Part 17

328. In their outward seeming are all men diligent and truth speaking,

But in their souls are greed and eager and unjust deceitfulness,

And in their flesh do lying and cunning triumph.

329. Too strong for me is the evil of my heart. I cannot overcome it.

Therefore is my soul like unto the poison of serpents,

Even my righteous deeds, being mingled with this poison, must be named the deeds of deceitfulness.

330. Shameless though I be and having no truth in my soul,

Yet the virtue of the Holy Name, the gift of Him that is enlightened,

Is spread throughout the world through my words being as I am.

331. There is no mercy in my soul.

The good of my fellow-man is not dear in mine eyes.

If it were not for the Ark of Mercy, the divine promise of the Infinite Wisdom,

How should I cross the Ocean of Misery?

332. I, whose mind is filled with cunning and deceit as the poison of reptiles, am impotent to practise righteous deeds.

If I sought not refuge in the gift of our Father, I should die the death of the shameless.

333. It is a token of this evil age that in this world the priests, together with the people,

In secret serve strange gods,

While bearing the appearance of the devout sons of Buddha.

334. Sad and corrupt is it that the priests and people, following after the superstitions of auspicious times and days, seek sooth-saying and festivals

And worship the gods of heaven and earth.

335. Though I have heard that the names of priest and monk are honourable,

Yet now are they held as light as the five shameless precepts of Devadatta.

336. Being of one accord with the many minds of the heathen,

They bow in worship before devils,

While yet wearing the robe of the Buddha.

337. Sad and sorrowful is it that all the priests and people now in the land of Yamato should worship the devils of heaven and earth, in the name of the holy mysteries of the Buddha.

338. It is a mark of the downward way of this evil age that men despise the name of priest or monk as a mean thing, considering them like unto slaves.

339. May they yet bring offerings with homage unto the priests, even as you do unto Saliputra or Mahamonugalyayana, those two great servants of the Lord; though they are priests but in name and without discipline, for this is the time of degeneration and of the last days.