Suppose there is a traveler journeying one hundred thousand miles toward the west, when suddenly, in his way, he finds one river with two flows - One of Fire, extending southward, and one of Water, extending northward. Each flow is one hundred paces across, immeasurably deep, and endless to the north and south. Dividing the Fire and Water is a single White Path four or five inches wide. This Path, from the eastern bank to the western bank, is one hundred paces in length. Billows of water surge over the Path and flames sweep up to scorch it. Water and Fire thus alternate without break.

Now the traveler has already gone far into the vast and solitary wilderness; there is no one to be seen. But bands of brigands and wild beasts lurk there, and seeing the traveler alone, they vie with each other to kill him. Fearing for his life, the traveler at once flees towards the west, when without warning the river appears. He reflects, "I can see no end to this river either to the north or the south. In the middle is a White Path, but it is exceedingly narrow. Although the two banks are but slightly separated, how is is possible to cross? Assuredly this day I shall die. If I turn back brigands and wild beasts will press closer and closer upon me. If I run north or south, beasts and poisonous insects will contend with each other to attack me. If I venture on the path westward, surely I will plunge into the two currents of water and fire."

There are no words to express the terror and despair that fill him at this point. He thinks further to himself: "If I turn back now, I die. If I remain here, I die. If I go forward, I die. There is no way for me to escape death. Therefore, I choose to go forth, venturing on this path. Since this path exists, it must be possible to cross the rivers."

When this thought occurs to him, he suddenly hears an encouraging voice of someone on the eastern bank, "O traveler, just resolve to follow this path forward! You will certainly not encounter grief of death. Buf if you stay where you are, you will surely die."

Further, someone on the western bank calls to him, "O traveler, with mind that is single, with right-mindedness, come at once! I will protect you. Have no fear of plunging to grief in the Water or Fire." The traveler, having heard the exhortation on his side of the river and the call from another, immediately acquires firm resolution in body and mind and decisively takes the path, advancing directly without entertaining any doubt or apprehension.

When he has gone one or two paces, the brigands on the eastern bank call out to him: "O traveler, come back! This path is treacherous and permit no crossing. You are certain to meet death. None of us address you thus with evil intent."

The traveler hears the voices calling him, but he gives no backward glance. Thinking only of the path, he advances directly forward with mind that is single, forthwith reaches the western side, and is free forever of all afflictions . He meets his good friend, and his joy is boundless. This is the parable.

Now to apply the parable:

The eastern bank is the burning house that is our world of impermanence. The western bank : The precious land of perfect bliss. The brigands and wild beasts calling with treacherous familiarity : a sentient being's six sense organs, the six forms of perception, the six kind of objects, the five aggregates, and the four elements. The wilderness where no one is to be seen : One constantly joins with evil companions, without ever meeting a true good teacher. The two currents of water and fire : sentient beings' greed and desire are likened to water, their anger and hatred to fire. The white path in the middle, four or five inches wide : amidst sentient beings' blind passions of greed and anger, a pure mind that aspires for the birth in the Pure Land is awakened. Since the greed and anger are intense, they are like water and fire. Since the good mind is slight, it is like the white path.

Further, billows of water constantly surge over the path : desires arise incessantly to defile the good mind. Flames ceaselessly scorch the path : anger and hatred consume the dharma-treasure of virtue. The traveler follows the path and advances directly westward : turning away from all practices, he advances directly westward. He hears a voice of someone on the eastern bank encouraging and exhorting him, and following the path, advances directly westward: Sakyamuni Buddha has already entered the Nirvana and people of later times cannot meet Him. His teachings still remain, however, and we can follow them. They are like that voice. When he has gone one or two paces, the brigands call him back : people of different understandings, different practices or false views, with their own misguided opinions, one after another seek to confuse him, claiming that he will commit evil and fail.

Someone on the western bank calls him : This is the intent of Buddha Amida's Vow to save all sentient beings. The traveler forthwith reaches the western side; he meets his good friend, and his joy is boundless : senient beings long sinking in birth-and-death and for innumerables kalpas lost in transmigration, being bound in delusion by their own karma, have no means of gaining emancipation for themselves. Reverently embracing Sakyamuni Buddha's teaching in his exhortations to advance westward and obeying Amida Buddha's call to us with his compassionate heart, the traveler accepts and accords with the mind of the two honored Ones; never giving a thought to the two rivers of water and fire and taking the call of the honored Ones to heart every moment, he entrusts himself to the path of the power of the Amida Buddha's Vow. After his death, he attains birth in that land and meets the Buddha.

How boundless is his joy!

Text authored by Shinran

What does "The White Path" mean?: (Extracted from "The True Teaching, Practice and Realization of the Pure Land Way" written by Shinran. Based upon the English Translation from the "Shin Buddhism Translation Series" Of Hongwanji International Center in Kyoto, Japan)

The Collected Works of Shinran - A Pure Land Buddhism site discussing the teachings based on the Teacher Shinran and how to use the Vows of Amida Buddha with in your life. Soon the whole collection can be seen On-Line in this book form. Specifically this is a Shin Buddhist Tradition Site.
- http://www.shinranworks.com/

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