Fascicle 7

Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — the utmost virtue is vast and silent, originally beyond words and beyond speech; and yet words are what set forth virtue, the path by which the Way is reached, and speech is the step by which principle is grasped, the guide by which the sage leads others forward. This is why principle becomes manifest through the aid of words — though principle itself is not words; and words make principle clear — though words themselves must not overstep principle. Though word and principle may seem to diverge, and good and evil stand utterly apart, the echo answers the form without ever once going astray. For the beginner, words are essential in order to meet the Way; but for one who has gone beyond learning, principle itself is grasped and words are forgotten. I consider myself foolish and ordinary, my confusion and obstruction heavy, and in every gate of the Dharma I have not yet been able to set words aside — my understanding is coarse, and so does not exhaust their subtlety; my view is shallow, and so does not reach their utmost limit. And yet, while speaking of a thing is easy, actually carrying it out is truly difficult — only a sage matched with a sage can fully accomplish both together. Now, if I myself, speaking of what is difficult, cannot even correct myself, how could I correct others? If my own three karmas are stained and turbid, how could I urge others toward purity? To be impure oneself and wish to make others pure — there is no such possibility. Being myself unsteady, how could I urge others on? To speak now of practice while my words are empty would only trouble others; and once others are troubled by it, why not simply stop here? Turning this over and searching myself again and again, how could I not feel ashamed? It was a good and wise friend who spoke these very words to me. At this, I straightened my robes, composed my expression, and had no answer to give. Hearing this good friend's words now, my heart is filled with shame; I know my own fault runs deep, and dare not deceive the sages or conceal my own failing. I wished, at first, to strike out and remove this passage, fearing that, left in, someone might gain merit from it while I remained only a hindrance; and yet, wishing to keep it, I feared equally that someone might instead be moved to slander it. Advancing and retreating, I am at a loss, not knowing what to do. And yet, since establishing this rite of confession is itself, in intent, a wholesome thing, and a wholesome dharma is unobstructed, I should simply press forward with effort and not dwell on this any further. Now I rely only on the great and compassionate father of the world to shelter and receive me; since these words have already been set down, they cannot now be struck out and destroyed. It is right that I feel this shame, and I ask only that the assembly not be troubled or offended by it. If, in error, what I have written should still happen to accord with the principle it points to, may the assembly, through this rite of confession, reform what is past and cultivate what is to come, and may I count as a good and wise friend to you. But should it fail to meet the minds of the assembly, I ask only that you receive it with generosity and good cheer rather than resentment; even should I fail to be a good friend to you in this, may I still remain your companion on the path to awakening. [Chapter table: Self-Rejoicing, first; Homage to the Buddhas on Behalf of the Six Destinies, second; Dedication, third; Vow, fourth; Entrustment, fifth.] Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — since taking refuge, we have known that the utmost virtue can be relied upon and doubt resolved; through confession, fault and delusion are both dispelled; going on to arouse the awakening-mind, we have encouraged one another and practiced together; our bound enmity has now been dissolved, and we walk free and unhindered — how could each of us fail to leap up in joy? We ought to rejoice for ourselves, and now let me set forth what this means. The sūtra speaks of eight adversities: the first, the hells; the second, the hungry ghosts; the third, the animals; the fourth, a border land; the fifth, the heaven of long life; the sixth, though obtaining a human body, being crippled and afflicted with every disease; the seventh, being born into a family of false views; and the eighth, being born before the Buddha's time or after it. Because of these eight adversities, living beings turn through birth and death and cannot find escape from them. We ourselves happen to be born within the age of the Dharma's mere semblance — though we have not met the Buddha in person, still, matters for rejoicing shine all the brighter. In truth, whatever makes an adversity an adversity lies in the mind: if the mind gives rise to doubt, what is not truly an adversity becomes one; if the mind is free of doubt, what would be an adversity is no adversity at all. How do we know this? The eighth adversity says: being born before the Buddha or after him is called an adversity. And yet the old woman east of the city dwelt in the very same age as the Buddha, in the very same place as the Buddha, and still never saw him. This shows that it is doubt in the mind that makes an adversity, not simply being born in a different age from his. Māra harbored evil and fell straight into the hells; a nāga heard the Dharma taught and straightaway awakened to the Way — from this we should know that being born among gods or humans is not necessarily free of adversity either. If the mind is unwholesome, the retribution received is no different regardless: the lord of the sixth heaven can still fall into the hells, while one lowly as an animal can rise up to attain this very rite — this shows that a crooked mind turns even a light matter into a grave adversity, while a rightly-set mind leaves even a grave adversity without obstruction. Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — because the mind gives rise to doubt, whatever it touches becomes an adversity; if the mind is able to be set right, adversity is no adversity — take up just this one point, and it can be followed anywhere. From this we know that being born before the Buddha or after him is, either way, no different from the true Dharma itself, and that a border land or the animal-destiny is, either way, no less a place for the Way; if the mind is set right now, the eight adversities are no more, but should doubt remain, adversity multiplies without limit. Matters for self-rejoicing of this kind are truly not few — the assembly makes use of this every day without recognizing its own merit; let me now briefly set forth my own narrow view, to point toward where such rejoicing begins. Should the assembly be able to recognize this rejoicing, we should also cultivate the mind that transcends the world. What, then, are the grounds for this rejoicing? The Buddha says the hells are hard to escape — we, together, have already escaped this very suffering: this is the first cause for rejoicing. The hungry ghosts are hard to be freed from — we, together, have already kept far from that anguish: this is the second cause for rejoicing. The animal-destiny is hard to leave behind — we, together, have already avoided undergoing that retribution: this is the third cause for rejoicing. Being born in a border land, not knowing benevolence and righteousness — we, together, have already come to dwell in the central lands, where the Way and the Dharma flow freely and we ourselves have received its wondrous teachings: this is the fourth cause for rejoicing. Being born in the heaven of long life, not knowing how to plant blessings — we, together, have already been able to sow this very cause again: this is the fifth cause for rejoicing. A human body is hard to obtain, and once lost never returns — we, together, have each already obtained one: this is the sixth cause for rejoicing. Having incomplete faculties bars one from wholesome roots — we, together, are whole and pure, and have obtained this profound gateway to the Dharma: this is the seventh cause for rejoicing. Worldly cleverness and sharp wit can themselves become an adversity — we, together, single-mindedly rely upon the true Dharma instead: this is the eighth cause for rejoicing. Being born before the Buddha or after him is likewise called an adversity, and some say that never beholding his face in person is itself a great adversity as well. We, together, have already been able to arouse this great and wholesome vow: in the world to come, we vow to deliver every living being, and do not count our failure to behold the Tathāgata in person as an adversity at all. Merely beholding a single image, merely hearing the true Dharma once, is no different from having been present at that very first proclamation in the Deer Park of old — what matters most is dissolving fault and generating the blessed karma of a human birth, not whether or not one has seen the Buddha in person, that this should be called an adversity. The Buddha says that seeing the Buddha is difficult — we, together, have already been able to gaze upon his revered image: this is the ninth cause for rejoicing. The Buddha says that hearing the Dharma is also difficult — we, together, have already been able to feed upon and take in this ambrosia: this is the tenth cause for rejoicing. The Buddha says that leaving the household life is difficult — we, together, have already been able to take leave of our kin, cut off attachment, and turn toward entering the Way: this is the eleventh cause for rejoicing. The Buddha says that benefiting oneself is easy, but benefiting others is difficult — we, together, today, with every bow and every act of reverence, do so universally on behalf of the ten directions: this is the twelfth cause for rejoicing. The Buddha says that enduring hardship and bearing suffering is difficult — we, together, today, each exert ourselves diligently, doing what we do not for our own sake: this is the thirteenth cause for rejoicing. The Buddha says that reciting and reading the sūtras is difficult — this very assembly of ours has today together been able to recite and read them: this is the fourteenth cause for rejoicing. Sitting in meditation is difficult, and yet here today we can already see those who still their minds and settle their thoughts: this is the fifteenth cause for rejoicing. Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — causes for rejoicing such as this are many and beyond number, more than these humble words could ever fully express. In general, a person living in the world has much suffering and little joy, and even a single moment of delight or happiness is hard enough to come by — how much more so, then, when we ourselves have so much that is unobstructed! And this very freedom from obstruction is entirely due to the majestic power of the Three Jewels throughout the ten directions. Let each of us, with sincere mind, hold this kindness in memory, and, with this same anguish of resolve, prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, on behalf of: the sovereign and ruler of the state, the people of this land, our parents and teachers, those of high, middle, and low station, our benefactors and donors, our good and evil companions alike, the gods and immortals, the Four Heavenly Kings who guard the world, the wise and upright spirits of heaven and earth and empty space, the dragon kings of the five directions and the eightfold division of dragon spirits who uphold spells and reward good while punishing evil, every great demon king, the five emperors' great demons, and every demon king, King Yama, the Lord of Mount Tai, the great spirits of the five paths, the eighteen kings of the hells and all their officials, extending broadly to every being possessed of feeling and consciousness throughout the three realms and six destinies, without limit, who possesses the buddha-nature — with utmost sincerity we take refuge in all the Three Jewels throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, and pray that, with a compassionate mind, they together receive us, and, by their inconceivable spiritual power, shelter and rescue us, so that every god and immortal, every spirit-king, and every being of the three realms and six destinies may, from this day forward, cross the sea of birth and death to the shore of nirvāṇa, their practice and vow swiftly perfected, together ascending the ten grounds, entering the vajra-mind, and accomplishing true and equal awakening.

Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — each of us should once again keep the Three Jewels constantly in mind. Why is this so? If one does not know the Three Jewels, how could one give rise to a mind of loving-kindness, caring for living beings? If one does not know the Three Jewels, how could one give rise to a mind of compassion, rescuing and gathering in all beings? If one does not know the Three Jewels, how could one give rise to an equal view of enemy and friend alike? If one does not know the Three Jewels, how could one attain the wondrous wisdom that realizes the unsurpassed Way? If one does not know the Three Jewels, how could one understand clearly the twofold emptiness, truly without any fixed mark? The Buddha says: a human body is hard to obtain, and we have already obtained one; a believing mind is hard to give rise to, and we have already given rise to one. We ourselves, now, each with a mind that relies upon the Three Jewels, our eyes do not behold the very form of craving, hatred, and folly; our ears do not hear the sounds of suffering, anguish, and burning affliction in the hells and among the hungry ghosts; our noses do not smell the stench of flayed flesh and pus and blood in the hells and among the hungry ghosts; our tongues do not taste the foul and impure flavors found throughout the world; our bodies do not touch the suffering of boiling cauldrons, burning coals, and freezing ice; and our minds constantly know the Buddha as the unsurpassed and compassionate father, know every dharma as the very medicine for living beings, and know the sages and worthies as the mother who tends the sick. Our minds are constantly watchful, ever mindful of the Three Jewels, of the conscious beings who guard the world, and of every station where mindfulness should abide, and we ourselves are constantly able to know this. Though we ourselves, today, have not met the Buddha in person and are born in the age of the Dharma's mere semblance and decline, we possess a believing mind, our six faculties are pure and free of every affliction, and we move freely at ease, coming and going without hindrance. This excellent reward is nothing other than the power and kindness of the Three Jewels reaching us from a past life, and it is this, too, that has caused us to arouse the awakening-mind in this present life. Benefits of this kind cannot all be told in full. Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — how could each of us fail to repay this kindness through offering? Among every offering of merit, this is the very greatest. This is why the sūtra says: even a slight offering, made with mindfulness in a past life, brings a reward that reaches far across the ages, its blessing lasting for kalpas to come. The Sūtra of the Heavenly Teacher says: should one wish to repay it, one may raise a stūpa or a monastery, and make offerings of every kind — lamps and candles, banners and canopies, flowers and incense, mats and cushions — and in the age to come one will naturally receive the blessing of it. Yet, though this is indeed an offering, it does not repay the Buddha's kindness. To truly repay the Buddha's kindness, one must instead arouse the awakening-mind, establish the four great vows, create conditions without measure, adorn one's own body and form, and cultivate the practice that leads to the pure land — this alone is what the wise call knowing kindness and repaying kindness. Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — the compassionate kindness of the Buddhas can never be repaid; even a bodhisattva-mahāsattva, shattering his own body into pieces, could not repay even one ten-thousandth part of it — how much less could we, ordinary and unenlightened as we are, ever hope to repay it! We ourselves should rely only on what the sūtra teaches: to benefit others is what matters most. Let each of us, with sincere mind, prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, on behalf of every being of the four modes of birth throughout the ten directions, without limit, and take refuge in the great and compassionate father of the world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha of Jeweled Virtue. Homage to the Buddha Worthy of Renown. Homage to the Buddha of the Flower Body. Homage to the Buddha of the Great Voice. Homage to the Buddha Praised for Eloquence. Homage to the Buddha of the Vajra Pearl. Homage to the Buddha Amitāyus. Homage to the Buddha Adorned with Pearls. Homage to the Buddha, Great King. Homage to the Buddha of Lofty Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Lofty Renown. Homage to the Buddha of a Hundred Lights. Homage to the Buddha of Joy and Delight. Homage to the Buddha of the Dragon's Stride. Homage to the Buddha of Intent and Vow. Homage to the Buddha of the Jeweled Moon. Homage to the Buddha Who Has Extinguished the Self. Homage to the Buddha, King of Joy. Homage to the Buddha, the Tamer. Homage to the Buddha of Joy at Ease. Homage to the Buddha of the Jeweled Topknot. Homage to the Buddha Who Has Left the Mountain. Homage to the Buddha, Treasury of Jewels. Homage to the Buddha of the Moon's Face. Homage to the Buddha of the Pure Name. Homage to the Bodhisattva of Boundless Body. Homage to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. We further take refuge in all the Three Jewels throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space.

Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — together we have already been able to give rise to a firm faith, arousing the awakening-mind and vowing never to turn back; this is an inconceivable power of resolve, and this very mind, this very resolve, is praised by all the Buddhas. We disciples, today, can only rejoice deeply in this; we pray that in the world to come we may meet with this again, and, giving up one body and taking up the next, never be parted from it, remaining, until we reach awakening, forever kin in the Dharma and compassionate family. I myself, in establishing this gathering for this rite, have taken on more than I deserve — my wisdom does not match its understanding, and my own conduct falls short of its practice, so that lightly giving rise to this undertaking is truly enough to startle anyone who sees or hears of it. And yet, though the person is slight, the matter is grave, ice and coals mingling together in the heart — without relying on some strong condition to support it, there would be no way to obtain a fruit as excellent and wondrous as this. I know full well that what I have built may be flawed, yet my heart has not forgotten what is good, and, relying humbly on the power of your collective mindfulness, together as compassionate kin, I look up and ask the assembly to bend down and bring your own virtue to this very rite. The turning of time does not wait, and passes by in an instant; the conditions that draw us together in this excellent gathering are hard to meet with again — we should each discipline and encourage ourselves, and, further, benefit others by doing so, standing apart from the crowd so that we need not pursue regret afterward. The sound of the Dharma, once it has passed through the ear, brings a reward that fills whole kalpas to come; a single thought of goodness forever provides sustenance for the body; and with a single-minded, unwavering resolve, there is no vow that cannot be fulfilled. Together, let each of us, with sincere mind, prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, and take refuge in the great and compassionate father of the world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha of Majestic Virtue and Quiescence. Homage to the Buddha Who Receives the Mark. Homage to the Buddha of Many Heavens. Homage to the Buddha Suyāma. Homage to the Buddha of Heavenly Majesty. Homage to the Buddha of the Jeweled Multitude. Homage to the Buddha of the Jeweled Stride. Homage to the Buddha of the Lion's Portion. Homage to the Buddha of Utmost Lofty Conduct. Homage to the Buddha, King Among Humans. Homage to the Buddha of Good Intent. Homage to the Buddha, Brightness of the World. Homage to the Buddha of Jeweled Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Vehicle of Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Awakened Thought. Homage to the Buddha Adorned with Joy. Homage to the Buddha of Fragrant Deliverance. Homage to the Buddha, Fragrant Elephant. Homage to the Buddha of the Multitude of Flames. Homage to the Buddha of the Mark of Compassion. Homage to the Buddha of Wondrous Fragrance. Homage to the Buddha of Firm Armor. Homage to the Buddha of Fierce Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Pearl Armor. Homage to the Buddha, Benevolent and Worthy. Homage to the Bodhisattva of Boundless Body. Homage to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. We further take refuge in all the Three Jewels throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space in this way.

Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — through the merit of this confession and this arousing of the awakening-mind, we universally vow, for every ruler of the heavens and every deva throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for every ruler of the immortals and every true immortal, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for Brahmā, Indra, the Four Heavenly Kings who guard the world, and every spirit-king and spirit-general, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for every wise and upright spirit of heaven, earth, and empty space, every spirit-king and spirit-general who rewards good and punishes evil and upholds spells, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for the dragon king of wondrous transformation, the dragon king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the dragon kings of the five directions, and the eightfold division of dragon spirits, spirit-kings and spirit-generals, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for the asura king, every spirit-king, and every spirit-general, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for every human king, minister, subject, and general of the human destiny, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for every monk, nun, probationary nun, novice monk, and novice nun throughout the ten directions, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for King Yama, the Lord of Mount Tai, the great spirits of the five paths, the eighteen kings of the hells, and every spirit-king and spirit-general, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for every being of the hell-destiny, every being of the hungry-ghost destiny, and every being of the animal-destiny, each together with their retinue; and we further vow for every being, great or small, throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, to the very limit of the future, each together with their retinue; and we further vow that, should there be living beings hereafter whose own vows differ from this one, they may all still be brought into this very ocean of great vows, each one fully endowed with merit and wisdom. For every such living being, within the three realms and beyond the three realms, without limit, possessed of name and form and endowed with the buddha-nature, we disciples, today, look up and rely upon the power of the great compassion of all the Buddhas throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, the power of the original vows of the great bodhisattvas and all the sages, their boundless and inexhaustible power of wisdom, their boundless and inexhaustible power of merit, their power of unhindered spiritual mastery, their power to shelter living beings, their power to console living beings, their power to exhaust the defilements of the gods and immortals, their power to gather and transform every good spirit, their power to rescue the beings of the hells, their power to deliver every hungry ghost, and their power to free every animal, so that every living being may obtain what they themselves wish for. We disciples, today, further rely upon the power of this very rite of compassion, the power of taking refuge in the Three Jewels, the power of resolving doubt and giving rise to faith, the power of confession and arousing the awakening-mind, the power of dissolving every grudge and rejoicing in ourselves, the power of joy and exultation with sincere mind, and the power of the wholesome root that comes from making vows and dedicating merit, so that every living being may obtain what they themselves wish for. We disciples, today, further rely upon the power of the great compassionate mind of the seven Buddhas, the power of the great compassionate mind of the Buddhas of the ten directions, the power of the thirty-five Buddhas to extinguish affliction, the power of the fifty-three Buddhas to subdue demons, the power of the one hundred and seventy Buddhas to deliver living beings, the power of the thousand Buddhas to receive and gather every living being, the power of the twelve bodhisattvas to shelter living beings, and the boundless power of this confession rite of Avalokiteśvara's circulation throughout the world, and pray that every living being of the ten directions, three realms, and six destinies, to the very limit of the future, whether great or small, whether rising or falling, possessed of name and form and endowed with the buddha-nature, may, after this confession, wherever they are born, each obtain the vast and inconceivable wisdom of the Buddhas and great bodhisattvas, a body of boundless and unhindered spiritual power: a body of the six perfections rightly turned toward awakening; a body of the four means of gathering others that abandons no one; a body of great compassion that draws out every suffering; a body of great loving-kindness that gives every joy; a body of merit that benefits all; a body of wisdom that expounds the Dharma without end; a vajra-body that nothing can destroy; a pure Dharma-body forever free of birth and death; a body of skillful means that manifests unhindered power; and a body of awakening that accomplishes the threefold bodhi. We vow that every living being of the four modes of birth and six destinies may be fully endowed with every such body as this, fully accomplishing the Buddhas' unsurpassed body of great wisdom. And we further vow that every living being of the ten directions, from this day forward, wherever they are born, may each obtain the inconceivable meritorious speech of the Buddhas and great bodhisattvas: a gentle and soft speech; a speech that brings peace and joy through the ambrosia given to all; a speech, cool and refreshing, that deceives no one; a speech that expounds and turns the true Dharma in reality; a revered speech that utters no falsehood even in dreams; a speech, profound and reverenced, before which Indra, Brahmā, and the Four Heavenly Kings show reverence; a firm speech that reveals every dharma; an upright speech that expounds the Dharma of non-retrogression; a speech adorned with complete eloquence; and a speech that manifests itself in every form according to the time and the karma of those it addresses, delivering each being as is fitting for them. We vow that every living being of the four modes of birth and six destinies may be fully endowed with the pure verbal karma of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. And we further vow that every living being of the ten directions, from this day forward, wherever they are born, may each obtain the inconceivable mind of great wisdom of the Buddhas and great bodhisattvas: a mind constantly weary of and detached from affliction, a keen and vigorous mind, a firm and resolute mind, a vajra-mind, a mind that never turns back, a pure mind, a mind of clear understanding, a mind that seeks the good, an adorned mind, and a vast and expansive mind; possessed of the power of great wisdom, understanding of itself the moment it hears the Dharma taught; a mind of loving-kindness toward others that dissolves every enmity; abiding in a sense of shame and forever harboring a conscience; setting aside all thought of self, being as a good and wise friend to others; rejoicing at the sight of another's giving, precept-keeping, patience, diligence, meditation, or wisdom; regarding enemy and friend with a single, equal view, the mind free of any arrogance; never speaking of another's good or evil, strength or weakness; never carrying tales that bring harmony apart or discord between people; speaking only in gentle and soft words, never uttering an evil phrase; praising the Buddha's virtue and delighting in the study of the profound sūtras; cherishing and protecting living beings as one's own body; never slandering another upon seeing them perform an act of merit; a mind of loving-kindness in harmony with others just as the assembly of sages itself is, together with all the bodhisattvas, accomplishing true and equal awakening.

Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — the gods, the immortals, and every good spirit hold immeasurable and inconceivable kindness and virtue toward living beings, wishing that they forever keep their peace and joy, watching over them diligently and following only what is good. How do we know this is so? The Buddha has decreed: Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — the spirit-kings of the heavens hold kindness and virtue such as this, sheltering and protecting living beings, and yet living beings have never once aroused the thought of repaying such kindness and virtue. Even people of old were moved enough by the kindness of a single meal to give up their very lives in return — how much more, then, should we respond to the kindness and virtue that the good spirits of the heavens and the eightfold division of spirit-generals hold toward living beings! This kindness, this virtue, is a merit without limit or boundary; that we ourselves, today, are able to confess and arouse the awakening-mind is entirely due to the spirit-kings of the heavens secretly adding their own spiritual power, encouraging and assisting the practitioner so that this resolve may be accomplished. Had they not added their assistance to a resolve such as this, we would long ago have retreated and been lost. This is why the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas constantly praise the good and wise friend as a great condition, one able to bring us to stand upon this very rite. Without a good and wise friend, how could we ever come to see the Buddhas? Even giving up our own body could not repay such vast compassion; even giving up our very life could not repay such profound grace. If the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas themselves speak in such terms, how much less could those of us far beneath them fail to make any response at all! Assembly — since we are not yet able, today, to give up our own remains and our very life, we should at least press forward with diligent effort, and this too is a gradual way of repaying such kindness. Together, let each of us all the more arouse the mind that knows kindness and repays kindness, and not simply drift along with the current, turning back on ourselves with no direction at all. As said before in speaking of self-rejoicing, meeting with such adversity again is itself hard to come by, and having now obtained this very fruit, what further would we wait for? Should we lose this very gathering, where else could we possibly turn? We should only press forward with courage, forgetting our own selves for the sake of others. Where there is accomplishment there is also decline, just as spring is followed by winter; time waits for no one, and how could life itself last long? Reflecting on this parting, we cannot know when we shall meet again. Let each of us strive on our own; with this same anguish of resolve, let us prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, on behalf of every ruler of the heavens and every deva throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, each together with their retinue, and take refuge, offering up our very lives in reverent homage to the great and compassionate father of the world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha, Moon of the Well-Gone. Homage to the Buddha, King of Brahmā's Mastery. Homage to the Buddha, Lion's Moon. Homage to the Buddha of Blessed Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha Rightly Born. Homage to the Buddha Unsurpassed. Homage to the Buddha, Beholder of the Sun. Homage to the Buddha of Jeweled Renown. Homage to the Buddha of Great Diligence. Homage to the Buddha of the Mountain's Light. Homage to the Buddha, Giver of Brightness. Homage to the Buddha of the Lightning's Virtue. Homage to the Buddha, Gathering of Virtue. Homage to the Buddha Renowned for Offerings. Homage to the Buddha Praised for the Dharma. Homage to the Buddha of Jeweled Words. Homage to the Buddha, Savior of Life. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Precept. Homage to the Buddha of the Excellent Multitude. Homage to the Buddha of Settled Intent. Homage to the Buddha, Victorious King of Joy. Homage to the Buddha of the Lion's Light. Homage to the Buddha Who Breaks the Darkness of Existence. Homage to the Buddha of Illumination. Homage to the Buddha of Supreme Renown. Homage to the Bodhisattva of Boundless Body. Homage to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. We further take refuge, offering up our very lives, in all the Three Jewels throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space. We pray that every ruler of the heavens and every deva throughout the ten directions and the whole Dharma-realm of empty space, each together with their retinue, may constantly have the wisdom of equanimity and emptiness manifest before them, opening the undefiled path through the power of wisdom and skillful means, the practice and vow of the ten grounds each growing ever brighter, cultivating the mind through the six perfections and extending the four immeasurables broadly to all, walking the bodhisattva path and entering the very conduct of the Buddha, the four great vows never abandoning any living being, their eloquence unbroken and their joy in expounding the Dharma without end, skillfully guiding and transforming beings for the benefit of the four modes of birth, together ascending to the ground of the Dharma-cloud and realizing the fruit of eternal abiding.

Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — let each of us, with sincere mind, in this same anguish of resolve, prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, on behalf of every ruler of the immortals and every true immortal throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, each together with their retinue, and take refuge, offering up our very lives in reverent homage to the great and compassionate father of the world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha of Sharp Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha, Pearl Moon. Homage to the Buddha of Majestic Light. Homage to the Buddha Whose Argument Cannot Be Refuted. Homage to the Buddha of Brightness. Homage to the Buddha of the Pearl Wheel. Homage to the Buddha, Teacher of the World. Homage to the Buddha of the Auspicious Hand. Homage to the Buddha of the Excellent Moon. Homage to the Buddha of the Jeweled Flame. Homage to the Buddha, Guardian Rāhu. Homage to the Buddha, Delight in Awakening. Homage to the Buddha of Equal Light. Homage to the Buddha of Utmost Quiescence. Homage to the Buddha Most Wondrous in the World. Homage to the Buddha Without Sorrow. Homage to the Buddha of Tenfold Power. Homage to the Buddha of the Power of Joy. Homage to the Buddha of the Power of Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Might of Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Great Power. Homage to the Buddha, Treasury of Merit. Homage to the Buddha of True Conduct. Homage to the Buddha of Supreme Peace. Homage to the Buddha Tiṣya. Homage to the Bodhisattva of Boundless Body. Homage to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. We further take refuge, offering up our very lives, in all the Three Jewels throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space. We pray that, by the power of compassion, they together extend their shelter, and that every ruler of the immortals and every true immortal, each together with their retinue, may be freed from the adventitious dust of defilement and the obstruction of conditioned fault, their wondrous form calm and still, equal to the very marks of the Buddha's own body, the four immeasurable minds and the six perfections constantly manifest before them, the four unhindered wisdoms and the six supernormal powers at ease and unhindered, moving freely at play within the very domain of the bodhisattvas, equal to the ground of the Dharma-cloud and entering the vajra-mind, and, by inconceivable power, returning once more to gather in the six destinies.

Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — once again, with utmost sincerity, let us prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, on behalf of Brahmā, Indra, and the Four Heavenly Kings who guard the world, each together with their retinue, and take refuge, offering up our very lives in reverent homage to the great and compassionate father of the world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha of Great Light. Homage to the Buddha of the Lightning's Brightness. Homage to the Buddha of Vast Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Precious Jewel. Homage to the Buddha of Bright Blessed Virtue. Homage to the Buddha, Forger of Armor. Homage to the Buddha of the Accomplished Hand. Homage to the Buddha of the Excellent Flower. Homage to the Buddha, Gathering of Jewels. Homage to the Buddha of the Great Sea's Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of the Virtue of Upholding the Earth. Homage to the Buddha Fierce in Righteous Intent. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Reflection. Homage to the Buddha of the Wheel of Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Jeweled Fire. Homage to the Buddha of Benefit. Homage to the Buddha, Moon of the World. Homage to the Buddha of the Beautiful Voice. Homage to the Buddha of Brahmā's Mark. Homage to the Buddha, Foremost Among Teachers. Homage to the Buddha of the Lion's Conduct. Homage to the Buddha of Difficult Generosity. Homage to the Buddha Worthy of Offerings. Homage to the Buddha of Bright Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha, King of Great Light. Homage to the Bodhisattva of Boundless Body. Homage to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. We further take refuge, offering up our very lives, in all the Three Jewels throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space in this way. We pray that, by the power of compassion, they together receive us; we pray that Brahmā, Indra, and the Four Heavenly Kings who guard the world, each together with their retinue, may have the six perfections and the four immeasurables grow ever brighter day and night, the four unhindered eloquences delighting in unending exposition, attaining the eight masteries and endowed with the six supernormal powers, every samādhi and every dhāraṇī manifesting the instant they are called to mind, their compassion universally covering the four modes of birth throughout the ten directions, adorned with a hundred blessings and every goodness brought to its utmost perfection, the three insights fully opened and the five eyes fully complete, becoming a wheel-turning king of the Dharma who gathers in and transforms the six destinies.