The Five Daily Prayers of Ittōen with their additional commentaries

The original Japanese web page containing these five prayers with their additional notes, collectively known as the Kōmyō Kigan or Prayer for Light, can be found at this link. They were written by Tenko Nishida (Tenko-san) for his own community known as Ittōen (一燈園 ), which means the Garden of the One Light. Leroy Seat, an American missionary who visited the Ittōen helpfully introduces Tenko-san in this way:

As a young man (in 1904), Tenko-san had a deep religious experience, partly from reading Leo Tolstoy’s “Confession,” sometimes published under the title “My Religion.” Through Tolstoy, he was greatly influenced by Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

Partially because of that influence, later in the year of his “conversion,” Tenko-san started Ittōen (“Garden of [the] One Light”), which was finally able to acquire its first building in 1913.

Perhaps Tenko-san lived by literal teachings of the Sermon on the Mount more than anyone after Francis of Assisi in the 13th century. And for more than a century now, the community life and activities of Ittōen have demonstrated a fascinating blend of Jesus’ teachings and Zen Buddhist spirituality. 

The best source for learning about Tenko-san and Ittōen in English is the book A New Road to Ancient Truth, first published in 1969. Mostly a collection of sayings by Tenko-san, the book’s entire “Author's Foreword” are words expressing one of his most profound insights: “In having nothing lies inexhaustible wealth.”

Given my own long-term passion for Tolstoy’s interpretation of Jesus, and the fact that Tenko-san was a foundational influence on Imaoka Shin’ichirō (1881-1988), whose work on free-religion (jiyū shūkyō) has profoundly influenced me and which I am currently exploring with my own congregation in Cambridge, it is perhaps not surprising that in recent years the Five Daily Prayers of Ittōen have slowly become my own daily prayers along with the Lord’s Prayer and the nembutsu. 

The five prayers have been translated in a variety of ways over the years, and my own translations here (made with the grateful assistance of ChatGPT 4) takes all of them into account, even though I have chosen to render them in slightly different ways to the earlier versions. However, to my knowledge, the additional notes have never been translated into English, so you only have here my take on them. Anyway, in the spirit of both Tenko-san and Imaoka-sensei, I feel it is important to conclude this introductory note by saying that my translation must be taken as provisional and tentative, and I’m very happy to have any mistakes (of which I am sure there are many) corrected — just pop a note in the comments. 

[Additional note, 11th May 2024. As you will see from the comments below this post, my friend, Dharma friend, and Seiza meditation (Quiet Sitting) teacher, Miki Nakura-sensei, has kindly made a number of corrections/suggestions, nearly all of which have been incorporated into the translation. It is important to say that the couple of suggestions that haven’t been incorporated were agreed by both of us in two long and very fruitful conversations via Zoom, which included a very helpful clarificatory comment offered up by Tanino-san (谷野 ) from Ittōen about the interpretation of 他に障りなき生涯を送らんことを期すべし. About this he said: “Regarding the meaning of the first verse of the prayer for Light, Tenko-san was a person who preached peace by abandoning oneself and devoting it to others, and he put it into practise, so it seems that the meaning of 他 in this context is people other than oneself.” Consequently, Miki and I left the sentence in the way it was first translated, i.e., “aspiring to lead a life that does not hinder others.” I’m hugely grateful to Miki Nakura-sensei for his help and insights. Thank you, Miki!]

Lastly, the two photos in this blog post of Ittōen’s main meditation/prayer hall and a close-up of its beautiful central window, were taken by Miki who, very recently, was teaching Seiza meditation there . . .

—o0o—

Kōmyō Kigan or Prayer for Light (Provisional)  

The one, non-dual Light (不二の光明 funi no kōmyō) is like the sunlight that pervades the universe. Everything it touches emits various kinds of light. The Prayer for Light is merely a phenomenon within the field of consciousness of the person who begins it. It should be added to and subtracted from; inaccuracies must be corrected, and it can be remade. This is why it is called provisional.

光明祈願（暫定） 

不二の光明は宇宙に遍満する陽光の如し。物あり、之に触れて色々の光を発す。光明祈願は即ち起稿者識界の現象に過ぎず。添すべく、削すべく、正さざる可からず、改作又不可なし。暫定と名づくる所以なり。

—o0o— 

1) May we be reborn and allowed to live by the one, non-dual Light. 

We should first be reborn and revitalized by the one, non-dual Light (不二の光明 funi no kōmyō), entrusted to God (神 kami) and nurtured by Buddha (仏 hotoke), aspiring to lead a life that does not hinder others.

不二の光明によりて新生し許されて活きん
（ふにのこうみょうによりてしんせいし　ゆるされていきん） 

我等は先ず不二の光明により復活新生し、神に委ね仏に養われ、他に障りなき生涯を送らんことを期すべし。

—o0o—

2) May we revere the heart of all religions, and participate in the Great Vow of Unity.

By revering the heart of all religions (諸宗の真髄 shoshū no shinzui) from all times and places, the Great Vow of Unity (帰一の大願 kiitsu no taigan) should become as follows:

          The collective vow: Complete attainment of great and perfect enlightenment for all.
          The individual vow: To achieve true world peace in the future.

Without establishing a single religion, and without bias towards a single spiritual community, we aspire to look up to the light of the saints from all ages, praise their virtues, and fulfil the tasks they have left behind.

諸宗の真髄を礼拝し帰一の大願に参ぜん
（しょしゅうのしんずいをらいはいし　きいつのたいがんにさんぜん） 

内外古今諸宗の真髄を礼拝すれば、一の大願は左の如くなるべし。

　　通願　皆倶成就大円覚
　　別願　将来世界真平和

別に一宗を立てず、単に一派に偏らず、古今聖者の光を仰ぎ徳を頌し、その遺されたる事業を成就せんことを期す。

—o0o—

3) May we freely serve others in the spirit of repentance and in gratitude for the gifts we have received. 

No one can escape responsibility for the vices/evils (罪悪 zaiaku) and sufferings (苦患 kugen) of the world. It is hoped that we will always possess a heart of repentance (懺悔 sange), serve freely at the crossroads, with the mind of Bodhi (mind of enlightenment, 菩提心 bodai shin), and thus align with the fundamental vow of achieving enlightenment for the universe (法界成就の本願 hōkai jōju no hongan).

懺悔の為に奉仕し報恩の為に行乞せん
（さんげのためにほうしし　ほうおんのためにぎょうこつせん） 

世間一切の罪悪苦患、何人かその責を脱るることを得べき。願わくは常に懺悔の心を持して十字街頭に奉仕し、菩提心によりて行乞し、以て法界成就の本願にそわんことを。

—o0o—

4) May we make our way in the everyday world by following the Dharma, the sacred laws of nature. 

In accordance with the precepts of natural truth (天真法爾の戒相 tenshin hōni no kaisō) and following the six practices of aspiration (六度の行願 rokudo no gyōgan) [see note below], acting on the true path (真道 shindō) in managing our livelihood and industry, we shall demonstrate the way of life that aims to bring about everlasting true peace (永久真平和 eikyū shin heiwa). Thus, we aspire to fulfil the accomplishment of everyday truth for laypeople (在家俗諦 zaike zokutai).

法爾の清規に随い世諦を成ぜん
（ほうにのしんぎにしたがい　せたいをじょうぜん） 

天真法爾の戒相に則り、六度の行願に随い、治生産業に即して真道を行じ、永久真平和を将来すべき生活法を実証し、以て在家俗諦を成就せんことを期す。

Note: The six practices are: paying homage, “Geza” (taking the lower position, humility), service, consolation, “sange” (penitence), and “gyokotsu” (to do mendicant labour — which I have attempted to capture in the phrase “freely serve/serving” used in the third prayer).  And since 10,000 households were counted as a basic unit of this service, it was named “Rokuman Gyogan” (six prayer practice for 10,000).

—o0o—

5) And, in this way, may we return to our home [the Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers], always rambling leisurely (逍遥 shōyō) in the formless paradise (無相の楽園 musō no rakuen) of light. 

If one attains a broad perspective, indeed, this world is a pure land of serene light (寂光の浄土 jakkō no jōdo), a celestial garden of wonderful joy 妙楽の天園 myōraku no ten’en) where the rise of civilization and the phenomena of evolution, even the pure rules and precepts, are merely a freely playing samadhi (一の遊戯三昧 itsu no yuge sanmai). Sadly, the nuance of this message goes beyond what words can adequately express or hint at. For the moment, let’s simply name this reality as the Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers (天華香洞 tenka kōdō).

The gate of the Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers, tentatively named the Garden of the One Light (一燈園 Ittōen), can be seen as a transformational city (化城 kejyō) established for those who aspire to the path but who yet cannot stand on their own, including the elderly, the ill, and the young. It becomes an embodiment of the pure wealth of joyous giving, and entrance to the garden is granted by following its pure rules. Standing in the Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers, the management and organization of the entrusted finances and projects is tentatively named Senkōsha [Society for Spreading Light] (宣光社 senkō sha). The purpose of Senkōsha is to eradicate the world’s delusions, conflicts, and strife, aiming for harmonious homes, well-governed nations, and a peaceful world (斉家治国平天下 seika chikoku heitenka). The Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers, the Garden of the One Light, and Senkōsha are three different things but one in essence, altogether embodying the formless non-duality (無相不二 musou funi).

即ち天華香洞に帰り無相の楽園に逍遥せん
（すなわちてんかこうどうにかえり　むそうのらくえんにしょうようせん） 

達観すれば実にもこの世は寂光の浄土、妙楽の天園、文明の隆興も進化の事象も乃至清規戒行も、この見地よりすれば即ち一の遊戯三昧に過ぎず。憾むらくは箇中の消息、もとよく言辞の髣髴し得る限りにあらざるを。暫くこの実相に名づけて天華香洞という。

天華香洞の門、仮に名づけて一燈園となす。道に志して尚自ら立つ能わざるもの、乃至老、病、幼者等の為に設けられたる一の化城とも見る可し。その存在は喜捨の浄財に成り、在園はその清規によりて許さる。 天華香洞に立ち、信託をうけたる財物事業の整理経営等に従うを仮に名づけて宣光社という。宣光社の目的は世間の執迷、紛争、葛藤を根絶し、以て斉家、治国、平天下を期するにあり。天華香洞と一燈園と宣光社と、三位にして一体、通じては即ち無相不二。