Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Hōnen’s One-sheet Testament

一枚起請文いちまいきしょうもん

Hōnen’s brief statement on the essentials of the nembutsu, centering on saying Namu Amida Butsu. Presented in its Pure Land context.

English meaning and source text

Text size

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.

It is not the contemplative nembutsu

discussed by many learned people in China and Japan, in which the Buddha’s form is pictured in the mind.

Nor is it a nembutsu recited only after study

and understanding of its meaning.

For birth in the Pure Land, there is nothing more intricate than reciting Namu Amida Butsu with the settled conviction that one will assuredly be born there.

The three hearts and four modes of practice are spoken of, but all are contained in the heart that trusts in birth through Namu Amida Butsu.

If one supposes there is some further hidden profundity, one departs from the compassion of the two honored ones, Shakyamuni and Amida, and from Amida’s original vow, this testament says.

Those who trust the nembutsu, even if they have thoroughly studied Shakyamuni’s lifetime teachings, should become as one who knows not a single character, like the unlearned nuns and lay renunciants described here, and simply recite without assuming the manner of a scholar.

I place the impressions of both hands as testimony. The Jōdo school’s settled heart and practice are exhausted in this one sheet. In my thought, Genkū’s thought, there is no other meaning whatsoever.

To prevent mistaken ideas after my death, I have written down my understanding.

Twenty-third day of the first month, Kenryaku 2: the seal of Genkū, also known as Hōnen.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for 10 of 11 lines. Readings not fully supplied in the source are left without Roman letters.

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.

唐土(もろこし)我朝(わがちょう)に。

morokoshi wagachouni.

もろもろの智者達(ちしゃたち)の沙(さ)たし申(もう)さるゝ、観念(かんねん)のねんにもあらず。

又(また)学問(がくもん)をして。

mata gakumonwoshite.

念(ねん)の心(こころ)を悟(さと)りて申念仏(もうすねんぶつ)にもあらず。

nenno kokorowo satorite mousunenbutsunimoarazu.

唯(ただ)往(おう)生(じょう)極楽(ごくらく)の為(ため)には、南無阿弥陀仏(なむあみだぶつ)と申(もうし)て、疑(うたが)ひなく、往生(おうじょう)するぞと思(おも)ひとりて申(もうす)外(ほか)には、別(べつ)の子細(しさい)候(そうら)はず。

tada ou jou gokurakuno tameniha, namuamidabutsuto moushite, utagahinaku, oujousuruzoto omohitorite mousu hokaniha, betsuno shisai sourahazu.

但(ただ)し三心(さんじん)四(し)修(しゅ)と申事(もうすこと)の候(そうろう)は、皆決定(みなけつじょう)して南無阿弥陀仏(なむあみだぶつ)にて往生(おうじょう)するぞと、おもふうちにこもり候(そうろう)なり。

tadashi sanjin shi shuto mousukotono sourouha, minaketsujoushite namuamidabutsunite oujousuruzoto, omofuuchinikomori sourounari.

此外(このほか)におくふかき事(こと)を存(ぞん)せば、二(に)尊(そん)のあはれみにはづれ、本願(ほんがん)にもれ候(そうろう)べし。

konohokaniokufukaki kotowo zonseba, ni sonnoahareminihazure, hongannimore souroubeshi.

念仏(ねんぶつ)を信(しん)ぜん人(ひと)は、たとひ一代(いちだい)の法(ほう)をよく〳〵学(がく)すとも、一文不知(いちもんふち)の愚鈍(ぐどん)の身(み)になして、尼入道(あまにゅうどう)の無智(むち)のともがらに同(おなじ)うして、智者(ちしゃ)のふるまひをせずしてただ一向(いっこう)に念仏(ねんぶつ)すべし。

nenbutsuwo shinzen hitoha, tatohi ichidaino houwoyoku〳〵 gakusutomo, ichimonfuchino gudonno mininashite, amanyuudouno muchinotomogarani onajiushite, chishanofurumahiwosezushitetada ikkouni nenbutsusubeshi.

為証以両手印(しょうのためにりょうしゅいんをもってす)浄土宗(じょうどしゅう)の安心起行(あんじんきぎょう)此一紙(このいっし)に至極(しごく)せり、源空(げんくう)が所存此外(しょぞんこのほか)に全(まった)く別義(べつぎ)を存(ぞん)せず。

shounotameniryoushuinwomottesu joudoshuuno anjinkigyou konoisshini shigokuseri, genkuuga shozonkonohokani mattaku betsugiwo zonsezu.

滅後(めつご)の邪(じゃ)義(ぎ)をふせがんがために、所存(しょぞん)を記(しる)し畢(おわんぬ)。

metsugono ja giwofusegangatameni, shozonwo shirushi owannu.

建暦二年正月廿三日(けんりゃくにねんしょうがつにじゅうさんにち)源空(げんくう)御判(ごはん)

kenryakuninenshougatsunijuusannichi genkuu gohan

Connected kami and buddhas

These connections include figures addressed, mentioned, or associated by tradition. They do not assign a universal recitation practice.

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.

← All prayers and sutras