This ceremony is to offer peace of mind and courage to the sick and to those who have been victims of disasters as well as to their relatives and friends.
1. ( Sitting Med 10 Minutes)
2. ( Incense offering and Touching the Earth)
3. ( Opening Sutra)
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa
The Dharma is deep and lovely.
We now have a chance to see it, study it, and practice it.
We vow to realize its true meaning.
4. (Chanting “The Lotus of the Wonderful Dharma:Universal Door Chapter)
Introductory Gatha
Chanting the Lotus Sutra by night,
the sound shook the galaxies.
The next morning when planet Earth
woke up, her lap was full of flowers.
Discourse
Buddha of ten thousand beautiful aspects, may I ask you this question:
“Why did they give that bodhisattva the name Avalokita?”
The World-Honored One, beautifully adorned, offered this reply to Akshayamati:
“Because actions founded on her deep aspiration can respond to the needs of any being in any circumstance.
“Aspirations as wide as the oceans were made for countless lifetimes.
She has attended to billions of Buddhas, her great aspiration purified by mindfulness.
“Whoever calls her name or sees her image, if their mind be perfectly collected and pure, they will then be able to overcome the suffering of all the worlds.
“When those with cruel intent push us into a pit of fire, invoking the strength of Avalokita,
the fire becomes a refreshing lake “Adrift on the waters of the great ocean,
threatened by monsters of the deep, invoking the strength of Avalokita, we are saved from the storm waves.
“Standing atop Mount Meru, should someone desire to push us down, invoking the strength of Avalokita, we dwell unharmed like the sun hanging in space.
“Chased by a cruel person down the Diamond Mountain, invoking the strength of Avalokita, not even a hair of our body will be in danger.
“Encircled and assaulted by bandits holding swords to wound and to kill, invoking the strength of Avalokita sword blades shatter into millions of pieces.
“Imprisoned or bound in iron chains, with hands and feet placed in a yoke, invoking the strength of Avalokita,
we are released into freedom.
“Poisons, curses, and bewitchings
putting us into danger,
invoking the strength of Avalokita,
harmful things return to their source.
“Attacked by a fierce and cruel yaksha,
a poisonous naga, or unkind spirit,
invoking the strength of Avalokita,
they will do us no harm.
“With wild animals all around
baring their teeth, tusks, and claws,
invoking the strength of Avalokita
will cause them to run far away
“Confronted with scorpions and
poisonous snakes,
breathing fire and smoke of poisonous
gas, invoking the strength of Avalokita
they depart, the air clears.
“Caught beneath lightning, thunder, and
clouds, with hail pouring down in
torrents, invoking the strength of
Avalokita, the storm ends, the sunlight
appears.
“All living beings caught in distress,
oppressed by immeasurable suffering
are rescued in ten thousand ways
by the wonderful power of her
understanding.
“Miraculous power with no shortcoming,
wisdom and skillful means so vast —
in the Ten Directions of all the worlds,
there is no place she does not appear.
“The paths to realms of suffering,
the pain of birth, old age, sickness, and
death, hells, hungry spirits, or animals
are all purified, brought to an end
“Look of truth, look of purity,
look of boundless understanding,
look of love, look of compassion —
the look to be always honored and
practiced.
“Look of immaculate light and purity,
the Sun of Wisdom destroying darkness,
master of fire, wind, and disaster
illuminating the whole world.
“Heart of compassion like rolling
thunder, heart of love like gentle clouds,
water of Dharma nectar raining upon us,
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extinguishing the fire of afflictions.
“In the courtroom, the place of lawsuits,
on the fields in the midst of war,
invoking the strength of Avalokita,
our enemies become our friends.
“Sound of wonder, noble sound,
sound of one looking deeply into the
world, extraordinary sound, sound of the
rising tide,the sound to which we will
always listen
“With mindfulness, free from doubts,
in moments of danger and affliction,
our faith in the purity of Avalokita
is where we go for refuge.
“We bow in gratitude to the one
who has all the virtues, regarding the
world with compassionate eyes, an
Ocean of Well-Being beyond measure.”
5. Praising the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion
From the depths of understanding,
a flower of great eloquence blooms:
The Bodhisattva stands majestically
upon the waves of birth and death, free from all afflictions.
Her great compassion eliminates all sickness,
even that once thought of as incurable
Her wondrous light sweeps away all obstacles and dangers.
Her willow branch, once waved,
reveals countless Buddha Lands.
Her lotus flower blossoms a multitude of practice centers.
We bow to her.We see her true presence in the here and the now.
We offer her the incense of our hearts.
May the Bodhisattva of Deep Listening embrace us all
with Great Compassion.
Namo’valokiteshvaraya.(C)
6. Invocation of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas:
[chant each name three times ]
Namo Shakyamunaye Buddhaya
[Homage to Shakyamuni Buddha, the Fully Awakened One]
[bell]
Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya
[Homage to the Buddha of Infinite Light]
[bell]
Namo Manjushriye Bodhisattvaya
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[Homage to Manjushri, Bodhisattva of Great Understanding]
[bell]
Namo Samantabhadraya Bodhisattvaya
[Homage to Samantabhadra, Bodhisattva of Great Action]
[bell]
Namo Avalokiteshvaraya Bodhisattvaya
[Homage to Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva of Great Compassion]
[bell]
Namo Kshitigarbhaya Bodhisattvaya
[Homage to Kshitigarbha, Bodhisattva of Great Aspiration]
[bell]
7. Chanting: “Awakening the Source of Love”
We bow respectfully to Avalokiteshvara,
to your great vow always to be there for all beings,
your capacity to look deeply at the world with compassionate eyes,
listen deeply to understand and to relieve suffering,
and with your holy willow branch,
to sprinkle the nectar of immortality,
cleansing my mind from all impurities.
I vow to take refuge in you with all my heart
Respectfully, I offer you my vow in thousands of words:
[bell]
Namo Avalokiteshvara, I vow to look deeply into the Five Skandhas.
I vow to see the true nature of emptiness.
I vow soon to reach the shore of awakening.
I vow to overcome all obstacles.
I vow to take the boat of Perfect Understanding.
Namo Avalokiteshvara, I vow to be present in all three bodies.
I vow to realize the fruits of liberation.
I vow to cultivate great compassion.
I vow to understand deeply the Tathagata Store.
I vow to purify my mind
[bell]
Namo Avalokiteshvara, please help me get out of the abyss of craving.
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Please help me dissolve the worries of my mind.
Please give me skillful means.
Please help me build Sangha.
Please help me transform my anger and hatred.
Please help me uproot my ignorance.
Please help me hold the high torch of right faith.
Please give me the clear eyes of understanding.
[bell]
Namo Avalokiteshvara, please place in my hand the golden lotus.
Please allow me to see the Dharma Body.
I vow to build brotherhood and sisterhood.
I vow to show gratitude to my spiritual lineage.
I vow to practice loving speech.
I vow to look with loving eyes.
Namo Avalokiteshvara, I vow to practice deep listening
I vow to live mindfully and with clarity.
I vow to realize meditative concentration.
I vow to walk mindfully night and day.
I vow to abide peacefully in the ground of reality.
I vow to cultivate the five kinds of eyes, and the six miraculous powers
[bell]
Namo Avalokiteshvara,
Please come with me to the war zones
to stop the killing and bombing.
Please walk with me to the places of sickness and suffering,
bringing compassionate nectar and medicine.
Please walk with me to the realm of the hungry ghosts.
bringing the Dharma food of understanding and love
Please walk with me to the realm of hell
in order to cool the heat of afflictions.
Please walk with me to places of conflict
in order to remove hatred and anger
and help the source of love to flow again.
Homage to the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion
Homage to the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion
Homage to the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion
[bell, bell]
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8.The Three Refuges:
I take refuge in the Buddha,
the one who shows me the way in this life.
I take refuge in the Dharma,
the way of understanding and of love.
I take refuge in the Sangha,
the community that lives in harmony and awareness.
[bell]
Dwelling in the refuge of Buddha,
I clearly see the path of light and beauty in the world.
Dwelling in the refuge of Dharma,
I learn to open many doors on the path of transformation.
Dwelling in the refuge of Sangha,
shining light that supports me, keeping my practice free of obstruction.
[bell]
Taking refuge in the Buddha in myself,
I aspire to help all people recognize their own awakened nature,
realizing the Mind of Love.
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.
Taking refuge in the Sangha in myself,
I aspire to help all people build Fourfold Communities,
to embrace all beings and support their transformation.
[bell, bell]
9. Sharing the Merit:
Reciting the sutras, 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.
[bell, bell, bell]
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