Sutra Copying Practice Shakyō Village Zendo Dotoku-ji True Expression Temple - - 1
SutraCopyingPracticeShakyō
VillageZendo
Dotoku-jiTrueExpressionTemple
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OnthePracticeofShakyo(TracingtheSutras)
Shotoshu
TheBuddhistpracticeofShakyoisameansofspreadingtheBuddhaWayamongpeople.Itisalsoforprayingfortheful?illmentofone’sgreatestwish.Buttoday,besidestheseovertlyreligiouspurposes,wecandoshakyoinordertore?lectonourselves,ortoattainmentalwell-beingbymindfullytracingthesacredscriptures.ItdoesnotmatterifonehasfaithinBuddhismornot,orifone’swritingisgoodornot.
Whenwelookbackatthehistoryofshakyo,we?irst?indthispassageintheNihonshoki;“…gatheringagroupoftranscribers,theBuddhistTripitakawastranscribedatKawaharajitemple1forthe?irsttime…”LateratthetimeofEmperorShomu(701~756),specialistsinsutratranscriptionwereappointedandtheytranscribedthesutrastostoreortodistributetoKokubunjitempleinvariouslocations.ThenafteraroundtheHeianPeriod(794~1192)peoplestartedprivatelydoingshakyoasaBuddhistpractice,orasaprayer/wishforhealingandconsolingthesoulsoftheirancestors.Thus,shakyohasalonghistory.Shakyohasbeenwonderfulnourishmentformanypeopletobringaboutpeaceofmindintheirspirituallives.Itissobecausewhenwedoshakyowithharmonizedbodyandmind,weareimmediatelyintunewithBuddha’steaching.Shakyohasbeenagreatspiritualsupportforway-seekersofalltime.Aspeoplelivinginthepresent-daysituation,wecancherishquietandserenemomentsfosteredbyshakyo,andmakethiscalligraphyasZentodeeplylookattheselfanessentialpartofoureverydaylife.
TheHeartSutraisveryshortbutitbeautifullycapturesanoutlineoftheBuddhadharma.Thus,weencouragebeginnerstostartshakyofromthissutra.
Source:Sotoshuhttps://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/eng/practice/sutra/shakyo.html
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SHAKYŌ
JohnStevens
Therearemanydifferentmethodsofshakyō.varyingfromtempletotempleandfromindividualtoindividual.Somearequiteelaborate.EveryJulyatEnryakuji,headtempleoftheTendaisectonMt.Hiei,aNyohōShakyōKai(session)isheld.BasedonthepracticeofJikakuDaishi(Ennin:794–864)forthreedaystheLotusSūtraiscopiedaccordingtoacomplicatedritual.Othersaresimple.AtTōdaijiinNara,aball-pointpenorevenapencilmaybeused.The?inishedsūtrasarestoredinsidetheGreatBuddhathere.intheNichirenschoolonemustwearamaskthatcoversthenoseandmouthandnottouchthepaperwiththehandsduringshaykō,andwhentiredordistractedonemustchantthedaimoku:namumyōhōrengekyō.
Individualstrytodosomeshakyoeverydayandinthepastgroupstendedtodoshakyoononeofthesixfastdaysofthemonth:the8th,14th,15th,23rd,25th,and30th.Actually,anytimeorplaceissuitable.
Themostpopularsūtraistheone-pageMahā-prajnāpāramitā-hrdayaSūtra,theHeartSūtra.VersionsinSanskrit,Chinese,Tibetan,Korean,andEnglisharegiveninthismanual.Onceonedecidesonthelanguageandscriptthefollowingprocedureisrecommended.Completelycleanandscrubtheroomandtablethatwillbeusedforcopying.Sinceone’sspiritshould?lowthroughthebodyandintotheink,itisbettertouseafountainorscriptpen(orabrushifwritinginChinese)ratherthanaball-pointpenorpencil,although,asnotedabove,eventhesearepermissible.Preparefreshpaperandmakesurethewritinginstrumentsarecleanandarrangedneatlyonthedesk.Donoteatordrinkanythingforsometimebeforestarting,anddonoteat,drink,orsmokewhilecopying.Ifpossiblepurifyoneselfwithathoroughwashing.Putoncleanclothes,lightincense,andsitquietlyinmeditationforafewminutes.
Inclassicalshakyōpracticeoneputsthepalmsofthehandstogetheringassho,andmakesthreegreatprostrations(touchingtheforeheadtotheground),butasimplebowissuf?icient.Readorchantthesūtrathroughonetime.InJapanastylizedinvocationisthenread,oftentheFourGreatVows:
shujōmuhenseigandobonnōmujinseigandanhōmonmuryōseigangakubutsudōmujōseiganjō
Sentientbeingsarenumberless,IvowtosavethemallThepassionsareinexhaustible,IvowtocutthemoffThedharmaisunfathomable,IvowtomasteritBuddha’swayissupreme,Ivowtoattainit
Anysuchresolutionwilldo.
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Keepthebackstraight,whetherinachairorsittingJapanesestyle(seiza),relaxtheshoulders,breathefromthetanden(thephysicalandspiritualcenterofthebodyjustbelowthenavel),andholdthebrush?irmlybutnottootightly.Writeeachstrokewithfullconcentrationofbodyandmind,asifswingingaheavywoodensword.Thestrokesshouldbethick,strong,andclear,thebiggerandmorepowerfulthebetter.Copythesūtrawiththeentirebody,notjustthehands.Eachlettershouldbewrittenwithafeelingofgratitudefortheteaching.Donothurryorcopyabsentmindedly.
Workstraightthroughwithoutstopping.Ifamistakeismade(inshakyoamistakeisasignofalackofconcentration)drawasinglelinethroughit(ifwritinginChinesemakeacirclethroughthecharacter);omittedcharactersshouldbewritteninthemargin.Dependingonthelanguageandthescript,itshouldtakefromfortyminutesto11/2hourstomakeacopyoftheHeartSūtra.Uponcompletion,onemayrecordthedateandone’snameatthebottomofthepagealongwithanyspecialpetition.Aconcludinginvocationmayberecited:Maythevirtueofthissūtraenablealltohavecorrectthoughts,hearthedharma,seeBuddha,dwellinthePureLand,andrealizeenlightenment.
Completethesessionwithabowofgratitude.Thecopiedsütrashouldbekeptinaproperplace,forexample,withinanaltarorstupaifavailable.Itshouldneverbethrownawayorusedforanyotherpurpose.
Thesimplemethoddescribedaboveisappropriateforgroupsorindividuals.Variationsincludeusinggoldorsilverinkonbluepaper,usingdifferentstylesofcalligraphyorinks,makingthreeprostrationsforeachcharacterorword,combiningscripts—therearemanypossibilities.
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ItisbesttousetheHeartSūtraexclusivelyat?irst,especiallyifthescriptisunfamiliar.OtherpopularBuddhisttextsaretheDiamondCutterSūtra.theKannonSūtra,(thetwenty-?ifthchapteroftheLotusSūtra),andtheAmidaSūtra.ShakyōoftheentireLotusSūtraisdonefairlyoften.
ShakyōisnotlimitedtoBuddhistsūtras.ManyoftheUpanisadsandtheBhagavadGitamakeexcellenttextsforshakyōand,ofcourse,ChristiancopyingoftheBiblehasarichtradition.Notisshakyōnecessarilylimitedto‘holy’texts;poetryorotherformsofliteraturemayalsobecopiedwithgreatspiritualbene?it.
121.Eachcharacterofthisshakyōwasaccompaniedbythreegreatprostrations.Muromachiperiod.
122.HeartSūtraSealinancientscript(tensho).Japan
Source:JohnStevens,SacredCalligraphyoftheEast,viaZCLAShakyōManual
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SutraCopying
MaezumiRoshi
Whatisthepracticeofcopyingsutras?TheLotusSutrasaysrepeatedlythatthosewhocopyitwillbycopyingitselfaccomplishsupremeenlightenment.Copyingisanexcellentwaytofullyputyourselfintoasutra.Youareonewithcopyingandonewiththesutra,trulysensingandfeelingit.Theactionandobjectareeasilyuni?ied.Whenyouarecopying,thereisasenseofcopyingandalsoofthesutraallowingyoutocopyit.Thisinterrelationshipisfeltintimately,andsuchastateofbeingisitselfsupremeenlightenment.
Whichsutrashouldyoucopy?Youcancopyanysutraorevenpartofalongone.CopyingtheHeartSutraorHannyaShingyoisaverycommonpracticeinJapanthesedays.OfcoursethesearecopiedinChinese,butthereisnoreasonforyounottocopyinEnglish.Therearedifferentwaystocopyasutra.Somepeoplecopyonestrokeoroneword,dothreebows,sitdown,writeanotherstrokeandthendothreebowsagain.Otherswriteonecharacterthenmakeabow.Otherssimplycopy.Howeveryouexpressyourrespecttowardsthesutra,pleasedoitwithsinceredevotionandreverence.
InhiswritingsontheLotusSutra,DogenZenjiwroteofthelotusastheblossom3fthesubtledharma.Thelotusisaveryunusual?lower.Doyouknowitsuniquecharacteristics?Whenalotusblooms,theseedsgrowtogetherwiththe?lower.Usuallya?lowerblossomsandafterthatturnsintoseed.Butnotsowiththelotus.Itisamazing.Whenthelotusblooms,biglotusseedsarealreadygrowinginthebottomofthe?lower.
Considertheseseedsand?lowerasananalogyforourlife.Ourlifeislikethisblossoming.Ifwesaythatthemajorpartofourlifeis20,40,or50years,thatperiodcouldbecalledthe?lowering.Buttheresultortheseeddoesnotnecessarilycomeafterlifeorthe?loweringassuch,butnowwithinourlife,theseedisalwaysexisting.Theresultisalreadyherewithus!Howdoweappreciatethatthelifewhichcontinuesishere,now?
Anothercharacteristicofthelotus,isthatitgrowsinthemudandyetisnotde?iled.Attheendofourmeals,wechant:“weexistinmuddywaterwithpuritylikealotus,thuswebowtoBuddha.”Thistranslationiswelldone,butthereisanotherpointinadditiontothispureandgenuinequality.Chineseisaveryrichlanguage.Thesamewordsarepronouncedinadifferentwayaccordingtothedynasties.PersonallyIliketochantthisversewiththeTangDynastypronunciationinsteadofhowwedoitinJapanese,whichismoreliketheHanDynastypronunciation.
SousingtheT’angDynastypronunciation,thisversecanalsomean“toliveintheworld.”Whilelivingintheworld,livelikethelotus?lower,notattachedtothewaterorthemud.Whenwaterdropsonthelotusleaf,thewaterrollsoffrightaway.Theanalogyforusistolivelikethewaterdroplet,notattachinganywhere.Soconsiderbothimplications,thatofbeingpureandgenuineandatthesametime,beingfree.Notbeingattached,themindiskeptinagenuineandpureway.
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Whatdoesthelotus?lowerstandfor?Thesubtledharma.IntheGathaonOpeningtheSutrawechant:
TheDharma,incomparablyprofoundandinNinitelysubtle,Israrelyencounteredeveninmillionsofages.Nowwehearit,receiveandmaintainit.MayweallrealizetheTathagata’struemeaning.
Thatsubtledharmaisthissubtledharmaofthelotusblossom.Howdoyoureceiveit?Howdoyoumaintainit?Livingthissubtledharmaeveryday,howdoyouseeit?Allowingthissubtledharmaintoyourselfmomentaftermoment,howdoyouseeit?Whenchanting,weexperienceit.Whenreading,weexperienceit.Whenwritingandcopying,weexperienceit.Whatwearetrulycopying?LiterallywecansaythatIamwritingmylifethroughmyactionofcopyingthismostprecioussubtledharma.
Sowhatistrulythesutra?Andhowdoyoutrulyreadorrevolvethesutra?Howdoyouseeit,hearit,andmaintainitnowasthesubtledharma?Thesutramustbealiveasthefunctioningofyourlife!Pleasetrustyourself.Trustinyourselfasthesutra,asthedynamic,boundlessdharmaitself.ThisiswhatImeanwhenIsaybenicetoyourself.Trustingyourlifeasthesutraisthebestwaytobenicetoyourself.
Thispracticeofsutracopyinghaswonderfulmerit.Iencourageyoutodoitandenjoyit.Bycopying,youwillenrichyourlife.Unifyyourselfwithwhatyoudo!Thisisactuallythekey,thissenseofunityofyouasyouareandasyourlifeinterpenetratingwiththelifeofliterallyeverything,doyousee?
Source:DraftEditofTeishobyMaezumiRoshi,reprintedintheZCLAShakyōManual
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OneWord,OneBuddha
JohnStevens
The?ivevirtuesofshakyōare:VeneratingtheletterswithyoureyesKeepingthelettersinyourheartChantingtheletterswithyourmouthWritingtheletterswithyourhandsBecomingonewithBuddha
ThephysicalrelicsofBuddhaarehisashes;therelicsofhisteachingarethecopiedsutras.Thosesutrasproclaimthegreatvirtueof“receiving,preserving,reading.copying,andchanting”theholytexts.Shakyōisthusatypeofskillfulmeans(upaya)enablingotherstoapproachtheBuddhistteaching.
Onanotherlevelshakyōisanactofworship,anofferingforthereposeofthedeceasedtohelpthemavoidevilandsufferingintheirsearchfor?inalrelease.
Shakyōisalsoaprayer.ManyrulersinChina.Tibet,andJapanwrotesutrasaddingthepostscript“Fortheprotectionofthecountryandthewelfareofallmysubjects.’’Therearenumerouscasesofpeoplerecoveringfromillnesses,beingsavedfromcalamity,orreceivingsomewonderfulbene?itafterdoingshakyō.Perhapsitistruethat“ifonecopiesthesutrasallpetitionswillbeanswered“;butindividualrequestsshouldnotbetheexclusivepurposeofshakyō.
Finally,shakyōisaformofmeditation.ItiswrittenZen,foritrequiresthesamedeterminationandconcentrationassittingZen.Onecannotwriteproperlyifoneisupset.angry,ordistractedinanyway.Writingintenselyinsilencewithacomposedmindpuri?iestheheart.EachwordisanewBuddha.
Source:JohnStevens,SacredCalligraphyoftheEast,
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HannyaShingyō(withpronunciationandtranslation)
摩訶般波羅蜜多⼼経MakaHannyaHaramitaShinGyoTheGreatHeartofWisdomSutra
観⾃在菩薩⾏深般波羅蜜多時KanJiZaiBoSaGyoJinHan-NyaHaRaMiTaJiAvalokiteshvaraBodhisattva,doingdeepPrajñaParamita,
照⾒五薀皆空度⼀切苦厄ShoKenGoOnKaiKuDoISaiKuYakuClearlysawemptinessofallthe?iveconditionsThuscompletelyrelievingmisfortuneandpain.
舍利⼦⾊不異空ShaRiShiShikiFuIKuOShariputra,formisnootherthanemptiness,
空不異⾊KuFuIShikiemptinessnootherthanform;
⾊即是空ShikiSokuZeKuFormisexactlyemptiness,
空即是⾊KuSokuZeShikiemptinessexactlyform.
受想⾏識亦復如是JuSoGyoShikiYakuBuNyoZeSensation,conception,discrimination,awarenessarelikewiselikethis.
舍利⼦是諸法空相ShaRiShiZeShoHoKuSoOShariputra,allDharmasareformsofemptiness:
不⽣不滅FuShoFuMetsuNotborn,notdestroyed;
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不垢不浄FuKuFuJonotstained,notpure,
不増不減FuZoFuGenwithoutloss,withoutgain.
是故空中無⾊ZeKoKuChuMuShikiSoinemptinessthereisnoform,
無受想⾏識MuJuSoGyoShikinosensation,conception,discrimination,awareness.
無眼⽿⿐⾆身意MuGenNiBiZeShinNiNoeye,ear,nose,tongue,body,mind;
無⾊声⾹味触法MuShikiShoKoMiSokuHonocolor,sound,smell,taste,touch,phenomena.
無限界乃至無意識界MuGenKaiNaiShiMuIShikiKaiNorealmofsight,norealmofconsciousness,
無無明亦無無明尽MuMuMyoYakuMuMuMyoJinnoignoranceandnoendtoignorance,
乃至無⽼死亦無⽼死尽NaiShiMuRoShiYakuMuRoShiJinNooldageanddeath,andnoendtooldageanddeath,
無苦集滅道MuKuShuMetsuDoNosuffering,nocauseofsuffering,noextinguishing,nopath,
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無智亦無得MuChiYakuMuTokunowisdomandnogain.
以無所得故IMuShoTok'koNogainandthus
菩提薩埵依般若波羅蜜多故BoDaiSaTaEHan-NyaHaRaMiTaKotheBodhisattvalivesPrajñaParamita
⼼無罣礙ShinMuKeiGeWithnohindranceinthemind.
無罣礙故無有恐怖MuKeiGeKoMuUKuFuNohindrance,thereforenofear.
遠離⼀切顛倒無想OnRiISaiTenDoMuSoFarbeyonddeludedthoughts,
究竟涅槃KuGyoNeHanthisisNirvana.
三世諸仏SanZeShoButsuAllpast,presentandfutureBuddhas
依般若波羅蜜多故EHan-NyaHaRaMiTa KolivePrajñaParamita
得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提TokuANokuTaRaSanMyakuSanBoDaiAndthereforeattainAnuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi.
故知般若波羅蜜多KoChiHan-NyaHaRaMiTaThereforeknowPrajñaParamita
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是⼤神呪ZeDaiJinShuisthegreatmantra,
是⼤明呪ZeDaiMyoShuThevividmantra,
是無上呪ZeMuJoShuthebestmantra,
是無等等呪ZeMuToDoShutheunsurpassablemantra
能除⼀切苦真実不嘘NoJoISaiKuShinJitsuFuKoItcompletelyclearsallpain.Thisisthetruthnotalie.
故説般若波羅蜜多呪KoSetsuHan-NyaHaRaMiTaShuSosetforththePrajñaParamitamantra,
即説呪曰SokuSetsuShuWatsuSetforththismantraandsay:
揭諦揭諦波羅揭諦
GyaTeiGyaTeiHaRaGyaTeiGateGateParagate!
波羅僧揭諦菩提薩婆訶HaraSoGyaTeiBoJiSowaKaParasamgate!BodhiSvaha!
般波⼼経Han-NyaShinGyoPrajñaHeartSutra.
Source:adaptedfromhttp://shugendo.org/content/hannya-shingyō-—-heart-sutra(nolongeronline)usingVZSutrabookpronunciationsandtranslation.
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MahaPrajñaParamitaHeartSutra
AvalokiteshvaraBodhisattva,doingdeepPrajñaParamita,
Clearlysawemptinessofallthe?iveconditions
Thuscompletelyrelievingmisfortuneandpain.
OShariputra,formisnootherthanemptiness,emptinessnootherthanform;
Formisexactlyemptiness,emptinessexactlyform.
Sensation,conception,discrimination,awarenessarelikewiselikethis.
OShariputra,allDharmasareformsofemptiness:
Notborn,notdestroyed;notstained,notpure,withoutloss,withoutgain.
Soinemptinessthereisnoform,nosensation,conception,discrimination,awareness.
Noeye,ear,nose,tongue,body,mind;nocolor,sound,smell,taste,touch,phenomena.
Norealmofsight,norealmofconsciousness,noignoranceandnoendtoignorance,
Nooldageanddeath,andnoendtooldageanddeath,
Nosuffering,nocauseofsuffering,noextinguishing,nopath,nowisdomandnogain.
NogainandthustheBodhisattvalivesPrajñaParamita.
Withnohindranceinthemind.Nohindrance,thereforenofear.
Farbeyonddeludedthoughts,thisisNirvana.
Allpast,presentandfutureBuddhaslivePrajñaParamita
AndthereforeattainAnuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi.
ThereforeknowPrajñaParamitaisthegreatmantra,
Thevividmantra,thebestmantra,theunsurpassablemantra
Itcompletelyclearsallpain.Thisisthetruthnotalie.
SosetforththePrajñaParamitamantra,
Setforththismantraandsay:
GateGateParagate!Parasamgate!BodhiSvaha!PrajñaHeartSutra.
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CustomaryRefrain
AllBuddhasthroughoutspaceandtimeAllBodhisattvaMahasattvasMahaPrajñaParamita
TheFourGreatVows
Sentientbeingsarenumberless,Ivowtosavethem.Desiresareinexhaustible,Ivowtoputanendtothem.TheDharmasareboundless,Ivowtomasterthem.TheBuddhaWayisunattainable,Ivowtoattainit.
VerseoftheKesa
Vastistherobeofliberation,Aformless?ieldofbenefaction.IweartheTathagatateaching,Savingallsentientbeings.
GathaonOpeningtheSutra
TheDharma,incomparablyprofoundandin?initelysubtle,Israrelyencountered,eveninmillionsofages.Nowweseeit,hearit,receiveandmaintainit.MaywecompletelyrealizetheTathagata'struemeaning.
VerseofAtonement
Allevilkarmaevercommittedbymesinceofold,Onaccountofmybeginninglessgreed,angerandignorance,Bornofmybody,mouthandthought,NowIatoneforitall.
EveningGatha
Letmerespectfullyremindyou:Lifeanddeathareofsupremeimportance.Timeswiftlypassesbyandopportunityislost.Eachofusshouldstrivetoawaken...Awaken!Takeheed.Donotsquanderyourlife.
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ShoSaiMyoKichijoDharani(AuspiciousDharaniForAvertingCalamity)(Chant3times)
NoMoSanManDaMotoNanOhaRaChiKotoShaSonoNanToJiToEnGyaGyaGyaKiGyaKiUnNunShiuRaShiuRaHaraShiuRaHaraShiuRaChishuSaChishuSaChishuRiChishuRiSowaJaSowaJaSenChiGyaShiriESomoKo
EnMeiJukkuKannonGyo
(Chant3times)
KanZeOnNaMuButsuYoButsuUInYoButsuUEnBupPoSoEnJoRakuGaJoChoNenKanZeOnBoNenKanZeOnNenNenJuShinKiNenNenFuRiShin
(Chant3times)
Kanzeon!AtonewithBuddhaDirectlyBuddhaAlsoindirectlyBuddhaAndindirectlyBuddha,Dharma,Sangha.Joyfulpureeternalbeing!MorningmindisKanzeon.EveningmindisKanzeon.Nen,nenarisesfromMind.Nen,nenisnotseparatefromMind.
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