THE 2ND 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 World Honored One
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 [states of mind
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 being 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 — Thier 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 16TH CHAPTER. (JURYO) VERSE FORM

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 cecome 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 skilfully
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 gar 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?