菩薩受齋經 1

English (machine translation) 1

Language: English

1.1

Translated by Nie Daozhen, upāsaka of the Western Jin.

The ritual for receiving the bodhisattva fast states: 'I, [name], take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma, take refuge in the Saṅgha of monks. The evil done by my body, the evil spoken by my mouth, and the evil thought by my mind have now been abandoned and eliminated. For such-and-such number of days and such-and-such number of nights, I receive the bodhisattva fast and take refuge in the bodhisattvas, just as the sixty thousand bodhisattvas before all maintained this fast. I am a bodhisattva, maintaining the fast kept by the former practicing bodhisattvas: Mañjuśrī, Huannajiulou, Awutuo, Tanwujia, Maitreya, Aweilushili, Shamantuoloutanna, Luoshouleng, and Tuosumingsu bodhisattvas. I am a bodhisattva, keeping the bodhisattva fast. As I distribute dāna in generosity, may I attain the dāna-pāramitā; as I receive prediction [of buddhahood], may I attain the vīrya-pāramitā; as I sit in dhyāna with single-minded focus, may I attain the dhyāna-pāramitā; as I expound the sūtras, may I attain the prajñā-pāramitā. This is upāyakauśalya, and from this, may I attain the mahāprajñā-pāramitā. Just as I hold in mind the beings in the hells, the beings among the pretas, and the beings among the animals, causing them to be liberated and reborn as humans, so from this distribution of dāna in generosity may I arrive before the Amitābha Buddha of the Sukhavatī world realm and receive samādhi and dhyāna.' This is the ritual for receiving the bodhisattva fast.

1.3

The Buddha told Subhūti: 'A bodhisattva has ten recollections, which one should guard. What are the ten recollections? One should be mindful of the past buddhas: this is a bodhisattva practice. One should be mindful of the future buddhas: this is a bodhisattva practice. One should be mindful of all present buddhas of the ten directions: this is a bodhisattva practice. One should be mindful of the śīla-pāramitā and maintaining the precepts: this is a bodhisattva practice. One should be mindful of the dhyāna-pāramitā: this is a bodhisattva practice. One should be mindful of upāyakauśalya: this is a bodhisattva practice. One should be mindful of the prajñā-pāramitā: this is a bodhisattva practice. One should be mindful of the dhyāna and samādhi of the sixty thousand bodhisattvas in the presence of Amitābha Buddha: this is a bodhisattva practice. One should be mindful of the past, future, and present upādhyāyas and ācāryas: this is a bodhisattva practice. These are the ten recollections. If anyone generates the resolve to seek the bodhisattva path and practice dhyāna, they should contemplate them daily. These are the ten matters; not recollecting them constitutes defiled practice.'

1.4

'On the bodhisattva fast days there are ten precepts: First, on the bodhisattva fast day one must not apply cosmetics, flowers, or perfumes. Second, on the bodhisattva fast day one must not sing, dance, beat drums, play music, or wear ornaments. Third, on the bodhisattva fast day one must not lie on high beds. Fourth, on the bodhisattva fast day after midday one must not eat again. Fifth, on the bodhisattva fast day one must not handle money, knives, gold, silver, or precious jewels. Sixth, on the bodhisattva fast day one must not ride in carts, or on oxen or horses. Seventh, on the bodhisattva fast day one must not beat children, slaves, or animals. Eighth, bodhisattvas all keep this fast, obtaining merit through distributing dāna in generosity; I am a bodhisattva, and as I hold in mind the beings in the hells, the beings among the pretas, and the beings among the animals, causing them to be liberated and reborn as humans, so through this distribution of dāna in generosity may I reach the presence of Amitābha Buddha of the Sukhavatī world realm and receive samādhi and dhyāna. This is the rite for concluding the fast for a bodhisattva. When going to lie down on the bodhisattva fast day, one joins the palms before the Buddha and says: "Today, whoever in all the ten directions maintains the fast and precepts, may I assist in their immeasurable peace; today, whoever maintains the precepts, may I assist in their immeasurable peace; today, whoever practices patience and holds in mind the people of the world, may I assist in their immeasurable peace; today, whoever practices vigor, may I assist in their immeasurable peace; today, whoever possesses wisdom and expounds the sūtras, may I assist in their immeasurable peace. Dedicating this rejoicing in merit on their behalf, I give it to and direct its flow toward all humans, non-humans, and sarvasattvas in the ten directions wherever they are in places of toil, suffering, adversity, and disaster, causing them all to obtain merit, be liberated from grief and suffering, be reborn as humans, and enjoy limitless peace, security, and wealth." On this bodhisattva fast day, one must not watch sweeping and cleaning. Ninth, on the bodhisattva fast day one must not consume food or drink leaving the vessel completely empty. Tenth, on the bodhisattva fast day one must not exchange flirtatious smiles or sit on the same mat with women, and women likewise [with men]. These are the ten precepts; one must not violate them, must not instruct others to violate them, and must not encourage others to violate them.'

1.5

The ritual for concluding the bodhisattva fast states: 'Namo Buddhāya, namo Dharmāya, namo Bhikṣu-saṅghāya! I, [name], for such-and-such number of days and such-and-such number of nights, have kept the bodhisattva fast. From distributing dāna in generosity, may I attain the dāna-pāramitā; as I have maintained the precepts, may I attain the śīla-pāramitā; as I have held in mind the people of the ten directions of the world so that they might attain peace and security, may I attain the kṣānti-pāramitā; as I receive prediction [of buddhahood], may I attain the vīrya-pāramitā; as I have sat in dhyāna, may I attain the dhyāna-pāramitā; this is upāyakauśalya, like mahāprajñā-pāramitā.' In accord with the rule of the fast observed by the various bodhisattvas, the sixty thousand bodhisattvas: throughout day and night, one part is for dhyāna, one part for reciting sūtras, and one part for sleeping. This is the rule for the bodhisattva fast day. Receive it on the fourteenth day of the first month and conclude it on the seventeenth; receive it on the eighth day of the fourth month and conclude it on the fifteenth; receive it on the first day of the seventh month and conclude it on the sixteenth; receive it on the fourteenth day of the ninth month and conclude it on the sixteenth.

1.6

The above are the numbers of the fast days.

1.7

I take refuge in the western realm of Amitābha Samyaksaṃbuddha, and the bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta; may the three poisons be eliminated, and may I be reborn in the venerable land.

1.8

Pure and venerable divine land,
In peaceful rest lies in the West.
I pray that I may take refuge in it myself,
And serve the unsurpassable King.
With supernatural penetrations and holy wisdom attained,
May you illuminate and see my state of mind.
Taking refuge in the great guardians,
For a hundred kalpas unshakable and unswerving.

1.9

Sūtra on the Bodhisattva's Observance of the Fast

Linked texts (1)

菩薩受齋經 — Classical Chinese