These wasan begin the topic of the Larger sutra, the sutra that Jodo Shinshu takes as the true teaching. This section starts with a cast of "characters" that are important to the sutras, some of them appearing in the next set of wasan that treat the contemplation sutra and Amida (shorter) sutra.

Amida Tathagata
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva

Sakyamuni Buddha
Venerable Purna
Mahamaudgalyayana
Venerable Ananda

King Bimbisara
Queen Vaidehi
Jivaka, A Councilor
Candraprabha, A Councilor

Venerable Devadatta
King Ajatasatru
Varsakara, A Councilor
Guard

On the Larger Sutra

Twenty-two Hymns

51

Venerable Ananda, rising from his seat,
Beheld the majestic radiance of the World-honored one;
Amazed, with a rare feeling of wonder emerging in him,
He realized he had never witnessed such radiance before.

he had never seen: he had never beheld such a countenance before.

Traditionally, Ananda is Shakyamuni's closest attendant, and has been with the Buddha for every single talk given, in order to remember it. Therefore, each sutra starts with Ananda saying "Thus have I heard". Even after all those times, Shakyamuni this time is looking more radiant than he ever has before. This is proof that he is about to give the true teaching.

52

Sakyamuni’s splendor was rare and auspicious;
Ananda, rejoicing immensely,
Asked its meaning, whereupon the Buddha revealed
The fundamental intent of his appearance in the world.

Sakyamuni’s splendor: the Tathagata’s light and especially wondrous features are rare and magnificent.

Here the Buddha reveals that the fundamental intent of this world was to expound Amida's teaching, since it is the teaching that is infinitely accessible and allows all defiled beings to achieved Buddhahood quickly, because of their defilements, and Amida's light making their faults clear, turning them into "gold".

53

Having entered the Samadhi of great tranquility,
The Buddha’s countenance was wondrous in its radiance;
Observing the depth of Ananda’s discernment,
He praised him for his insightful question.

Samadhi of great tranquility: the reason for the Buddha’s inner stillness and quietude, which is now more excellent than usual, is that he has appeared in the world solely to teach the Name of Amida; thus, his particularly excellent and auspicious features.

The note says that he has come solely to teach the Name, not even the larger sutra teaching in general. Therefore, the Name itself is the ultimate teaching, since the Name is comprehensive and includes all other practises within it.

54

The fundamental intent for which the Buddha appeared in the world
Was to reveal the truth and reality of the Primal Vow.
He taught that to encounter or behold a Buddha
Is as rare as the blossoming of the udumbara.

Udumbara: The udumbara is called “the mysterious, auspicious flower.” The udumbara tree always bears fruit, but the flower blossoms very rarely. Since a Buddha’s appearance in the world occurs only with extreme rarity, it is likened to the udumbara flower.

The previous note said that the Name was the sole purpose, but now the truth and reality of the Primal Vow is, which is because the Name includes the truth and reality of the Primal Vow. The Name manifests as a helping hand calling to us to awaken to the truth, when we accept the hand, we enter the stage of the truly settled, manifesting the reality of the Primal Vow.

55

It is taught that ten kalpas have now passed
Since Amida attained Buddhahood,
But he seems a Buddha more ancient
Than kalpas countless as particles.

Kalpas countless as particles: Suppose a great thousandfold world is [ground into powder and] made into ink, and with this ink one passes [through a thousand lands], then deposits a dot of it in one land with the tip of a brush, passes through another thousand lands, then deposits another dot of it, until all the ink is used up. If all the lands passed through were ground into dust and counted, the number of particles would be that of the kalpas expressed, “kalpas countless as particles.”

We have a long note explaining the basically infinite number, emphasising the primality of the Vow. Since the Vow transcends samsaric time, even though from our perspective of deluded beings it has "only" been ten kalpas, he is truly timeless.

56

The Buddha of Inconceivable Light, under Lokesvararaja Buddha,
Selected the best qualities from among
All the pure lands of the ten quarters
To establish the Primal Vow.

Selected (sesshu): setsu means to especially choose and take up; shu means to distinguish and discard.

Amida picked the qualities of the Pure Land to perfectly suit beings of all stages, from those greatly attached to self effort, to those having received shinjin and forsaken self effort.