. .
..
Happy Birthday
by Ven. SongCh'ol
(The Late Patriarch of the Chogye Order of Korean Buddhism)


 To all you noble Buddhas currently living in prison, happy birthday. To all you austere Buddhas selling your smiles in taverns, happy birthday. To you countless Buddhas twinkling in the night sky, happy birthday. And happy birthday to all of you brightly smiling, beautiful Buddhas in the gardens.
..To all you Buddhas who have become endlessly changing clouds drifting across the sky, to all you Buddhas who are quietly biding your time as boulders -- a very happy birthday to you, too.
..And happy birthday to all you cute little Buddhas swimming in the waters. To all you lively Buddhas soaring about the sky. To all you reverential Buddhas singing hymns in churches, and to all you handsome Buddhas chanting in temples.
..To all you Buddhas hoeing and plowing the fields and paddies, to all you Buddhas sweating in the humming factories, to all you Buddhas working in dust and dirt, and to all you Buddhas quietly studying in classrooms -- let me wish you all a very happy birthday.
..When I open my eyes, you are Buddha, and when I close my eyes you are Buddha. Everyplace in the universes is filled with Buddha! Although we all have different guises and appearances, we're all manifestations of this One Buddha. Everything is equal and everything is magnificent! So let us transcend our torments in this world of Buddha and be happy. How marvelous that every single place is a site for liberation from suffering and ignorance!
..To all you Buddhas wearing the gentle smile of compassion and delivering the Dharma in a sound even greater than thunder, to all you Buddhas who fill every corner of the universes -- every day is a wonderful day, and every day is our birthday! So let us all eternally respect and congratulate one another!
..Happy Birthday!

Vesak, 1986

(From Echoes from Mt. Kaya, translated by Brian Barry)

www.songchol.org

Genuine Buddhist Offerings
by Ven. SongCh'ol
(The Late Patriarch of the Chogye Order of Korean Buddhism)


 Since Buddha resides in every home, your parents are Buddha. So serving your parents is a genuine Buddhist offering. Since Buddha lives on every street, the poor and the weak are Buddha. So serving them is a genuine Buddhist offering.
..The bugs that crawl along below your feet are Buddha; watching out for them is a genuine Buddhist offering. The birds that soar above your head are Buddha; protecting these flying forms of life is a genuine Buddhist offering. The immense universes, the endless skies and the planets are all Buddha. Sincerely serving these innumerable Buddhas is a genuine Buddhist offering.
..Buddha is here. Buddha is there. Buddha is everywhere. There isn't a single place that is not a Buddhafield! And since Buddha is everywhere, we have an eternity of incalculable offerings to make. The joy of living can be found in serving and making offerings to all these countless Buddhas!
..We have numerous ritual implements to use in making offerings to a temple Buddha. But as the Buddha Sakyamuni taught us, we have an infinite number of implements to use in serving Buddhas everywhere; and serving Buddhas everywhere is the noble vow of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and the very basis of Buddhism. So we should be eternally grateful to the Buddha Sakyamuni for teaching us this noble law, and we should lead a life full of genuine Buddhist offerings.

Dharma Lecture, May 1983
(From Echoes from Mt. Kaya, translated by Brian Barry)


(from the Chogye Order of Korean Buddhism Newsletter "Lotus Lantern," Winter, Spring and Summer issues, 2000)

The S*P*I*C*E of Spirituality
The role of art in a Korean Temple by Brian Barry

  Introduction Over the centuries, Mahayana Buddhism has developed a mind-boggling array of art to convey the Dharma as it swept its way across Central Asia and through China to the Far East. One of the great culminations of painting is, of course, at the stunning Caves of the 1,000 Buddhas in Dunhwang, China at the eastern end of the Gobi Desert. In addition to painting, however, Buddhism also includes rich traditions of sculpture, woodwork, printing, pottery and myriad other art forms. At the eastern end of the continental Silk Road, Korea naturally inherited a great deal of these traditions, while adding its own flavor as well.
  Temple paintings are an integral part of Buddhist art and they are generally supportive to Buddhist images enshrined in the various temple halls. And Korean Buddhist temple art serves the same purposes as religious art everywhere. It is a kind of cultural "spice" that is intended to fulfill any and all of the following functions, namely to:

Sanctify * Protect * Inspire * Console * Educate

* The Main Hall Platform
  Although each temple is unique, most temples fit a basic pattern. The main hall on a compound is usually the "Hall of the Great Hero," or Main Buddha Hall. This is dedicated to the historical Buddha Sakyamuni and, once the Buddha image is installed for homage, the hall sanctifies the grounds. People are   expected to pay homage here before going to other buildings on a compound.
Invariably, a Main Buddha Hall is perpendicular, with one or three doors on the long front side, and a door on either of the shorter sides of the building. Whereas monks may enter from the front center door, laity are encouraged to enter only from the side doors.
  The art in a Main Buddha Hall may vary from temple to temple, but there are some general patterns to the tradition. Inside the Main Hall, there are usually three "platforms" or altars.
  The main platform is at the center of the long back wall of the building. This platform includes major statues as well as paintings to support the statuary. The purposes of the statues and paintings are to sanctify the hall, to educate and to inspire.
  In the Main Buddha Hall, the central statue is that of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni, and the supportive painting on the wall behind the Buddha is usually the Dharma Assembly on Mt. Grdhadhuta (K: Yongsanhoesangdo) where the Buddha delivered the Lotus Sutra. This commonness of this painting reflects the extensive influence that the Lotus Sutra, along with the Avatamsaka and Amitabha sutras, has had on Korean Buddhism. The Buddha's thumb and a finger form a circle to indicate the oneness of everything. In recreating the atmosphere of the delivery of the Lotus Sutra, some temple halls go so far as to have lotus shaped lights hanging from the ceiling, a sort of static simulation of petals falling from the heavens.
  However, many temples feature a Sakyamuni Buddha Painting instead of the Dharma Assembly Painting, in which the Buddha's right hand points toward the ground, asking the Earth to confirm his resistance to the temptations of Mara. This in itself is one of the Eight Scenes from the Life of the Buddha, which is found in some temples as a complete set of paintings. The remaining composition of the painting, however, often resembles the Dharma Assembly Painting.

Matching Statues and Paintings

  Since the role of paintings is supportive to images, the Buddha in the painting matches the Buddha image in front of it. Additionally, a small Sakyamuni Buddha image invariably indicates a Zen temple, since the image is much closer to the human scale and projects the idea that all can become enlightened through similar efforts. The Sakyamuni Buddha images and paintings are, therefore, highly educational. In contrast, the huge images found in some temples, often with huge paintings behind them, are more indicative of either Avatamsaka (Garland) or Tantric influence, and are meant to evoke awe and inspiration as well as to educate.
  n statuary, Sakyamuni Buddha may be central to one of a variety of triads. Traditionally in both statuary and art, Sakyamuni Buddha is supported by the Bodhisattvas Samantabadhra (Universal Practice) to his left and Manjusri (Wisdom) to his right, and this may extend to the statuary as well.
In some Main halls, however, Sakyamuni Buddha may be part of another triad at the main platform, the Trikaya. This is the Buddhist Trinity, or three-fold body: Dharmakaya, or the embodiment of Cosmic Law as represented by Vairocana Buddha in the center; the Sambhogakaya, or embodiment of bliss, as represented by Locana, to Vairocana's left; and Nirmanakaya, the Buddha revealed, as represented by Sakyamuni Buddha to Vairocana's right. The Trikaya images are usually complemented by respective paintings behind them.

* The Guardian Platform
  While the main platform is usually located in the center rear section of a Main Buddha Hall, the Guardian Platform is usually located against the wall to the left of the Buddha, and the Memorial Platform is located on the one to his right. This is not an absolute however, and some temples, such as the Dharma Jewel Haeinsa Temple, reverse this.
  Regardless of its location, the Guardian Platform in a main hall is there to protect and to educate. Since statuary is limited to main platforms in a main hall, the Guardian Platform features an large incense burner and candles, and is sanctified by a Guardian Painting.
  While the Guardians of the Four Directions are found in a main platform painting to protect the Buddha, Bodhisattvas and others, the Guardian Painting, depending on the sizes of the platform and the hall, is composed of anywhere from eight to 104 other guardians.
  A very basic painting of eight would usually include the ever-present young Bodhisattva Kumarabhuta, guardian of the Dharma (as well as of the Bodhisattva of Perfect Compassion Avalokitesvara and of the Lotus Sutra in particular). He is easily identifiable by his central position, youthful looks, his phoenix-feathered headpiece, and a centered sword. He is haloed, along with Indra and Brahma who are slightly to the side above him. Two Vajra guardians would be found, one to each side of Kumarabhuta, and the Kitchen, Dragon (hilarious eyebrows and mustache) and Mountain (usually carrying a Taoist feather and/or a backpack of mushrooms of longevity) gods would round out the cast of characters. These last three are essential to just about every guardian painting in Korea.
  The larger the painting, the more characters. A painting with 33 guardians and dieties reflects the Avantamsaka Sutra, and the 104 Guardians Painting is indeed something to behold. It includes a boggling array of Hindu and Indian folk religious figures, all of whom have taken refuge in the Buddha, in the top third; characters from Chinese Buddhism and Taoism, including seven representing the Big Dipper, in the center portion; and a host of Korean folk gods along with the Vajra guardians and others along the bottom third. These are all in addition to Indra, Brahma, the Kitchen, Dragon and Mountain gods, and nymphs and attendants, who usually appear at the top.
  Additional supplementary guardian paintings include the Big Dipper, Indra, Brahma and Mountain God paintings that may be found alongside the main Guardian Painting, in place of it, or in other pavilions on a temple compound.

* The Memorial Platform
  On the wall opposite the Guardian Platform is the Memorial Platform, and this usually serves to console not only the deceased but the surviving family as well. It is used for funeral services (if there is not a separate Judgment Hall or Ksitigarbha Hall) and memorial services, both individual and collective (such as on the Feast of the Hungry Ghosts, or "All Spirits Day," the full moon of the seventh lunar month).
  Again, the number and contents of the paintings at this platform will vary with the size of the platform and hall. Most commonly found is Ksitigarbha (K: Chijang Bosal Taengwha) Bodhisattva (often with all "Shiwangnim," or 10 Kings of Bardo) Painting. Ksitigarbha is the Bodhisattva who has vowed not to enter Nirvana until all are rescued from hellish torments and suffering. He is youthful and monk-like in appearance, and features green hair, the result of a gradually abbreviated green turban (a concession to Islam along the Silk Road, for only descendants of Mohammed are allowed to wear green turbans). Often you may also find the most Koreanized of all temple paintings, the Everlasting Life Painting (K: Kamnosu Taengwha), or Ambrosia Painting, which features local folk scenes along the bottom third or so. This contains the six realms of mortals, and includes the Bodhisattva Innowang along the top to lead the deceased into Paradise. Memorial services are traditionally held on the 3rd, 5th, 7th and every ensuing 7th day following death until the 49th Day Ceremony, a sort of "Happy Reincarnation" Ceremony, for it is on that day that the spirit takes new form. Additional services may be held on the 100th day, and the first and third anniversaries.

* The "Spiciest" of All Paintings
  We have reviewed the role of paintings and statuary at the various platforms in a Main Buddha Hall, and there is a wide variety of other paintings at other platforms and in other halls on any given temple compound. Each temple will differ depending on a number of factors including its history, the presiding Buddha, the number of halls on the compound, etc. And each of the paintings, along with the statuary, will fulfill its own roles in terms of the "SPICE" as outlined above.
  Perhaps, however, the "spiciest" of all paintings is the huge Tangka painting, or "Kwaebul" ("Hanging Buddha") for when it is hung outside for any of a number of ceremonies, it usually fulfills all five roles, e.g. it sanctifies, protects, inspires, consoles and educates. It is also the most stunning of all Buddhist paintings in Korea, often for its elegant detail, and overall elegance and excellence as well as for its sheer awe-inspiring size.
  It is estimated that there are over 100 such "Kwaebul" paintings throughout South Korea, mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries, although new ones are occasionally done even today. At least four of these surviving old ones were done by the Choson Dynasty (1395-1910) super artist monk Ven. UiGyom.
  The Hideyoshi invasions of the late 16th century (if in fact "Kwaebul" did exist then) and the Korean War in the early 1950s no doubt took their tolls on many such paintings. The fact that most of those surviving today are in the southern part of the Rep. of Korea lends support to theories that many were destroyed in Seoul and the capital region as well as mountainous regions during the Korean War. It is unknown how many, if any, have survived north of the DMZ.
  No one is sure, either, how and when the "Kwaebul" tradition began in Korea due to a lack of references on the subject. Often large-scale Buddhist projects are undertaken after such national tragedies as invasions and wars. Since there are no "Kwaebul" predating the Hideyoshi invasions (the oldest surviving ones date to 1623), perhaps the tradition began after the invasions. Also lending support to this theory is that none have shown up in Japan like many other Koryo Dynasty masterpieces that evidently were carried off during the Hideoyoshi invasions.
Another theory predates the invasions, however: that the idea for "Kwaebul" may have come from the Mongolians during China's Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368), since Mongolian Lamaism was heavily influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, which has huge outdoor Tangkas. But that leaves a gap of a couple of centuries, unless of course any earlier ones were all destroyed or lost.

Ceremonies and "Kwaebul"

  Regardless, these "Kwaebul" paintings are magnificent to behold. Generally, they are hung outdoors on Buddha's Birthday and for such ceremonies as the "Yongsangjae" (Lotus Sutra Dharma Assembly), the "Yaesujae" (Passage to Paradise), Rainmaking, "Suryukjae" Land-and-Sea Spirit Consolation, and mass-tragedy Spirit Consolation ceremonies. Smaller versions of a "Kwaebul" may be used for smaller life-fostering ceremonies, e.g. returning fish or turtles to the waters, but these ceremonies are becoming outdated due to environmental and other considerations. This will make existing smaller paintings quite precious in the decades and centuries to come. A plethora of accompanying calligraphy banners and guardian paintings are hung in the ritual area during a major ceremony, adding even greater color to the scene.
  The "Kwaebul" usually range from 4 to 9 meters wide and 8 to 12 meters high, although the towering one at Ssanggyesa Temple in Hadong is 15 meters high. There may be larger ones stored away, but this cannot be verified, since some "Kwaebul" are stored permanently.

 

 

Sakyamuni Tangka Painting, 1767 C.E
Colors on ramie, 1,204cm x 493cm
(Photo courtesy of Buddhist Cultural
Properties Research Institute)
Tongdosa Temple, Yangsan, Korea

 

 


In Memory of
Kim Cho-Ryae
1909-1991
#270 Chiso-ri, Pyonsan-myon, Puan-gun, Chollabukdo, Korea

for her gift of Dharma through example



And in gratitude to my parents,
The Late Lillian F. Gill and Bert D. Barry of
Wakefield, MA, U.S.A
who made contact with the Dharma possible
in the first place!

 

Translations and Offerings by Brian A. Barry

The Three Refuges
I (We) take refuge in the Buddha
I (We) take refuge in the Dharma
I (We) take refuge in the Sangha

Chant During Shaving of the Head of the Deceased*

.((Name of deceased) Why did you come to this world and now where have you gone?
...Our lives are like clouds appearing and disappearing in the sky, having no real substance of their own.
...But if you come to know the One, that which existed before the universes and that will exist long after them, then you will transcend the cycle of birth and death and achieve the true tranquillity and peace of Nirvana.
..By cutting away your hair, we cut away the roots of ignorance and suffering so that they may never grow again.

Teaching for the Departed*
(Korean: Musanggyae)

.This Teaching is the gate to Nirvana, the ship of compassion to carry you across the sea of suffering, just as it carries all the Buddhas of eternity to Nirvana.
..(Name of deceased) You have left behind the anguish of body and mind, and your spirit has entered another realm. Can you think of any greater joy now than receiving the pure, incomparable Teachings of Buddha?
..(Name) With the passing of time, this whole world of ours will be enveloped in flames and the universes will collapse. Even Mt. Sumeru and the great seas surrounding it will disappear. So how could you ever have thought that something like your body, marked by birth, aging, sickness, death, pain and anguish could escape a similar fate?
..Your hair, your fingernails, your teeth, your skin, your muscles, your bones, your entire skeleton return to earth. Your phlegm, and puss, and blood, and bile, your tears, your sexual fluids, your urine and your stool return to water. Your warmth returns to fire, and your energy of motion returns to the wind. So where is that which you called your body?
..(Name) The four elements of fire, earth, air and water are false in themselves; so how could there have been anything for you to love, anything to foolishly cling to?


(Name) Everything, from the beginningless beginning,
is based on an eternity of ignorance.
This ignorance is based on volitional acts,
and these acts are based on consciousness.
This consciousness is based on mental and physical phenomena,
which in turn are based on the six faculties.
These faculties are based on contact,
and contact is based on sensation.
Sensation is based on desire,
which in turn is based on clinging.
Clinging is based on becoming,
and becoming is based on conditioned birth.
Birth depends on decay and death, pain and sorrow.

So by eliminating ignorance, you eliminate volitional acts.
By eliminating volitional acts, you eliminate consciousness;
and by eliminating consciousness, you eliminate phenomena.
By eliminating phenomena, you eliminate the six faculties,
and by eliminating the six faculties, you eliminate contact.
By eliminating contact, you eliminate sensation,
and by eliminating sensation, you eliminate desire.
By eliminating desire, you eliminate clinging;
and by eliminating clinging, you eliminate becoming.
By eliminating becoming, you eliminate conditioned birth,
and by eliminating conditioned birth
you eliminate decay and death, pain and sorrow.

.  The Dharma is in itself tranquil and abiding, and by coming to know this, you become Buddha. Everything as we know it is in flux, and life and death are part of this flux. But by eliminating birth and death, you come to see the true joy of Nirvana.

.Take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma,
.and take refuge in the Community.
.Take refuge in the Buddha, the Tathagata of the past,
.The Noble One deserving of offerings,
.The Noble One who perceives everything perfectly,
.The Noble One in Nirvana,
.The Noble One who orchestrates the universes,
.The highest of humans who has control of everything.

.(Name) You have rid yourself of physical form, and alone you have entered the spiritual realm. Now, having received this pure, incomparable Teaching, how could you not be overflowing with joy?
..This great Teaching has illuminated your spirit and you have reached your eternal home. You may now travel at will throughout Paradise.
..The mystical One is nowhere to be seen, yet the mountains, the rivers, the earth and everything pour forth its great light.


The Parental Benevolence Sutra*
(Korean: Pumo Unjunggyong)

(  Although not considered a genuine sutra delivered by the Buddha, and probably compiled in China, The Parental Benevolence Sutra is treasured in much of the Far East for its obvious emphasis on the importance of filial piety.)

. .One day as the Buddha was traveling south with his followers, he came across a pile of bones on the path and he immediately prostrated before them with great reverence. When asked why, he replied, "These bones could be those of ancestors or parents from a previous existence."He continued: "Male bones are white and heavy, but female bones are dark and lightweight. A woman loses a tremendous amount of blood with each birth, as well as measureless milk in breastfeeding each child. The suffering to her system results in dark, lightweight bones." The Buddha then went on to explain the Ten Parental Benevolences.

The first is that of prenatal care. Each conception is the result of eons of entangled karma. After a month, the fetus forms a head, arms and legs; and after six months, the six senses are developed. The mother's body becomes so heavy she fears falling in a gust of wind. She forsakes her favorite gowns and her cosmetics only collect dust.

The second is the pain of childbirth. As birth approaches, the mother feels awful in the morning and her mind becomes increasingly hazy. She is filled with dread and tears drop to her bosom. She cannot express her fears of death to even to her own mother.

The third is worry and concern for the newborn child. She has spilled out here insides during birth, passing out from pain. She has spilled more blood than a slaughtered ram, yet she is overjoyed with motherhood. But behind that joy lies a lifetime of worry and sorrow.

The fourth is swallowing the bitter so that the child may taste the sweet. Parental love never ceases and parents will do anything to ensure that the child enjoys the sweet things in life. This love is exceeded only by the sorrow that, if necessary, a mother would starve herself to make sure that the child is fed.

The fifth is that mother will sleep on a wet spot to insure that the baby is dry. She drains her breasts for the child's health and shields the child from drafts with her own clothing. She goes without sleep worrying over the child, yet she finds joy in this. Her only concern in life is the child's welfare.

Next is feeding and rearing. If a mother's love can be compared to the warmth of the earth, then a father's teachings are as lofty as the sky. Like earth and sky, the parents know no limits to their love. They are indifferent to their own afflictions and preoccupied only with the child's well-being.

The seventh is keeping the child clean. Where have the mother's beautiful face and her fine figure gone? Her lotus-like cheeks have faded, she has sallowed and her face has become a web of wrinkles from washing and cleaning for her child.

The eighth is worrying about an absent child. Death is a final parting but parting during life can be sadder. When a child leaves home, a mother's heart follows both day and night. She sheds tears of separation and feels her insides being torn out again.

The ninth is taking on a child's pain. Parents would rather suffer themselves than see a child suffer. A child's hardships become their own. They worry about the trials of their children who have left home and such worry grinds away at their hearts. How could one ever repay such benevolence?

The last parental benevolence is eternal concern. Parents worry about their children around the clock, whether awake or asleep, no matter what they're doing. A 100-year-old mother continues to fret about an 80-year-old child. Parental love never ceases, even beyond death.


Mt. Sumeru

If an offspring bore the father on one shoulder and mother on the other and carried them around Mt. Sumeru until his skin wore to the bone and the bone wore to marrow; if an offspring child carried parents this way around Mt. Sumeru 100,000 times, he could still not repay his karmic indebtedness.


The Bottom of Avici

Those who are not filial during their lives fall to the bottom of Avici after death. This huge hell is surrounded on all sides by iron walls and flames soar up from the hot steel floors. Thunder roars and lightening flashes all around. Hot molten iron and copper are poured onto those there. Iron snakes and copper dogs spew forth fire and smoke, and swords fall like hail from the sky. People die 10,000 times a day from suffering in this hell.


Paradise

To repay this immense karmic debt to parents for their benevolence, offspring should make handwritten copies of sutras for them. In return for such merit, Buddha will look over the parents constantly, and reborn in Paradise, they will never again know suffering and pain.



So Spoke the Awakened One*
Ten Guides Along the Path
(Korean: Powangsammaeron; Origin unknown)

1. Why hope for perfect health? Perfect health leads only to greater greed. "Treat illness as medicine, not disease."

2. Why long for a life free from hardship? Such a life leads only to haughtiness and self-pampering. "Make worries and hardships a way of life."

3. Why hope for a lack of impediments in your study? "Release is hiding right behind obstructions."

4. Why hope for a lack of temptations in your training? A lack of temptations will only serve to soften your resolve. "Treat temptations as friends who are helping you along the way."

5. Why hope for easy success? Easy accomplishment leads only to increased rashness. "Accomplish through difficulties."

6. Why hope to get your way with friends? Having friends give in to your wishes only leads to arrogance. "Make long-term friends through compromise in your relationships."

7. Why expect people to follow your wishes or commands? This, too, leads to arrogance. "Consider those who differ with you to be your character builders."

8. Why expect rewards for your kindness? This leads to a scheming mind. "Throw out the expectation of rewards like you'd throw out old shoes."

9. Why expect more out of life than you deserve? Exaggerated profit-seeking leads only to foolishness. "Become rich at heart with sufficient amounts."

10. Why complain about vexations? This leads only to resentment and poison in the heart. "Consider vexations the first door on the path."



The 108 Prostrations of Repentance*

.(The 108 Prostrations of Repentance was probably developed by the Ch'an school of Buddhism in China. It was brought to Korea and used for some time until it evidently became lost. It was rediscovered and revived in recent decades by the late Ven. SongChol, Patriarch of the Chogye Zen Order of Korean Buddhism and is usually performed during the evening ceremony in major monasteries. It has also become highly popular with lay Buddhists at numerous Chogye temples throughout Korea. Each number in parenthesis refers to the number of the prostration.)


Invocation

We honor will all our hearts the Buddha who gives us direction through his great selfless compassion for all sentient beings. He provides us with great joy and happiness, for he is the one who is adorned with the marks of a Buddha, and the one with great wisdom and great light. (1)

With all our hearts, we take refuge in Vairocana Buddha (2)

and we take refuge in the Three Jewels -- the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. (3)

Now that we have become spiritually aware, we pay homage not in the hope of receiving blessings or entering Paradise. Nor do we hope to become personally enlightened by hearing the Teachings, through karma, through mystical powers nor through the Bodhisattvas. We rely on the Incomparable Teaching so that all sentient beings may reach the Great Enlightenment simultaneously. (4)

(Prostration numbers 5 through 97 are to 93 different Buddhas, many of whose names in Chinese characters are unknown. Romanization of the Korean would probably create considerable problems for the reader, so the names have been intentionally omitted for the time being. Instead, 93 prostrations to all the Buddhas of the universes should suffice for now!)

Supplication

To the innumerable Buddhas of the past, present and future, we ask that you remain with us always, compassionately looking over us.
.. In this life and in lives throughout time immemorial, we have performed all kinds of seriously unwholesome karma. We have performed this ourselves, made others perform it and delighted in seeing others perform it. We have stolen scared objects, have made others steal them and delighted in seeing others steal them. We have performed enough unwholesome karma to drive us into the realms of the hells, urged others to perform such karma and delighted in seeing others perform such karma.

We are aware of some of this awesome karma but we are unaware of much of it, for it is buried deep within the karmic storehouse. And for all this karma, we deserve such retribution as to fall into the realms of hells, of hungry ghosts or of animals. Even if we were to reincarnate in the human realm, we would deserve to be born in unbearable circumstances -- in terrible isolation or among savages. We now repent for all of this unwholesome karma. (98) We ask all the Buddhas of the universes to verify this repentance and we ask them to look over us with their great compassion.



Transference of Merit

Furthermore, if in the past we have achieved merit through selfless generosity, through keeping the Precepts, through feeding even a single morsel to a hungry animal, through purity of action, through helping others to achieve the Way, through training on the Path, or through great wisdom, we now gather all of this merit together, and before the Great Wisdom of Enlightenment, we transfer it just as all the Buddhas of the universes transfer their merit.

Through the merit achieved through repentance, and merit achieved by imploring the Buddhas of the universes to spread the Dharma throughout the universes for eons, we hope to achieve incomparable wisdom. We now take refuge in and honor the Buddhas of the past, present and future, Buddhas who are the seas of noble and endless virtue for suffering sentient beings. (99)

(from "The Vows of Practice of Samantabhadra")

"I now honor, with purity of deed, word and thought, all of the past, present and future Buddhas of the universes. I honor all of the Buddhas, who through the wondrous power of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, are as numerous in a single atom as there are atoms in the Dharma realm. (100)

"I praise, through all eternity, the Buddhas who are as numerous in a single atom as there are atoms, and who, surrounded by Bodhisattvas, pervade the Dharma realm, speaking in mysterious and wondrous ways throughout eternity. (101)

"I offer such adornments as the finest of flowers and garlands, of musical instruments and perfumes and parasols. I offer a mountain of robes and the finest of fragrances and powdered incense, and sticks of incense and lamps, all piled as high as Mt. Sumeru. I deeply believe in the Buddhas of the past, present and future, the magnificent teachers of wisdom; and I make offerings to the Buddhas through the great powers of Samantabhadra. (102)

"I repent for all my unwholesome karma of the past that was rooted in the three poisons of avarice, aversion and delusion, karma which I performed mentally, verbally and physically. (103)

"I take joy in all the virtuous deeds of sentient beings, of the educated and the uneducated, of noble beings and of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. (104)

"I implore to hear the Dharma Teachings of the Enlightened Ones, the lights of all the worlds. (105)

"I implore the Buddhas who are striving for Final Enlightenment to remain with us for our benefit. (106)

"And all merit from honoring, lauding and making offerings to the Buddhas; all merit and joy from imploring the Buddhas to remain with us and teach us; and all merit derived from repentance -- all of this I transfer to all forms of life throughout the universes." (107)

And should there be any remaining merit for transferring such merit, I again transfer this to the Incomparable Eternal Dharma. I also transfer the great sea of merit obtained through the single-minded absorption beyond dualities of mind and phenomena and the dualities of Buddhist Law and the secular world.

And may all the retribution I have acquired from finding fault with and criticizing others for their misdeeds, and all the retribution I have acquired from illusions produced by attachment to the self and to dharmas be dissipated. With each thought I will spread great wisdom throughout the Dharma Realm and rescue all sentient beings from suffering.

I vow to transfer all merit as endlessly as the Void is endless, as endlessly as the karma of sentient beings is endless, as endlessly as agonies are endless. (108)

The Four Vows

I (We) vow to rescue all beings
I (We) vow to end all suffering
I (We) vow to master all Teachings
I (We) vow to attain Enlightenment