願文
The Written Vows [of Saichō]
(JPN: Ganmon)
ATTRIBUTION
Translated into English by Rev. Jikai 慈海 Tyler Dehn デイーン
©Translation by Jikai Tyler Dehn @ The Saichō Repository 最澄典藏 Project, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Available at: [insert URL of specific text page].
You may share this work freely with attribution (as above), but no modifications or commercial use is allowed without express permission from Jikai Tyler Dehn. See USE/ATTRIBUTION for more information.
Text Overview:
The Ganmon or Written Vows [of Saichō] were composed shortly after he chose to retreat to Mount Hiei 比叡山. As Dr Paul Groner notes in his book, Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School (2000), this short text evidences a remarkably deep religious conviction for such a young man. And at only nineteen years of age, the eloquence and tenor of his Chinese composition skills is impressive.
This tract displays not only a profound humility in the face of human tribulation, but also the kernels of his developing knowledge of the Tiantai System 天台宗, and the Lotus Sūtra 法華經.
In regards to the former, the Ganmon is quite literally a repentance of past misdeeds 懺悔, based upon a deep introspective reflection on one’s present circumstances 觀心. This implies that even at this early stage, Master Saichō was aware that repentance rites 懺法 and meditative praxis 觀心/止觀, are the two pillars of Tiantai Practice 天台宗觀心門. He also displays a grasp of the Stages on the Path according to the Tiantai Schema, as the first vow references “the Stage of the Purity of the Six Senses 六根相似位”. And in regards to the latter, Master Saichō opens this text with an important reflection:
“The Sun of the [Śākya]muni has long faded away, [while] the Moon of the Merciful Honoured One [Maitreya,] has yet to shine forth.”
牟尼之日久隱，慈尊月未照。
To any serious reader of the Lotus Sūtra and its traditional exegesis, this would immediately bring to mind the duty of the Lotus Sūtra devotee during this interim between Buddhas (CH. 21):
“Just as the radiant light of the Sun and Moon,
Is able to eliminate the dark of gloom,
These people coursing in the world,
Are able to extinguish the dimness in Sentient Beings.”
如日月光明 能除諸幽冥
斯人行世間 能滅眾生暗
妙法蓮華經
如來神力品第二十一
And this understanding of our duty, is the context which prefigures Master Saichō‘s later exhortation, that we:
“Light up a corner!”
照于一隅
山家學生式
We, like Master Saichō, must begin The Path with an understanding of what we’re obligated to do, for when this is the basis, then The Dharma is not just a privilege which we receive, but also a responsibility which we must give. This is the life-blood of Buddha-Dharma. Too often the Dharma is treated as something which we are entitled to. It is the utmost fortune, and it is a tremendous responsibility. We must keep the Dharma Lamps burning!
TEXT:
| ENGLISH | UNPUNCTUATED TEXT | PUNCTUATED TEXT |
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| Vast! O vast are the Three Spheres, [and all of it is] pure suffering, without peace! Tumult! O tumultuous are the four [kinds of] birth, [for they are] but vexation, and without bliss! The Sun of the [Śākya]muni has long faded away, [while] the Moon of the Merciful Honoured One [Maitreya,] has yet to shine forth. The dangers of the three calamities are near at hand, and we are [already] submerged in the depths of the five turbidities. Moreover, the breeze that is this life is difficult to maintain; and the dew that is this body easily evaporates. Though the thatched hut [of the funeral service] is without bliss, even so, old and young [alike] hasten to unveil their white bones [there]. And though the earthen chamber [of the grave] is dark and cramped, even so, the noble and the common compete to reside [therein] with the Hun and Po [ spirits of the dead]. | 悠悠三界。純苦無安也。擾擾四生。唯患不樂也。牟尼之日久隱。慈尊月未照。近於三災之危。沒於五濁之深(㴱)。 加以。風命難保。露體易消。草(艸)堂雖無樂。然老少散曝於白骨。土室雖闇迮。而貴賤爭宿於魂魄。 | 悠悠三界，純苦無安也。擾擾四生，唯患不樂也。牟尼之日久隱，慈尊月未照。近於三災之危，沒於五濁之深。 加以，風命難保；露體易消。草堂雖無樂，然老少散曝於白骨。土室雖闇迮，而貴賤爭宿於魂魄。 |
| By observing others and reflecting upon myself, [I can see that] these truths are certain indeed. And given that I have not yet imbibed the pills of immortality, the drifting-away of my spirit [at death] is difficult to allay. [Moreover,] having not yet attained the [fourth] Supranormal-penetration [of knowledge into past] Lives (i.e. 宿命通 pūrvanivāsānusmṛti-jñāna), in what way could the hour of my death be determined!? [If then, from] the time of my birth [onwards] I do not do good, [then] on the day of my death I will become the kindling [for the flames of] Hell. O difficult to gain and easy to lose, is this human form! And difficult to generate and easy to leave behind, is this wholesome mind! This is why, the Dharma Lord [Śākya]muni made use of the needle in the great ocean, and the thread of Sumeru, as similes and examples of the difficulty of attaining this human form. [And it is also why] the ancient and venerable King Yu [of Xia] valued every second, [such that if someone took merely] a half-second of respite, he urged them not to spend their life in vain. | 瞻彼省己。此理必定。仙丸未服。遊魂難留。命通未得。死辰何定。生時不作善。死日成獄薪。難得易移其人身矣。難發易忘斯善心焉。是以。法皇牟尼。假大海之針。妙高之線。喩況人身難得。古賢禹王。惜一寸之陰。半寸之暇。歎勸一生空過。 | 瞻彼省己，此理必定。仙丸未服，遊魂難留。命通未得，死辰何定!? 生時不作善，死日成獄薪。難得易移，其人身矣。難發易忘，斯善心焉。是以，法皇牟尼，假大海之針、妙高之線，喩況人身難得。古賢禹王，惜一寸之陰。半寸之暇，歎勸一生空過。 |
| To attain a result in the absence of its cause is something which is impossible! [And so it is also, with] avoiding suffering having not done good; there could never be such a thing! [Therefore,] it follows [logically] from reflecting upon the trace[-effects] of my [past karmic-]actions [as they come to fruition in the present,] that I [am now experiencing] the hardships of having undeservedly accepted [offerings of the] four necessities, while having been undisciplined. And [so I now experience] the enmity of the four [kinds] of beings, which results from [my past] delusion. | 無因得果。無有是處。無善免苦。無有是處。伏尋思己行迹。無戒竊受四事之勞。愚癡亦成四生之怨。 | 無因得果，無有是處。無善免苦，無有是處。伏尋思己行迹，無戒竊受四事之勞，愚癡亦成四生之怨。 |
| This is why the Adbhutadharmparyāya Sūtra (T. 754) says: “The almsgiver is reborn in the heavens; while the alms-receiver enters the hells.” [It is also why] the Lady Vaidehī’s offering of the four necessities, manifested as her good-fortune of [being reborn later as the] Queen Mallikā. [Whereas,] the fruit of the five groups [of disciples who were] greedily attached to these offerings [they received from her], is revealed in the misfortune of the barren women who carried [Queen Mallikā’s] palanquin. | 是故。未曾有因縁經云。施者生天。受者入獄。提韋女人四事之供。表末利夫人福。貪著利養五衆之果。顯石女擔輿罪。 | 是故，未曾有因縁經云: “施者，生天; 受者，入獄。” 提韋女人四事之供，表末利夫人福。貪著利養五衆之果，顯石女擔輿罪。 |
| [These examples] clarify the causes and effects of good and ill [respectively]; what person of good-conscience then would not believe this scripture!? That being so, the Honoured One Śākyamuni rebukes those who know the causes of suffering and yet do not fear the resultant-suffering [itself, by calling them] icchantikas. [And it is also why] one who attains a human form and yet still does not enact wholesome karma, is chastised throughout the Noble Teachings as [one who returns from the Mount of Treasures] empty-handed. | 明哉善惡因果。誰有慙人。不信此典。然則。知苦因而不畏苦果。釋尊遮闡提。得人身徒不作善業。聖教嘖空手。 | 明哉善惡因果，誰有慙人，不信此典!? 然則，知苦因而不畏苦果，釋尊遮闡提。得人身徒不作善業，聖教嘖空手。 |
| Consequently, I, Saichō, who am the most foolish of fools; the most deranged of the deranged; a nothing [lit. speck of dirt] among the bald-headed ones; and the lowest of the low: upwardly disregard all the Buddhas; middlingly disobey the Emperor’s laws; and downwardly lack filial respect [for my parents]. As an admonition to my deluded and deranged heart, I generate these three, and two vows (i.e. 5 vows) [respectively], for they are the skilful means [that will direct me towards] that which I have not [yet] attained. For the sake of the Unsurpassed and Ultimate Truth, I generate these adamantine, indestructible, and irrevocable resolutions. | 於是。愚中極愚。狂中極狂。塵禿有情。底下最澄。上違於諸佛。中背於皇法。下闕於孝禮。謹隨迷狂之心。發三二之願。以無所得而爲方便。爲無上第一義。發金剛不壞不退心願。 | 於是，愚中極愚，狂中極狂，塵禿有情，底下最澄。上違於諸佛；中背於皇法；下闕於孝禮。謹隨迷狂之心。發三、二之願，以無所得而爲方便。爲無上第一義，發金剛不壞不退心願。 |
| Since I have not yet attained the Stage of the Purity of the Six Senses, I will not go out into the mundane [world] before this; this is my first [vow]. Since I have not yet attained the Mind that illuminates the Truth, I will not master the [secular] arts before this; this is my second [vow]. Since I have not yet fully perfected the Pure Precepts, I will not take part in the Dharma-assemblies [organised by the] almsgivers before this; this is my third [vow]. Since I have not yet attained the Mind of Prajñā (i.e. the non-discriminating knowledge 無分別智), I will not cling to the world nor become entangled in the affairs of men; this [stipulation] is to be done away with [when I attain] the Stage of [Identity] in Semblance; this is my fourth [vow]. And may all of the merit I have cultivated in the three times, not ripen for myself alone, but be universally transferred to sentient beings (lit. ‘perceptive beings’), [so that] we will all be caused to attain Unsurpassed Bodhi; this is my fifth [vow]. | 我自未得六根相似位以還不出假（其一）。自未得照理心以還不才藝（其二）。自未得具足淨戒以還不預檀主法會。 （其三）。自未得般若心以還不著世間人事縁務。除相似位（其四）。三際中間。所修功徳。獨不受己身。普回施有識。悉皆令得無上菩提（其五）。 | 我自未得六根相似位，以還不出假: 其一。 自未得照理心，以還不才藝: 其二。 自未得具足淨戒，以還不預檀主法會: 其三。 自未得般若心，以還不著世間人事縁務，除相似位: 其四。 三際中間，所修功徳，獨不受己身，普回施有識，悉皆令得無上菩提: 其五。 |
| I humbly vow: that I will not sup on the Taste of Liberation alone; nor will I realise the Fruit of Ease-and-Bliss, by myself. [We the] sentient beings of the Dharmadhātu, will climb to Sublime Awakening together. [And we the] sentient beings of the Dharmadhātu will consume the Sublime Taste, together. If, due to the power of these vows, I reach the Purity of the Six Senses at the Stage of [Identity] in Semblance, then when I attain the Fifth of the Supranormal Penetrations (i.e.神如意通 ṛddhi-sākṣātkriyā or the power do and be where one pleases), I will not cling to my own liberation. Nor will I realise the Determined Stages [of the Three Worthies (三賢) and above] , for I will not be attached to anything. | 伏願。解脱之味獨不飮。安樂之果獨不證。法界衆生。同登妙覺。法界衆生。同服妙味。若依此願力。至六根相似位。若得五神通時。必不取自度。不證正位。不著一切。 | 伏願: 解脱之味獨不飮；安樂之果獨不證。法界衆生，同登妙覺。法界衆生，同服妙味。若依此願力，至六根相似位，若得五神通時，必不取自度，不證正位，不著一切。 |
| I vow that I will be guided from the present lifetime [onwards], by the uncreated, and unconditioned Four Extensive Vows [of the Bodhisattvas]. And travelling throughout the Dharmadhātu, I will enter all of the Six Destinies [of Saṃsāra], purifying Buddha-Lands, and perfecting sentient beings. Until the ends of future time [then], I will forever do the work of the Buddhas! | 願必所引導今生無作無縁四弘誓願。周旋於法界。遍入於六道。淨佛國土。成就衆生。盡未來際。恆作佛事。 | 願必所引導今生，無作、無縁，四弘誓願。周旋於法界，遍入於六道，淨佛國土，成就衆生。盡未來際，恆作佛事。 |
原本： 比叡山淨土院藏版。明和四（丁亥）年刊本一卷（1767）四大 師傳。
對校本：
イ本 比叡山實藏坊所藏古寫本一卷。
ロ本 南都戒壇院宗性上人筆。日本高僧傳要文抄。
ハ本 比叡山無量院藏版。天台霞標第貳編。