March, 2007
TWO RIVERS AND A WHITE PATH
By Rev. Yushi Mukojima
There is a story called “Two Rivers and a White Path” which easily correlates to Shin Buddhist
teaching. It was written by Zendo Daishi (61–681) who is one of Shin Buddhism’s seven Pure Land
masters. This month, I would like to share this story with you.
Suppose a man is trying to travel an endless road to the west. Bandits and vicious animals live
along the route. Seeing the traveler alone, they compete with one other to sneak up behind him and
kill him. He shudders with horror and starts running desperately to the west.
At last he comes upon an unexpected sight: two huge rivers meet directly in his path. One of them
is a river of fire that extends south and the other one is a river of water that extends north. They are
each a hundred paces wide and of immeasurable depth, extending beyond the horizon to the north
and south. However, where they meet, there is a white path, five or six inches wide. This path is a
hundred paces long from the eastern bank to the west. From one side, great waves of the water
surge over this narrow path. From the other, huge flames of the fire scorch the path. The waves
and the flames meet and consume the path without ceasing.
Although the white path is his only escape, the traveler has no confidence that he will be able to
walk it because it is extremely narrow. But there is no other retreat. As he stands fearfully before the
white path, he hears a voice from the eastern bank urging him, “Thou, take this path with firm
resolution. There is no danger of death. If you stay there, you will die.”
At the same time, he hears another voice from the western bank calling to him, “Thou, come at
once wholeheartedly with right mindfulness. I will protect you. Don’t fear that you may fall into the
rivers of water and fire.”
When the traveler hears the voice urging him from the eastern bank and the voice calling from the
west bank, he resolutely steps onto the white path and goes forward without hesitation. As he does
so, he hears the shouts of the bandits on the eastern bank: “Come back! The path is unreliable. It’s
impossible to cross it. You’ll be sure to die! We are your friends, trust us! Come back!”
Although he hears their cries, the traveler does not look back but walks straight ahead with a
singleness of heart. It is not long before he reaches the western shore. There he is free from all
fears and danger, and is welcomed warmly by his good friends who have been waiting to greet him.
His joy knows no end. This is the gist of the parable of the “Two Rivers and a White Path.”
As you know, the eastern bank represents the world of delusion which quakes with fear and
worry—namely, the world in which we are now living. The western bank represents the world of
enlightenment that is immeasurable life and inconceivable light—namely, Amida Buddha’s Pure
Land. The traveler represents each of us. His situation is our own, living alone and bearing up
under solitude from birth to death. Even if we believe that we are living surrounded by our family
and friends, ultimately each of us lives a lonely existence. No matter how much suffering we endure,
nobody can take our place. Therefore, we should realize that each of us is born alone, lives alone
and dies alone.
The river of the water symbolizes “the mind of greed” which causes lust for and attachment to our
favorite things. The river of the fire symbolizes “the mind of anger” which causes us to express
hatred. When I think about it deeply, it is no exaggeration to say that civilization has been built by
water and fire.
We protect ourselves and our families by acting on our desire for food, sexual desire, desire for
honor, desire for sleep, and desire for wealth. We challenge our enemies to fight with anger and
defeat them. Unfortunately, in so doing, we are drowned in the water of desire and consumed by
the flames of anger. In Buddhism, this state is interpreted as the everlasting death.
The path by which we can avoid this terrible death is the white path which Amida Buddha has
shown us. It stretches between the river of the water and the fire. It is does not get rid of the water
and the fire at all.
Although it is quite narrow, it is undoubtedly the path which one must tread. The length of hundred
paces represents a lifetime (a hundred years) and the path is the path of the Nembutsu, the
precious way which none can interfere with. It is the only path that saves us if we only recite the
Nembutsu.
The voice from the eastern bank is the Buddha in this world and the teaching of Shakyamuni
Buddha. The voice from the western bank is the Buddha in the Pure Land and the summons of
Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow. The shouts of bandits and vicious beasts from behind represent the
temptation and feigned friendships which try to interfere with the Nembutsu life and detain us in this
world of delusion.
Even if we are plagued every day by water and fire–greed and anger–once we decide resolutely
and trustingly to take the white path of the Nembutsu, it is called Shinjin.
I believe that it is at this big fork in life’s road that we determine if we end with an empty life or a
wonderful life. Do we turn back or do we move ahead? Through the parable of “Two Rivers and the
White Path,” Zendo Daishi says, “Take the path of the Nembutsu.”
“Take the path without hesitation!” “Come on without fear or worry!” Now we can hear the voices
of Shakyamuni Buddha and Amida Buddha. Let us walk the white path of the Nembutsu together
without being afraid!
In Gassho,
| Dharma Message |
