Translation of the modern Japanese language version of the “Prayer for Light” (Provisional) [光明祈願 (暫定)] used at Ittōen [一燈園]

The main entrance to Ittōen, taken by Miki Nakura 

An English translation made by me and Miki Nakura of the modern Japanese language version of the “Prayer for Light” (Kōmyō Kigan) by Mr. Naoki Matsumoto [松本直樹さん] (the Japanese text is at the end of this post).

An earlier translation of the older Japanese language version of the “Prayer for Light” made by me and Miki can be found at this link.

The English language Ittōen website can be found at this link

The Japanese language Ittōen website can be found at this link  

“Prayer for Light” (Provisional) [光明祈願 (暫定)] 

The one, non-dual Light is like the sunlight that fills the universe. [Though sunlight itself is invisible,] when it strikes objects, they reflect a multitude of colours. In the same way, the Prayer for Light presented below is merely a reflection of the invisible non-dual Light within the author’s consciousness. Therefore, it should be open to addition, deletion, and correction. Rewriting is also permitted. This is the reason for calling it “Provisional”.

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

We must, first and foremost, be revived and reborn through the one, non-dual Light, entrust ourselves to God/Kami, be nurtured by Buddha, and endeavour to live a life that is no impediment to other people.

2) May we revere the heart of all religions, and participate in the Great Vow of Returning-to-One (Kiitsu).

When we respectfully consider the true purport of all religions, regardless of their origin or age, the one greatest wish common to them all is as follows:

• The fundamental wish: That all people may together attain Great Perfect Enlightenment. 
• The further wish: To bring true peace to the world.

We have not founded a new, distinct religion, nor do we stubbornly adhere to any single established religion. We simply look up to the light of the saints of all ages, praise their virtue, and aim to bring to completion the work they have bequeathed to us.

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

No one is entirely free from responsibility for the vices/evils and sufferings that pervade the world. Our wish is to constantly strive in service at the crossroads with a heart of repentance, to go on alms-round seeking enlightenment and the salvation of humanity, and to live in accordance with the fundamental vow to realise a world of truth.

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

We aim to keep the rules naturally and spontaneously, engage in the six practices of aspiration [see end note], practise the true path within our everyday social and economic activities, personally demonstrate a lifestyle capable of bringing about true and permanent peace, and realise the truth of secular society as laypeople.

5) And, in this way, may we return to our home [the Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers], always rambling leisurely in the formless paradise of light.

If one sees thoroughly, this world is in fact itself a pure land filled with the serene light of Truth and Wisdom, a heavenly garden of utmost peace and joy. Both the rise and progress of civilisation and personal spiritual practices following the pure rules are, from this perspective, merely a single, free and spontaneous activity. Regrettably, its essential nature cannot be fully captured in words. Thus, we provisionally name this true reality the Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers [天華香洞 Tenkakōdō].

This entrance to the Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers is provisionally called the Garden of the One Light [一燈園 Ittōen]. This garden can be thought of as a “provisional castle”—a temporary refuge established for those who seek the Path but are not yet strong enough to walk it alone, and for the elderly, the sick, and children. Its existence depends on the pure donations of supporters. Residence within the garden is granted to those who follow its Pure Rules.

The activity of managing and operating the assets and enterprises entrusted to us, while being grounded in the Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers, is provisionally named the Society for Spreading Light [宣光社 Senkōsha]. The Society’s aim is to eradicate the world’s attachments and delusions, conflicts, and complications, and thereby work towards the harmonisation of families, the governance of nations, and the bringing of peace to the world. The Fragrant Cave of Heavenly Flowers, the Garden of the One Light, and the Society for Spreading Light are three positions forming a single entity; in their ultimate essence, they are formless and not to be separated.

END NOTE

Rokuman Gyōgan [六萬行願]—The six practices are: paying homage, “geza” (taking the lower seat, humility), service, consolation, “sange” (penitence), and “gyokotsu” (to do mendicant labour—which we have attempted to capture in the phrase “freely serve” used in the third prayer of the Prayer for Light).  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). 

Modern Japanese Language Version

光明祈願（暫定）

　「不二の光明」は宇宙にあまねく満ちた太陽の光のようなものである。〔太陽の光そのものは目に見えないが、〕物があればそれに反射して様々な色彩の光が目に映る。それと同じように、以下に掲げる「光明祈願」も、〔目に見えない不二の光明が〕筆者の意識に映った、その現われにすぎない。それゆえ、これをさらに添削し、訂正することを厭うべきでない。書き改めることも禁じない。「暫定」と名づけるのは、そのためである。

不二の光明によりて新生し許されて活きん

　私たちはまず何よりも、上に述べた不二の光明によってよみがえり、新しく生まれなおして、この身を神に委ね、仏に養われて、他の人々の妨げにならない生涯を送るよう努めるべきである。

諸宗の真髄を礼拝し帰一の大願に参ぜん

日本のものか外国のものか、古くからあるか新しいものかを問わず、その本当の趣旨を敬い察するならば、諸宗教に共通する唯一最大の願いは次のようなものである。

　　根本の願い　全ての人がともに大いなる円かな覚りに達すること

　　さらなる願い　世界に真の平和をもたらすこと

　私たちは、従来のものとは異なる特別な宗教を創始したわけではない。また、単純に既成宗教のどれかに固執するのでもない。ただ、古今の聖者たちの光を仰ぎ見てその徳をたたえ、彼らが私たちに残した仕事をやり遂げることを目指すのである。

懺悔の為に奉仕し報恩の為に行乞せん

　世にはびこるあらゆる罪悪や悩み苦しみに対し、何の責任もない人などいない。私たちの願いは、つねに懺悔の心で街角に立って奉仕に努めること、覚りと人の世の救いを求めて托鉢して回り、真理の世界を実現するという根本の願いに沿って生きることである。

法爾の清規に随い世諦を成ぜん

　あるがまま、自然なままにきまりを守り、六萬行願に従事し、実社会の営みのただなかで真実の道を実践し、真の恒久平和をもたらしうるような生活の仕方があることを身をもって示し、在家のまま実社会の真理を実現することを目指す。

即ち天華香洞に帰り無相の楽園に逍遥せん

　よくよく見極めるなら、じつはこの世がそのまま真理と智慧の静かな光に満ちた浄土であり、このうえなく安楽な天の庭である。文明が興ったり進歩したりすることも、人が清らかなきまりを守り修行を重ねることも、このような見方からすれば、同じ一つの自由自在な働きにすぎない。残念なことに、そのありさまを言葉で十分に思い描くことはできない。そこで、この真実の姿を仮に名づけて「天華香洞」という。

この天華香洞に入る門を、仮に「一燈園」と名づける。この一燈園を、道を歩もうと志しながら一人では挫けがちな者や、老人・病人・幼児などを支え励ますために設けられた仮の城 [*] と考えてもよい。この城は善意の寄付によって成り立つ。また、この城に滞在することは、城を律する清らかなきまりを守ることによって許される。

　身は天華香洞にありつつ、人から信用されて預かるに至った様々な財産や事業について、その整理や経営に携わることを仮に「宣光社」と名づける。宣光社が目指すのは、世にはびこる執着や迷い、争いや対立を根絶して、家庭を整え、国家を治め、天下に平和をもたらすことである。「天華香洞」と「一燈園」と「宣光社」、この三者は三者ながらに一体であって、究極的には形なく、したがって分かれることのないものである。