Poems and Verses of Praise on Amitabha Recitation by the Great Master Ippen Shonin

Poems and Verses of Praise on Amitabha Recitation by the Great Master Ippen Shonin, translated into Mandarin By Dharma Master Shi Hui Jing

一遍上人诗偈

一遍上人作

慧净法师译

Verses on hundreds of benefits (百利口语)

Transmigrating in the six paths, we are always alone. No friends will accompany us. We are born alone, and we die alone.

It is most pitiful on this path of birth and death.

六道轮回间孤独无同伴

独生又独死悲哉生死道

Or at times we might ascend to the summit of the cloud, or descend to the Uninterrupted Hell, depending on the two karma of good and evils. There is no way to escape these destinies.

或上有顶云或下无间狱

依善恶二业无不至之栖

But it is very difficult to be born in the wholesome dwelling of man and heavens. Very often we end up in the three evil paths.

And it is most difficult to leave the sufferings.

然人天善所得生甚难有

常以三恶道为栖难得出

In the hell of black rope, the hell of combined tortures, we are burnt to our bone marrow. Going up the mountains of knives, passing through the forests of swords, our livers are all torn apart. The hungry ghosts are always hungry… …The animals are born deluded.

黑绳众合骨烧刀山剑树肝裂

饿鬼饥无食… … 畜生愚痴报

We receive this body of afflictions. We are temporarily released from the sufferings of the three evil paths. Once a while we manage to get this human form, so why do not we despise birth and death?

受此苦恼身暂免三途苦

偶得人身时何不厌生死

Even though we obtain this human form, our worldly desires are unending. That is why we are afflicted in body and mind. Though we have left the hell, we are not benefitted.

虽成此人身世间欲无尽

故身心苦恼出地狱无益

The mind with its roots based on the materialistic desires resembles the retribution of hungry ghosts. The mind of hatred, The mind of harming arise continually. We are not different from animals.

物欲之心根犹如饿鬼报

迭起瞋害心不异于畜生

We keep on giving rise to these false thoughts, wasting our life away from morning till night. We are bound by the five desires. It is very sad that we are still in the burning house.

起此等妄念徒过日夜身

系缚五欲绊悲未出火宅

A thousand autumns and a million years have passed by just as swift as lightnings. The days pass by quickly and very soon death will befall us!

虽千秋万岁只如闪电光

光阴易逝… … 死期速到

10.

No one is able to escape birth, old age, illness and death. A man of honourable or inferior position, of high or low status, rich or poor none of them can escape

生老病死苦不厌任何人

无贵贱高下贫富共难免

11.

Our lifespan resembles the morning dews. We do not dwell long in the heavenly palaces. When the wind of impermanence blows by, the beautiful face will disperse. Nothing is left behind.

寿命如朝露瑶台不久居

无常风一吹花容亦散尽

12.

We thought our parents, our wife, our money and wealth, our house and the hundreds of thousands of millions billions things exist all for our sake!

自父母妻子至财宝所住

百千万亿等以为皆为我

13.

We love and nurture them, take pity on them, until we renounce this body. We will pass away all alone. Travelling on the dark path, who will come to bade farewell?

惜育哀愍之甚至舍此身

魂魄独逝时冥途谁相送

14.

Our six relatives and retinues gather together. Sadly, they hold on to the corpse, crying loudly. In delusion we are pulled away by our karma. We are yet to wake up from the dream of birth and death.

六亲眷属聚虽抱尸悲嚎

被业牵而迷生死梦未觉

15.

On listening to this reasoning, we should just let go of our body, our life and money. After renouncing the false states, we alone will renounce the world.

自闻如是理不惜身命财

既舍虚妄境独身出世外

16.

Throughout the long kalpas, all the living beings are once our parents.

We should accompany them and exhort them to be born in the pure land swiftly.

旷劫多生间无一非父母

伴一切众生速往生净土

17.

If we desire to enter the noumena state, we should do so by abandoning our love ones This Is genuinely repaying their kindness. Recite the Buddha’s name with our mouth, we transfer the merits to all living beings, pervasively.

欲入无为镜弃恩真报恩

口所称念佛普施于众生

18.

We do not have a fixed place to sleep. So we can stay everywhere. There are many houses around. We will just stay anywhere, as long as the rains do not fall on us.

处处无定宿处处为常栖

所至多屋宇不遭雨淋身

19.

I eat only to sustain this body. The master and I are the same. At the death bed we will leave all. What is the point to insist we are the master?

虽维持此身主与我皆同

最终咸舍尽欲主何所为

20.

Since I know it is a burning house, when it is burnt down or damaged I am not shocked. Staying in a thatched hut, an unfurnished room, I do not even bother to repair it.

既知本火宅烧损亦莫惊

虽茅屋陋室更无修治心

21.

Spreading a mat on the ground I do not think it is too narrow. A Buddha reciter sleeps and wakes up without harbouring any false thoughts about the place he stays.

一席铺于地不以为狭小

念佛之起卧无妄念住居

22.

A way place may not be necessary. While conducting ourselves in the four deportment, I recite Namo Amitabha the six syllables. This is the Original Honoured One in this body.

道场未必用四威仪称名

六字之名号是此身本尊

23.

Do not increase the mind for self-benefits. Do not exhort others to attain sagehood. If we do not renounce the five impurities. It is a fault when we speak the Dharma.

不增利欲心不作劝进圣

不离五不净说法成过咎

impurities of seed, dwelling in the womb,self body(4elements) external appearance(nine apertures are putrid),ultimate-throw in the grave

24.

Do not seek to become a master who speaks the dharma. Do not bother to keep any disciples. Do not rely on the donors. Then we will not fawn on people.

不欲说法主亦不畜弟子

不依靠檀那则不谄于人

25.

This body will stay here temporarily. It may still be unable to leave food and clothes. This happens all because of past causes Anyhow,I will not seek any means to support it.

暂存之此身未必离衣食

此亦前世因更不营生计

26.

I do not use words to beg for food. I will not wish to flatter others to get them. If I only eat to survive, surely people will come to make offerings.

不尽词行乞不愿谄求人

若仅为延命自有人供养

27.

Even if we cannot obtain any food, it does not matter. If we were to die of hunger, it is fine with me. After passing away I will be born in the Pure Land. This is such a supreme matter.

若此亦不得饿死无所惜

死而生净土更是殊胜事

28.

The pretension of leaving the world is to be despised. I do not fix on wearing any clothes. I wear the unwanted worn clothes. More important it is not to trouble others.

不喜假出世衣亦无常定

任人之所著以不烦为主

29.

In winter, in summer, I put on the thin clothes. When it rains, I wear the rain coat. The only aim is to protect myself from the cold. Whatever I have I will just put them on.

冬夏衣纸衣下雨着莛蓑

但为御寒故任有而缠身

I eat food in order to survive. I can look for it in my surrounding. I am not sad for the death of this body. I do not bother even if I were to fall sick.

支命之食物随附近之缘

此身不叹死亦不为病嫌

I am not sad if my body is weak. I am not worried about my strength either. As I am not bothered by this form body, I am not attached to delicious food.

此身不悲弱亦不为力忧

不为色身故不嗜味珍馐

Good and bad karma are the karma of transmigration, the karma of birth and death. In the triple realms, the six paths, I have no admiration for them.

善与恶皆是轮回生死业

三界六道中更无所羡慕

I take refuge in Amitabha Buddha and I recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. I will receive the illumination of the Buddha. This is truly known as serving the Buddha.

归命阿弥陀称念弥陀佛

蒙摄取光照是名真奉事

The two Sages are my supreme friends. I do not seek to have mundane friends. All the Buddha often bestow upon me the care and protection. I will be free from all disaster and difficulties.

二圣为胜友不求凡夫朋

诸佛常护念无一切横难

Once I understand this principle, I know I have indeed obtained the favour of the Buddha in virtues and kindness. When I think of this, I become so happy. And I will just keep on reciting the Name of Amitabha Buddha.

能知如是理偏蒙佛恩德

一想便欢喜愈称弥陀名

For the sake of all living beings, I roam afar to learn from good knowing advisers but to no avail. One year I came to Kumano and pray to the Buddha to guide me, at the Hall of Sincere Certification.

为一切众生巡求无其益

一年诣熊野祈祷证诚殿

In the early morning I obtain a response in my dream. I will live this life plainly with no seeking. In future I will see no other refuge except this recitation of the Buddha’s Name which benefits all living beings equally.

晓更得灵梦任彼过此身

后生无依怙唯此平等益

This body is impure, fragile and weak. After passing away it will return to the earth. Those who believe in me are not benefitted and those who slander me are not committing any offence.

但不净脆弱身终舍于土

信我者无益谤我亦无罪

The Name which is recited is replete with inconceivable merits and virtues. Those who see and hear the Name, who are aware of the Name will be awakened. They will wake up from the dream of birth and death.

口所称名号不思议功德

见闻觉知人皆醒生死梦

Those who have faith, those who slander will all be benefitted. This is because of the reliance on the strength of the Buddha, His Name which is inconceivable. From the time of no beginning the innate body exists originally. Do not say you have just started to cultivate now.

信谤皆共有利益他力不思议名号

无始本有之行体莫谓现在开始修

The Buddha Nature is originally the One Thus. There is no difference in enlightenment and delusion. With the sudden arises of a false thought. we are misled, thinking there is an enlightenment, there is the delusion.

佛性本一如无迷悟差别

忽然妄念起误认有迷悟

But, the Original Vows of Amitabha Buddha is aimed to be given away as a gift to the deluded living beings, the living beings who are blunt in root nature, who are unwise. He does not aim at the wise ones, or those with eloquence.

然弥陀本誓布施迷众生

为钝根无智非智慧辩才

He does not differentiate if one cultivates giving and abides by the precepts. He does not differentiate if a man has transgressed the precepts. He gathers in and protects those who enter the door of concentration, and also the door of mixed practices, equally, without hindrances in the four awesome deportments.

不简施与戒亦不简破戒

定散共摄护四威仪无碍

44.

The good and bad men are not differentiated. He does not abandon those who have committed the bad karma. Those with mixed practices cannot attain a rebirth. The good roots are inconceivable.

善恶皆不隔不舍恶业人

杂善皆不生善根不思量.

45.

Do not bother to decorate this body. Do not decorate oneself for others to see. This mind does not calculate nor think. An enlightened mind is free from all false thoughts, ultimately.

不修饰身仪亦不饰人目

心不凭计度悟心彻底绝

46.

The Name of the Immeasurable Lifespan Buddha far-surpasses the lights of all other Buddhas. It is because this Name is neither the Dharma of awakening nor the Dharma of confusion. That is why he is praised as Inconceivable Light Buddha.

无量寿佛之名号诸佛光明所不及

非迷非悟之法故称赞为难思光佛

47.

When you have faith in this dharma… … … the Buddha and living beings are not apart from one another. In the three karma they are not apart from one other. That is why he is known as the Unobstructed Lights Buddha

信乐此法时… … … 生佛皆不隔

彼此三业不舍离是故名无碍光佛

48.

All the thoughts cease to exist as this body relies solely on the Buddha. Inhaling and exhaling one does not forget to recite, Namo Amitabha Buddha.

止一切思量此身仰凭佛

出入息皆念南无阿弥陀佛