SINGLE-SHEET COVENANT (ICHIMAI KISHOMON)
The nembutsu I preach is not meditation as taught by the learned men of China and Japan; neither is it recitation through scholarly endeavors to master its profound meanings. To attain birth in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss of Amida Buddha requires nothing but implicit faith that mere recitation of Namu Amida Butsu ensures attainment of birth in the Pure Land. The teachings of the threefold devotional heart and the four modes of exercise are encompassed by the firm belief that birth in the Pure Land is assured by the recitation of Namu Amida Butsu.
If I further expound on any thought other than this, I would be excluded from the compassionate mercy of the Two Honored Ones and be at odds with the essential vow of Amida Buddha.
A person who believes in nembutsu, although he may have learned all the teachings of Buddha Sakyamuni, should consider himself an ignorant person who knows not a single letter. He should conduct himself as though he were as unschooled as the lay female Buddhist devotee who simply shaves her head and becomes a nun without proper training.
Refrain from flaunting knowledge and devote yourself to the recitation of nembutsu.
This covenant was written by Honen-shonin himself and bestowed to his disciple, Monk Seikan.
PHONETIC JAPANESE
GAN SO DAISHI GO-YUI-KUN ICHIMAI KISHO-MON
MOROKOSHI WAGACHO-NI, MORO-MORO-NO CHISAH-TACHI-NO, SATA-SHI MOSARURU KAN-NEN-NO NEN NIMO ARAZU.
MATA GAKUMON-WO SHITE, NEN-NO KOKORO-WO SATORI-TE MOSU NEMBUTSU-NI-MO ARAZU.
TADA O-JO GOKURAKU-NO TAME-NIWA, NAMU AMIDA BUTSU-TO MOSHITE, UTAGAI-NAKU O-JO SURUZOTO OMOI TORITE MOSU HOKANI-WA BETSU-NO SHISAI SORA-WAZU.
TADASHI SANJIN SHISHU-TO MOSU KOTO-NO SORO-WA, MINA KETSUJO-SHITE NAMU AMIDA BUTSU NITE O-JO SURUZO-TO OMOU UCHI-NI KOMORI SORO UNARI.
KONO HOKA-NI OKU-FUKAKI-KOTO-WO ZONZEBA, NISON-NO AWA-REMI-NI HAZURE, HONGAN-NI MORE-SORO-UBESHI.
NEMBUTSU-WO SHIN-ZEN-HITO-WA, TATO-I ICHI-DAI-NO HO-WO YOKU-YOKU GAKUSU-TOMO, ICHIMON-FUCHI-NO GUDON-NO MI-NI NASHI-TE, AMA-NYUDO- NO MUCHI-NO TOMO-GARA-NI ONAJYU-SHITE, CHISHA-NO FURUMAI-WO SEZU- SHITE, TADA IKKO-NI NEMBUTSU SUBESHI.
SHO-NO TAME-NI RYOSHU-IN-WO MOTTE-SU.
JODO-SHU-NO ANJIN KIGYO KONO ISSHI-NI SHIGOKU-SERI.
GENKU-GA SHOZON KONO HOKA-NI MATTAKU BETSUGI-WO ZON-ZEZU.
METSUGO-NO JYAGI-WO FUSEGAN-GA-TAME-NI SHOZON-WO SHIRUSHI-OWAN- NU.
KEN-RYAKU NINEN SHO-GATSU NIJU-SAN-NICHI, DAISHI ZAI-GO-HAN