Chants at Silky Oak Zen
As promised, here are the standard Chants for Saturday practice.
Before Zazen:
This is a standard opening (in Pali) for many Buddhist Centres around the world.
We honour "The Blessed One", "The Worthy One" and "The Perfectly Self-Enlightened One".
We chant...
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa
After Zazen:
The Great Perfection of Wisdom "Heart Sutra"
Chanting the Sutra
The Heart Sutra is the shortest and the most popular sutra in Buddhism, it is regarded as the most concise summation of Buddhist teaching. The Heart Sutra expresses perfectly the insight attained by non-attachment, the doctrine of emptiness. Many Buddhist sects recite a shortened chant version of the Heart Sutra regularly.
The shortened version chanted at Silky Oak Zen is as follows.
Accompanying text.
Maha-Prajna-Paramita-Hridaya Sutra
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, when practicing deeply the Prajna Paramita,
Perceived that all five skandhas are empty
And is saved from all suffering and distress.
Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness;
Emptiness does not differ from form.
That which is form is emptiness;
That which is emptiness form.
The same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses, consciousness.
Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness.
They do not appear or disappear, are not tainted or pure,
Do not increase or decrease.
Therefore in emptiness: no form, no feelings, perceptions, impulses, consciousness;
No eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind;
No color, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind;
No realm of eyes and so forth until no realm of mind-consciousness;
No ignorance and also no extinction of it and so forth until no old-age and death
And also no extinction of it;
No suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path,
No cognition, also no attainment.
With nothing to attain the bodhisattva depends on Prajna Paramita
And his mind is no hindrance. Without any hindrance no fears exist.
Far apart from every perverted view he dwells in nirvana.
In the three worlds all Buddhas depend on Prajna Paramita
And attain anuttara-samyaksambodhi.
Therefore, know that Prajna Paramita is the great transcendent mantra,
Is the great bright mantra, is the utmost mantra,
Is the supreme mantra, which is able to relieve all suffering and is true not false;
So proclaim the Prajna Paramita mantra, proclaim the mantra, which says:
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.
Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.
