて事と為す。

　Therefore the text describes it as a matter.

　衆生に此の機有つて仏を感ず。

　Living beings possess the capacity to have relationships with the Buddhas.

　故に名けて因と為す。

　Therefore this is designated as the cause.

　仏機を承けて而も応ず。

　The Buddhas, observing this capacity, act in response to it.

　故に名けて縁となす。

　Therefore this is designated as 'relationships.’

　是を出世の本意と為す」。

　This is the true reason for which the Buddhas appear in the world.”

　

　御義口伝に云く、一とは法華経なり。

　Orally Transmitted Doctrines say: “One” represents the Middle Way teachings of the Lotus Sutra.

　大とは華厳なり。

　“Great” represents the teachings on non-substantiality of the Kegon Sutra.

　事とは中間の三味なり。

　And the “matter” represents the teachings on temporary existence of the Agon, Correct and Equal, and Wisdom sutras, the three lesser flavors of milk, cream, and curdled milk.

　法華已前にも三諦あれども、砕けたる珠は宝に非ざるが如し云云。

　The sutras preached prior to the Lotus Sutra set forth this doctrine of the three truths, but for example, shattered gems are not worth the treasure.

　

　又云く、一とは妙なり。大とは法なり。事とは蓮なり。因とは華なり。縁とは経なり云云。

　Also “one” stands for myō, “great” stands for hō, “matter” stands for ren, “cause” stands for ge, and “relationship” stands for kyō.

　又云く、我等が頭は妙なり。喉(のど)は法なり。胸は蓮なり。胎(はら)は華なり。足は経なり。

　Or again our head corresponds to myō, our throat to hō, our chest to ren, our stomach to ge, and our legs to kyō.

　此の五尺の身・妙法蓮華経の五字なり。

　Hence this five-foot body of ours constitutes the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo.

　此の大事を釈迦如来・四十余年の間、隠密したもうなり。

　For a period of more than forty years the Tathagata Shakyamuni concealed and kept secret this most important matter.

　今経の時、説き出だしたもう。此の大事を説かんが為に仏は出世したもう。

　Only when he came to preach the Lotus Sutra did he reveal it. It was for the purpose of preaching this great important matter that the Buddha made his appearance in the world.

　我等が一身の妙法五字なりと開仏知見する時、即身成仏するなり。

　

　When he revealed that our own bodies are the embodiments of the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo, he was as chapter two of the Lotus Sutra says “opening the door of Buddha wisdom,” revealing that we can attain Buddhahood in our present bodies or existences.

　又云く、一とは中諦、大とは空諦、事とは仮諦なり。　

　Also, in the phrase “only one most important matter,” the “one” stands for the truth of the Middle Way in the doctrine of the three truths, the “great” stands for the truth of non-substantive entity, and the “matter” stands for the truth of temporary existence.

　此の円融の三諦は何物ぞ。所謂南無妙法蓮華経是なり。　

　And what are the three truths that join to form a perfect unity?They are Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

　此の五字・日蓮出世の本懐なり、之を名けて事と為す。

　These five characters constitute the fundamental purpose for which Nichiren appeared in this world, and therefore they are called a “matter.”

　事の一念三千は日蓮が身に当りての大事なり。

　The three thousand realms in a single moment of mind as the "matter" is indeed of great importance for Nichiren.

　一とは一念、大とは三千なり、此の三千ときたるは事の因縁なり。

　“One” is one single moment of mind, and “great” is the three thousand realms. The preaching of the three thousand realms came about through the “matter” of causes and conditions.

　事とは衆生世間・因とは五陰世間・縁とは国土世間なり。　

　The “matter” refers to the realm of living beings, the “causes” refers to the realm of the five recognitions, and the “relationships” refer to the realm of the environment.

　国土世間の縁とは南閻浮提は妙法蓮華経を弘むべき本縁の国なり。

　With regard to the “relationships,” or the realm of the environment, that fundamental relationships dictate that the whole world is the land where Myoho-renge-kyo, or the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law, should be propagated.

　経に云く「閻浮提の内に広く流布せしめて断絶せざらしめん」是なり云云。

　 Therefore, the sutra says, “I will cause it to be widely propagated throughout the whole world and will see that it never comes to an end” (chapter twenty-eight, Fugen).

　所詮・南無妙法蓮華経を境として起こる所の五濁なれば、日本国の一切衆生・五濁の正意なり。

　In effect, it is faith in Nam-myoho-renge-kyo that determines whether these five impurities will arise. Therefore the passage on the five impurities applies to all the living beings of Japan who do not have such faith.

　

　されば文句四に云く「相とは四濁増劇(しじょく・ぞうぎゃく)にして此の時に聚在(じゅざい)せり。

　Hence volume four of Words and Phrases says, “The mark of the impurity of the age is the fact that the other four types of impurity appear in increased number and intensity and flock about the age.

　 瞋恚(しんに)増劇にして刀兵起り、貪欲増劇にして飢餓起り、愚癡増劇にして疾疫起り、三災起こるが故に煩悩・倍(ますます)隆んに諸見転(うた)た熾(さか)んなり」。

　 Because anger increases in intensity, strife of arms occurs. Because greed increases in intensity, famine arises. Because foolishness increases in intensity, pestilence breaks out. And because these three calamities occur, earthly desires grow more powerful and false views increasingly flourish.”

　

　経に「如来現在・猶多怨嫉・況滅度後」と云うは是なり。

　This is what the sutra means when it says, “Since hatred and jealousy toward this sutra abound even when the Tathagata is in the world, how much more will this be so after his passing?” (chapter ten, The Teacher of the Law).

　法華経不信の者を以て五濁障重の者とす。

　Persons who do not have faith in the Lotus Sutra are gravely impeded by the five impurities.

　比丘比丘尼の二人は出家なり、共に増上慢と名く。

　Monks and nuns are two types of believers who have renounced the secular world.

　疵(きず)を蔵(か)くし徳を揚ぐるを以て本とせり。

　Both are called extremely arrogant, and their basic nature is to hide their faults and flaunt their virtues.

　優婆塞は男なり、我慢を以て本とせり。

　The upāsaka, or laymen, are men, and their basic characteristic is self-esteem.

　優婆夷は女人なり、無慙を以て本とせり。

　The upāsikā, or laywomen are female believers and their basic nature is to be unrepentant.

　此の四衆は今日本国に盛んなり。

　These four kinds of believers are very plentiful in Japan today.

　経には其数有(ごしゅう)五千と有れども日本国に四十九億九万四千八百廿八人と見えたり。

　The Lotus Sutra states that five thousand left the assembly, choosing not to listen to Shakyamuni’s lecture. However, the entire population of 4,994,828 people in Japan are the same as the arrogant individuals described above.

　在世には五千人・仏の座を立てり、今末法にては日本国の一切衆生悉く日蓮が所座を立てり。

　When Shakyamuni Buddha was in the world, five thousand persons rose from their seats and withdrew from the assembly where he was preaching. But now, in the Latter Day of the Law, all the living beings in this land of Japan rise from their seats and withdraw from the place where Nichiren is preaching.

　此の五千の上慢とは我等所具の五住の煩悩なり。

　These five thousand arrogant persons are the five types of abiding worldly desires that are always part of our makeup.

　今法華経に値い奉る時、慢即法界と開きて礼仏而退するを仏威徳故去(ぶついとくここ)と云うなり。

　But now when we encounter the Lotus Sutra, we awake to the fact that arrogance itself is part of the Dharma-realm, so that “bowing to the Buddha and withdrawing” means that it has “departed in the face of the Buddha’s authority.”

　仏とは我等所具の仏界なり。威徳とは南無妙法蓮華経なり。

　The “Buddha” here is the Buddha realm that is part of our nature, and his “authority” is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

　故去とは而去不去(にこふこ)の意なり。

　Therefore when we speak of withdrawing or departing, it refers to a “departure that is not a departure.”

　普賢品の作礼而去(さらいにこ)之を思う可きなり。

　You must think of it as the kind of departure described in the passage at the end of the “Fugen” chapter that reads, “They bowed in obeisance and departed.”

　其数有五千とは我等が五住の煩悩なり。　

　The phrase “the likes of these number five thousand” refers to the five types of abiding earthly desires that are at all times a part of our makeup.

　若し又五住の煩悩無しと云うは法華の意を失いたり。

　If we were without these five types of abiding earthly desires, then the whole meaning of the Lotus Sutra would be lost.

　五住の煩悩有り乍(なが)ら・本有(ほんぬ)常住ぞと云う時、其数有五千と説くなり。

　When we realize that these five types of abiding earthly desires are an intrinsic and constantly present part of our nature, then we may speak of them as numbering five thousand.

　断惑に取り合わず其の儘(まま)本有妙法の五住と見れば不自見其過と云うなり。　

　And when we do not endeavor to cut off such delusions but look on these five abiding elements, just as they are, as constituting an inherent part of the myōhō, or Wonderful Law, then it is said that we “fail to see our own errors.”

　五千の慢人とは我等が五大なり、五大即妙法蓮華経なり。

　The five thousand arrogant persons are the five elements of which we are made. The five elements themselves are Myoho-renge-kyo.

　五千の上慢は元品の無明なり。

　Again, the five thousand arrogant persons represent fundamental darkness.

　故に礼仏而退(らいぶつにたい)なり。

　Hence it is said of them that they “bowed to the Buddha and withdrew.”

　此れは九識八識六識と下る分なり、流転門の談道なり。

　This is speaking of persons who withdraw from the ninth consciousness to the eighth consciousness, and on down to the six consciousnesses, that is, those who transmigrate in the realm of birth and death.

　仏威徳故去とは還滅門(げんめつもん)なり。

　And when the sutra says that such persons have “departed in the face of the Buddha’s authority,” it is speaking of the teachings that lead to the extinguishing of the sufferings of birth and death and the return to nirvana.

　然らば威徳とは南無妙法蓮華経なり、本迷・本悟の全体なり。　

　Hence the “authority” spoken of here is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This is the total entity of original delusion and original enlightenment.

　能く能く之を案ず可し云云。

　 You must give very careful thought to this matter.

第六　如我等無異(にょがとう・むい)　如我昔所願(にょがしゃく・しょがん)の事 　

Point Six, regarding the passage “Shāriputra, you should know / that at the start I took a vow, / hoping to make all persons / equal to me, without any distinction between us, / and what I long ago hoped for / has now been fulfilled. / I have converted all living beings / and caused them all to enter the Buddha way.”

　御義口伝に云く、我とは釈尊・我実成仏・久遠の仏なり。

　Orally Transmitted Doctrines say: The “I” here refers to Shakyamuni Buddha, who in fact attained Buddhahood in the remote past.

　此の本門の釈尊は我等衆生の事なり。

　This Shakyamuni Buddha of the essential teaching is none other than we, living beings.

　如我の我は十如是の末の七如是なり。　

　The “me” in the phrase “equal to me” that is, the Buddha represents the last seven of the ten factors of life.

　九界の衆生は始の三如是なり。

　The living beings of the nine worlds represent the first three of the ten factors.

　我等衆生は親なり、仏は子なり。

　We living beings are the parent, and the Buddha is the child.

　父子一体にして本末究竟等なり。

　Father and son constitute a single entity, a beginning and end that are ultimately equal.

　此の我等を寿量品に無作の三身と説きたるなり。

　We living beings are described in the “Life Span” chapter of the Lotus Sutra as the Buddha eternally endowed with the three bodies.

　今日蓮等の類い南無妙法蓮華経と唱うる者是なり。

　Nichiren and his associates, who now chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, are the ones who meant the three bodies.

　今日蓮が唱うる所の南無妙法蓮華経は末法一万年の衆生まで成仏せしむるなり、豈今者已満足に非ずや。

　And now when Nichiren chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, he is enabling all living beings to attain Buddhahood in the ten thousand years of the Latter Day of the Law. Is it not right, therefore, to say, “What I long ago hoped for / has now been fulfilled”?

　

　已とは建長五年三月廿八日に初めて唱え出だす処の題目を指して已と意得可きなり。

　“Already” refers to the title, which was chanted for the first time on the twenty-eighth day of the third month of the fifth year of the Kenchō era (1253), and hence you must think of it as something that has taken place “already.”

　妙法の大良薬を以て一切衆生の無明の大病を治せん事疑い無きなり。

　There can be no question that through this act the truly excellent medicine of the Wonderful Law is being applied in order to cure the grave illness of darkness that afflicts all living beings.

　此れを思い遣る時んば満足なり。

　In the light of this act, Nichiren has “fulfilled” his vow.

　満足とは成仏と云う事なり。

　“Fulfilled” may also be taken to refer to the achievement of Buddhahood on the part of the living beings.

　釈に云く「円は円融円満に名け、頓は頓極頓足に名く」と。

　The passage in a commentary volume one of “On Great Concentration and Insight” says, “Perfect means perfect and interfused or perfect and full. Sudden means sudden and complete or sudden and satisfactory.”

　之を思う可し云云。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　方便品八箇の大事

　 You must think about this.

　　　　Eight Important Points in the “Expedient Means” chapter.

つづく　To be continued