Chanting

These are the chants that we use most often in our weekly Liturgy:


Maha Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra

Avalokiteshavara Bodhisattva,
doing deep Prajna Paramita,
clearly saw emptiness of all the five conditions,
thus completely relieving misfortune and pain.
Oh Shariputra, form is no other than emptiness,
emptiness no other than form.
Form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form.
Sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness
are likewise like this.
Oh Shariputra, all dharmas are forms of emptiness;
not born, not destroyed, not stained, not pure,
without loss, without gain.
So in emptiness there is no form,
no sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness;
no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind;
no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, phenomena;
no realm of sigh, no realm of consciousness,
no ignorance and no end to ignorance,
no old age and death and no end to old age and death,
no suffering, no cause of suffering,
no extinguishing, no path, no wisdom, and no gain.
No gain and this the bodhisattva lives Prajna Paramita,
with no hindrance in the mind;
no hindrance, therefore no fear.
Far beyond deluded thoughts; this is nirvana.
All past, present, and future buddhas
live Prajna Paramita and therefore attain
anuttarasamyak-sambodhi.
Therefore know Prajna Paramita
is the great mantra, the vivid mantra, the best mantra,
the unsurpassable mantra.
It completely clears all pain.
This is the truth, not a lie.
So set forth the Prajna Paramita mantra,
set forth this mantra and say,
Gate! Gate! Paragate! Parsamgate!
Bodhi Svaha!
Prajna Heart Sutra.


Identity of Relative and Absolute

The mind of the great sage of India was intimately
conveyed from West to East.
Among human beings are wise ones and fools,
but in the Way there is no northern of southern patriarch.
The subtle source is clear and bright,
the tributary streams flow through the darkness.
To be attached to tings is illusion,
to encounnter the absolute is not yet enlightenment.
Each and all, the subjective and objective spheres are
related, and at the same time independent.
Related, yet working differently,
though each keeps its own pace.
Form makes the character and appearance different;
sounds distinguish comfort and discomfort.
The dark makes all words one,
The brightness distinguishes good and bad phrases.
The four elements return to their nature
as a child to its mother.
Fire is hot, wind moves, water is wet, earth hard;
eyes see, ears hear, nose smells,
tongue tastes the salt and sour.
In accordance with each dharma,
the root gives rise to separate leaves.
Root and branch must return to the great reality.
The words high and low are used relatively.
Within light there is darkness,
but do not try to understand that darkness.
Within darkness there is light,
but do not look for that light.
Light and darkness are a pair,
like the foot before and the foot behind in walking.
Each thing has its own intrinsic value and is related
to everything else in function and position.
Ordinary life fits the absolute as a box and its lid.
The absolute works together with the relative
like two arrows meeting in mid-air.
Reading words, you should grasp the great reality.
Do not judge by any standards.
If you do not see the way,
you do not see it even as you walk on it.
When you walk the way, it is not near, it is not far.
If you are deluded,
you are mountains and rivers away from it.
I respectfully say
to those who wish to be enlightened,
do not waste your time by night or day.


Gatha on Opening the Sutra

The Dharma, incomparably profound and infinitely
subtle, is rarely encountered,
even in millions of ages.
Now we see it, hear it, receive and maintain it.
May we completely realize
the Tathagata's true meaning.


The Four Vows

Sentient beings are numberless;
I vow to save them.
Desires are inexhaustible;
I vow to put an end to them.
The dharmas are boundless;
I vow to master them.
The Buddha Way is unattainable;
I vow to attain it.


Here are other chants that we use during retreats and special times:

Emmei Jukku Kannon Gyo

Kan ze on na mu butsu yo u in yo butsu
u en bup po so en jo raku ga jo cho nen kan
ze on bo non kan ze on nen nen ju shin ki nen
nen fu ri shin

Kan ze on na mu butsu yo u in yo butsu
u en bup po so en jo raku ga jo cho nen kan
ze on bo non kan ze on nen nen ju shin ki nen
nen fu ri shin

Kan ze on na mu butsu yo u in yo butsu
u en bup po so en jo raku ga jo cho nen kan
ze on bo non kan ze on nen nen ju shin ki nen
nen fu ri shin

Sho Sai Myo Kichijo Dharani

No mo san man da moto nan oha ra chi koto
sha sono nan to ji to en gya gya gya ki gya ki
un nun shiu ra shiu ra hara shiu ra hara shiu
ra chishu sa chishu sa chishu ri chishu ri sowa
ya sowa ja sen chi gya shiri ei somo ko.


No mo san man da moto nan oha ra chi koto
sha sono nan to ji to en gya gya gya ki gya ki
un nun shiu ra shiu ra hara shiu ra hara shiu
ra chishu sa chishu sa chishu ri chishu ri sowa
ya sowa ja sen chi gya shiri ei somo ko.


No mo san man da moto nan oha ra chi koto
sha sono nan to ji to en gya gya gya ki gya ki
un nun shiu ra shiu ra hara shiu ra hara shiu
ra chishu sa chishu sa chishu ri chishu ri sowa
ya sowa ja sen chi gya shiri ei somo ko.


Gatha of Atonement

All evil karma ever committed by me since of old
because of my beginningless
greed, anger, and ignorance,
born of my body, mouth,
and thought,
now I atone for it all


Taking the Refuge in the Three Treasures

I take refuge in the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Dharma.
I take refuge in the Sangha.

I take refuge in the Buddha,
the incomparably honored one.
I take refuge in the Dharma, honorable for its purity.
I take refuge in the Shngha, honorable
for its harmony.

I have taken refuge in the Buddha.
I have taken refuge in the Dharma.
I have taken refuge in the Sangha.


Evening Gatha

Let me respectfully remind you.
Life and death are of supreme importance.
Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost.
Each of us should strive to awaken.
Awaken. Take heed. Do not squander your life.


Oryoki Gathas

Buddha was born at Kapilavastu
enlightened at Magadha
taught at Varanasi
entered nirvana at Kusinagara
now I open Buddha Tathagata's eating bowls
may we be relieved from self-clinging
with all sentient beings.


The Names of Buddha

Pure Dharmakaya Vairochana Buddha
Complete Sambhogakaya Vairochana Buddha
Numerous Nirmanajaya Shakyamuni Buddhas
Future Maitreya Buddha
All Buddhas thoughout space and time
Mahayana Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
Great Compassionate Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva
All Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas
Maha Prajna Paramitas.


First 72 Labors

First, seventy-two labors brought us this food;
we shoudl know how it comes to us.
Second, as we receive this offering,
we should consider
whether our virtue and practice deserve it.
Third, as we desire the natural order of mind
to be free from clinging, we must be free from greed.
Fourth, to support our life we take this food.
Fifth, to attain our way we take this food.

First, this food is for the three treasures.
Second, it is for our teachers, parents, nation, and all sentient beings.
Third, it is for all beings in the six worlds.

Thus, we eat this food with everyone,
we eat to sop all evil, to practice good,
to save all sentient beings,
and to accopmlish our Buddha Way.


Ambrosia Water

The water which I wash these bowls
tates like ambrosia;
I offer it to the various spirits to satisfy them.
Om, Makuraai Svaha!


Muddy Water

May we exist in muddy water with the purity like a lotus.
Thus we bow to Buddha.


Seven Buddhas

Namu Past Seven Buddhas.
Namu Shakyamuni Buddha.
Namu Manjushri Bodhisattva.
Namu Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.
Namu Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.
Namu Maitreya Buddha.
Namu Successive Daiosho.


Three Treasures

Being one with the Buddha.

With all sentient beings, raise the bodhi mind.
Let the supremem way be realized.

Being one with the Dharma.

With all sentient beings, penetrate all sutras.
Let wisdom be like the ocean.

Being one with the Sangha.

With all sentient beings, lead the people.
Let harmony pervade everywhere.