Ofudesaki 01:053

Ofudesaki
Author: Miki Nakayama Date Published: 1998 Pages: 486 (English ed.) Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 unnumbered set

Ofudesaki 01:053 is a verse from the Ofudesaki. The English translation below is the sixth edition translation.

Content

Among all humankind, there is no one who is evil.	ichiretsu niashiki to yūtenai kere do	一れつに　あしきとゆうて　ないけれど
It is only a bit of dust stuck on.	chotto no hokori gatsuita yue nari	一寸のほこりが　ついたゆへなり

Alternate English translations

Third Edition

Among all mankind, there is no one who is essentially evil. If there is, it is only because a few specks of dust have stuck to him.

Inoue/Eynon

There is nothing that can be rightly called evil. It is only because human minds are stained with dust.

Commentary

Commentary by Yoshitaro Ueda (2008)

From Michi no dai: Foundation of the Path 32:43

1:53 There is no one who is evil. If some people are regarded as evil, that is because a bit of dust is stuck on them.

This is the first time the term “dust” has appeared in the Ofudesaki. A major characteristic of dust is that it can be removed if we sweep it away. God teaches that what needs to be dealt with is only dust that is stuck on—rather than evil or sin, which would have had a more judgmental or deterministic tone. Behind this teaching of dust, we can perceive the parental love with which God assures us of how manageable the task is, for we only need to sweep it away to remove it.

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