To study the Buddha Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things.
ZEN PRACTICE AND LITURGY
What is Zen?
Zen is not a system of belief, or a theory about the meaning of existence - it is the direct experience of the reality of our existence. Zen is beyond philosophy, beyond religion. It is the gateless gate to freedom from suffering.
The central truth of Zen is that our suffering is caused by the attachments of the ego, and that suffering can be ended by the practice of compassionate attention.
The Three Marks of Existence
1. Dukkha - all-pervasive dissatisfaction, suffering
2. Anicca - impermanence
3. Anatta - no self
The Four Noble Truths
1. There is suffering.
2. Suffering is caused by the ego's preferences and attachments to illusions of permanence.
3. Suffering ends when such delusions end.
4. Delusions can be ended by following the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path
1. Skillful view
2. Skillful thought
3. Skillful speech
4. Skillful action
5. Skillful livelihood
6. Skillful effort
7. Skillful mindfulness
8. Skillful meditation
The Ten Grave Precepts
1. I affirm life; I do not kill.
2. I do not take what is not freely given.
3. I do not indulge in sexual misconduct.
4. I do not lie.
5. I do not encourage delusion in myself or others.
6. I do not indulge in malicious speech.
7. I do not praise myself or belittle others.
8. I do not hold back in sharing Dharma or wealth.
9. I do not indulge in anger.
10. I do not defame the Three Treasures.
The Kannon Sutra
(Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo)
Kan ze on
Na mu Butsu
Yo Butsu u in
Yo Butsu u en
Bup po so en
Jo raku ga jo
Cho nen Kan ze on
Bo nen Kan ze on
Nen nen ju shin ki
Nen nen fu ri shin
Kanzeon
I bow to the Buddha
The Buddha is my original cause
The Buddha and I are not different
The Three Treasures and I are not different
Bliss outside of time, pure freedom from self
First morning thought of Kanzeon
Last nighttime thought of Kanzeon
Thoughts, thoughts arise from the mind
Thoughts, thoughts are nothing but the mind
The Bodhisattva Vows
Shu jo mu hen sei gan do
Bon no mu jin sei gan dan
Ho mon mu ryo sei gan gaku
Butsu do mu jo sei gan jo
Beings are numberless; I vow to save them all.
Obstacles are countless; I vow to overcome them all.
Dharma gates are limitless; I vow to enter them all.
The Buddha Way is endless; I vow to follow it.
(Translations from Japanese by Dogo Barry Graham)
Gatha of Atonement
All evil karma ever committed by me since of old,
on account of my beginningless greed, anger and ignorance,
born of my body, mouth and thought -
now I atone for it all.
The Three Refuges
Buddham saranam gacchami
Dhammam saranam gacchami
Sangham saranam gacchami
I take refuge in the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Dharma.
I take refuge in the Sangha.
The Metta Prayer
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be at peace.
May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.
The Heart Sutra (Japanese)
MAKA HANNYA HARAMITA SHIN GYO
KAN JI ZAI BO SA GYO JIN HAN NYA HA RA MI TA JI SHO KEN GO UN KAI KU DOIS SAI KU YAKU SHA RI SHI SHIKI FU I KU KU FU I SHIKI SHIKI SOKU ZE KU
KU SOKU ZE SHIKI JU SO GYO SHIKI YAKU BU NYO ZE SHA RI SHI ZE SHO HO KU
SO FU SHO FU METSU FU KU FU JO FU ZO FU GEN ZE KO KU CHU MU SHIKI MU JU
SO GYO SHIKI MU GEN NI BI ZETS SHIN NI MU SHIKI SHO KO MI SOKU HO MU GEN
KAI NAI SHI MU I SHIKI KAI MU MU MYO YAKU MU MU MYO JIN NAI SHI MU RO
SHI YAKU MU RO SHI JIN MU KU SHU METSU DO MU CHI YAKU MU TOKU I MU SHO
TOK- KO BO DAI SAT-TA E HAN-NYA HA RA MI TA KO SHIN MU KE GE MU KE GE KO
MU U KU FU ON RI IS SAI TEN DO MU SO KU GYO NE HAN SAN ZE SHO BUTSU E
HAN- NYA HA RA MI TA KO TOKU A NOKU TA RA SAN MYAKU SAN BO DAI KO CHI
HAN- NYA HA RA MI TA ZE DAI SHIN SHU ZE DAI MYO SHU ZE MU JO SHU ZE MU
TO DO SHU NO JO IS- SAI KU SHIN JITSU FU KO KO SETSU HAN- NYA HA RA MI
TA SHU SOKU SETSU SHU WATSU GYA TE GYA TE HA RA GYA TE HARA SO GYA TE BO
DHI SOWA KA HAN- NYA SHIN GYO
The Heart Sutra (English)
The noble Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,
while practicing the deep practice of Prajnaparamita,
looked upon the Five Skandhas
and seeing they were empty of self-existence,
said, "Here, Shariputra,
form is emptiness, emptiness is form;
emptiness is not separate from form,
form is not separate from emptiness;
whatever is form is emptiness,
whatever is emptiness is form.
The same holds for sensation and perception,
memory and consciousness.
Here, Shariputra, all dharmas are defined by emptiness
not birth or destruction, purity or defilement,
completeness or deficiency.
Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness there is no form,
no sensation, no perception, no memory and no
consciousness;
no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body and no mind;
no shape, no sound, no smell, no taste, no feeling
and no thought;
no element of perception, from eye to conceptual
consciousness;
no causal link, from ignorance to old age and death,
and no end of causal link, from ignorance to old age and death;
no suffering, no source, no relief, no path;
no knowledge, no attainment and no non-attainment.
Therefore, Shariputra, without attainment,
bodhisattvas take refuge in Prajnaparamita
and live without walls of the mind.
Without walls of the mind and thus without fears,
they see through delusions and finally nirvana.
All buddhas past, present and future
also take refuge in Prajnaparamita
and realize unexcelled, perfect enlightenment.
You should therefore know the great mantra of Prajnaparamita,
the mantra of great magic,
the unexcelled mantra,
the mantra equal to the unequalled,
which heals all suffering and is true, not false,
the mantra in Prajnaparamita spoken thus:
'Gate, gate, paragate, parasangate, bodhi svaha.'”
(Translation from Chinese and Sanskrit by Red Pine)