With reverence, I remain Middle of the 9th month, 5th year of Bunmei (1473CE)
For many years now the lay members of the Chosho Temple have been inexcusably at variance with the principles of the Dharma. Let me explain. There is a chairman of an organized religio-social group there. Deep in his mind he thinks that the fact of his being the chairman of this group and being served the likes of food, "sake," etc. ahead of the others in deference to his position, and being regarded highly by members and workers in and out of this social group is truly the essential point of the Dharma. This has nothing to do with the purpose of being reborn in the Land of Bliss, but appears to be something that is only for the sake of worldly honor and fame. When we examine the original purpose of the monthly meetings by our school, it was to assemble the ordinary people (ignorant beings that live in senseless fashion by day and night, who pass a lifetime in vain and are destined at the end to sink into the Three Rapids) in the temple hall to discuss one another's problems and views on Faith. Meetings were held once a month for just an exclusive gathering of fellow followers of the Nembutsu. That in recent years, there has never been a discussion on the pros and cons on the subject of "Faith" at these gatherings is a condition that is expressibly shameful. Henceforth, a conscientious discussion of "Faith" should always be held at these meetings without exception. The reason for this is that these discussions will be the cause for the realization of True Rebirth in the Land of Bliss.
With reverence, I remain Latter part, 9th month, 5th year of Bunmei (1473CE)
Presently, there are some among the followers of the Nembutsu in this area (Echizen) who have been using a strange and peculiar tenet and saying that this concept is really the true state of having attained Faith. Moreover, their conviction is that they firmly believe that they understand what our sect calls "Faith." What these people are saying is that Faith is the not-forgetting of the sense of gratitude owed Amida from the very moment He took the Great Enlightenment ten kalpas ago to grant us the assurance of our rebirth. This is a great mistake! Knowing the reason for Amida Tathágata entering the Great Enlightenment is, in fact, pointless if one does not know the cause of his own rebirth called "the Faith of the Other-Power." Therefore, one must know first what the True Faith of our sect is. This Faith is expressed in the Larger Sukhavativyuha-Sutra as "the Three Faiths," in the Amitayur Dhyana-Sutra as "the Three Hearts," and in the Smaller Sukhavativyuha-Sutra as "One Heart." In each of the Three Sacred Scriptures, "Faith" is expressed through different terms, but the meaning of each is only to express the essence of the "One Heart of the Other-Power." Thus, to describe the state or condition of what is called "Faith," firstly it would be that: When one rejects all the various sundry practices and relies unshakably on Amida Tathágata, when one ceases to rely upon any of the various deities or other Buddhas and places complete reliance exclusively on Amida Tathágata with a singleness of heart, the Tathágata will embrace this person in His Light and never discard him. This is the condition at the very instant of our Determined Faith. Consequent to understanding things as above, believe the Nembutsu to be the expression of gratitude of Amida Tathágata for having given us the Faith in the Other-Power. Because of this understanding and belief in particular, one is to be called at last a follower of the Nembutsu who has that Determined-Faith.
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