Five Prayers of Ittōen, four versions, including a new one translated by Andrew James Brown and Miki Nakura
 |
| The prayer/meditation hall at Ittōen |
A few months ago I posted a piece on this blog containing my attempt to translate the Five Prayers of Ittōen. My friend, the Jodo Shinshu priest, Miki Nakura-sensei, who knows the community and sometimes teaches Seiza meditation there, joined in the project and, together, we made the following translation. Having finished it I thought readers of this blog might like to see it along with the three, already existing, translations of the prayers that appeared in English in 1959, 1969, and sometime in the 1980s or 90s, and I have added them below our own translation for comparison. As you will see, these earlier translations only included the basic, five prayers (printed in red in our newest translation) and not Tenko-san’s very helpful explanatory commentaries.
I have also made our new translation available in pdf form along with Imaoka Shin’ichirō’s
“Principles of Living” and, should you wish, you can download that at this link.
—o0o—
Kōmyō Kigan or Prayer for Light (Provisional)
translated by Andrew James Brown & Miki Nakura (March-May 2024)
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）
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。
—o0o—
The Five Prayers of Ittōen (in “What is Ittō-en — Its Theory and Practice” ed. by Colbert N. Kurokawa, Itto-en Publishing House, Yamashina, Kyoto, Japan, 1959)
Have us born anew and have our being by the providence of Light.
Teach us to respect the essence of all religions, and lead us to learn the One Ultimate Truth.
Have us render our services out of penitence, and perform our tasks out of gratitude.
Help us to perfect the way of our living by complete submission to the Laws of Nature.
In a word, grant that we may return to the land of perfumed nook of heavenly flowers, and that we may tread in the paradise of Light.
—o0o—
The Five Prayers of Ittōen translated in 1969 by Makoto Ohashi in collaboration with Marie Beuzeville Byles (“Life of Ittōen — A New Road to Ancient Truth” by Tenko-san, Ittoen Publishing House, 1969, 1983)
May we be born anew into the World of the One Light and live only as Light allows.
May we revere the Essence which is the same in all religions and work for the goal which is also the same for all.
May we serve others in the spirit of Penitence and in gratitude for the gifts we have received.
May we perfect our lives by shaping them in accord with the sacred laws of nature.
And may we thus return to our Home, and move in the Paradise of Formless Light.
—o0o—
The Five Prayers of Ittōen (in a pamphlet from Ittōen which looks like it was published sometime in the 1980s or 90s)
May we be born anew and live as we are accepted and enabled to live by the one indivisible Light of grace.
May we worship and revere the truth which is the same in all religions and work for the cherished goal, and great hope (vow) which is also common to all.
May we serve others in the spirit of “sange” (selfless penitence for all the evils of the world) and do mendicant labor in gratitude.
May we attain fulfillment by abiding by the principles for community life based upon the supreme and eternal law.
And may we, in this way, return to our Home filled with heavenly flowers and smell of freshness, and flow freely in the paradise free of any fixed form.
Comments