Fascicle 8
From the asuras and the demon kings to the whole of the human destiny《慈悲道場懺法》卷第八・為六道禮佛第二（續）
This fascicle completes the homage owed to the non-human destinies — the asuras, the dragon kings, and, most strikingly, the demon kings themselves — before turning to the human destiny and moving through it rank by rank: the sovereign, the crown prince and the princes, parents living and deceased, teachers and masters, and finally the monastic and lay community, living and deceased. Ten rounds of homage in all, each following the same rhythm of invocation, a roll call of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, refuge, and dedication.
- Chinese
- 《慈悲道場懺法》卷第八 — the eighth of ten fascicles, continuing the chapter Homage to the Buddhas on Behalf of the Six Destinies (為六道禮佛第二) begun in Fascicle 7. Completes the homage to the asuras, dragon kings, and demon kings, then opens and completes the seven-part homage to the human destiny (為人道禮佛第七): the sovereign, the princes, parents, past-life parents, teachers, and the monastic community living and deceased.
- Covers
- Ten rounds of homage in total, each built from the same liturgical unit — an invocation, twenty-seven buddha-names and two bodhisattva-names, a refuge formula, and a dedication of merit: on behalf of the asura king and his court; every dragon king, organized by direction, element, and calendar; the Great Demon King and every demon king, prayed for in the same terms as every other being; the reigning sovereign; the crown prince and the enfeoffed princes; one's own parents; one's parents across past lives whose present destiny is unknown; one's teachers and preceptors; and the monastic and lay community of the ten directions, living and deceased.
- Why it matters
- The homage to the demon kings is the most theologically pointed moment in the fascicle: Māra, the traditional adversary of every buddha, receives the identical liturgical treatment given to every other being, with a closing vow that he himself might "deliver living beings first and only then become a buddha." Two small textual notes preserved in the Taishō edition — alternate readings naming "the Emperor of the Great Liang" and "the Kings of Linchuān" — are rare, direct traces of this liturgy's long life being adapted, court by court, for use well beyond the reign it was first composed for.
- Difficulty
- ★★☆☆☆ — ten short, formulaic rounds of homage in close succession; individually simple, but repetitive to read straight through, and best approached one section at a time.
1. Homage on Behalf of the Asuras奉為阿脩羅道一切善神禮佛第四
今日道場同業大眾！重復至誠五體投地，奉為十方盡虛空界一切阿脩羅王、一切阿脩羅各及眷屬；又奉為十方盡虛空界一切聰明正直天地虛空主善罰惡守護持呪八部神王八部神將；乃至若內若外若近若遠、東西南北四維上下遍空法界，有大神足力、有大威德力，如是十方八部神王、八部神將各及眷屬，歸命敬禮一切世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無寶名佛 南無眾清淨佛 南無無邊名佛 南無不虛光佛 南無聖天佛 南無智王佛 南無金剛眾佛 南無善障佛 南無建慈佛 南無華國佛 南無法意佛 南無風行佛 南無善思名佛 南無多明佛 南無密眾佛 南無功德守佛 南無利意佛 南無無懼佛 南無堅觀佛 南無住法佛 南無珠足佛 南無解脫德佛 南無妙身佛 南無善高佛 南無普德佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸命如是十方盡虛空界一切三寶。 願以慈悲力同加覆護，願阿脩羅王、一切阿脩羅各及眷屬；又願聰明正直天地虛空主善罰惡守護持呪八部神王、八部神將各及眷屬，解脫客塵清淨緣障，發起大乘修無礙道，四無量心、六波羅蜜常得現前，四辯、六通如意自在，恒以慈悲救護眾生，行菩薩道入佛智慧，度金剛心成等正覺。
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 every asura king and every asura throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, each together with their retinue; and further on behalf of every wise and upright spirit of heaven, earth, and empty space throughout the ten directions who rewards good and punishes evil and upholds spells, every spirit-king and spirit-general of the eightfold division; extending to every such being, whether within or without, whether near or far, in the four cardinal and four intermediate directions, above and below, throughout the whole Dharma-realm of empty space, possessed of great spiritual power and great majestic virtue — every spirit-king and spirit-general of the eightfold division throughout the ten directions, each together with their retinue, take refuge, offering up our very lives in reverent homage to the great and compassionate father of every world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha of Jeweled Renown. Homage to the Buddha of the Pure Multitude. Homage to the Buddha of Boundless Renown. Homage to the Buddha of Never-Vain Light. Homage to the Buddha, Sagely Deva. Homage to the Buddha, King of Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of the Vajra Multitude. Homage to the Buddha, Excellent Guardian. Homage to the Buddha, Establisher of Loving-Kindness. Homage to the Buddha of the Flower Realm. Homage to the Buddha of Dharma Intent. Homage to the Buddha of the Wind's Course. Homage to the Buddha Renowned for Excellent Reflection. Homage to the Buddha of Many Lights. Homage to the Buddha of the Secret Multitude. Homage to the Buddha, Guardian of Merit. Homage to the Buddha of Beneficial Intent. Homage to the Buddha Without Fear. Homage to the Buddha of Firm Contemplation. Homage to the Buddha Abiding in the Dharma. Homage to the Buddha of Pearl Feet. Homage to the Buddha of the Virtue of Liberation. Homage to the Buddha of the Wondrous Body. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Loftiness. Homage to the Buddha of Universal Virtue. 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 extend their shelter; we pray that the asura king and every asura, each together with their retinue, and further, every wise and upright spirit of heaven, earth, and empty space who rewards good and punishes evil and upholds spells, every spirit-king and spirit-general of the eightfold division, each together with their retinue, may be freed from the adventitious dust of defilement and the obstruction of conditioned fault, arousing the Great Vehicle and cultivating the unhindered path, the four immeasurable minds and the six perfections constantly manifest before them, the four eloquences and six supernormal powers at ease and unhindered, forever rescuing and protecting living beings with compassion, walking the bodhisattva path and entering the Buddha's wisdom, crossing over into the vajra-mind and accomplishing true and equal awakening.
Asuras occupy an ambiguous place in Buddhist cosmology — powerful, often warlike beings, sometimes counted among the six destinies and sometimes folded into the heavens, defined less by suffering than by a corrosive envy of the gods. This section gives them exactly the same liturgical treatment as every other realm: the same twenty-seven buddhas, the same vow of an unhindered path to awakening. Nothing here singles out the asuras' particular fault for correction; the rite's universality is doing the argument's work instead.
2. Homage on Behalf of the Dragon Kings奉為龍王禮佛第五
今日道場同業大眾！重復至誠五體投地，奉為十方盡虛空界一切不可思議龍王，妙化龍王、頭化提龍王、五方龍王、天龍王、地龍王、山龍王、海龍王、日宮龍王、月宮龍王、星宮龍王、歲時龍王、青海龍王、護形命龍王、護眾生龍王，乃至十方若內若外若近若遠、東西南北四維上下遍空法界，有大神足力、有大威德力，如是一切龍王、一切龍神各及眷屬，歸命敬禮一切世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無妙智佛 南無梵財佛 南無實音佛 南無正智佛 南無力得佛 南無師子意佛 南無華相佛 南無積智佛 南無華齒佛 南無功德藏佛 南無名實佛 南無希有名佛 南無上戒佛 南無無畏佛 南無日明佛 南無梵壽佛 南無一切天佛 南無樂智佛 南無寶天佛 南無珠藏佛 南無德流布佛 南無智王佛 南無無縛佛 南無堅法佛 南無天德佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸命如是十方盡虛空界一切三寶。 願以慈悲力同加攝受，願諸龍王各及眷屬，增輝光明神力自在，以無相解斷除緣障，永離惡趣常生淨土，四無量心、六波羅蜜常得現前，四無礙辯、六神通力隨心自在，以慈悲力拯接一切，妙行莊嚴過法雲地，入金剛心成等正覺。
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 every inconceivable dragon king throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space: the dragon king of wondrous transformation, the dragon king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the dragon kings of the five directions, the dragon king of the heavens, the dragon king of the earth, the dragon king of the mountains, the dragon king of the seas, the dragon king of the sun's palace, the dragon king of the moon's palace, the dragon king of the constellations' palace, the dragon king of the years and seasons, the dragon king of the Blue Sea, the dragon king who guards form and life, and the dragon king who guards living beings; extending to every such dragon king throughout the ten directions, whether within or without, whether near or far, in the four cardinal and four intermediate directions, above and below, throughout the whole Dharma-realm of empty space, possessed of great spiritual power and great majestic virtue — every dragon king and every dragon spirit, each together with their retinue, take refuge, offering up our very lives in reverent homage to the great and compassionate father of every world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha of Wondrous Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of Brahmā's Wealth. Homage to the Buddha of the True Voice. Homage to the Buddha of Right Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of Attained Power. Homage to the Buddha of the Lion's Intent. Homage to the Buddha of the Flower's Mark. Homage to the Buddha of Accumulated Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of the Flower's Teeth. Homage to the Buddha, Treasury of Merit. Homage to the Buddha True to Name. Homage to the Buddha of Rare Renown. Homage to the Buddha of the Supreme Precept. Homage to the Buddha Fearless. Homage to the Buddha of the Sun's Brightness. Homage to the Buddha of Brahmā's Life. Homage to the Buddha of Every Heaven. Homage to the Buddha, Delight in Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of the Jeweled Heaven. Homage to the Buddha, Treasury of Pearls. Homage to the Buddha of Virtue Widely Spread. Homage to the Buddha, King of Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha Unbound. Homage to the Buddha of the Firm Dharma. Homage to the Buddha of Heavenly Virtue. 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, and that every dragon king, each together with their retinue, may have their light and radiance increase and their spiritual power be at ease, cutting off the obstruction of conditioned fault through the understanding of no fixed mark, forever leaving the evil destinies behind and constantly being born in the pure land, the four immeasurable minds and six perfections constantly manifest before them, the four unhindered eloquences and six supernormal powers at ease according to their own mind, rescuing all beings by the power of compassion, their wondrous practice adorning them beyond even the ground of the Dharma-cloud, entering the vajra-mind and accomplishing true and equal awakening.
The invocation here is effectively a small cosmological census: dragon kings sorted by the five directions, by realm (heaven, earth, mountain, sea), by celestial body (sun, moon, the constellations), and by the calendar itself ("the dragon king of the years and seasons"). Dragons in Chinese religion were already bound up with weather, water, and the turning of the year long before Buddhism arrived, and this list reads as the liturgy absorbing that entire indigenous system wholesale rather than replacing it — every dragon a Chinese audience of the sixth century might already have honored is folded into a single Buddhist rite of homage.
3. Homage on Behalf of the Demon Kings奉為魔王禮佛第六
今日道場同業大眾！重復至誠，奉為大魔王、五帝大魔，乃至東西南北四維上下盡虛空界一切魔王各及眷屬，歸命敬禮一切世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無梵牟尼佛 南無安詳行佛 南無勤精進佛 南無炎肩佛 南無大威德佛 南無薝蔔華佛 南無歡喜佛 南無善眾佛 南無帝幢佛 南無大愛佛 南無須蔓色佛 南無眾妙佛 南無可樂佛 南無善定義佛 南無牛王佛 南無妙臂佛 南無大車佛 南無滿願佛 南無德光佛 南無寶音佛 南無金剛軍佛 南無富貴佛 南無勢力行佛 南無師子力佛 南無淨目佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸命如是十方盡虛空界一切三寶。 願以慈悲力同加覆護，願大魔王、五帝大魔、一切魔王各及眷屬，無始已來至于今日，一切緣障皆得清淨，一切罪業皆得銷滅，一切眾苦皆得解脫，四無量心、六波羅蜜常得現前，四無礙智、六神通力如意自在，行菩薩道不休不息，先度眾生然後作佛。
Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — once again, with utmost sincerity, on behalf of the Great Demon King, the five emperors' great demons, and every demon king in the four cardinal and four intermediate directions, above and below, throughout the whole reach of empty space, each together with their retinue, we take refuge, offering up our very lives in reverent homage to the great and compassionate father of every world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha, Brahmā Muni. Homage to the Buddha of Tranquil Conduct. Homage to the Buddha of Diligent Effort. Homage to the Buddha of Flame Shoulders. Homage to the Buddha of Great Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Campaka Flower. Homage to the Buddha of Joy. Homage to the Buddha of the Excellent Multitude. Homage to the Buddha, Banner of Indra. Homage to the Buddha of Great Love. Homage to the Buddha, Sumana's Color. Homage to the Buddha of the Multitude of Wonders. Homage to the Buddha, Delightful One. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Settled Meaning. Homage to the Buddha, Bull King. Homage to the Buddha of the Wondrous Arm. Homage to the Buddha of the Great Chariot. Homage to the Buddha of the Fulfilled Vow. Homage to the Buddha of the Light of Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Jeweled Voice. Homage to the Buddha of the Vajra Army. Homage to the Buddha of Wealth and Honor. Homage to the Buddha of the Conduct of Power. Homage to the Buddha of the Lion's Power. Homage to the Buddha of Pure Eyes. 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 extend their shelter, and that the Great Demon King, the five emperors' great demons, and every demon king, each together with their retinue, from beginningless time until this very day, may have every obstruction of conditioned fault purified, every karmic fault dissolved, and every suffering liberated, the four immeasurable minds and six perfections constantly manifest before them, the four unhindered wisdoms and six supernormal powers at ease according to their own wish, walking the bodhisattva path without rest, delivering living beings first and only then becoming a buddha themselves.
Of everything in this fascicle, the closing line here is the most theologically pointed: that the demon kings themselves — the very figures traditionally cast as the Buddha's adversary, the tempter who assailed him beneath the bodhi tree — might one day "deliver living beings first and only then become a buddha," the classical formula for a bodhisattva's own vow. The liturgy does not soften Māra's role or explain it away; it simply extends the same possibility of awakening to him that it extends to everyone else, without exception, treating even cosmic opposition to the Dharma as a temporary condition rather than a fixed nature.
4. The Human Destiny, Opening with the Sovereign為人道禮佛第七・奉為國王禮佛第一
今日道場同業大眾！相與已得奉為諸天諸仙、龍神八部禮佛竟，次應奉為人道一切人王禮佛報恩，又為父母師長、一切人民。何以故爾？若無國王，一切眾生無所依附。由大王故一切得住，行國王地、飲國王水，諸餘利益不可具說。大眾宜各起報恩心。經言：若能一日一夜六時忍苦為欲利益奉報恩者，應當發起如是等心習行慈悲。以是願力，報國王恩、報施主恩。又當念行道報父母慈育之恩，又當行道報師長慈訓之恩，次復運心念如來恩。若能至心常念不絕者，如是等人得入道疾。 今日道場同業大眾！諸佛大聖慈恩開誘慇懃如此令知恩報恩，我等今日既仰賴國王，於末世中興顯佛法，種種供養不惜財寶，率土臣民望風歸附。又令出家之人安身行道，行住坐臥初無留難，凡百不預唯獎以善，皆願我等速出生死，闡無量法門、開人天正路。而國王有如此恩德，豈得不人人禮拜奉報其恩？相與至心等一痛切，奉為國王歸依世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無迦葉佛 南無淨意佛 南無知次第佛 南無猛威德佛 南無大光明佛 南無日光曜佛 南無淨藏佛 南無分別威佛 南無無損佛 南無密日佛 南無月光佛 南無持明佛 南無善寂行佛 南無不動佛 南無大請佛 南無德法佛 南無莊嚴王佛 南無高出佛 南無炎熾佛 南無華德佛 南無寶嚴佛 南無上善佛 南無寶上佛 南無利慧佛 南無嚴土佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸命如是十方盡虛空界一切三寶。願以慈悲力同加攝受，願 當今皇帝〔舊云大梁皇帝〕聖體康御、天威振遠，帝基永固、慧命無窮，慈霑無際、有識歸心，菩薩盛化、天人讚仰，四等、六度日夜增明，四無礙辯樂說無盡，得八自在、具六神通，三昧總持應念現前，慈悲即世、恩遍六道，萬行早圓速登正覺。
Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — together we have now finished paying homage to the gods, the immortals, and the dragon spirits of the eightfold division; next we should pay homage to every human sovereign of the human destiny, to repay their kindness, and also to our parents and teachers and every one of the people. Why is this so? Without a sovereign, living beings would have nothing to rely upon at all. It is because of the great sovereign that all are able to dwell in peace, walking the sovereign's own land and drinking the sovereign's own water — every other benefit besides these cannot all be told. The assembly should each arouse the mind that repays kindness. The sūtra says: whoever is able, for a single day and night, through all six periods, to endure hardship for the sake of benefiting others and repaying kindness, should arouse a mind such as this and practice compassion. By the power of this vow, let us repay the kindness of the sovereign and the kindness of our benefactors; let us further keep in mind the practice of the Way to repay our parents' kindness in raising us with love, and further practice the Way to repay our teachers' kindness in instructing us with compassion; and next, let us turn our minds to the kindness of the Tathāgata himself. Whoever is able to hold this in mind sincerely and without interruption will be one who enters the Way swiftly. Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — the Buddhas and great sages, in their compassionate kindness, guide and instruct us so earnestly, teaching us to know kindness and to repay kindness. We ourselves, today, rely upon the sovereign, through whom the Buddha-dharma is revived and made manifest even in this latter age, offerings of every kind made without begrudging any treasure, so that the ministers and subjects of the whole realm look to his example and turn toward him in allegiance. It is he, too, who allows those who have left the household life to settle their bodies and practice the Way, walking, standing, sitting, and lying down without hindrance from the start, interfering in nothing but encouraging only what is good, wishing only that we swiftly escape birth and death, opening up boundless gateways to the Dharma and the true path for gods and humans alike. And since the sovereign holds kindness and virtue such as this, how could each of us fail to bow down and repay this very kindness? Together, with sincere mind, in this same anguish of resolve, on behalf of the sovereign, let us 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 Kāśyapa. Homage to the Buddha of Pure Intent. Homage to the Buddha Who Knows the Proper Order. Homage to the Buddha of Fierce Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Great Brightness. Homage to the Buddha, Radiance of the Sun's Light. Homage to the Buddha of the Pure Treasury. Homage to the Buddha of Discerning Majesty. Homage to the Buddha Without Harm. Homage to the Buddha of the Secret Sun. Homage to the Buddha of Moonlight. Homage to the Buddha, Upholder of Mantras. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Quiescent Conduct. Homage to the Buddha Akṣobhya. Homage to the Buddha of the Great Invitation. Homage to the Buddha of the Virtue of the Dharma. Homage to the Buddha, Adorned King. Homage to the Buddha Rising Above. Homage to the Buddha of the Blazing Flame. Homage to the Buddha of Flower Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Jeweled Adornment. Homage to the Buddha of Supreme Goodness. Homage to the Buddha of the Supreme Jewel. Homage to the Buddha of Sharp Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha, Adorner of the Land. 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, and that the present emperor (the text's older reading here names him as "the Emperor of the Great Liang") may enjoy health and peace of body, his majesty resounding far and wide, the foundation of his reign forever secure, his wisdom-life without end, his compassion reaching every limit, every being of consciousness turning their heart toward him, the bodhisattva's transformation flourishing under his reign, praised and looked up to by gods and humans alike, the four immeasurables and six perfections growing 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, his compassion present in this very world and his kindness reaching every one of the six destinies, his myriad practices swiftly perfected and his ascent to true awakening made swift.
The bracketed variant preserved by the Taishō editors — noting that an older reading of the text names the emperor prayed for here specifically as "the Emperor of the Great Liang" — is a small but telling trace of this liturgy's long institutional life. A rite composed for one specific sixth-century court could not simply keep naming that court by name if it was going to be performed under later dynasties; the generic "the present emperor" is very likely a later editorial smoothing-over of a text that originally named Emperor Wu directly, made so the same rite could be recited, unmodified in every other respect, at any state monastery under any reigning house.
5. Homage on Behalf of the Crown Prince and the Princes奉為諸王禮佛第二
今日道場同業大眾！重復至誠五體投地，奉為： 皇太子殿下、分土諸王〔舊云臨川諸王〕各及眷屬，歸依世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無海德佛 南無梵相佛 南無月蓋佛 南無多炎佛 南無違藍王佛 南無智稱佛 南無覺想佛 南無功德光佛 南無聲流布佛 南無滿月佛 南無華光佛 南無善戒佛 南無燈王佛 南無電光佛 南無光王佛 南無光明佛 南無具足讚佛 南無華藏佛 南無弗沙佛 南無日端嚴佛 南無淨善佛 南無威猛軍佛 南無福威德佛 南無力行佛 南無羅睺天佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸依如是十方盡虛空界一切三寶。願以慈悲力同加覆護，願 皇太子殿下、分土諸王各及眷屬，身心安樂妙算無窮，行大乘道入佛智慧，被四弘誓不捨一切，四等六度常得現前，六通三達善識根性，具二莊嚴神力自在，行如來慈攝化四生。
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: His Highness the Crown Prince, and the kings enfeoffed with territory (the text's older reading here names them as "the Kings of Linchuān"), each together with their retinue, 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 the Sea's Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Brahmā's Mark. Homage to the Buddha of the Moon Canopy. Homage to the Buddha of Many Flames. Homage to the Buddha, King Vilamba. Homage to the Buddha Renowned for Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of Awakened Thought. Homage to the Buddha of the Light of Merit. Homage to the Buddha of the Widely Spread Voice. Homage to the Buddha of the Full Moon. Homage to the Buddha of the Flower's Light. Homage to the Buddha of the Excellent Precept. Homage to the Buddha, King of Lamps. Homage to the Buddha of the Lightning's Light. Homage to the Buddha, King of Light. Homage to the Buddha of Brightness. Homage to the Buddha Fully Praised. Homage to the Buddha of the Flower Treasury. Homage to the Buddha Puṣya. Homage to the Buddha of the Sun's Dignified Adornment. Homage to the Buddha of Pure Goodness. Homage to the Buddha of the Fierce and Mighty Army. Homage to the Buddha of Blessed Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Conduct of Power. Homage to the Buddha, Rāhu Deva. 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. We pray that, by the power of compassion, they together extend their shelter, and that His Highness the Crown Prince and the kings enfeoffed with territory, each together with their retinue, may have body and mind at peace and joy, their wisdom without limit, walking the path of the Great Vehicle and entering the Buddha's wisdom, clothed in the four great vows and abandoning no one, the four immeasurables and six perfections constantly manifest before them, the six supernormal powers and three insights skilled in discerning the roots of others, endowed with the twofold adornment and spiritual power at ease, practicing the Tathāgata's loving-kindness in gathering and transforming the four modes of birth.
A second bracketed variant follows the same pattern as the one for the emperor: an older reading names these princes specifically as "the Kings of Linchuān," a real title held within the Liang imperial house. Read together, the two notes suggest a text that was, at some point after its original composition, deliberately edited to remove court-specific proper names in favor of generic titles — the kind of revision a liturgy needs to survive its own occasion and remain usable for centuries under rulers its compiler never knew.
6. Homage on Behalf of Parents奉為父母禮佛第三
今日道場同業大眾！次復應須五體投地，奉為父母育養之恩，懷抱乳哺愛重情深，寧自危身安立其子，至年長大訓以仁禮，洗掌求師願通經義，時刻不忘企及人流，所當供給不悋家寶，念思慮結有亦成病，臥不安席常憶其子，天下恩重世實無二。所以佛言：天下之恩莫過父母。夫捨家人未能得道，唯勤學業為善莫廢，積德不止必能報恩。相與至心等一痛切，五體投地，各自奉為有識神已來至于今日，經生父母、歷劫親緣一切眷屬，歸依世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無智聚佛 南無調御佛 南無如王佛 南無華相佛 南無羅睺羅佛 南無大藥佛 南無宿王佛 南無華王佛 南無德手佛 南無得叉迦佛 南無流布王佛 南無日光佛 南無法藏佛 南無妙音佛 南無德主佛 南無金剛眾佛 南無慧頂佛 南無善住佛 南無意行佛 南無梵音佛 南無師子佛 南無雷音佛 南無通相佛 南無安隱佛 南無慧陰佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸依如是十方盡虛空界一切三寶。 願以慈悲力同加攝受，願父母親緣各及眷屬，從今日去至于菩提，一切罪障皆得除滅，一切眾苦畢竟解脫，結習煩惱永得清淨，長辭四趣自在往生，親侍諸佛現前受記，四無量心、六波羅蜜常不離行，四無礙智、六神通力如意自在，得佛十力相好嚴身，同坐道場成等正覺。
Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — next we should prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, on behalf of the kindness of our parents in raising and nurturing us: cradling us in their arms and nursing us at the breast, their love deep and their feeling profound, willing to endanger their own bodies to secure their child's safety; and, once the child had grown, instructing him in benevolence and propriety, washing his hands and sending him to seek out a teacher, hoping he would master the meaning of the classics, never for a moment forgetting their hope that he might rise to join the ranks of others; giving whatever was needed without ever begrudging even the treasures of the household; their thoughts and worries knotting into illness itself, lying sleepless and unsettled, forever thinking of their child. There is truly nothing else in this world whose kindness weighs so heavily. This is why the Buddha says: of every kindness in the world, none surpasses that of one's parents. Now, one who has left his family has not yet attained the Way merely by doing so; only by diligently pursuing his own training and never abandoning what is good, accumulating virtue without ceasing, can he ever truly repay this kindness. Together, with sincere mind, in this same anguish of resolve, let us prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, each on behalf of our parents through every life since we first possessed consciousness until this very day, and our kin across every kalpa, 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, Gathering of Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha, the Tamer. Homage to the Buddha, King of Suchness. Homage to the Buddha of the Flower's Mark. Homage to the Buddha Rāhula. Homage to the Buddha of Great Medicine. Homage to the Buddha, King of Constellations. Homage to the Buddha, King of Flowers. Homage to the Buddha of the Virtuous Hand. Homage to the Buddha Takṣaka. Homage to the Buddha, King of Wide Circulation. Homage to the Buddha of Sunlight. Homage to the Buddha, Treasury of the Dharma. Homage to the Buddha of Wondrous Sound. Homage to the Buddha, Lord of Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Vajra Multitude. Homage to the Buddha of the Summit of Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha Well-Abiding. Homage to the Buddha of the Conduct of Intent. Homage to the Buddha of Brahmā's Voice. Homage to the Buddha, Lion. Homage to the Buddha of the Thunder's Voice. Homage to the Buddha of the Mark of Penetration. Homage to the Buddha of Peace and Ease. Homage to the Buddha of the Shade of Wisdom. 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. We pray that, by the power of compassion, they together receive us, and that our parents and kin, each together with their retinue, from this day forward until we reach awakening, may have every obstruction of fault dissolved, every suffering liberated once and for all, the habituated affliction of these bonds made forever pure, forever leaving the four evil destinies behind to be born again at will, personally attending the Buddhas and receiving in person their prediction of awakening, the four immeasurable minds and six perfections never once departed from in their practice, the four unhindered wisdoms and six supernormal powers at ease as they wish, attaining the Buddha's ten powers and their very body adorned with the excellent marks, together taking their seat at this awakening-site and accomplishing true and equal awakening.
The description of parental devotion here is unusually domestic and specific for this liturgy: not abstract praise of filial piety, but a small sequence of concrete gestures — washing a child's hands before sending him off to find a teacher, worry knotting itself into physical illness, sleepless nights spent thinking of a child who has already grown and left. It reads as recognizably tender in a way the liturgy's more formulaic passages rarely are, and it grounds the far more abstract vow that follows — the ten powers, the excellent marks, the awakening-site — in something plainly and universally human.
7. Homage on Behalf of Parents Across Past Lives各為過去父母禮佛第四
今日道場同業大眾！其中若有父母少便孤背，難復再遇萬劫悠然，既未得天眼、死生智明，不知父母捨報神識更生何道。唯當競設福力功德追而報恩，為善不止功成必致。經言：為亡人作福，如餉遠人。若生人天，增益功德。若處三途、或在八難，速令解脫。生若值佛受正法教，永離眾苦憂畏悉除，七世久遠歷劫親緣十方眾生同得解脫。是為智者至慈至孝最上報恩。相與今日若有過去者，應當悲泣追懷懊惱嗚呼哽慟，奉為過去父母歷劫親緣，五體投地歸依世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無梵王佛 南無大牛王佛 南無梨陀目佛 南無龍德佛 南無寶相佛 南無莊嚴佛 南無不沒音佛 南無華持佛 南無音得佛 南無師子佛 南無莊嚴辭佛 南無勇智佛 南無華積佛 南無華開佛 南無力行佛 南無德積佛 南無上形色佛 南無明曜佛 南無月燈佛 南無威德王佛 南無菩提王佛 南無無盡佛 南無菩提眼佛 南無身充滿佛 南無慧國佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸依如是十方。盡虛空界一切三寶。 願以慈悲力救護拯接，願大眾各有過去父母歷劫眷屬，從今日去至于道場，一切罪緣皆得消殄，一切苦果永得除滅，煩惱結業畢竟清淨，斷三障緣無五怖畏，行菩薩道廣化一切，八解洗心、四弘被物，面奉慈顏諮承妙旨，不起本處盡諸有漏，隨念逍遙遍諸佛土，行願早登速成正覺。
Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — should there be among us any whose parents were lost to us while we were still young, so that meeting them again seems as distant as ten thousand kalpas away, and, not yet having attained the heavenly eye or the clear knowledge of birth and death, we do not know into which destiny our parents' consciousness was reborn after laying down this life — we should only vie with one another to establish the power of blessing and the merit needed to pursue and repay this kindness, for good done without ceasing must in the end bear fruit. The sūtra says: performing merit on behalf of the deceased is like sending provisions to someone far away. Should they be reborn among gods or humans, it increases their merit further still; should they instead be caught among the three evil paths or the eight adversities, it swiftly brings them liberation. And should they, in their next birth, encounter a Buddha and receive the true teaching, every suffering, worry, and fear will be entirely removed, and kin across seven distant lives and countless kalpas, along with living beings of the ten directions, may together attain liberation. This is what the wise call the utmost compassion, the utmost filial devotion, and the highest way of repaying kindness. Together, today, should any of us have parents already deceased, we ought to weep in grief, recalling them with sorrow and choking with anguish, and, on behalf of our parents of the past and our kin across every kalpa, 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, King Brahmā. Homage to the Buddha, Great Bull King. Homage to the Buddha Lituomu. Homage to the Buddha of the Dragon's Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Jeweled Mark. Homage to the Buddha of Adornment. Homage to the Buddha of the Voice That Never Fades. Homage to the Buddha, Upholder of the Flower. Homage to the Buddha of the Attained Voice. Homage to the Buddha, Lion. Homage to the Buddha of Adorned Speech. Homage to the Buddha of Courageous Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of Accumulated Flowers. Homage to the Buddha of the Blossoming Flower. Homage to the Buddha of the Conduct of Power. Homage to the Buddha of Accumulated Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Supreme Form and Color. Homage to the Buddha of Brilliant Radiance. Homage to the Buddha of the Moon Lamp. Homage to the Buddha, King of Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha, King of Awakening. Homage to the Buddha Inexhaustible. Homage to the Buddha of the Eye of Awakening. Homage to the Buddha Whose Body Fills All Space. Homage to the Buddha of the Land of Wisdom. 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. We pray that, by the power of compassion, they rescue and protect us, and that the deceased parents of every member of this assembly, and their kin across every kalpa, from this day forward until reaching this very awakening-site, may have every karmic cause of fault dissolved, every bitter fruit forever removed, the bound karma of affliction made pure once and for all, cutting off the conditions of the three obstructions and free of the five fears, walking the bodhisattva path and broadly transforming all beings, the eight liberations cleansing the mind and the four great vows extended to every creature, beholding the compassionate countenance of the Buddhas face to face and receiving their wondrous instruction, without leaving their own place yet exhausting every defilement, moving freely at will throughout every buddha-land, their practice and vow swiftly rising to swift and true awakening.
This section addresses a specific and practical grief the liturgy has not raised before: parents lost so early, or so long ago, that their present destiny is simply unknown, with no "heavenly eye" available to see where they were reborn. The response it offers is not certainty but a working analogy — merit performed for the dead is "like sending provisions to someone far away," useful wherever the recipient happens to be, whether that is a fortunate rebirth it augments or an unfortunate one it shortens. The grief named directly here, with its own vocabulary of weeping and choked anguish, is treated as itself a legitimate motive for practice, not something to be reasoned away first.
8. Homage on Behalf of Teachers and Masters奉為師長禮佛第五
今日道場同業大眾！相與已為父母親緣禮佛竟，次復應念師長恩德虔誠禮佛。何以故爾？父母雖復生育我等，不能令我速離惡趣。師長於我恩德無量，大慈獎諭恒使修善，願出生死到於彼岸，每事利益令得見佛，除煩惱結永處無為。如此至德誰能上報？若能終身行道，正可自利非報師恩。故佛言：善知識者莫過師長，既能自度亦復度人。相與今日稟得出家、受具足戒，此之重恩從師長得，豈不人人追念此恩。相與至心等一痛切五體投地，奉為和上、阿闍梨、同壇尊證、上中下座各及眷屬，歸依世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無最上佛 南無清涼照佛 南無慧德佛 南無妙音佛 南無導師佛 南無無礙藏佛 南無上施佛 南無大尊佛 南無智力勢佛 南無大焰佛 南無帝王佛 南無制力佛 南無威德佛 南無善明佛 南無名聞佛 南無端嚴佛 南無無塵垢佛 南無威儀佛 南無師子軍佛 南無天王佛 南無名聲佛 南無殊勝佛 南無大藏佛 南無福德光佛 南無梵聞佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸依如是十方盡虛空界一切三寶。 願以慈悲力同加攝受，願和上、阿闍梨、同壇尊證、上中下座各及眷屬，從今日去至坐道場，一切罪障皆得清淨，一切眾苦悉得解脫，一切煩惱皆得斷除，隨念往生諸佛淨土，菩提行願皆悉具足，財施無盡、法施無盡，福德無盡、安樂無盡，壽命無盡、智慧無盡，四無量心、六波羅蜜常得現前，四無礙智、六神通力如意自在，住首楞嚴三昧得金剛身，不捨本誓還救眾生。
Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — together we have now finished paying homage on behalf of our parents and kin; next we should call to mind the kindness and virtue of our teachers and masters, and pay homage with reverent sincerity. Why is this so? Though our parents gave birth to us and raised us, they could not bring us swiftly out of the evil destinies. Our teachers and masters hold kindness and virtue toward us that is beyond measure, their great compassion constantly encouraging and guiding us to cultivate what is good, wishing that we might escape birth and death and reach the farther shore, benefiting us in every matter so that we might come to see the Buddha, removing the bonds of affliction so that we might dwell forever in the unconditioned. Such utmost virtue as this — who could ever repay it in full? Even should one practice the Way to the end of one's life, this would only benefit oneself, not be enough to repay a teacher's kindness. This is why the Buddha says: among good and wise friends, none surpasses one's own teacher and master, one who is able both to save himself and to save others in turn. We ourselves, today, having been able to leave the household life and receive the full precepts, owe this very grave kindness entirely to our teachers and masters — how could each of us fail to recall this kindness? Together, with sincere mind, in this same anguish of resolve, let us prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, on behalf of our preceptors, our instructors, the venerable witnesses of this very platform, and those of high, middle, and low station, each together with their retinue, 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, Supreme One. Homage to the Buddha of Cool and Refreshing Radiance. Homage to the Buddha of Wisdom's Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Wondrous Sound. Homage to the Buddha, Guiding Teacher. Homage to the Buddha of the Unhindered Treasury. Homage to the Buddha of Supreme Giving. Homage to the Buddha, Great Venerable One. Homage to the Buddha of the Power and Might of Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of the Great Flame. Homage to the Buddha, Sovereign King. Homage to the Buddha of the Power of Restraint. Homage to the Buddha of Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Brightness. Homage to the Buddha Renowned. Homage to the Buddha of Dignified Adornment. Homage to the Buddha Free of Dust and Stain. Homage to the Buddha of Dignified Deportment. Homage to the Buddha of the Lion's Army. Homage to the Buddha, Heavenly King. Homage to the Buddha of the Renowned Voice. Homage to the Buddha of Surpassing Excellence. Homage to the Buddha of the Great Treasury. Homage to the Buddha of the Light of Blessed Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of Brahmā's Renown. 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. We pray that, by the power of compassion, they together receive us, and that our preceptors, instructors, the venerable witnesses of this platform, and those of high, middle, and low station, each together with their retinue, from this day forward until taking their seat at this very awakening-site, may have every obstruction of fault made pure, every suffering liberated, every affliction cut off, born at will into the pure lands of the Buddhas, the practice and vow of awakening fully complete, their giving of wealth inexhaustible, their giving of the Dharma inexhaustible, their blessed virtue inexhaustible, their peace and joy inexhaustible, their lifespan inexhaustible, their wisdom inexhaustible, the four immeasurable minds and six perfections constantly manifest before them, the four unhindered wisdoms and six supernormal powers at ease as they wish, abiding in the Śūraṅgama-samādhi and attaining the vajra-body, never abandoning their original vow as they return once more to save living beings.
The reasoning here restates, in compressed form, the argument Fascicle 5 gave at much greater length: parents grant the body but cannot free it from the evil destinies, while a teacher who ordains and instructs one grants access to the very path out of birth and death, and is on those grounds owed a debt parents alone cannot create. Read alongside the previous section's warm, domestic picture of parental care, the pairing sets up a deliberate contrast in kind rather than degree — one kindness gives life, the other gives the means of ending suffering within that life, and the liturgy is careful not to let either substitute for the other.
9. Homage on Behalf of the Monks and Nuns of the Ten Directions為十方比丘比丘尼禮佛第六
今日道場同業大眾！以此禮拜之次，重復增到五體投地，普為十方盡虛空界現在未來一切比丘、比丘尼、式叉摩那、沙彌、沙彌尼各及眷屬，又為十方盡虛空界一切優婆塞、優婆夷各及眷屬，又為從來信施檀越、善惡知識、有緣無緣各及眷屬，如是人道一切人類各及眷屬，某甲等今日以慈悲心，普為歸依世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無燈王佛 南無智頂佛 南無上天佛 南無地王佛 南無至解脫佛 南無金髻佛 南無羅睺日佛 南無莫能勝佛 南無牟尼淨佛 南無善光佛 南無金齊佛 南無眾德天王佛 南無法益佛 南無德臂佛 南無鴦伽陀佛 南無美妙惠佛 南無微意佛 南無諸威德佛 南無師子髮佛 南無解脫相佛 南無威相佛 南無斷流佛 南無慧藏佛 南無智聚佛 南無無礙讚佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸依如是十方盡虛空界一切三寶。 願以慈悲力同加覆護，願十方盡虛空界一切比丘、比丘尼、式叉摩那、沙彌、沙彌尼各及眷屬，又願十方一切優婆塞、優婆夷各及眷屬，又願從來信施檀越、善惡知識、有緣無緣各及眷屬，乃至一切人道、一切人類，無始已來至于今日，一切煩惱皆得斷除，一切緣障皆得清淨，一切罪業皆得消滅，一切眾苦皆得解脫，離三障業、無五怖畏，四無量心、六波羅蜜常得現前，四無礙智、六神通力如意自在，行菩薩行入一乘道，度脫無邊一切眾生。
Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — following upon this same bowing, let us once more with heightened devotion prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, universally on behalf of every monk, nun, probationary nun, novice monk, and novice nun, present and future, throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, each together with their retinue; and further on behalf of every layman and laywoman throughout the ten directions, each together with their retinue; and further on behalf of every benefactor and donor who has ever given, every good and evil companion, whether bound to us by karmic affinity or not, each together with their retinue; and on behalf of every member of humankind in the human destiny, each together with their retinue — we disciples, today, with a compassionate mind, universally take refuge, on their behalf, in the great and compassionate father of the world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha, King of Lamps. Homage to the Buddha of the Summit of Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of the Supreme Heaven. Homage to the Buddha, King of the Earth. Homage to the Buddha of Utmost Liberation. Homage to the Buddha of the Golden Topknot. Homage to the Buddha of Rāhu's Sun. Homage to the Buddha Whom None Can Surpass. Homage to the Buddha, Pure Muni. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Light. Homage to the Buddha of Golden Equanimity. Homage to the Buddha, Heavenly King of Manifold Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Dharma's Benefit. Homage to the Buddha of the Virtuous Arm. Homage to the Buddha Aṅgada. Homage to the Buddha of Beautiful and Wondrous Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha of Subtle Intent. Homage to the Buddha of Every Majesty and Virtue. Homage to the Buddha of the Lion's Mane. Homage to the Buddha of the Mark of Liberation. Homage to the Buddha of the Majestic Mark. Homage to the Buddha Who Cuts Off the Stream. Homage to the Buddha, Treasury of Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha, Gathering of Wisdom. Homage to the Buddha Praised as Unhindered. 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. We pray that, by the power of compassion, they together extend their shelter, and that every monk, nun, probationary nun, novice monk, and novice nun throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, each together with their retinue; and further, every layman and laywoman throughout the ten directions, each together with their retinue; and further, every benefactor and donor who has ever given, every good and evil companion, whether bound to us by karmic affinity or not, each together with their retinue; extending to every being of the human destiny and every member of humankind, from beginningless time until this very day, may have every affliction cut off, every obstruction of conditioned fault made pure, every karmic fault dissolved, and every suffering liberated, free of the karma of the three obstructions and the five fears, the four immeasurable minds and six perfections constantly manifest before them, the four unhindered wisdoms and six supernormal powers at ease as they wish, practicing bodhisattva conduct and entering the path of the single vehicle, delivering every boundless living being.
This section widens the human destiny's homage out from named relationships — sovereign, prince, parent, teacher — to the entire remaining population the liturgy has not yet named: monastics, lay disciples, benefactors, and, in its final phrase, "every good and evil companion, whether bound to us by karmic affinity or not." That last clause is doing real work: it extends the homage even to strangers and to those the confessor may actively dislike, closing off any reading of this liturgy's universal scope as applying only to people already connected to the practitioner by relationship or gratitude.
10. Homage on Behalf of the Deceased Monks and Nuns of the Ten Directions為十方過去比丘比丘尼禮佛第七
今日道場同業大眾，重復至誠五體投地，代為十方盡虛空界一切過去比丘、比丘尼、式叉摩那、沙彌、沙彌尼，過去優婆塞、優婆夷，廣及十方一切人道、一切人類，有命過者各及眷屬，某甲等今日以慈悲心，等諸佛心、同諸佛願，普為歸依世間大慈悲父。 南無彌勒佛 南無釋迦牟尼佛 南無寶聚佛 南無善高佛 南無山王相佛 南無法頂佛 南無解脫德佛 南無善端嚴佛 南無吉身佛 南無愛語佛 南無師子利佛 南無和樓那佛 南無師子法佛 南無法力佛 南無愛樂佛 南無讚不動佛 南無眾明王佛 南無覺悟眾生佛 南無妙眼佛 南無意住義佛 南無光照佛 南無香德佛 南無令喜佛 南無不虛行佛 南無滅恚佛 南無上色佛 南無善步佛 南無無邊身菩薩 南無觀世音菩薩 又復歸依如是十方盡虛空界一切三寶。 願以慈悲力救護拯接，願過去一切比丘、比丘尼、式叉摩那、沙彌、沙彌尼各及眷屬，又願過去一切優婆塞、優婆夷各及眷屬，若有地獄道苦，今日即得解脫；若有畜生道苦，今日即得解脫；若有鬼神道苦，今日即得解脫；離八難地受八福生，永捨惡道長生淨土，財施無盡、法施無盡，福德無盡、安樂無盡，壽命無盡、智慧無盡，四無量心、六波羅蜜常得現前，四無礙智、六神通力如意自在，常得見佛聞法，行菩薩道勇猛精進不休不息，乃至進修成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，廣能度脫一切眾生。
Today, the assembly gathered together in this common practice — once again, with utmost sincerity, let us prostrate ourselves fully to the ground, standing in on behalf of every deceased monk, nun, probationary nun, novice monk, and novice nun throughout the ten directions and the whole reach of empty space, every deceased layman and laywoman, and, extending broadly to every being of the human destiny and every member of humankind throughout the ten directions who has passed from this life, each together with their retinue — we disciples, today, with a compassionate mind, equal to the mind of all the Buddhas and one with the vow of all the Buddhas, universally take refuge, on their behalf, in the great and compassionate father of the world. Homage to the Buddha Maitreya. Homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Homage to the Buddha, Gathering of Jewels. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Loftiness. Homage to the Buddha of the Mark of the Mountain King. Homage to the Buddha of the Summit of the Dharma. Homage to the Buddha of the Virtue of Liberation. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Dignified Adornment. Homage to the Buddha of the Auspicious Body. Homage to the Buddha of Loving Speech. Homage to the Buddha of the Lion's Benefit. Homage to the Buddha Varuṇa. Homage to the Buddha of the Lion's Dharma. Homage to the Buddha of the Power of the Dharma. Homage to the Buddha of Loving Delight. Homage to the Buddha Praised as Unmoving. Homage to the Buddha, King of Manifold Brightness. Homage to the Buddha, Awakener of Living Beings. Homage to the Buddha of the Wondrous Eye. Homage to the Buddha of Meaning Abiding in Intent. Homage to the Buddha of Illuminating Light. Homage to the Buddha of Fragrant Virtue. Homage to the Buddha, Bringer of Joy. Homage to the Buddha Whose Conduct Is Never in Vain. Homage to the Buddha Who Extinguishes Hatred. Homage to the Buddha of Supreme Form. Homage to the Buddha of Excellent Stride. 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. We pray that, by the power of compassion, they rescue and protect us, and that every deceased monk, nun, probationary nun, novice monk, and novice nun, each together with their retinue, and further, every deceased layman and laywoman, each together with their retinue — should they bear the suffering of the hell-destiny, may they be liberated from it this very day; should they bear the suffering of the animal-destiny, may they be liberated from it this very day; should they bear the suffering of the ghost-and-spirit destiny, may they be liberated from it this very day — leaving behind the ground of the eight adversities to receive birth amid the eight blessings, forever giving up the evil destinies to dwell long in the pure land, their giving of wealth inexhaustible, their giving of the Dharma inexhaustible, their blessed virtue inexhaustible, their peace and joy inexhaustible, their lifespan inexhaustible, their wisdom inexhaustible, the four immeasurable minds and six perfections constantly manifest before them, the four unhindered wisdoms and six supernormal powers at ease as they wish, constantly seeing the Buddhas and hearing the Dharma, walking the bodhisattva path with courage and diligence without rest, advancing in cultivation until accomplishing unsurpassed, perfect awakening, and broadly delivering every living being.
This closing section completes a deliberate pairing that has now run through the whole of the human-destiny sequence: parents living, then parents deceased; teachers by implication both; and now the wider community, living, then deceased. The refrain repeated three times in the dedication — "should they bear the suffering of the hell-destiny... the animal-destiny... the ghost-and-spirit destiny, may they be liberated from it this very day" — is the most urgent, unconditional language used anywhere in this fascicle, asking not for gradual improvement but immediate release, regardless of which of the three evil paths a deceased stranger might currently occupy.
Resources
- T1909 · CBETA XML source — the digital edition of the Taishō text this translation was made from.
- 慈悲道場懺法・卷第八 · CBETA online reader — the Chinese text of this fascicle online.
Chinese source: Taishō T1909, public domain. English translation and reading guide written for Ru-Yi Meditation Center. See also this site's note on translation method.