Prevod

The holy man who founded the Bodhi Lectures at Tōhoku-in was once a terrible criminal who had been imprisoned seven times. When he was brought in for the seventh time, the police officials gathered and said, “This is a thoroughly wicked man. Even to be imprisoned once or twice is hardly fitting conduct for a human being. How much more appalling that he should commit so many offenses and be brought here seven times! This time we shall cut off his foot.” Having settled on this, they took him out to carry out the sentence. Just as they were about to cut, an extraordinary reader of human features happened to pass by. He approached the man whose foot was about to be severed and said, “Spare this man and entrust him to me. His features show that he is certain to attain rebirth in the Pure Land.” “What nonsense!” they replied. “A fine fortune-telling monk you are, with no sense at all!” They were about to go ahead and cut off the foot when he threw himself across the leg. “Cut off my foot instead! How can I stand by and let you maim a man destined for the Pure Land?” he cried at the top of his voice. At a loss what to do with him, the men charged with carrying out the punishment reported what had happened to the police officials. Since the plea came from so distinguished a reader of human features, they could not simply disregard it, and they reported the matter to their chief. “Then let him go,” he said, and the man was released. At that moment the thief awakened to the religious life. He became a monk, grew into an eminent holy man, and founded these Bodhi Lectures. True to the prediction, he met a most exemplary end and passed away. Thus, even when a person bears signs that he will attain rebirth in the Pure Land, they are not something an ordinary reader of human features can discern. And how deeply moving it is that the lectures he established have continued without interruption to this very day.