As you can see, this passage contains wording that is very similar to the Tannisho, “Since even a good person can be born in the Pure Land, how much more so will an evil person,” indicating that those words may well have been received from the “‘revered predecessor’ (sentoku) of Kurodani,” meaning Master Honen.

From these indications, it may very well be that the phrase, “Since even a good person can be born in the Pure Land, how much more so will an evil person,” found in Article Three of the Tannisho, are not the Venerable Master’s words, but Master Honen’s. Still, I believe there is a great deal of difference in the contents of the thought of these two persons. In Chapter 11 of his Senjaku-shu (A Collection of Selected Passages), Master Honen wrote:

The deepest evil can be eliminated by the supporting power of the Nembutsu. Accordingly, the incomparable dharma is taught to those who are most evil and are at the lowest rungs (of Enlightenment).

As can be determined from this, the Nembutsu is precisely for the benefit of those who are most evil. That is why the Nembutsu is so outstanding.

Further, in Volume Five of the Wago Toroku (A Record of the Light), it states:

Honen-bo (Master Honen ) of the Ten Evils said he will be born in the Pure Land through the Nembutsu, and was. Again, Honen-bo the Complainer said he would be born in the Pure Land through the Nembutsu.

From the phrases, “Honen-bo of the Ten Evils” and “Honen-bo the Complainer,” we see that the “the evil person is the true (object of Amida’s salvation)” teaching of both Master Honen and the Venerable Master are very similar. However, the following passage can also be found in Book Five of the same Wago Toroku document:

Further, in the Saiho Shinanho (Notes on Instructions to the Western Direction), it states:

Honen-bo (Master Honen ) of the Ten Evils said he will be born in the Pure Land through the Nembutsu, and was. Again, Honen-bo the Complainer said he would be born in the Pure Land through the Nembutsu.

From the phrases, “Honen-bo of the Ten Evils” and “Honen-bo the Complainer,” we see that the “the evil person is the true (object of Amida’s salvation)” teaching of both Master Honen and the Venerable Master are very similar. However, the following passage can also be found in Book Five of the same Wago Toroku document:

Good people who recite the Nembutsu while being good, and evil people who recite the Nembutsu while remaining evil, are “saved” by the Nembutsu although they remain what they are. Those who recite the Nembutsu by discarding evil and becoming good, however, are truly in accord with the mind and heart of the Buddha.