146. "In the Gate of Holy Path (Shodomon, see above chap. ii, <page 12>) men work out Wisdom, and thus escape from life and death: by the Gate of the Pure Land, men return to foolishness, and thereby enter into Life (o-jo). They put no trust in Wisdom, they profess themselves

to be merely helpless, and unwise persons. But they put their whole trust in the Great Vow, and thus enter into Life.

Genku.

[1. Cor. i. 17-25. When the rich young man came to Christ, the Master told him that if he would enter into life he must keep the commandments. That was the Shodomon. When He told him to abandon all the riches wherein he trusted, and "come follow me,"--that was the Jodomon--"thou shalt have treasure in Heaven." S. Matth. xix. 16-22]

147. "When a man hears the preaching of the Pure Land, and, believing in it, feels a thrill of pleasure run through his frame, it shows that in some past life he has already heard something of that of which he now receives the full message. And now that he believes, he receives the New Birth. But if he hears as though he heard not, and gives no credence, he is one that has. but newly come up to the sphere of humanity from one of the three paths of evil. The impediments of sin have not yet been removed, and there is as yet no turning of Faith in his heart. Inasmuch as he does not yet believe he cannot yet escape from the bonds of life and death.

Genku.

[There are in Buddhism six grades of Sentient Existence. 1. Heaven (where dwell gods and angels), 2. Man, 3. the Animals. All these have virtues and good qualities of their own. But below these come (4), Monsters of Greediness (gaki), and (5)

[paragraph continues] Monsters of Lust and Violence (shura), and these may be in human form, though devoid of the qualities of Humanity. Below all (6), are the demons that inhabit the Hells (jigoku). These last three are known as the san-akudo, or 'three bad spheres of existence.' It is the privilege of Man that to him the Gospel can be preached, for Man, though "lower than the Angels," has the hope of being "crowned with glory and honour." It is for this reason that we so often find the expression ukegataki jinshin wo ukeru, "to receive a human body which it is so hard to receive." This extract also illustrates another doctrine which I have frequently cone across in Shinshu writings, to wit, that the call contained in the recital of the Holy Name must in the end prove effectual. We may hear it once and again, and turn away, but it will have found a lodgment in the mind and ultimately (it may be a long time later), when the call comes, it will have a familiar and a welcome sound. (Rom. viii. 29. 30).]