These wasan discuss the words of the famous Indian bodhisattva Nagarjuna on the Pure Land way.

Bodhisattva Nagarjuna

Ten Hymns based on his Writings
[Composed by] Gutoku Shinran

Here we begin the wasan that praise the six patriarchs of Shin Buddhism, who are also praised in the shoshinge.

1

Our teacher, Bodhisattva Nagarjuna, abundantly praises the Pure Land in the west
In such works as his commentaries on the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra
And the Ten Bodhisattva Stages,
And urges us to practice the nembutsu.

Nagarjuna (Ryuju, literally “naga [dragon]-tree”): Nagarjuna was born beneath a tree and taken and raised by a naga-king. Later, he became the son of a king in southern India. Hence his name, Nagarjuna.

Nagarjuna occupies a strange place in Buddhism, he is simultaneously one of the most esteemed and explicit philosophers, considered on par with all the greats of "secular" western philosophy, while also being a great religious character and the subject of many traditional stories. His philosophical interpretation of emptiness forms the basic interpretation relevant to many Mahayana Buddhist sects, and therefore it is a big deal that he is considered to give his blessing to the pure land path. However, upon analysis, it is not clear exactly what Nagarjuna is referring to when he praises the "easy path based on faith". The last line here says that he urges us to practise the nembutsu, however, recitative nembutsu arose primarily with Shandao. Before then, it was a practise within the realm of buddha-remembrance, more of a silent meditative contemplation rather than a habitual practise done regardless of state of mind. Regardless, it has traditionally been inferred that Nagarjuna gave his blessing to the pure land way, which, apart from the Buddha himself, is among the most significant figures one could receive blessing from.

2

The World-honored one foretold
That a monk named Bodhisattva Nagarjuna
Would appear in south India and would crush
The wrong views of being and nonbeing.

South India: Further south, there was a great spirit king who was master of Mount Lanka, which rises from the sea. Because this king loved the Mahayana teaching, Sakyamuni Tathagata crossed the sea to his kingdom and taught the dharma to him. On that occasion, Sakyamuni foretold that some time after his entrance into nirvana, Nagarjuna would appear in the world and vanquish the nonbuddhist teachings.

Here we have some great explanation of the importance of Nagarjuna, particularly in regards to his philosophical doctrine on emptiness, so called madhyamaka, which here is said to have crushed views of being and non-being. That is, it overcame the view that phenomena have true essence, and it overcame the nihilistic view that really there is nothing. As the Heart sutra says: "no being, no non-being". This is because being and non-being, that is, to exist and to not exist, are simply concepts in the mind of limited sentient beings. They do not have an ultimate ontological basis. To be a bodhisattva is to always see beyond such deluded conceptions.

3

Our teacher, Bodhisattva Nagarjuna,
Clarified the unexcelled dharma of the Great Vehicle;
Having attained the stage of joy,
He wholeheartedly recommended the nembutsu to all.

Stage of joy: the stage of the truly settled. In the term “joy” (kangi), kan means to be gladdened in body and -gi means to be gladdened in mind. To rejoice, realizing that one is assured of attaining what one shall attain, is called “joy.”

The stage of joy is an essential aspect of pure land soteriology. Joy in the Name is considered equivalent to entering the stage of the truly settled and becoming destined for Buddhahood at the end of life. This joy is not dependent on the limited mind, and therefore can be relied upon and is not impermanent.

4

Mahasattva Nagarjuna appeared in the world
And distinguished the paths of difficult and easy practice;
Thus he leads us, who are wandering in transmigration,
To board the ship of the universal Vow.

Difficult: the Path of Sages.
Easy: the Pure Land path.

Famously, Nagarjuna laid out two paths, saying that there are those who must make a long journey by land, and arrive at the same destination as those who simply take the boat there over the gentle water. The only reason that anyone would take the road by land is if they doubt the working of the boat. This is the fundamental reasoning leading to the importance of faith when considering the two paths. If one has faith in the easy path, they take it. If they doubt it, they do not. Though who can blame someone for being scared of the boat and the water underneath? It is a radically different experience to walking on land, which is what we have been doing for beginningless time. To allow ourselves to be swept away on a floating machine to our destination is shockingly different.

5

People who hear and accept the words
Of our teacher Bodhisattva Nagarjuna
Should be mindful of the Primal Vow
And say the Name of Amida always.

People who hear and accept the words of Nagarjuna are people of shinjin. Here Shinran is saying that people of shinjin should constantly say the Name of Amida.

6

Those who desire quickly to attain
The stage of nonretrogression
Should, with a heart of reverence,
Hold steadfast to and say Amida’s Name.

Reverence: to worship with humility. Hinayana speaks of making offerings; Mahayana speaks of reverence.
Hold steadfast to: to take and hold in one’s mind; not to scatter or lose; never abandoning once one has taken hold.

In the first note, Shinran speaks of his own interpretation of the difference between the two main Buddhist traditions. His idea is that in the "Hinayana" offerings are made but not with the mind of reverence, while in the Mahayana, a reverential attitude is emphasised. This also corresponds to how we relate to the nembutsu teaching versus other paths. We hold the Buddha's Name, Amida, in reverence, but we do not make offerings to Amida, since we don't have anything good to give to him from our limited foolish self. Holding steadfast to the Name also refers to being embraced, never to be abandoned by Amida's great compassion.