by Gansen John Welch Sensei
We are like a yacht without an engine at the mercy
Of wild winds and mountainous waves
We are utterly helpless and cannot free
Ourselves from these irresistible forces of karma
Only Amida and his peerless Dharma
Can finally and safely save
Us from the terrible suffering that awaits
In future lower realms and states
The inevitable consequence of past thoughts, words and deeds
We must quickly awake from our nightmare in this time of need
And entrust ourselves, entirely, utterly and completely
To Amida’s great Grace and saving Other Power
Abandon all reliance on our futile and feeble self-power
Rely only on Amida’s Primal Vow
Not tomorrow but now
Say Amida Buddha’s Name
Of unsurpassed fame
And wish to be born in Amida’s Pure Land, Sukhavati
Where you will be forever free
From all suffering
And then able to help bring
All sentient beings in samsara
To the bliss of nirvana
Thanks entirely to the inconceivable working
Of Amida’s Primal Vow
Namo Amida Butsu
Namo Amida Butsu
Namo Amida Butsu
Thank you Amida Buddha
Homage to Amida Buddha
I take refuge in Amida Buddha
These verses were inspired by the following passage from Reverend Josho Adrian Cirlea’s important and excellent book, The Meaning of Faith and Nembutsu in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism (pages 97 to 99): “The One Vehicle of the Primal Vow- the ultimate teaching of Shakyamuni and all Buddhas:
It is very important to understand that Shinran Shonin did not consider the Primal Vow and the teaching explaining it, to be just a path among the many Mahayana methods, but the supreme Buddhist vehicle, the One Vehicle of the Primal Vow (Universal Vow), the most important teaching of all Buddhas, the true, hidden reason for their coming to this world.
He said:
"Respectfully I proclaim to all aspirants of Birth: The ocean of the One Vehicle of the Universal Vow"
"When I ponder the ocean of the One Vehicle of the Primal Vow, I see that it is the all-merging, perfect, unhindered, absolute, and unparalleled teaching that brings about the quickest effect"
"Know that because the One Vehicle of the Primal Vow is the ultimate sudden teaching, the teaching of sudden and instantaneous attainment, the perfectly fulfilled teaching, and the consummate teaching, it is the absolute and incomparable teaching, the path of true reality or suchness. It is the single within the single, the sudden within the sudden, the true within the true, the consummate within the consummate. The One Vehicle that is true reality is the ocean of the great Vow. It is the supreme, rare practice."
Why is it "the ultimate sudden teaching" or "teaching of sudden and instantaneous attainment"? Because through this teaching we will attain perfect Enlightenment in the very moment of our birth in the Pure Land. This is also the reason why it is "the path of true reality or suchness" and "the One Vehicle that is true reality". If we enter the Pure Land of Amida Buddha through the gate of the Primal Vow, we immediately attain true reality or suchness, that is Dharmakaya of Buddha nature.
Why is it the "unparalleled teaching" "the perfectly fulfilled teaching, the consummate teaching" and "the absolute and incomparable teaching"? Because it is the ultimate teaching of all Buddhas, the true meaning of their coming in various samsaric realms and because no other teaching, practice or Dharma gate can bring so easily ALL beings, without any discrimination of their respective virtues or lack of any virtue, to the attainment of perfect Enlightenment:
“Shakyamuni Tathagata appeared in this world
Solely to teach the ocean like Primal Vow of Amida;
We, an ocean of beings in an evil age of five defilements,
Should entrust ourselves to the Tathagata’s words of truth”.
"Truly we know, then, that the crucial matter for which the Great Sage, the World-honored One, appeared in this world was to reveal the true benefit of the compassionate Vow and to declare it to be the direct teaching of the
Tathagatas. The essential purport of this great compassion is to teach the immediate attainment of Birth by foolish beings. Thus, looking into the essence of the teachings of the Buddhas, we find that the true and fundamental intent for which all the Tathagatas, past, present, and future, appear in this world, is solely to teach the inconceivable Vow of Amida".
>>> The Meaning of Faith and Nembutsu in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, audio version narrated by Gansen Johm Welch