Concerning Genshin-Sozu

Buddhist Psalms, by S. Yamabe and L. Adams Beck, [1921], at sacred-texts.com

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CONCERNING GENSHIN-SOZU

204. Genshin the Great Teacher declareth:

"In this world have I, even I, appeared as an incarnation of the Buddha, and now, my work of Salvation being accomplished, I return unto the Eternal Kingdom that is my home.

205. From the teaching of our Lord hath Gen-shin, the Great Teacher, tenderly opened unto us the gate of the Doctrine of the Holy Name, and hath so taught mankind in this evil world that is far removed from the Golden Day of our Lord.

206. Genshin-Sozu, he who sat in the Assemblage on the Peak of Vultures in the time of our Lord, hath taught us that there are two Paradises, that which is eternal and that which is temporal, and thus setteth forth the merit and the defect of the Right Practice and of the Mingled Deed.

207. Acharya Genshin, the Great Teacher, considering one of the Sutra with the commentary of Ekanzenji, hath made plain the attributes of the Land of Outermost Places.

208. For he said: "Not one man is there of thousands who may not be born into the Land of

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[paragraph continues] Purity." And thus saying, he commendeth the followers of the Right Practice.

And again:

"There is not even one among tens of thousands who may enter it." And so saying, he condemneth the doers of the mingled deed.

209. Further he setteth forth how few are the men who can enter into the True Land of Purity. And very solemnly he warneth us that more are they that are born into the Temporal Paradise.

210. Wheresoever men or women, be they noble or lowly born, recite the Holy Name of our Father, there is no pre-eminence of place or time. Freely may they do this, whether walking, resting, sitting, or lying.

211. Though our eyes are so blinded by illusion that we discern not the light whereby He embraceth us, yet that great mercy for ever shineth upon us and is not weary.

212. Whatsoever may be his Visible Deed that would be born into the Promised Land, he shall not forget day or night to hold fast unto the name of the Divine Promise.

213. To us that in this world are sinners most sinful, there is none other way of Salvation save

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that we should enter into the Land of Purity, by reciting the holy name of Him who is our Father.