One-Sheet Document

The One-Sheet Document (Yi Mei Qi Qing Wen , Ichimai-kishomon) is a document written by the founder of the Japanese Jodo-shu Pure Land Buddhism school, Honen, two days before his death. The document is meant to summarize Honen's teachings for future generations, and serves as his final testament. The document was written on the twenty-third day of the first lunar month of the second year of Kenryaku (1212) and contains fewer than three hundred words. It is regularly read and recited in Jodo-shu services to this day.^[1]

The document affirms Honen's belief that ultimately sentient beings are deluded and ignorant, but that by entrusting oneself to Amida Buddha, and through the recitation of the nembutsu, one can be reborn in the Pure Land.

The original Japanese, with romanization is as follows:

Tang Tu Wo Zhao ni, moromoronoZhi Zhe Da no, Sha Tai shiShen saruruGuan Nian noNian nimoarazu. mataXue Wen woshite, Nian nokokorowoWu riteShen suNian Fo nimoarazu. tadaWang Sheng Ji Le notamenihaNan Wu A Mi Tuo Fo toShen shite, utagainakuWang Sheng suruzotoSi iQu riteShen suWai nihaBie noZi Xi Hou wazu. tadashiSan Xin Si Xiu toShen sukotonoHou uha, Jie Jue Ding shiteNan Wu A Mi Tuo Fo niteWang Sheng suruzotoSi uuchinikomoriHou unari. konoWai niAo hukakiShi woCun zeba, Er Zun noawareminihazure, Ben Yuan nimoreHou ubeshi. Nian Fo woXin zenRen ha, tatoiYi Dai noFa woyokuyokuXue sutomo, Yi Wen Bu Zhi noYu Dun noShen ninashite, Ni Ru Dao noWu Zhi notomogaraniTong ziushite, Zhi Zhe nohurumaiwosezushitetadaYi Xiang niNian Fo subeshi. Zheng notameniLiang Shou Yin womotsutesu. Jing Tu Zong noAn Xin Qi Xing konoYi Zhi niZhi Ji seri. Yuan Kong gaSuo Cun , konoWai niQuan kuBie Yi woCun zezu, Mie Hou noXie Yi wohusegangatameniSuo Cun woshirushiBi nnu.

Jian Li Er Nian Zheng Yue Er Shi San Ri Da Shi Zai Yu Pan

morokoshi wagacho ni, moromoro no chishatachi no, satashi mosaruru kannen no nen nimo arazu. mata gakumon wo shite, nen no kokoro wo satorite mosu nenbutsu nimo arazu. tada ojogokuraku no tame niwa, namuamidabutsu to moshite, utagainaku ojosuru zoto omoitorite mosu hoka niwa betsu no shisai sorawazu. tadashi sanjin shishu to mosukoto no soro wa, mina ketsujo shite namuamidabutsu nite ojo suru zoto omou uchi ni komori soro nari. konohoka ni okufukaki koto wo zonzeba, nison no awaremi ni hazure, hongan ni more soro beshi. nenbutsu wo shinzen hito wa tatoi ichidai no ho wo yokuyoku gakusutomo, ichimon-fuchi no gudon no mi ni nashite, ama nyudo no muchi no tomogara ni onajiu shite, chisha no furumai wo sezu shite tada ikko ni nenbutsu subeshi. sho no tame ni ryoshuin wo mottesu. jodoshu no anjin kigyou, kono isshi ni shigoku seri. genku ga shozon kono hoka ni mattaku betsugi wo zonzezu, metsugo no jagi wo fusegan ga tame ni shozon wo shirushi owannu.

kenryaku ni nen shougatsu nijusan nichi daishizaigohan

An English translation of the One-Sheet Document is as follows:^[1]

In China and Japan, many Buddhist masters and scholars understand that the nembutsu is to meditate deeply on Amida Buddha and the Pure Land. However, I do not understand the nembutsu in this way. Reciting the nembutsu does not come from studying and understanding its meaning. There is no other reason or cause by which we can utterly believe in attaining birth in the Pure Land than the nembutsu itself. Reciting the nembutsu and believing in birth in the Pure Land naturally gives rise to the three minds (sanjin) and the four modes of practice (shishu). If I am withholding any deeper knowledge beyond simple recitation of the nembutsu, then may I lose sight of the compassion of Shakyamuni and Amida Buddha and slip through the embrace of Amida's original vow. Even if those who believe in the nembutsu study the teaching which Shakyamuni taught his whole life, they should not put on any airs and should sincerely practice the nembutsu, just as an illiterate fool, a nun, or one who is ignorant of Buddhism. I hereby authorize this document with my hand print. The Jodo Shu way of the established mind (anjin) is completely imparted here. I, Genku, have no other teaching than this. In order to prevent misinterpretation after my passing away, I make this final testament. January 23, the Second Year of Kenryaku (1212)

There is some controversy regarding translation of the term ama nyudo (Ni Ru Dao , "novice nun") as potentially pejorative toward women, but is generally interpreted from a standpoint of humility, not merit.^[2]

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