Pray wholeheartedly for the global coronavirus pandemic soon ended.
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma SamBuddhassa (3 times).
Respectfully pay homage to the Buddha: the World-Honored One, the Worthy One, the Exalted One, the Fully Awakened or Enlightened One (Bell).
Incense Offering
As wonderful as the lotus flower,
as bright as the northern star,
let us come back and take refuge in
the Teacher of gods and human beings.
The precious lotus blossoms on the enlightened pedestal
The halo shines in all the directions.
Wisdom goes beyond the Dharma realms,
Loving-kindness and compassion are imbued with all over mountains and rivers.
We have just seen the Buddha’s beautiful countenance,
our wholeheartedly sincere hearts are to respectfully offer,
forwarded to praises to the Three Jewels
Diligence in the Dharma career is well cultivated.
As the incense is lit,
sandalwood perfumes the air,
making an auspicious rainbow cloud.
I, your disciple, with all my respect
offer it to the Buddha of the Ten Directions.
May we practice the precepts seriously at all times
May we practice concentration diligently,
May we offer the precious fruit of insight as our offering of incense of the heart.[1]
We would like to respectfully offer incense of precepts, concentration, wisdom, deliverance, and that of deliverance with right view to the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, virtuous and noble Sangha, dharma guardians, good gods, knowing and understanding our wholehearted minds. (Bell)
Touching the earth in deep gratitude to the Triple Gem
We, your disciples, wholeheartedly pay homage to the Buddha forever present in the three lives and ten directions. (Bell, one prostration)
We, your disciples, wholeheartedly pay homage to the Dharma forever present in the three lives and ten directions. (Bell, one prostration)
We, your disciples, wholeheartedly pay homage to the Sangha forever present in the three lives and ten directions. (Bell, one prostration)
(Meditation practice around 10 minutes)
Open Verse
The Dharma is deep and lovely,
we now have a chance to see, study, and to practice,
we vow to realize its true meaning.(Bell)
Recollection of Gratitude to the Buddha Jewels
The World-Honored Buddha;
The Master is our peaceful, noble, and spiritual Leader;
The Master is the most worthy to be made offerings;
The Master understands and loves;
The Master has fully virtuous conduct and insight;
The Master has obtained perfect peace, joy, and deliverance;
The Master understands the world clearly;
The Master has the ability to subjugate people;
The Master of both gods and human beings;
The Master has attained enlightenment and awakening completely;
The Master deserves to be best honored and respected by the world.(Bell)
Recollection of Gratitude to the Dharma Jewels
The Dharma Jewels of the World-Honored One that have been well proclaimed by himself are very practical in the present,
have value beyond time,
have the ability to transform one’s body and mind,
have the ability to extinguish defilements of greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, wrong view, etc.
Taking refuge in the Dharma, an intellectual one who can also cultivate oneself masters the Dharma,
comes and sees,
comes and hears,
comes and understands,
comes and learns
comes and practices,
comes and enjoys the flowers and fruits of peaceful joy and deliverance right here and right now in the present life.(Bell)
Recollection of Gratitude to the Sangha Jewels
The Sangha Jewels of the World-Honored One mean the Community is going on the really good, true, honest, beautiful, and appropriate path; the Community following the Buddhadharma practices the Buddhadharma, and lives correctly with the Buddhadharma.
In the noble Community, there are those who have attained and are attaining the holy fruition of the stream-enterer, the once-returner, the non-returner, and that of Arahant, comprises four pairs and eight fruitions of holy people,[2] accomplishes all aspects of ethics, meditation, wisdom, deliverance, and deliverance with right understanding.
This Community deserves to be taken refuge in, served, respected, honored, admired, and made offerings, is the field of merit good for everyone to sow and to plant.[3] (Bell)
Recollection of Gratitude to the Dharma Precepts
The Dharma Precepts of the World-Honored One;
the Discipline (Vinaya) -right mindfulness the Sanghabody has been receiving, practicing, spreading, and observing,
are the perfect precepts body,
are the never broken precepts body,
are the never polluted precepts body,
are the never spotted precepts body,
are the never mingled precepts body,
are the precepts body praised and admired by intellectuals,
are the precepts body with the ability to protect freedom,
are the precepts body leading us to fearlessness,
are the precepts body leading us to virtue, meditation, wisdom, deliverance, and deliverance with right understanding
are the precepts body leading us to peacefulness and happiness forever.[4](Bell)
The Heart Sutra of Insight that Bring Us to the Other Shore
Avalokiteshvara, while practicing deeply with the insight that brings us to the other shore, suddenly discovered that all of the five Skandhas are equally empty. After this penetration, he overcame all ill-being. “Listen, Sariputra, this body itself is emptiness, and emptiness itself is this body. This body is not other than emptiness, and emptiness is not other than this body. The same is true of feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness.
Listen, Sariputra, all phenomena bear the mark of emptiness; their true nature is the nature of no Birth no Death, no Being no Non-being, no Defilement no Immaculacy, no Increasing no Decreasing.
That is why in emptiness, body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness are not separate self-entities. The Eighteen Realms of Phenomena which are the six Sense Organs, the six Sense Objects, and the six kinds of Consciousness are also not separate self-entities.
The Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising and their extinction are also not separate self-entities. Ill-being, the Causes of Ill-being, the End of Ill-being, the Path, insight and attainment, are also not separate self-entities. Whoever can see this no longer needs anything to attain. (Bell)
Bodhisattvas who practice the Insight that brings us to the other shore see no more obstacles in their mind, and because there are no more obstacles in their mind, they can overcome all fear, destroy all wrong perceptions and realize Perfect Nirvana.
All Buddhas in the past, present and future by practicing the insight that brings us to the other shore are all capable of attaining authentic and perfect enlightenment. Therefore, Sariputra, it should be known that the insight that brings us to the other shore is a Great Mantra, the most illuminating mantra, the highest mantra, a mantra beyond compare, the true wisdom that has the power to put an end to all kinds of suffering. Therefore, let us proclaim a mantra to praise the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore.
“Gate, gate, pāragate, pārasamgate, bodhi, svaha.” (3 times)
“Gone, Gone, Well Gone, Gone to the other Shore, Got Enlightenment so happily.” (3 times, O)
Contemplation of Body, Mind, and Karma
I am of the nature to grow old, I cannot escape growing old;
I am of the nature to have ill health, I cannot escape having ill health;
I am of the nature to die, I cannot escape death;
All things are created and caused by my bodily action, verbal action, and mental action, I cannot let go of them, whether it is good karma or non good karma; Aware of this, good karma I continue upholding and developing; non good karma I try to recognize and transform;
All relatives, loved ones, and things I cherish today are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.My actions are the ground on which I stand. (Bell)
Freedom of Body and Mind
This body is not mine,
I am not limited by this body,
I am an infinite life,
I have never been born,
and also have never died.
Look! Sea is wide and sky is high,
densely innumerable stars.
All are together manifested in me
from the spiritual source of consciousness mind,
from all lives I am free.
Birth and death are the gateway in and out,
they are the hide-and-seek games.
Smile together with me.
Breathe together with me.
Practice meditation together with me.[5]
Recite the Buddhas’names together with me.
Namo Fully Awakened Buddhaya. (Bell)
Person knows to live alone[6]
The Buddha has taught that:
Do not trace back to the past,
Do not worry about the future
The past was over,
The future has not come yet.
Contemplate your life
In the present moments
Wise people are dwelling in
Steadiness and calmness.
Be diligent today
Do not wait until tomorrow
Health will get weaker
You cannot practice.
Death comes to you suddenly
You cannot know it in advance.
A person knows how to dwell in
Both day and night in mindfulness
The Buddha calls him or her as
The person knows to live alone.
Namo Fully Awakened Buddhaya. (Bell)
The Three Refuges
I take refuge in the Buddha, the One who shows me the way of loving-kindness, compassion, and wisdom in lifetime.
Having taken refuge in the Buddha, I clearly see the path of light and beauty in life.
Turning back and taking refuge in the Buddha in myself, I aspire to help all people soon recognize and develop their own enlightened nature.
Namo Buddhaya
Buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi
Dutiyampi buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyampi buddhaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi. (Bell)
I take refuge in the Dharma, the way of practicing peace, joy, happiness, understanding, and love for the many right in the present life.
Having taken refuge in the Dharma, I am learning and cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path, including ethics, meditation, and wisdom interconnected very closely with right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
Turning back and taking refuge in the Dharma in myself, I aspire to help all people fully master the ways of practice and walk together on the path of liberation.
Namo Dharmaya
Dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyampi dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyampi dhammaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.(Bell)
I take refuge in the Sangha, the Community of cultivated people who vow to lead their lives of ethics, harmony, and awareness to themselves and to others right here and right now in the present life.
Having taken refuge in the Sangha, I am enlightened, instructed, and supported by the Sanghabody on the way of practice.
Turning back and taking refuge in the Sangha in myself, I aspire to help all people build fourfold Communities, to embrace all beings and support their transformation.
Namo Sanghaya.
Saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dutiyampi saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Tatiyampi saṅghaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi. (Bell)
Sharing the Merit
Reciting the trainings, practicing the way of awareness gives rise to benefits without limit.
We vow to share the fruits with all beings. We vow to offer tribute to parents, teachers, friends, and numerous beings who give guidance and support along the path.
May the merit of this practice benefit all beings and bring peace. (Bell)
Express diligent vows and pay thankful respects to the Triple Gem
We, disciples of Gotama Buddha, are always aware of ourselves by day and by night, constantly practice and recollect the light of the Buddha. Namo Buddhaya. (Bell, one prostration).
We, disciples of Gotama Buddha, are always aware of ourselves by day and by night, constantly practice and recollect the light of the Dharma. Namo Dharmaya. (Bell, one prostration).
We, disciples of Gotama Buddha,are always aware of ourselves by day and by night, constantly practice and recollect the light of the Sangha. Namo Sanghaya. (Bell, one prostration).
Dharma Song
May I be well,
May I be happy
May I be peaceful
May I be healthy.
May you be well,
May you be happy
May you be peaceful
May you be healthy.
May all be well,
May all be happy
May all be peaceful
May all be healthy
May all be free from suffering, desire, anger, delusion, hatred, ignorance, violence, and coronavirus quickly.
May the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and God bless and protect all anytime and anywhere.
Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.
Lành thay, lành thay, lành thay.
Well-done, well-done, well-done.
(Bell, Bell, Bell)
[1] Thich Nhat Hanh. Chanting from the Heart. Parallax Press, California: 2007, P. 180.
[2]Sotāpannameans the noble person who enters the first holy stream is called the stream-entry (Sotāpatti phala), the stream-winner, or the stream-enterer (Sotāpanna). This person has attained the Path (Magga) (i) and the fruition (Phala) (ii) of Sotāpanna. Sakadāgāmī means the noble person who enters the second holy stream is called the once-returner (Sakadāgāmī). This person has attained the Path (Magga) (iii) and the fruition (Phala) (iv) of Sakadāgāmī. Anāgāmī means the noble person who enters the third holy stream is called the non-returner (Anāgāmī). This person has attained the Path (Magga) (v) and the fruition (Phala) (vi) of Anāgāmī. S. Arahanta = or P. Arahant means the noble person who enters the fourth holy stream is called the one who has deserved to be offered (1), who has killed the enemies of afflictions (2), who has broken the evil things completely (3), who has made maras of defilements terrified (4), who has ended the samsara of birth and death (5). This person has attained the Path (Magga) (vii) and the fruition (Phala) (viii) of Arahanta.
(i) and (ii) as one pair, (iii) and (iv) as one pair, (v) and (vi) as one pair, (vii) and (viii) as one pair, all consist of four pairs. Calculating from the Path (Magga) and the fruition (Phala) of (i) to the Path (Magga) and the fruition (Phala) of (viii), we totally have the four pairs and the eight fruitions of holy persons (Cattāri purisayugāni aṭṭha purisapuggalā).
[3] See http://www.aimwell.org/assets/PathofPurification2011.pdf Part II, Chapter VII, pp. 215 – 218.
[4]http://www.aimwell.org/assets/PathofPurification2011.pdfPart II, Chapter VII, pp. 218-9.
[5] See Anattalakkhana Sutta / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdeVCWo5Bis
[6]Majjhima Nikaya 131. Bhaddekaratta sutta
