With reverence, I remain 12th day, 8th month, 5th year of Bunmei (1473CE)
Around the early part of the Fourth Month in the Third Year of Bunmei, I slipped out quietly (on the spur of the moment and without design) from the area around the Southern Detached Quarters of the Mii Temple at Otsu in the Shiga District of Goshu and visited throughout the provinces of Echizen and Kaga. Based on this trip, I leveled a site in these mountains (the former habitat of wolves) at a place called Yoshizaki within the District of Hosorogi of this Echizen Province because of its exceptional picturesque-ness, and started to construct the temple complex as it exists today on the 27th day of the seventh month of that year. As time has flown by, already the spring and fall of three years have passed. During this period, priests and laymen, male and female, have gathered here in massive pilgrimages. However, since these pilgrimages appeared to be of no benefit, meaning, or purpose whatever, I have closed this temple to them starting this year. The reason (for my having done this) is this: The basic motive for my being in this particular place is that having received life into the world of man and being able to listen at this very moment to Buddha's Dharma (which is difficult to even come by), is it not truly a pitiful thing to senselessly disregard this opportunity and sink in vain into Hell? Therefore, I made this decision on the basis that there were no reasons to allow these people to gather here who do not care to obtain rebirth in the Pure Land after acquiring the Faith of the Nembutsu. The basic purpose of my closure of this temple is definitely not for the sake of my reputation or gain, but only to place emphasis on the need for devotion towards Enlightenment in the life to come. Therefore, those who have seen or who have heard about this closure must not misinterpret this action from a stilted viewpoint.
With reverence, I remain 9th month, 5th year of Bunmei (1473CE)
People have said from long ago that our Jodo Shinshu Sect is a laughably defiled sect. In truth, they are pointing to a condition with justification; there are people in this sect who (without due understanding) explain points in the Teachings of our school to those of other sects without due circumspection. This is a great mistake. The "adherence to the manner of conduct as set forth by this Jodo Shinshu Sect" means that a person well understands the matter of keeping the traditional Teachings of our school firmly in his heart and refrains from showing even a hint of it outwardly. However, since recently, some have thoughtlessly expounded the Teachings of our sect to those of other sects without due consideration, people have labeled our sect as being without depth. Due to the existence of such persons with poor understanding among us, people look upon our sect as defiled and hateful. You should understand that the core of the trouble lies not in the people of the other sects being bad, but in the poor judgment of the people within our own sect. Now, with respect to abstinences and taboos, we can say that (relative to the Dharma) we do not observe abstinences or taboos in our sect. Should there not be avoidances pertinent to our association with those of the other sects and to those in governmental circles? It goes without saying that in our contacts with those of the other sects, certain refrainments as mentioned above must be observed; and too, there must not be slander on our part because others observe abstinences and taboos. However, it must be remembered that those who wish to pursue Buddha's Dharma are not limited, by any means, to only the followers of the Nembutsu. It is clearly written in many Sutras that there are to be no abstinences or taboos. For instance, in the Nehan Gyo it states, "Passage is given in the Japanese calligraphic form of the Sutra...." The meaning of this passage is, "Within the Teachings of the Tathágata, there are no such things as the selection of appropriate sign-filled days for luck or favorable times...." Again, in the Hanjyu Kyo-, it states, "Ubai kono sanmai wo kikite, manaban to hossen mono wa mizukara Butsu ni Kimyo shi, Ho ni Kimyo shi, Bikuso ni Kimyo shi, yodo ni tsukauru koto wo ezare, ten wo haisuru koto wo ezare, kijin wo matsuru koto wo ezare, kichi ryo nichi wo miru koto wo ezare...." The meaning of this passage is, "A lay woman who seeks the Truth after having heard this Teaching and desires to learn it, should place her reliance on the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. She must not aspire to some other Path, pray to heavens, worship demons and deities, and select lucky days and favorable times...." Although there are other passages from Sutras that state the same thing, the above passages will suffice here. It appears to me that the followers of the Nembutsu especially ought not to have any anxieties over abstinences and taboos. You should understand this very clearly.
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