慈悲道場懺法 6
English (machine translation) 6
- Language
- English
6.1
Continuation of Untying the Bonds of Enmity
6.2
Today, members of the assembly sharing this karmic endeavor in the bodhimaṇḍa! First, before those in the four modes of birth and six destinies, we repent the bodily evil karma. A sūtra says: 'Where there is a body, suffering arises; where there is no body, suffering ceases.' Yet this body is the root of all sufferings: the severe retributions of the three wretched paths are all obtained through the body. Never have we seen another act and myself receive [the retribution], or myself act and another receive [the retribution]; one creates the cause oneself and receives its fruit oneself. If even a single karmic action results in boundless sin, how much more so the evil karma generated throughout a lifetime! Today, we only know of our own body and do not know of others' bodies; we only know of our own suffering and do not know of others' suffering; we only know that we seek peace and happiness and do not know that others also seek peace and happiness. Due to delusion, we give rise to the notion of self and generate thoughts of enemy and kin; therefore enmities and adversaries pervade the six destinies. If we do not untie these bonds, when will we ever escape from among the six destinies? Going from kalpa to kalpa, is this not lamentable? Together today, let us give rise to a vigorous mind, give rise to great shame and remorse, and perform great repentance, ensuring that a single thought moves the Buddhas of the ten directions, and a single prostration cuts off immeasurable bonds of enmity. With equal poignancy, prostrating with the five limbs touching the ground, we take refuge in the worldly Father of Great Compassion and Loving-kindness.
6.3
Homage to Maitreya Buddha. / Homage to Śākyamuni Buddha. / Homage to Yuemian Buddha. / Homage to Baodeng Buddha. / Homage to Baoxiang Buddha. / Homage to Shangming Buddha. / Homage to Zuoming Buddha. / Homage to Wuliangyin Buddha. / Homage to Weilan Buddha. / Homage to Shizishen Buddha. / Homage to Mingyi Buddha. / Homage to Wunengsheng Buddha. / Homage to Gongdepin Buddha. / Homage to Yuexiang Buddha. / Homage to Deshi Buddha. / Homage to Wubianxing Buddha. / Homage to Kaihua Buddha. / Homage to Jinggou Buddha. / Homage to Jianyiqieyi Buddha. / Homage to Yongli Buddha. / Homage to Fuzu Buddha. / Homage to Fude Buddha. / Homage to Suishi Buddha. / Homage to Guangyi Buddha. / Homage to Gongdejing Buddha. / Homage to Shanjimie Buddha. / Homage to Caitian Buddha.
6.4
Homage to Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva; homage to Nityodyukta Bodhisattva; homage to Anantakāya Bodhisattva; homage to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.
6.5
And again we take refuge in all the Three Jewels throughout the ten directions, exhausting the bounds of space, like these.
6.6
We pray that by the power of the Buddha, the power of the Dharma, the power of the bodhisattvas, and the power of all worthy and noble ones, all adversaries in the four modes of birth and six destinies may come together to this bodhimaṇḍa, and each make confession and repentance. With our minds conceiving and our mouths speaking, we say: We, [so-and-so], from our residence in beginningless ignorance up to the present day, through the causes and conditions of physical evil karma, have aroused resentful knots in the deva destiny and human destiny, aroused resentful knots in the asura destiny and hell destiny, or aroused resentful knots in the hungry ghost destiny and animal destiny. We pray that by the power of the Buddha, the power of the Dharma, the power of the bodhisattvas, and the power of all worthy and noble ones, for all adversaries throughout the three periods of time in the four modes of birth and six destinies—whether directly confronting us or not, whether light or heavy—through this present rite of repentance, what is confessed may be eradicated and what is repented may be purified, so that we may never again undergo the bitter retributions of the three realms, and in whatever place we are born we may constantly encounter all buddhas. Furthermore, those who together repent today, from beginningless saṃsāra up to the present day, through the causes and conditions of physical evil karma, have extensively formed resentful knots in the evil destinies: either through anger, or through greed and attachment, or through delusion; producing the ten unwholesome deeds from the roots of the three poisons; being fond of slaughtering birds and beasts, severing [the lives of] cattle, sheep, and the like; or mutually harming and killing for the sake of fields and property, houses, or wealth. Again, from beginningless time up to the present day, either for the sake of gain and support we have wrongly stabbed sentient beings, or deceitfully acted as physicians, applying acupuncture and moxibustion to the common people. Transgressions and adversaries such as these being measureless, we repent them today and pray that they may be eradicated. Again, from beginningless time up to the present day, we have either starved sentient beings, plundered people's food supplies, oppressed sentient beings with salt and bitterness, or cut off people's water. Various evil karmas and adversaries such as these, we repent today and pray that they may be eradicated. Again, from beginningless time up to the present day, we have either killed sentient beings and eaten their flesh, given free rein to the three poisons to whip and beat sentient beings, or fed sentient beings poisoned food to kill them. Measureless and boundless adversaries such as these, we repent today and pray that they may be eradicated. Again, from beginningless time up to the present day, we have stayed far from wise masters and drawn near to evil friends, producing various sins through the three bodily karmas, indulging our passions to murder and cut short the lives of the innocent; or draining lakes and ponds, blocking up ditches and canals, tormenting and harming aquatic creatures and various minute insects; or burning hills and wild plains, setting up nets and snares, extensively killing sentient beings of water and land. Measureless and boundless adversaries such as these, we repent today and pray that they may be eradicated. Again, from beginningless time up to the present day, without compassion, acting contrary to impartiality, we have cheated and deceived with bushels and scales, encroached upon and bullied the lowly; or destroyed others' cities and towns, plundered and robbed; or stolen others' wealth to supply ourselves; lacking honesty and faith, mutually killing and harming. Measureless and boundless adversaries such as these, we repent today and pray that they may be eradicated. Again, from beginningless time up to the present day, without compassionate conduct, we have extensively inflicted severe suffering upon all sentient beings within the six destinies: whipping and beating our kin unjustly; binding, chaining, shackling, and incarcerating them; interrogating and flogging them, making them stand on one foot, piercing, shooting, injuring, and destroying them; or dismembering, mutilating, flaying, roasting, burning, and boiling them. Measureless and boundless adversaries such as these, we repent today and pray that they may be eradicated. Again, from beginningless time up to the present day, the three evil karmas of the body, the four evil karmas of speech, and the three evil karmas of mind—the four grave offenses, the five deeds of immediate retribution, and all other unwholesome actions—we have performed without exception. Relying on our youth and life-span, fearing neither ghosts nor spirits, we feared only that we would not surpass others and that others would equal us: either relying on illustrious lineage and renowned clan to look down on things and mistreat others, creating such enmity; or relying on knowledge and understanding to mistreat others and look down on things, creating such enmity; or relying on literary composition and arts to mistreat others and look down on things, creating such enmity; or relying on boasting, grandeur, and luxury to mistreat others and look down on things, creating such enmity; or relying on eloquence and sharp words to mistreat others and look down on things, creating such enmity. Such numerous grievances have arisen in relation to revered images and fields of merit, in relation to upādhyāyas and ācāryas, in relation to co-dwelling senior, middle, and junior monks, in relation to fellow students and kin, or in relation to parents and relatives. Measureless and boundless adversaries such as these, we repent today and pray that they may be eradicated. Again, from beginningless time up to the present day, passing through the deva destiny and human destiny, we have aroused various resentful knots; or in the asura destiny and hell destiny, we have aroused various resentful knots; or in the animal destiny, hungry ghost destiny, and even toward all sentient beings in the ten directions, we have aroused various resentful knots. Sins and evils such as these being measureless and boundless, we repent today and pray that they may be eradicated. We, [so-and-so], furthermore from beginningless time up to the present day, either out of jealousy, or out of flattery and crookedness seeking our own advancement, or for fame, or for gain and support, have followed evil views without shame or remorse. Such resentful knots, whether light or heavy, the amount and quantity of their sinful causes and bitter fruits, only the buddhas and bodhisattvas fully know and fully see. May the Buddha, the Bhagavat, regard me with compassionate thought. If in our past lives from beginningless saṃsāra onward, whatever multitude of sins we committed, whether telling others to commit them or rejoicing in seeing them committed; whether taking the possessions of the Three Jewels ourselves, telling others to take them, or rejoicing in seeing them taken; whether concealed or not concealed—according to the amount of sin known and seen by all buddhas and bodhisattvas, for which we should fall into the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, and all evil destinations, or into borderlands to be lowly and endure enmity, we now repent all of them, praying that they may be eradicated. The spiritual power of the buddhas is inconceivable. We pray that with minds of compassion and loving-kindness they will rescue and protect all, accepting that we, [so-and-so], today toward the four modes of birth and six destinies, parents, teachers, and all kin, repent past sins and untie resentful knots. May all adversaries in the six destinies each rejoice; may all renounce and give, without notions of enemy or friend; may all be unobstructed, just like empty space. From this day forward until bodhi, may habitual defilements be utterly severed, the three karmic actions be purified, all enmities forever ended; may we be reborn at will in heavenly palaces and jeweled mansions, constantly able to practice the four immeasurables and six pāramitās, our bodies adorned with the hundred merits, fully endowed with the myriad virtues; abiding in the Śūraṅgama samādhi, may we attain the vajra-body, in the space of a single thought-moment responding everywhere across the six destinies, mutually rescuing and delivering so that none are left behind, sitting together in the bodhimaṇḍa and realizing equal and perfect awakening.
6.7
Today, assembly sharing this karmic endeavor in the bodhimaṇḍa! Together we have succeeded in repenting physical sins. Although physical karma is purified, the remaining faults of speech are also the gate to all grievances and calamities. Therefore all buddhas admonish us not to engage in double-tongued speech, harsh speech, false speech, or frivolous speech. You should know that flattery, flowery phrases, and stirring up right and wrong cause speech to become a calamity, incurring retributions that are truly severe. When people live in the world, their minds harbor poisonous thoughts, their mouths utter poisonous words, and their bodies perform poisonous deeds, inflicting harm upon sentient beings through these three things. When sentient beings suffer poison, they form enmity and hatred, making a vow in their hearts to take revenge, either obtaining their wish in the present life or fulfilling their desire after death. Resentful knots such as these dwell extensively throughout the six destinies, retaliating against one another without end, all arising from past lives and not obtained out of nowhere. You should know that the body and speech are truly the source of all evils. Those who dwell in secular life give free rein to them, being unfilial; upon death they enter Mount Tai, where they instantly suffer the cruelty of boiling water and fire. Those who have left home take no delight in the Buddha-Dharma; wherever they are born, they constantly encounter evil. Such evil confrontations are all fed by the three karmas. Among the three karmas, karmic speech is truly heavy, even incurring retributions of all kinds of severe suffering, unconscious and unaware in the long night [of saṃsāra].
6.8
Today, assembly sharing this karmic endeavor in the bodhimaṇḍa! The reason we transmute through the six destinies is entirely due to karma of speech; or again, light words and reckless speech, glib tongue and sharp phrases, floating, false, and ornate expressions, our speech and actions contradicting each other, bringing upon ourselves retributions without escape for kalpas. How can each person not be terrified, and with increasing earnestness repent and wash away this fault? Together, from the time we have possessed a conscious spirit up to the present day, our karma of speech has not been wholesome: toward the four modes of birth and six destinies, parents, teachers, and all kin, there is no evil we have not proclaimed—speaking coarse and rude words, uttering slanderous and violent speech, gathering with friends to speak meaningless talk; declaring emptiness to be existence, declaring existence to be empty; saying we have not seen what we saw, saying we have seen what we did not see; saying we have not heard what we heard, saying we have heard what we did not hear; saying we did not do what we did, saying we did what we did not do; in this way reversing heaven and earth, benefiting ourselves and harming creatures, mutually slandering one another; when speaking of ourselves, attributing every virtue to ourselves; when speaking of others, attributing every evil to them; even scrutinizing sages and worthies, judging rulers and fathers, ridiculing teachers and elders, turning our backs on kalyāṇamitras; lacking morality and righteousness, without regard or apprehension. In this world there are hidden disasters that injure the body and take life; in the future, severe suffering will be endured as retribution for eternal kalpas. Even in a moment of joking and laughing, one can fully amass measureless heavy sins, not to mention inflicting bitter words upon everyone. Together, all of you, from beginningless time up to the present day, on account of evil karma of speech, if there are adversaries in the deva destiny and human destiny, if there are adversaries in the asura destiny and hell destiny, if there are adversaries in the hungry ghost destiny and animal destiny, or if there are adversaries toward parents, teachers, and all kin—we, [so-and-so], with minds of compassion and loving-kindness, sharing the bodhisattva's practice and sharing the bodhisattva's vows, universally on their behalf take refuge, pay homage, and bow to the Great Compassionate and Loving Father.
6.9
Homage to Maitreya Buddha; homage to Śākyamuni Buddha; homage to Śuddhasaṃśayacchida Buddha; homage to Amitadhārin Buddha; homage to Surata Buddha; homage to Anapavāda Buddha; homage to Apratiṣṭhita Buddha; homage to Takṣaka Buddha; homage to Gaṇapramukha Buddha; homage to Lokaprabha Buddha; homage to Bahuguṇa Buddha; homage to Puṣya Buddha; homage to Anantatejas Buddha; homage to Arthamati Buddha; homage to Bhaiṣajyarāja Buddha; homage to Samucchinnadoṣa Buddha; homage to Atapa Buddha; homage to Sudānta Buddha; homage to Yaśodatta Buddha; homage to Kusumaguṇa Buddha; homage to Vikrāntagāmin Buddha; homage to Vajrasena Buddha; homage to Mahāguṇa Buddha; homage to Śāntamati Buddha; homage to Gandhahastin Buddha; homage to Nārāyaṇa Buddha; homage to Susthita Buddha; homage to Anikṣiptadhura Bodhisattva; homage to Mañjughoṣa Bodhisattva; homage to Anantakāya Bodhisattva; homage to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.
6.10
And again we take refuge in all the Three Jewels throughout the ten directions, exhausting the bounds of space, like these.
6.11
May it be that, through the power of the Buddha, the power of the Dharma, the power of the bodhisattvas, and the power of the worthies and sages, all sentient beings in the four modes of birth and the six destinies will once again be awakened and come together to this bodhimaṇḍa. If there are those whose physical forms are hindered and whose minds are constrained so that they cannot arrive, we pray that by the power of the Buddha, the power of the Dharma, and the power of the worthies and sages, their spirits will be gathered so that all arrive together to receive the repentance of [so-and-so] and the others for their offenses of oral karma. From the ground of beginningless ignorance up to the present day, through the causes and conditions of bad oral karma, enmity and resentment have been stirred up throughout the six destinies. May the divine power of the Three Jewels cause all adversaries across the three times within the four modes of birth and the six destinies to have that which is repented of cut off, and that which is regretted eternally extinguished. From beginningless time up to the present day, [so-and-so] and the others, whether through anger, greed and attachment, or ignorance, have produced the ten unwholesome actions from the roots of the three poisons, giving rise to immeasurable transgressions through the four unwholesome actions of speech. We have distressed our parents and all our kin with harsh speech; or committed the karmic deed of lying against our parents, against relatives and kin, against our teachers, or against sentient beings; or, seeing, said we did not see; not seeing, said we saw; hearing, said we did not hear; not hearing, said we heard; knowing, said we did not know; not knowing, said we knew; or committed the karmic deed of lying out of pride or jealousy. Such transgressions and evils are immeasurable and boundless; today we repent of them and pray that they be eliminated and extinguished. Furthermore, from beginningless time up to the present day, we have engaged in the karma of divisive speech: hearing malicious words from another, we could not conceal them, but spoke of that one to this one, and spoke of this one to that one, causing people to be estranged and subjecting others to suffering. Or, through jesting and mockery, we caused contention between two families, brought discord between ruler and minister with slander, agitated and perturbed everyone, separated blood relatives, and broke up others' households. Such transgressions are immeasurable and boundless; today we repent of them and pray that they be eliminated and extinguished. Furthermore, from beginningless time up to the present day, we have committed the transgression of frivolous speech, uttering meaningless words and unprofitable words, thereby distressing our parents, our teachers, our fellow students, and even harming all sentient beings throughout the six destinies. The enmities and resentments arising from such oral karma are immeasurable and boundless; today we repent of them and pray that they be eliminated and extinguished. May the power of the Buddha, the power of the Dharma, the power of all the bodhisattvas, and the power of all the worthies and sages accept the repentance made today by [so-and-so] and the others, so that all the enmities and grievances of all adversaries across the three times within the four modes of birth and the six destinies will be completely liberated, all sinful karma will be severed and eliminated, and they will never again give rise to enmities to re-enter the three wretched paths, nor ever again inflict severe suffering upon one another in the six destinies. From this day forward, let them practice total giving without thoughts of foe or friend; let them be harmonious like milk and water; let them be filled with joy as on the first ground; and let them forever be Dharma kin, a family of compassion and loving-kindness. From now on until reaching bodhi, may they never again experience the retributions of the three realms; let them sever the karma of the three obstacles, be free of the five fears, deeply cultivate the four immeasurable minds and the six pāramitās, practice the Mahāyāna path, enter the wisdom of the Buddha, fulfill all oceans of vows, clearly comprehend the six supernormal powers and three clarities, attain the Buddha's three mysteries, be endowed with the five-part body, ascend to vajra-like wisdom, and accomplish the fruit of sarvākārajñatā.
6.12
Today, assembly sharing this karmic endeavor in the bodhimaṇḍa! Together we have now completed the repentance of the transgressions of body and speech; next, we must purify our mental karma. That all sentient beings revolve in birth and death without attaining liberation is entirely due to the firm agglomeration of their mental karma. The ten unwholesome deeds and the five inexpiable offenses must be produced by the mind. Therefore, the Buddha admonished: one must not harbor covetousness, anger, ignorance, or wrong views, lest one subsequently fall into hell to endure endless suffering. Today, together we see that the mind drives all the consciousnesses, just as a sovereign governs his ministers: the mouth utters evil words and the body commits grave rebellions, bringing upon oneself severe retributions in the six destinies. One should know that the ruin of the body is created by the mind; if one now wishes to reform and repent, one must first check the mind and then subdue the will. Why is this? A sūtra says: 'Directing the mind to a single point, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.' One should know that purifying the mind is the root of liberation; when mental karma is purified, then progress has an appointed time: the severe retributions of the three wretched paths will not come, and the suffering of the bad paths will not be visited upon us. However, while karma of body and speech is coarse and easy to dispel, the ground of the mind is subtle and difficult to eliminate. Even the Tathāgata, the Great Sage and Omniscient One, only then attained non-guarding over body, speech, and mind; how much more should ordinary, deluded, and foolish people not remain cautious and vigilant? If they do not break and subdue [the mind], its goodness will not be seen. A sūtra says: 'Guard the mind like a city; watch over the mouth like a jar.' Together, from beginningless worlds up to this single lifetime, through ignorance we have given rise to attachment, increasing birth and death, fully incurring the twelve sufferings, the eight wrong practices, the eight difficulties, the three wretched paths, and the six destinies, wandering through them without exception. Experiencing immeasurable suffering in all these places is entirely due to mental karma stirring up enmities and resentments, constantly grasping after conditions without pausing for a moment, inciting the six sense faculties and driving the five limbs to perform all light and heavy bad karma without exception. Or, when body and speech do not comply with its desires, the mind increases its wrath and malice, killing and harming one another without compassion. If one suffers even the slightest hurt or itch, it is intolerable; yet when it comes to others, one only fears that their pain and malice are not deep enough. Seeing another's fault, one desires to proclaim it; yet having one's own shortcomings, one is displeased if another hears of it. Having such a mind is truly cause for shame. Furthermore, anger arising from the ground of the mind is the enemy and thief of the Great Way; therefore a sūtra says: 'Among the thieves who plunder merit, none surpasses anger.' The Avataṃsaka Sūtra also says: 'Disciple of the Buddha, if one gives rise to a single thought of anger, among all evils none surpasses this evil.' Why is this? If one gives rise to a single thought of anger, one experiences a hundred thousand obstacles—namely, the obstacle of not seeing bodhi, the obstacle of not hearing the Dharma, the obstacle of being born in bad paths, the obstacle of having many illnesses, the obstacle of being slandered, the obstacle of being born dull and slow, the obstacle of losing right mindfulness, the obstacle of having little wisdom, the obstacle of being close to bad friends, the obstacle of taking no joy in the worthy and good, the obstacle of being far from right view, departing from the Buddha's true teaching to enter the realms of Māra, not meeting kalyāṇamitras, having imperfect faculties, and even being born in families of bad karma, or being born in borderlands. Such obstacles cannot be fully enumerated. From beginningless time up to the present day, we have already possessed immeasurable and boundless wrathful and wicked minds, even giving rise to anger without sparing our own kin, not to mention all the sentient beings of the six destinies; and when the fierce poison of our afflictions arises, we are no longer self-aware. If only one cannot accomplish an act, what does the mind not imagine? If its desires were allowed to be fulfilled, who would not be ruined? Thus, when the Son of Heaven becomes angry, corpses lie across ten thousand li; and below this, people vainly agitate themselves, inflicting floggings, beatings, and bindings, experiencing various sins and sufferings. At such a time, how could one say, 'I am violating the wholesome precepts'? One only fears that the cruelty and pain are not deep and severe enough. This evil of the mind-ground is common to all sentient beings; neither the wise nor the foolish escape it, and the noble and the lowly share it alike, yet not for a single day have they felt shame and reformed. Today, assembly sharing this karmic endeavor in the bodhimaṇḍa! When anger and distress run deep in the mind, even if one wishes to cast off the objective conditions, as soon as they are triggered, they join with evil, and moment after moment they collide. When will we ever be able to escape this suffering? Since the assembly together knows its transgressions, how could we remain complacent and not reform? Let us together today, with utmost sincerity, lay bare our hearts and repent to extinguish these sins. Each person should feel an equal, piercing sorrow, prostrate with the five limbs touching the ground, and take refuge in the Great Compassionate Father of the world.
6.13
Namo Maitreya Buddha. / Namo Śākyamuni Buddha. / Namo Wu Suofu Buddha. / Namo Yuexiang Buddha. / Namo Dianxiang Buddha. / Namo Gongjing Buddha. / Namo Weideshou Buddha. / Namo Zhiri Buddha. / Namo Shangcha Buddha. / Namo Xumiding Buddha. / Namo Zhiyuanzei Buddha. / Namo Lianhua Buddha. / Namo Yingzan Buddha. / Namo Zhici Buddha. / Namo Liqiao Buddha. / Namo Nārāyaṇa Buddha. / Namo Changle Buddha. / Namo Bushaoguo Buddha. / Namo Tianming Buddha. / Namo Jianyoubian Buddha. / Namo Shenliang Buddha. / Namo Duogongde Buddha. / Namo Baoyue Buddha. / Namo Shizixiang Buddha. / Namo Lechan Buddha. / Namo Wusuoshao Buddha. / Namo Youxi Buddha.
6.14
Namo Shizi Youxi Bodhisattva. / Namo Shizi Fenxun Bodhisattva. / Namo Anantakāya Bodhisattva. / Namo Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva.
6.15
Furthermore, we take refuge in all such Three Jewels throughout the ten directions to the ends of space.
6.16
May it be that through the power of compassion and loving-kindness and the limitless, boundless power of sovereign ease, you receive the repentance of us, [so-and-so] and others, today toward the four modes of birth and six destinies, our parents and teachers, and all our kinfolk, for all grievances and enmities arisen from mental karma. Whether [truly] matched in hostility or not, whether light or heavy, may enmities already arisen be repented of, eradicated, and extinguished; enmities not yet arisen we dare not create again. We look up and pray that through the power of the Three Jewels you jointly embrace, take pity on, protect, and shelter us, enabling us to attain liberation. From beginningless time until today, due to the conditions of evil mental karma, we, [so-and-so] and others, have given rise to various grievances and enmities, whether light or heavy, toward the four modes of birth and six destinies, our parents and teachers, and all our kinfolk; today with shame and remorse we disclose and repent them, praying that all grievances and enmities may be eradicated and extinguished. Furthermore, from beginningless time until today, relying on the roots of the three poisons we gave rise to greedy thoughts, and on account of greedy instigations we initiated greedy karma, throughout the entire realm of phenomena, both unseen and manifest. Regarding the possessions of others, we gave rise to the evil thought, 'I shall take them,' even up to the belongings of our parents and teachers, the belongings of all kinfolk, the belongings of all sentient beings, and the belongings of devas and ṛṣis—wishing that all such things belonged to ourselves. Such sins and evils being limitless and boundless, today we repent of them, praying that they may be eradicated and extinguished. Furthermore, from beginningless time until today, we initiated angry karma that burned day and night without resting for even a brief moment; at the slightest displeasure we flew into great rage, afflicting and harming sentient beings in various ways—either applying whips and cudgels, or drowning them, even starving, hanging, binding, and secretly imprisoning them. Such sins of anger and limitless grievances and enmities we repent of today, praying that they may be eradicated and extinguished. Furthermore, from beginningless time until today, following upon ignorance we initiated ignorant karma, leaving no evil uncommitted and devoid of right wisdom, believing in deviant words and receiving deviant teachings. Such ignorant karma creating limitless and boundless grievances and enmities we repent of today, praying that they may be eradicated and extinguished. Furthermore, from beginningless time until today, we practiced the ten deviant paths, leaving no enmity unfostered and no karma uncreated, grasping at conditions in thought after thought without ever letting go for a moment, inciting the six feelings and generating all fettering karma; or, when our bodies and mouths failed to accomplish our wishes, our minds grew increasingly venomous and fierce, even stirring up quarrels and disputes through jests and mockery, dealing with people without a straightforward mind, constantly harboring flattery and deceit without shame or remorse. Such sins being limitless and boundless, for which we suffered great anguish in the six destinies, today we repent of them, praying that they may be eradicated and extinguished. We, [so-and-so] and others, from beginningless time until today, through unwholesome bodily karma, unwholesome speech karma, and unwholesome mental karma—such evil karma—have created all sinful hindrances against the Buddha, created all sinful hindrances against the Dharma, and created all sinful hindrances against all bodhisattvas and worthy sages. Such sinful hindrances being limitless and boundless, today with utmost sincerity we plead for mercy and repent of them, praying that they may be eradicated and extinguished. Furthermore, from beginningless time until today, with the three bodily, four verbal, and three mental evil karmas, the five rebellious acts, and the four grave offenses, there is no sin we have not committed. Today we repent of them, praying that they may be eradicated and extinguished. Furthermore, from beginningless time until today, through the false thoughts and inversions of the six sense faculties, six sense objects, and six consciousnesses, we grasped at conditions and committed all sins. Today we repent of them, praying that they may be eradicated and extinguished. Furthermore, from beginningless time until today, we have frequently violated the precepts of embracing majestic deportment, the precepts of embracing wholesome dharmas, and the precepts of embracing sentient beings; upon the breakup of the body and the end of life we fell into the three wretched paths, enduring limitless, boundless suffering in the hells like the sands of the Ganges; or fell among hungry ghosts, bereft of all knowledge and understanding, constantly gripped by hunger and thirst, afflicted by cold and heat; or fell among animals, enduring limitless suffering, with impure food and drink, trapped in misery by hunger and cold; or were born among humans into families of deviant views, our minds constantly crooked and flattering, believing in deviant words and losing the right path, sinking into the ocean of birth and death with no time of emergence. All the evil grievances and enmities of the three periods of time are beyond calculation; only the Buddhas fully know and fully see them. To the extent of the quantity of sinful retributions known and seen by the Buddhas, today we repent of them, praying that they may be eradicated and extinguished. We pray that through the great compassionate power of the Buddhas, their great supernatural powers, and their power to tame all sentient beings in accordance with the Dharma, they cause us, [so-and-so] and others, who repent today, to immediately eradicate and extinguish all grievances and enmities; and for those who have already received enmity or have not yet received enmity among the six destinies and four modes of birth today, may the great compassionate power of the Buddhas, the bodhisattvas of the great grounds, and all worthy sages cause these multitudes of enmities to be completely liberated. From this day forward until bodhi, may all sinful hindrances be completely purified; abandoning birth in evil destinies may we attain birth in pure lands; abandoning a life of enmity may we attain a life of wisdom; abandoning a body of enmity may we attain a vajra body; abandoning the suffering of evil destinies may we attain the bliss of nirvāṇa; remembering the suffering of evil destinies may we generate the bodhicitta; may the four immeasurables and six pāramitās always manifest before us; may the four unhindered understandings and six supernatural knowledges be effortless and sovereign; may we be vigorously heroic and uninterrupted, even progressing in practice to fulfill the conduct of the ten grounds, and in turn deliver limitless sentient beings.
6.17
Making Vows: Chapter 4
6.18
Today, members of the assembly sharing this karmic endeavor in the bodhimaṇḍa! May all sentient beings of the past and present throughout the four modes of birth and six destinies, to the exhaustion of the boundaries of the future, through this repentance rite jointly attain purity and jointly attain liberation, being endowed with wisdom and sovereign supernatural power. We pray that all sentient beings, from this day forward until bodhi, will constantly see the Dharmakāyas of all Buddhas throughout the ten directions to the exhaustion of space; constantly see the thirty-two marks of the Buddhas' purple-golden bodies; constantly see the eighty minor marks of the Buddhas whose divided and emanated forms fill the ten directions to rescue sentient beings; and constantly see the great light of the white curl between the Buddhas' eyebrows shining universally to relieve the suffering of hells. Furthermore, we pray that the assembly sharing this karmic endeavor in the bodhimaṇḍa today, through the conditions of the pure merit of this repentance, will, from this day forward as we cast off and take up bodies, not undergo the suffering of boiling cauldrons, fiery coals, slicing, and roasting in the hellish destinies; not undergo the suffering of molten copper poured into the mouth, scorching and rotting, in the hungry ghost destinies; not undergo the suffering of flaying, tearing, and bitter torment in the animal destinies; and, if in the human destiny, not undergo the suffering of the four hundred and four ailments afflicting the body, the unbearable suffering of intense heat and severe cold, the harm of swords, cudgels, and poison, or the suffering of hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. Furthermore, we pray that the great assembly, from this day forward, uphold the precepts purely without a defiled mind, constantly cultivate benevolence and righteousness, be mindful of repaying kindness, make offerings to parents as though seeing the Bhagavat, revere and respect teachers as though facing the Buddhas, honor kings as the true Dharmakāya, and regard all others as ourselves. Furthermore, we pray that the great assembly, from this day forward until bodhi, fathom the profound meaning of the Dharma with fearless wisdom, clearly comprehend the Mahāyāna, clearly perceive the true Dharma, attain awakening on our own without relying on another's enlightenment, single-mindedly and resolutely seek the Buddha path, and in turn deliver limitless sentient beings, equally and together with the Tathāgatas attaining samyaksambodhi.
6.19
May the assembly of the unseen and manifest in today's bodhimaṇḍa deign to bear witness: for the small vows made today, the right vows of [so-and-so] and others, we pray to be born in places inhabited by sages, to constantly be able to establish bodhimaṇḍas, raise up and manifest offerings, work great benefit for all sentient beings, constantly receive the compassionate embrace of the Three Jewels, constantly possess power and authority to carry out teaching and guidance, constantly cultivate vigor without attachment to worldly pleasures, know that all phenomena are empty, transform those who are neither enmities nor kin alike with goodness, and never backslide from the bodhicitta all the way to bodhi. From this day forward, may every tip of hair of goodness support our vow power. We, [so-and-so] and others, also pray that if born among humans, we are born into families that cultivate goodness, re-establish bodhimaṇḍas to make offerings to the Three Jewels, and bestow every tip of hair of goodness upon all. We pray never to be separated from our upādhyāyas and ācāryas; naturally to eat vegetarian food; to sever lustful attachment with no need for wives and children; to be loyal, trustworthy, pure, upright, benevolent, forgiving, and peaceable; and to humble ourselves to relieve others without seeking fame or gain. We, [so-and-so] and others, also pray that if, upon abandoning this body, we are not liberated and are born among ghosts and spirits, we will become wholesome spirits of great power who protect the Dharma and relieve suffering, needing no food or clothing yet naturally warm and satiated. We, [so-and-so] and others, also pray that if, upon abandoning this life, we are not liberated and fall among animals, we will constantly dwell in deep mountains, eating grass and drinking water without hardships, appearing as auspicious omens when emerging, and never caged or fettered. We, [so-and-so] and others, also pray that if, upon abandoning this life, we are not liberated and fall among hungry ghosts, our bodies and minds will be peaceful and at ease without burning anguish, and we will transform our companions in suffering, causing them all to repent of their errors and generate the bodhicitta. We, [so-and-so] and others, also pray that if, upon abandoning this life, we are not liberated and fall into hell, we will naturally recall our past lives, and transform our companions in suffering, causing them all to repent of their errors and generate the bodhicitta. We, [so-and-so] and others, will also remember our own bodhicitta, causing the bodhicitta to continue without interruption. We look up and pray that all the Buddhas of the ten directions, the bodhisattvas of the great grounds, and all holy sages will manifest with minds of compassion and loving-kindness to bear witness for us. Furthermore, we pray that the devas and ṛṣis, the Four World-Protecting Kings, the five dragon kings who govern good, punish evil, protect, and uphold mantras, and the eight classes of nāgas and spirits jointly bear witness, as we once again with utmost sincerity take refuge in the Three Jewels.
6.20
Praising the Buddha and Making Mantric Vows
6.21
The Great Sage, the Bhagavat,
Towering, grand, and majestic,
With threefold knowledge clearly discerning,
The King among all sages.
Dividing his body to save beings,
Manifesting seated in the bodhimaṇḍa,
Devas and humans take refuge and revere him,
Nourished and receiving without end.
His eight tones extend afar,
The host of Māras is panicked and dismayed;
His majesty shakes the great chiliocosm,
His compassionate transformation spreads sweet fragrance.
Through the power of compassion and loving-kindness,
He universally embraces the ten directions,
Taking leave forever from the eight sufferings,
Reaching the homeland of bodhi.
6.22
Therefore he is named Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, Vidyācaraṇasampanna, Sugata, Lokavid, Anuttara, Puruṣadamyasārathi, Śāstādevamanuṣyāṇām, Buddha, Bhagavat, delivering limitless humans, uprooting the suffering of birth and death. Through the conditions of the pure merit of repenting and praising the Buddha today, we pray that all sentient beings of the four modes of birth and six destinies, from this day forward until bodhi, will attain sovereign ease according to their hearts' desires through the supernatural power of the Buddhas.
6.23
Repentance Rite of the Compassionate Bodhimaṇḍa, Fascicle Six
Linked texts (1)
- 慈悲道場懺法 — Classical Chinese