Translation of a Japanese Poem

THE 1st CHAPTER. (HOBEN) PROSE FORM

Myoho renge kyo -- The wonderful Law of the Lotus Sutra
Ho ben pon dai ni: Skillful Ways
Ni Ji Se Son -- There the Ju San Mai -- Quietly came up
An Jo Ni Ki -- From his samadhi
Go Shari Hotsu -- And said to Shariputra:
Sho Bu' Chi E -- The wisdom of the Buddhas
Jin Jin Mu Ryo -- Is profound and cannot be measured
Go Chi E Mon -- Its gate is hard to understand
Nange Nan Nyu -- And difficult to enter.
Is Sai Sho Mon -- No Shravaka-Disciple
Hyaku Shi Butsu -- Or Self-taught buddha
Sho Fu No Chi -- Can understand it.
Sho I Sha Ga -- Why is that? (because!)
Butsu Zo Shin Gon -- the [present] Buddhas attended on many
Hyaku Sen Man Noku -- hundreds of thousands of billions
Mu Shu Sho Butsu -- Of [past] Buddhas,
Jin Gyo Sho Butsu -- And practiced the many teachings
Mu Ryo Do Ho -- Of those Buddhas bravely and energetically
Yu Myo Sho Jin -- To their far-flung fame till they attained
Myo Sho Fu Mon -- The profound Law
Jo Ju Jin Jin -- Which you've never heard before,
Mi Zo U Ho -- And also because they are exposing
Zui Gi Sho Setsu -- The Law according to the capacities
I Shu Nan Ge -- Of all living beings a way that the intention is hard to understand
Shari Hotsu -- Shariputra!
Go Ju Jo Butsu I Rai -- Since I became Buddha, I also
Shu Ju In Nen -- Have been stating various teachings
Shu Ju Hi Yu -- With different stories of previous lives,
Ko En Gon Kuyo -- Various parables, and various similes.
Mu Shu Ho Ben -- I have been leading all living beings
In Do Shu Jo -- With countless expedients
Ryo Ri Sho Jaku -- In order to save them from materialism,
Sho I Sha Ga -- Because I have the power
Nyo Rai Ho Ben -- To employ skills,
Chi Ken Hara Mitsu -- And the power to perform
Kai I Gu Soku -- The Paramita (reached goal of wisdom) of insight
Shari Hotsu -- Shariputra!
Nyo Rai Chi Ken -- The insight of the Tathagatas
Ko Dai Jin Non -- Is wide and deep.



Mu Ryo Mu Ge -- They have all the
Riki Mu Sho I -- Towards] countless [living beings],
Zen Jo Ge Da's' San Mai -- unchecked [intelligence], powers,
Jin Nyu Mu Sai -- Fearlessness, dhyana-concentrations,
Jo Ju Is Sai -- Liberations and samadhis. They entered
Mi Zo U Ho -- Deep into no limits, and attained the Law which you've never heard before
Shari Hotsu -- Shariputra!
Nyo Rai Nyo Shu Ju Fun Betsu -- The Tathagatas divide the Law
Gyo Ses Sho Ho -- Into various teachings, and state
Gon Ji Nyu Nan -- Those teachings so gently and skillfully
Ek Ka Shu Shin -- That living beings are delighted.
Shari Hotsu -- Shariputra!
Shu Yo Gon Shi -- In short, the Buddhas attained
Mu Ryo Mu Hen -- The countless teachings
Mi Zo U Ho -- Which you've never heard before
Bus Shitsu Jo Ju -- No more
Shi -- Will I say
Shari Hotsu -- Shariputra
Fu Shu Bu Setsu -- Because the Law
Sho I Sha Ga -- attained by the Buddhas
Bus Sho Jo Ju -- Is the highest Truth.
Dai Ichi Ke U -- Rare [to hear] and hard
Nan Ge Shi Ho -- To understand.
Yui Butsu Yo Butsu -- Only the Buddhas attained
Nai No Ku Jin -- The highest Truth, that is
Sho Ho Jis So -- The Reality of All Things
Sho I Sho Ho -- In regards to:
Nyo Ze So -- Their appearances (form? shape? size? ) as such,
Nyo Ze Sho -- Their natures (essence) as such,
Nyo Ze Tai -- Their embodiments (present incarnation) as such,
Nyo Ze Riki -- Their powers (potentiality also possibilities) as such,
Nyo Ze Sa -- Their activities (function or role) as such,
Nyo Ze In -- Their primary causes (obvious cause) as such,
Nyo Ze En -- Their environmental causes (process) as such,
Nyo Ze Ka -- Their effects (latent or hidden effect) as such,
Nyo Ze Ho -- Their requital (final outcome or return) as such,
Nyo Ze Hon Ma' Ku Kyo To -- And the combination of these [factors] as such (over and over again)



THE 2nd CHAPTER. (JURYO) VERSE FORM (JIGAGE)

Myo ho renge kyo - The Sutra of the Lotus of the Wonderful Law - 16th Chapter.
nyo rai ju ryo hon, dai ju roku - the duration of Life of the Tathagata (Many Treasures).
Ji ga toku bu'rai -- Since I became a Buddha
Sho kyo sho ko shu -- It is many hundreds of thousands
Mu ryo hyaku sen man -- Of billions of trillions
Oku sai a so gi -- Of asankhyas of aeons (many many years).
Jo sep po kyo ke -- For the past countless aeons
Mu shu oku shu jo -- I have been stating the Dharma
Ryo nyu o butsu do -- To hundreds of millions of beings
Ni rai mu ryo ko -- To lead them into the Way to Buddhahood
I do shu jo ko -- In order to save [perverted] people,
Ho ben gen ne han -- I expediently show my Nirvana to them
Ni jitsu fu metsu do -- But In reality I never pass away.
Jo ju shi sep po -- I always live here and preach the Law.
Ga jo ju o shi -- Although I always live here
I sho jin zu riki -- With perverted people
Ryo ten do shu jo -- I disappear from their eyes
Sui gon ni fu ken -- By my supernatural powers
Shu ken ga metsu do -- When they see me seemingly pass away,
Ko ku yo shari -- they make offerings to my relics
Gen kai e ren bo -- they adore and admire me,
Ni sho katsu go shin -- they become devout, upright and gentle,
Shu jo ki shin buku -- And wish to see me
Shichi jiki I nyu nan -- With all their hearts
Is shin yok ken butsu -- Even at the cost of their lives.
Fu ji shaku shin myo -- So I reappear on Mt. Sacred Vulture peak
Ji ga gyu shu so -- With all my people (community/sangha)
Ku shutsu ryo ju sen -- And say to them:
Ga ji go shu jo -- I always live here.
Jo zai shi fu metsu -- I'll never be extinct.
I ho ben rik ko -- But I show my extinction expediently
Gen u metsu fu metsu -- Although I never pass away.
Yo koku u shu jo -- I also state the highest Law
Ku gyo shin gyo sha -- To the living beings of other worlds
Ga bu o hi chu -- If they respect me, they believe me,


I setsu mu jo ho -- And wish to see me.
Nyo to fu mon shi -- But you've never heard this;
Tan ni ga metsu do -- So you thought that I passed away
Ga ken sho shu jo -- I see [perverted] people sinking
Mo tsu zai o ku kai -- In a sea of sufferings.
Ko fu I gen shin -- Therefore, I disappear from their eyes
Ryo go sho katsu go -- And cause them to admire me.
In go shin ren bo -- Whey they adore me,
Nai shitsu I sep po -- I reappear and expound the Law to them.
Jin zu riki nyo ze -- I can do this by my supernatural powers.
O a so gi ko -- For countless aeons
jo zai ryo ju sen -- I lived on Mt. Sacred Eagle
Gyu yo sho ju sho -- And in all other delay.
Shu jo ken ko jin -- [Perverted] people think:
Dai ka sho sho ji -- 'This world is in a great fire.
Ga shi do an non -- The end is coming.'
Ten nin jo ju man -- but really this world of mine is peaceful.
On rin sho do kaku -- It is filled with gods and good people.
Shu ju ho sho gon -- Its gardens, forests, and palaces
Ho ju ta ke ka -- Are adorned with treasures;
Shu ju sho yu raku -- Gem trees have fruits and flowers;
Sho ten gyaku ten ku -- Living beings are enjoying themselves;
Jo sas shu gi gaku -- And the gods are beating heavenly drums,
U man da ra ke -- Pouring music and mandarava blossoms
San butsu gyu dai shu -- On the Buddha and all assembled beings.
Ga jo do fu ki -- My land is pure and indestructible.
Ni shu ken sho jin -- But [perverted] people think:
U fu sho ku no -- ‘It is full of sorrow, fear and pain,
Nyo ze shitsu ju man -- and will soon burn away.'
Ze sho zai shu jo -- Because of their evil karmas,
I aku go In nen -- these sinful people cannot hear even the names
Ka a so gi ko -- Of the Three Treasures
Fu mon san bo myo -- For countless aeons
Sho u shu ku doku -- To those who have accumulated merits
Nyu was shichi jiki sha -- Who are gentle and upright,
Sok kai ken ga shin -- And see me living here,
Zai shi ni sep po -- stating the Dharma,


Waku ji I shi shu -- I say: ‘The duration
Setsu butsu ju mu ryo -- Of my life is immeasurable.'
Ku nai ken bus sha -- To those who see me after a long time,
I setsu butsu nan chi -- I say: ‘It's hard to see a Buddha.'
Ga chi riki nyo ze -- This I can do by the power of my wisdom.
Eko sho mu ryo -- The light of my wisdom knows no limit.
Ju myo mu shu ko -- The duration of my life is forever
Ku shu go sho toku -- I obtained this by ages of practices.
Nyo to u chi sha -- All of you, wise men!
Mot to shi sho gi -- Have no doubts about this!
To dan ryo yo jin -- Remove your doubts, have no more!
Butsu go jip pu ko -- Because the Buddha's words are true, not false.
Nyo I zen ho ben -- The doctor, sent a man skillfully
I ji o shi ko -- To tell his perverted sons
Jitsu zai ni gon shi -- Of his death so he could to cure them,
Mu no sek ko mo -- Was not accused of falsehood through living
Ga yaku I se bu -- Likewise, I am the parent of this world.
Ku sho ku gen sha -- I save all living beings from suffering
I bon bu ten do -- Because they are perverted, I say
Jitsu zai ni gon metsu -- That I pass away, even though I do not.
I jo ken ga ko -- If they always see me,
Ni sho kyo shi shin -- They will become arrogant and no morals
Ho itsu jaku go yaku -- And cling to the five human desires
Da o aku do chu -- Till they fall into evil paths (Hell, Hunger and Animality).
Ga jo chi shu jo -- I know all living beings,
Gyo do fu gyo do -- Who practice the Way and who do not.
Zui o sho ka do -- Therefore I expound various teachings
I ses shu ju ho -- According to the abilities of all.
Mai ji sa ze nen -- I am always thinking:
I ga ryo shu jo -- 'How can I cause all living beings
Toku nyu mu jo do -- To enter into the highest Way
Soku jo ju bus shin -- So they can quickly become Buddhas?