The is a document written by the founder of the Japanese
Jōdo Shū (Pure Land) Buddhism school,
Hōnen, two days before his death. The document is meant to summarize Hōnen's teachings for future generations, and serves as his final testament. The document was written on the twenty-third day of the first
lunar month
In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two successive syzygies of the same type: new moons or full moons. The precise definition varies, especially for the beginning of the month.
Variations
In Shona, Middle Eastern, and Eur ...
of the second year of
Kenryaku (1212) and contains fewer than three hundred words. It is regularly read and recited in Jōdo Shū services to this day.
The document affirms Hōnen's belief that ultimately sentient beings are deluded and ignorant, but that through the entrusting of
Amida Buddha, and through the recitation of the ''
nembutsu
Nianfo (, Japanese: , , vi, niệm Phật) is a term commonly seen in Pure Land Buddhism. In the context of Pure Land practice, it generally refers to the repetition of the name of Amitābha. It is a translation of Sanskrit '' '' (or, "recoll ...
'', one can be reborn in the
Pure Land.
The original Japanese, with
romanization
Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, a ...
is as follows:
An English translation of the One-Sheet Document is as follows:
There is some controversy regarding translation of the term as potentially pejorative toward women, but is generally interpreted from a standpoint of humility, not merit.
References
{{Japan-reli-stub
Jōdo-shū
Hōnen
Buddhism in the Kamakura period