MLS DAILY LITURGY

Gatha of Opening

The Dharma, incomparably profound and exquisite

Is rarely met with, even in hundreds of thousands of millions of lifetimes

We are now permitted to see it, to hear it, to accept it, and hold it

May we truly understand the meaning of the Tathagata's words!

return to top

The Heart Sutra

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, practicing deep prajna paramita,

Clearly saw that all five skandhas are empty, transforming all suffering and distress.

Form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form;

Form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form; sensation, thought, impulse, consciousness are also like this.

All things are marked by emptiness- not born, not destroyed; not stained, not pure; without gain, without loss.

Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, thought, impulse, consciousness;

No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, object of thought;

No realm of sight to no realm of thought; no ignorance and also no end to ignorance;

To no old age and death and also no ending of old age and death; no suffering, also no source of suffering,

No annihilation, no path; no wisdom, also no attainment.

Having nothing to attain, Bodhisattvas live prajna paramita with no hindrance in the mind.

No hindrance, thus no fear.

Far beyond delusive thinking, they attain complete Nirvana.

All Buddhas past, present, and future live prajna paramita and thus attain perfect awakened enlightenment.

Therefore, know that prajna paramita is the great mantra,

The wisdom mantra, the unsurpassed mantra, the supreme mantra, which completely removes all suffering.

This is truth, not deception.

Therefore, set forth the prajna paramita mantra,

Set forth this mantra and proclaim:

OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA!

return to top

Heart Sutra Dedication

Buddha Nature pervades the whole universe existing right here, now

In reciting the Heart Sutra we dedicate its merits to:

Shakyamuni Buddha,

All Buddhas past, present, and future

And especially to the health, well-being and peace of the _______family.

May our lives be rich with wisdom and compassion,

And may we realize the Buddha Way together.

return to top

The Identity of Relative and Absolute (Sandokai)

The mind of the great Sage of India

Is intimately transmitted from West to East.

While human facilities are sharp or dull,

The Way has no Northern or Southern ancestor.

The spiritual source shines clear in the light;

Branching streams flow on in darkness.

Grasping at things is delusion;

To encounter the Absolute is not yet enlightenment.

All objects of the senses interact, yet they do not.

Interacting brings involvement.

Otherwise each keeps its place.

Sights vary in quality and form,

Sounds differ as pleasing or harsh.

Refined and common speech come together in the dark,

Clear and murky phrases are distinguished in the light.

The four elements return to their true natures

Just as a child returns to its mother.

Fire heats, wind moves,

Water moistens, earth is solid.

Eye and sight, ear and sound,

Nose and smell, tongue and taste;

Thus for each and every thing,

Depending on these roots, the leaves spread forth.

Trunk and branches share the essence;

Revered and common, each has its speech.

In the light there is darkness,

But do not try to understand it as darkness.

In the dark there is light,

But do not try to understand it as light.

Light and dark oppose one another,

Like the foot before and the foot behind in walking.

Each of the myriad things has its own merit,

Expressed according to function and place.

Phenomena exist like box and lid joining;

According with principle, like two arrows meeting in mid-air.

Hearing the words, understand the meaning;

Do not judge by any standards.

If you do not see the Way

How will you know the path even as you walk upon it?

Practice is not a matter of near or far,

But if you are confused, mountains and rivers block your way.

I respectfully urge you who study the mystery,

Do not pass your days and nights in vain.

return to top

All Buddhas

All Buddhas throughout space and time

All Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas

Maha Prajnaparamita!

return to top

Refuge Vows

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, honored for its purity

I take refuge in the Sangha, honored for its harmonious life

Buddham sarranam gaccha mi

Dhammam sarranam gaccha mi

Sangham sarranam gaccha mi

return to top

Bodhisattva Vows

As sentient beings sre numberless, I vow to save them;

As delusions are limitless, I vow to transcend them;

As Dharma-gates are countless, I vow to penetrate;

As the Buddha-way is unsurpassed, I vow to embody it.

return to top

Shosai 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

SHIFU RA SHIFU RA HARA SHIFU RA HARA SHIFU RA

CHISHU SA CHISHU SA SHUSHI RI SHUSHI RI

SOHA JA SOHA JA SEN CHI GYA SHIRI E SOMO KO

return to top

Ten Verse Kannon Sutra of Timeless Life

Kanzeon!

I venerate the Buddha

All beings come from Buddha

All beings are one with Buddha

One with Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

Freedom, joy and purity!

Morning my thought is Kanzeon,

Evening my thought is Kanzeon,

This thought comes from Buddha-mind

This thought is one with Buddha-mind.

return to top

Vows of Atonement

For every deed, thought, and careless act

And for every instance of greed, vanity and selfishness

That I have ever committed on account of delusional thinking

In this lifetimes and in countless past lifetimes

Spanning innumerable ages:

I now make this solemn confession.

May the pain, anger, and sadness that I have caused

Be transformed as unending joy and peace for this lifetime

And for innumerable lifetimes to come:

I now make this solemn appeal.

I take refuge in the Buddha

I take refuge in the Dharma

I take refuge in the Sangha

So that all beings may become enlightened

And that the wheel of suffering may cease to turn:

I now make these solemn vows.

return to top

Vows for offering Incense

This piece of incense, which I have had for a very, very long time

I now offer to the Buddha who is all things

The Buddha of no-marks

To Shakyamuni Buddha

For all Buddhas who have yet to discover they are Buddhas

For all protectors of Buddhism

For all ancestors, who, with unceasing effort

Crossed vast oceans to bring us this immense Dharma

And especially for_____________

For this fruit of many kalpas, all the universe pays homage

For these things, this incense is now offered: do not wonder about it at all.

return to top

Gatha of Closing

Let me respectfully remind you

Life and death are of supreme importance

Time passes swiftly by and oppurtunity is lost

Each of us must strive to awaken

Awaken! Take heed!

Do not squander your life!

return to top