Menih, ki ni nikoli obrnil hrbta zahodu

Besedilo

Menih, ki ni nikoli obrnil hrbta zahodu

This, too, is a tale of long ago. There was a monk called the ācārya Hankyū, who lived at Ryōgon-in on Mount Hiei. His one desire was to be reborn in the Pure Land. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, he never turned his back on the west. He would not spit or relieve himself facing west, nor would he turn his back on the setting sun. When climbing the mountain by its western slope, he walked sideways. He would always say, “A tree is sure to fall in the direction it leans. If I set my heart on the west, how could I fail to attain my desire? There is no doubt that at the hour of death my mind will remain steadfast.” They say his story is included in the accounts of those who attained rebirth in the Pure Land.