轉經行道願往生淨土法事讚 2.168

2.168

We respectfully consider: Amitābha's wondrous fruit is called the Unsurpassed Nirvāṇa; his land is vast and adorned, everywhere filled with natural multi-jewels. Avalokiteśvara, the Great Being, attends his numinous presence on the left; Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the Compassionate Honored One, offers worship on the right. Three flowers uniquely curve around, jewel canopies descend upon their bodies; the brilliance within the pearls shines, and celestial sounds encircle outside. Śrāvakas and bodhisattvas surpass the dust and sands in number; transformed birds and devas gather everywhere without exception. The sacred assemblies from other directions arise rushing like clouds; ordinary, afflicted beings born together exceed heavy rain. Those who come from the ten directions all arrive at the Buddha's side; drums and music resound in hymns, incense and flowers encircle in praise. When offerings are completed, they visit everywhere to personally attend: either entering the assembly of the hundred-jewel pond and channels, or entering the assembly of the jewel pavilions and palaces, or entering the assembly of jewel groves and jewel trees, or ascending to the assembly in empty space, or entering the great assembly of the Dharma-food of non-arising. Such sacred assemblies in the pure and adorned great gatherings walk together, sit together, go together, and come together; at all times there is none who does not realize awakening. The various adornments of the Western Sukhāvatī cannot be fully praised. Now, we, the pure and faithful disciples so-and-so and all these many people, know that the body is a provisional combination formed of the four great elements, and consciousness and life are fleeting and precarious, like severe frost facing the sun. Across the ten directions and the six paths, all share this limitless cycle of saṃsāra, successively sinking into the waves of craving and drowning in the sea of suffering. The Buddha's path and a human body are difficult to obtain, yet now we have obtained them; the Pure Land is difficult to hear of, yet now we have heard of it; faithful mind is difficult to arouse, yet now we have aroused it. Looking up, we reflect that now the fellow good friends who are to be born together, all these many people, fear that life is like a spark from flint, difficult to expect to shine for long, and the nature of consciousness is impermanent, fleeting faster than a candle in the wind. Therefore, each and all together vow to forge the karma of rebirth, each reciting the Amitābha Sūtra so many tens of thousands of times, reciting Amitābha's name so many tens of thousands of times, and performing such-and-such meritorious deeds, all fully complete. Therefore, on such a month and day, having adorned the courtyard and halls, and polished and decorated the bodhimaṇḍa, we respectfully invite monks and nuns to circumambulate through the night. Furthermore, with royal delicacies of a hundred flavors and various sweet fragrances, we make offerings to the Buddha and the monastic assembly, rejoicing with one heart. We also vow that through upholding the precepts, reciting sūtras, chanting the Buddha's name, circumambulating, and cultivating all meritorious deeds, the present donors, fellow practitioners, and sentient beings of the dharmadhātu, from now on, will be shadowed and protected by celestial spirits and sustained by ten thousand virtues; their blessings and life will be flourishing and robust, freed from all worries and afflictions; the Buddhas of the six directions will protect and be mindful of their faithful minds; and Amitābha of the Pure Land will embrace them with compassionate mind. We also vow that Avalokiteśvara and the sacred assembly will come and go in continuous succession, thought after thought without omission, universally extending protection from afar; through spring, autumn, winter, and summer, the four great elements will be constantly at peace; sins will be eradicated, blessings fulfilled, and they will turn to be born in the Pure Land. We also vow that at the end of life there will be no illness, right mindfulness will be firm and strong, the sacred assembly will come to welcome us, flower daises gathering everywhere; Amitābha's light will shine, bodhisattvas will support the body, and transformation Buddhas with one mind and one voice will praise alike; riding the dais, in a single thought we will reach the West, behold the Buddha's revered countenance, and realize the anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti. We humbly pray that those fellow practitioners aspiring for rebirth may attain such goodness. We further pray that this merit may aid and benefit: