Coffee and Japan's most profound classic text "TANNISHO"

TANNISHO  Ⅲ

Even a good person can be born in the Pure Land: how much more so an evil person!

Although this is the truth, people commonly say, "Even an evil person can be born in the Pure Land, so naturally a good person can." This way of thinking seems reasonable at first, but it goes against Amida's intention in making the Vow. Amida Buddha saw that human beings are each a mass of blind passions, desperately evil without a hope of salvation, and so he promised, "Entrust yourselves to me; I will save you without fail." Yet "good people think in their vanity that they can resolve the question of their eternal fate (17) through the good that they do, doubting the Prima Wow that mida made after he discerned how completely evil humans are. Such people have no intention of entrusting themselves entirely to  Amida. Therefore they are not in accord with Amida's Vow ; they are not objects of the Vow.

But even  such people, once they have become astonished at their true nature as perceived by Amida Buddha and left the question of their eternal fate in his hands, are assured of birth in the Pure Land after death.

It is impossible for us, filled with blind passions as we are, to free ourselves from the suffering of birth and death(18)  through any practice whatever. Amida took pity on our condition and made his Primal Vow with the purpose of ensuring that evil people will attain buddhahood. Therefore it is precisely evil people, those who recognize that they have no hope of salvation and so entrust themselves to other-power (19) who are the real focus of Amida's to Vow. 

This is why the master said that since even a virtuous person can be born in the Pure Land, so without question can one who is evil.

This is what the master(Shinran) said.

(17) The question of their eternal fate: Whether they will sink into an eternity of suffering or gain everlasting happiness.

(18) The suffering of birth and death: Being born and dying repeatedly in a cycle of suffering and sorrow. 

(19) The power of Amida Buddha.

(English edition)
UNLOCKING TANNISHO～Shinran's Words on the Pure Land Path～

 (Ichimanendo Publishing, Inc.)

Tannisho (Lamenting the Deviations) clarifies the heart of Pure Land Buddhism and points the way to real happiness with ... Unlocking Tannisho is the only definitive commentary of this beloved classic text, and has been a remarkable success ...

http://www.i-ipi.com/our-books/unlocking-tannisho/

(Japanese edition)
「歎異抄をひらく」（１万年堂出版、2008.3.3）

書籍紹介ページ
https://www.10000nen.com/books/978-4-925253-30-7/