Sunday, November 28, 2004

Coordinator: Sensei Koho Takata

I now ring the bell. Let us listen to the sound. Let us feel the impermanence with our whole body and senses. Let us prepare ourselves to listen to the Dharma and practice the Dharma.

    AWould that the sound of the bell might go beyond our earth,

    And be heard even by all the denizens of the darkness outside the Iron mountains

    Would that, their organ of hearing becoming pure, beings might attain perfect interfusion of all the senses,

    So that every one of them might come finally to the realization of supreme enlightenment!@

Good morning everyone. Welcome to the Dharma Practice Service. This morning, I would like to focus on Enlightenment, because the next Sunday, we will be observing the Bodhi Day Service which is very significant service for all Buddhists. Let us now begin the Dharma Practice Service with the opening reading.

(Sensei) Hard it is to be born into human life; now we are living in it. Difficult it is to hear the Teachings of the Buddha; now we hear them. If we do not gain emancipation in this present life, we may not be free from ill-faring in the ocean of births and deaths for kalpas. Let us reverently take refuge in the Three Treasures.

(All) We go to the Sangha for guidance. May we always walk in the way that leads to Enlgihtenment.

We go to the Dharma for guidance. May we be submerged in the depth of the Teachings and gain Wisdom as deep as the ocean.

We go to the Sangha for guidance. May we all with one accord live the life of harmony in the spirit of brotherhood, free from the bondage of selfishness.

(Sensei) Even though myriads of kalpas, hard it is to hear such excellent and profound teachings. Now we are able to hear and receive them. Let us try to understand the Tathagata=s Teachings.

Offering of Flowers and Incenses by Students

    Bell (four times)

    Meditation

    Bell (one time)

(All) I take refuge in the Tathagata of Eternal Life,

I take refuge in the Light that surpasses all thought.

When Dharmakara Bodhisattva still in his disciplinary stage,

Under the guidance of Lokesvararaja Buddha,

He considered the causes that lead all beings to the Buddhas= Pure Land,

And also observed how the lands looked, who the inhabitants were, and what moral qualities they had.

He awoke the desire, incomparably excellent;

he raised the unsurpassably great Prayer of universal deliverance.

He meditated on it for five kalpas and finally decided on it;

He reaffirmed his Prayer that his Name should sound throughout the ten quarters.

He then radiated Light of all kinds: immeasurable, boundless,

Unimpeded, unparalleled, burring like the lord of flames,

Undefiled, joyous, full of >transcendental= wisdom,

Uninterrupted, beyond thought, indescribable,

Altogether surpassing the sun and the moon,

shining over all the worlds as many as the particles of dust,

Lavishing its rays upon all beings.

The Name symbolized in the Original Prayer is the right practice

which rightly assures one to be born in the Pure Land.

The Prayer of sincerity and faith is its efficient cause.

That Enlightenment is attained, that great Nirvana is realized -

This is due to fulfillment of the Prayer which assures the devotee of his deliverance.

The reason that the Tathagata Shakyamuni appeared in this world

Is just to teach us about Amida Buddha=s original Prayer which is like the ocean.

Those of us in this evil world of five defilements -

Let us believe the Tathagata=s word of truth.

When one moment of thought filled with joy and love rises,

One attains Nirvana even without destroying the evil passions.

Both the wise and the ordinary-even the grave offenders and the slanders of the Dharma-

are all equally converted,

Just as all the waters flow into the ocean and gain one salty taste.

The mind-light that takes all in, keeps them always illuminated and well protected.

Though the darkness of ignorance is already broken through,

The dense clouds of greed and desire, of anger and hate,

Keep on hovering over the sky of true faith.

It is like the sun-light veiled by clouds:

behind the clouds, the brightness reigns and there is no darkness.

One who gains faith sees Buddha, respects him, and is filled with joy,

He leaps, crosswise, over the five evil forms of existence.

All beings, both good and bad,

When they listen to and believe in Amida Buddha=s Prayer of universal deliverance,

Are called by the Buddha Shakyamuni those who are of great and excellent understanding,

These are known as the blooming >white= lotus.

The Nembutsu, which is based on Amida Buddha=s original Prayer,

Is, for beings who are evil-minded, wrong thinking, and arrogant,

Extremely difficult to believe with joy and hold on,

Indeed, no difficulty can ever exceed this.

(Sensei) However innumerable all beings are,

(All) I vow to save them all;

(Sensei) However inexhaustible the delusions are,

(All) I vow to extinguish them all;

(Sensei) However immeasurable the Dharma Teachings are,.

(All) I vow to master them all;

(Sensei) However incomparable the Buddha-truth is,

(All) I vow to attain it.

    Bell (four times)

    Meditation

    Bell (one time)

I am a link in Amida Buddha=s Golden Chain of Love that stretches around the world. I must keep my link bright and strong.

I will try to be kind and gentle to every living thing and protect all who are weaker than myself.

I will try to think pure and beautiful thoughts, to say pure and beautiful words, and to do pure and beautiful deeds, knowing that on what I do now depends not only my happiness or unhappiness, but also those of others.

May every link in Amida Buddha=s Golden Chain of Love become bright and strong, and may we all attain perfect peace.

(All) Dwell!

You are the light itself.

Rely on yourself.

Do not rely on others.

The Dharma is the Light.

Rely on the Dharma.

Do not rely on anything other than the Dharma.

Awakening Bell (one time)

The Collection of Passage Expounding The True Teaching, Living, Faith, and Realization of the Pure Land / DT Suzuki