Read, reflect, pray
Enmei Jizō Wasan
延命地蔵和讃
A traditional hymn praising Jizō’s compassion and discussing rebirth, mantra and esoteric Buddhist teachings. This reader follows the forty-line form published by Hōrakuji. It is distinct from the Sai no Kawara hymn and from the Enmei Jizō Sutra. Older characters and kana spellings have been regularized; the source’s 大非 is presented as 大悲, compassion, in keeping with the hymn’s opening. It includes historical depictions of suffering, not predictions about the reader.
English meaning and source text
English meaning
About this English rendering
This site’s English rendering of the Japanese meaning guide, aligned with this edition. It is separate from the source words for recitation and is not an official liturgy. Sacred sounds are explained where possible, not given speculative literal translations. Historical beliefs, royal authority, illness and protection claims belong to the text; they are not present-day judgments, medical advice or guarantees of results.
This rendering follows the form published by Hōrakuji. It presents the hymn’s teachings about rebirth, suffering and esoteric Buddhism as teachings within the text, not predictions about the reader or promises of a longer life.
Section 1
I take refuge in Jizō and bow in reverence. Remembering the charge entrusted by Shakyamuni,
Jizō appears in realms of suffering and guides living beings out of distress.
Though there are many pure bodhisattvas close to complete awakening,
the hymn praises Jizō Bodhisattva as unsurpassed in the depth of compassion.
Wandering through rebirth since a beginning beyond knowing, when shall we leave the cycle of deluded birth and death?
Our cycling through the six realms resembles a wheel continually turning.
From the first moment of delusion, we enter the darkness of ignorance,
and our sleep in that long night is so deep that even the dream does not awaken us.
The sorrow of heavenly beings declining and leaving their realm, and the sufferings of birth, aging, illness and death,
are like flames in a burning house, like smoke that scorches the heart.
Though one may have family, treasures, a royal position, many attendants and animals,
when the spirit enters the intermediate state after death, none of these accompanies it.
Whom can one turn to then? Who can offer help in that suffering?
I ask this alone: Jizō, guide us out of delusion.
Section 2
The pride and strife of the asura realm, and the harm caused by ignorance in the animal realm,
lie within cause and effect, with no way of escape yet found.
How pitiful and unskilled we are. Had we not known, we might have left things as they were;
knowing this principle, the hymn calls it heedless not to consider the life to come.
Painful is the plight of hungry ghosts, depicted as consuming their children in extreme hunger.
Even crushing brains and drinking blood, they are depicted as finding no satisfaction.
The hymn asks us to consider how great such suffering would be.
All the more, it says, the condition of hell exceeds thought and words.
The names Avīci, Burning Heat and Great Wailing are themselves described as fearsome.
The hymn portrays the sorrow of a spirit going alone toward the flames.
Through the merit of invoking compassionate Jizō's name once in this world,
the singer asks Jizō to guide spirits drawn onward by karma.
Section 3
Beyond merely knowing, the three syllables represented by the character 賀 in Jizō’s mantra
are said to reveal the principle of non-arising in the conditions of the ten unwholesome actions.
If karmic causes have no fixed substance, where could their painful results possess such substance?
Jizō is praised as the buddha of the palace of the syllable A, where both cause and effect are understood as non-arising.
The hymn praises Jizō, the great being of the south, in relation to Ratnasambhava Buddha and Banner Bodhisattva.
It joins the pure aspiration to awakening with the wish-fulfilling jewel, praising the jewel in Jizō's left hand.
Placed on a high banner, it rains diverse treasures and fulfills aspirations both worldly and beyond the world, the hymn says.
It laments that we wander in a poor village yet do not seek this aid.
In the mandalas of the three divisions, it names Kannon, Jihō and Kongōdō,
appearing as a single activity of great compassion that embraces and guides living beings.
The staff is praised as a complete tower of Dharma-nature, embodying the unobstructed six great elements.
Held and shaken in Jizō's hand, it awakens beings from the deep sleep of delusion.
One gateway is the universal gateway; Jizō is also Henjōson, the All-Illuminating One, the hymn says.
It closes by praising the unity of cause and result as the buddha of the nondual Great Vehicle.
Source text and reading aid
Roman letters are provided for every line of this source text.
How to use the Roman letters
Roman letters follow the kana displayed in this site’s Japanese reader; some readings are editorial additions documented on the Japanese page. These are a reading aid, not restored Sanskrit or a recording of a temple’s chanting. Historical spellings (such as wo, wi, we and ha used as a particle) are kept. Double vowels and repeated vowels mark the written kana; rhythm and pronunciation can differ by tradition.
You can simply read the meaning or sit quietly. No recitation is required. For a temple or shrine’s own recitation, follow that tradition’s published guidance.
地蔵尊への礼拝と六趣
帰命頂礼地蔵尊 釈迦の付属を憶念し
kimyouchourai jizouson shakano fuzokuwo okunenshi
悪趣に出現し給いて 衆生の苦患を導けり
akushuni shutsugenshi tamaite shujouno kugenwo michibikeri
等覚無垢の大士たち その数あまたましませど
tougaku mukuno daishitachi sono kazuamatamashimasedo
大慈大悲の深きこと 地蔵菩薩にしくはなし
daijidaihino fukakikoto jizoubosatsunishikuhanashi
無始より我等流転して いつか生死を離るべき
mushiyori warera rutenshite itsuka shoujiwo hanarubeki
六趣輪廻のありさまは 車のめぐるがごとくなり
rokushurinnenoarisamaha kurumanomegurugagotokunari
一念まよいし始めより 無明の暗き闇にいり
ichinenmayoishi hajimeyori mumyouno kuraki yaminiiri
長夜の眠り深ければ 夢に驚くこともなし
chouyano nemuri fukakereba yumeni odorokukotomonashi
退没五衰の悲しみも 生老病死の苦しみも
taimotsugosuino kanashimimo shouroubyoushino kurushimimo
皆これ火宅のほのおにて 胸を焦がせる煙りなり
minakore katakunohonoonite munewo kogaseru kemurinari
妻子珍宝及王位 眷属牛馬おおけれど
saishichinbougyuuoui kenzokugyuubaookeredo
魂中有にいりぬれば 一つも従う者ぞなき
tamashii chuuuniirinureba hitotsumo shitagau monozonaki
この時誰をか頼むべき その苦を誰かは助くべき
kono toki tarewoka tanomubeki sono kuwo tarekaha tasukubeki
ただ願わくば地蔵尊 迷いを導き給うべし
tada negawakuba jizouson mayoiwo michibiki tamaubeshi
苦しみからの導きを願う
修羅きょうまん闘諍も 畜生愚知の残害も
shurakyouman toujoumo chikushou guchino zangaimo
因果の道理定まりて 脱るるたよりなかりけり
ingano douri sadamarite nogarurutayorinakarikeri
哀れつたなき我等かな 知らずばさてもやみぬべき
awaretsutanaki warerakana shirazubasatemoyaminubeki
すでにこの理をわきまえて 後世を恐れぬはかなさよ
sudenikono riwowakimaete gosewo osorenuhakanasayo
飢えに臨みて子を喰らう 餓鬼の思いぞ哀れなる
ueni nozomite kowo kurau gakino omoizo awarenaru
脳を砕きて血を吸えど 心に飽く事さらになし
nouwo kudakite chiwo suedo kokoroni aku kotosaraninashi
想像るべしそのときの 苦患の程はいかばかり
omoiyarubeshisonotokino kugenno hodohaikabakari
いわんや地獄の有様は 心も言葉も及ばれず
iwan'ya jigokuno arisamaha kokoromo kotobamo oyobarezu
無間焦熱大叫喚 名を聞くだにも恐れあり
mukenshounetsudaikyoukan nawo kikudanimo osoreari
まさしく魂ひとりゆき ほのおに入らん悲しさよ
masashiku tamashiihitoriyuki honooni iran kanashisayo
娑婆にて慈悲の名号を 一度唱うる功力にて
shabanite jihino myougouwo hitotabi tonauru kurikinite
業にひかるる魂魄を 導きたまえ地蔵尊
gounihikaruru konpakuwo michibikitamae jizouson
真言と曼荼羅の教え
知るのみならずかの尊の 三種の賀字の真言は
shirunominarazukano sonno sanjuno gajino shingonha
十悪業のいんねんを 不生なりとぞ示しける
juuakugounoinnenwo fushounaritozo shimeshikeru
因業すでにむなしくば 苦報いずくにありぬべき
ingousudenimunashikuba kuhouizukuniarinubeki
因果と共に不生なる 阿字宮殿の仏なり
ingato tomoni fushounaru ajikuudenno hotokenari
南方大士地蔵尊 宝生如来幢菩薩
nanpoudaishijizouson houshounyorai doubosatsu
浄菩提心如意宝珠 左の御手の宝珠には
joubodaishin nyoihouju hidarino miteno houjuniha
置在高幢雨種々宝 世出世間の願をみつ
chizaikoudouushujuhou seshussekenno ganwomitsu
我等貧里に呻吟いて 願わざるこそ悲しけれ
warera hinrini samayoite negawazarukoso kanashikere
さて又三部の曼陀には 観音持宝金剛幢
sate mata sanbuno mandaniha kannon jihou kongoudou
一体大悲の門にいで 衆生を摂化し給えり
ittai daihino monniide shujouwo sekkeshi tamaeri
輪円具足の法性塔 六大無碍の錫杖を
rinnengusokuno hosshoutou rokudaimugeno shakujouwo
執持の御手に打ち振りて 深き眠りをおどろかす
shuujino miteni uchi furite fukaki nemuriwoodorokasu
一門すなわち普門にて 地蔵すなわち遍照尊
ichimonsunawachi fumonnite jizousunawachi henjouson
因果一如の法門は 不二摩訶衍の仏なり
ingaichinyono houmonha funimakaenno hotokenari
Connected kami and buddhas
These connections include figures addressed, mentioned, or associated by tradition. They do not assign a universal recitation practice.
- Jizō Bosatsu地蔵菩薩
- Shō Kanzeon Bosatsu (Shō Kannon)聖観世音菩薩
- Keiki Jizō鶏亀地蔵
- Hōshō Jizō宝性地蔵
- Kongōgan Jizō金剛願地蔵
- Kongōtō金剛幢
- Kongōtō Jizō金剛幢地蔵
- Kongōhi Jizō金剛悲地蔵
- Kongōhō Jizō金剛宝地蔵
- Chiji Jizō地持地蔵
- Hōin Jizō法印地蔵
- Shaka Nyorai (Shakyamuni)釈迦如来
- Darani Jizō陀羅尼地蔵
- Hōshō Jizō法性地蔵
- Hōkōō Jizō放光王地蔵
- Hōshō Nyorai宝生如来
- Yotenga Jizō預天賀地蔵
- Roku Jizō六地蔵
Sources and edition (1)
English explanations on this page were prepared by Inori no Mori from the cited text and its Japanese explanations. They are not an official translation or a prescribed liturgy.