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                                                 CHANTS

This page reproduces the chant book  commonly used as part of our practice.   Sunday morning chants will follow the order presented here.    A few less commonly used  chants are added at end.  

 
Daily Chants
 
 
 
About  Chanting
A leader begins the opening syllables of each chant, written in boldface in this text.  A bell rings and, with the drum beat, the group joins for the rest of the chant.  Some chants are preceded by a longer “EKO” recited by the leader.   

The syllables we chant are old languages, often meaningful in translation, and worthy of study and contemplation. Some are translated here (itallics).  However chanting is not an intellectual exercise, but an opportunity to engage wholeheartedly, a practice with relevance, afterall, to the meaning of the words.   



MAHAPRAJNAPARAMITA HRIDAYA SUTRA
Great Wisdom Heart Sutra

maka hanya haramita  shin gyo   kan  ji zai  bo sa gyo  jin  han  nya  ha ra mi  ta ji sho ken  go un kai  ku do i sai  ku yaku sha ri shi  shiki fu i ku ku fu i shiki shiki soku ze ku ku soku ze shiki ju so gyo  shiki yaku bu nyo ze sha  ri shi  ze sho  ho ku so fu sho  fu metsu fu ku fu jo fu zo fu gen  ze ko ku chu mu shiki mu  ju so gyo  shiki mu  gen  ni bi zets shin ni mu  shiki sho  ko mi soku ho mu  gen kai nai  shi  mu  i shiki  kai  mu  mu  myo yaku mu mu myo jin  nai  shi  mu  ro shi  yaku mu ro shi jin  mu  ku shu metsu do mu  chi  yaku mu toku i mu  sho  to ko bo dai  sat  ta e han  nya ha ra mi ta ko shin  mu  ke ge mu ke ge ko mu u ku fu on ri i sai  ten  do mu  so ku gyo  ne han  san  ze sho  butsu e han  nya  ha ra mi  ta ko toku a noku ta ra san  myaku san  bo dai ko chi  han  nya  ha ra mi ta ze dai  shin  shu ze dai myo shu  ze mu  jo shu  ze mu  to do shu no jo i sai  ku shin  jitsu fu ko ko setsu han  nya ha ra mi ta shu  soku setsu shu  watsu gya te gya  te ha ra gya te hara so gya  te bo dhi sowa ka han  nya  shin gyo


One who sees all sorrow in deep transport of wisdom sees self all empty, relieves every suffering.  Sariputra, form is not different from emptiness.  Emptiness is not different from form.  Form is the emptiness. Emptiness is the form.  Sensation, thought, inclination, consciousness, also are like this. Sariputra, even all things are like this; not born, not annihilated not tainted, not pure, not increasing, not decreasing.  Therefore in emptiness no form, no sensation, no thought, no inclination, no consciousness. No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, object; no eye, no world of eyes until we come to no world of consciousness; no ignorance, also no ignorance annihilation, until we come to no old age, death, also no old age, death annihilation; no suffering, cause of suffering, no nirvana, no path; no wisdom, also no attainment. Because no attainment, a bodhisattva depends on transport of wisdom, mind no obstacle, because no obstacle, no fear.  Go beyond all topsy-turvey views, attain nirvana.  Past, present and future, every Buddha depends on transport of wisdom.  Therefore attain supreme, perfect, enlightenment. Therefore know this transport of wisdom is the great holy vehicle, the great untainted vehicle, the supreme vehicle, the incomparable vehicle, capable of ending all suffering. True not false. Therefore proclaim transport of wisdom, proclaim words that say:  Go, go go beyond, go completely beyond, be rooted in the ground of enlightenment.  Wisdom Heart Sutra
 


SHO SAI  SHU
Dharani of removing disaster

na mu  sa man da mo to nan  o ha ra chi ko to sha so no nan  to ji to en gya  gya  gya ki gya   ki un   nun  shi  fu ra shi  fu ra ha ra shi fu ra ha ra shi  fu ra chi  shu  sa chi  shu  sa shu shi ri shu  shi  ri so ha ja so ha ja se chi  gya shi ri ei so mo  ko
(Three times)
 

[HONZON EKO]


 DAI HI  EN MON BU KAI JIN  SHU
 Dharani of the  great compassionate one

na mu  ka ra tan  no to ra ya ya na mu  o ri ya bo ryo ki chi  shi  fu ra ya fu ji sa to bo ya mo  ko sa to bo ya mo  ko kya  ru ni kya  ya en sa ha ra ha ei shu  ta no ton sha  na mu shi ki ri to i mo  o ri ya bo ryo  ki chi  shi  fu ra ri to bo na mu  no ra ki ji ki ri mo  ko ho do sha mi sa bo o to jo shu  ben  o shu  in sa bo sa to no mo  bo gya  mo ha de cho  to ji to en o bo ryo ki ryo  gya  chi  kya  rya chi i ki ri mo  ko fu ji sa to sa bo sa bo mo  ra mo  ra mo ki mo ki ri to in ku ryo  ku ryo  ke mo  to ryo  to ryo ho ja ya chi  mo  ko ho ja ya chi  to ra to ra chi ri ni shi fu ra ya sha  ro sha  ro mo  mo  ha mo  ra ho chi  ri i ki i ki shi  no shi  no o ra san  fu ra sha  ri ha za ha za fu ra sha  ya   ku ryo  ku ryo mo ra ku ryo  ku ryo  ki ri sha  ro sha  ro shi  ri shi ri su ryo  su ryo  fu ji ya fu ji ya fu do ya fu do  ya  mi  chi  ri  ya  no  ra  ki  ji  chi  ri  shu  ni no ho ya mo  no so mo  ko shi  do ya so mo  ko mo ko shi  do ya so mo  ko  shi  do yu ki shi fu ra ya so mo  ko no ra ki ji so mo  ko mo  ra no ra so mo  ko shi  ra sun  o mo  gya  ya so mo  ko so bo mo  ko shi do ya so mo  ko sha  ki ra o shi do ya so   mo  ko ho do mo  gya  shi  do ya so mo  ko no ra ki ji ha gya  ra ya so mo  ko mo ho ri shin  gya  ra ya so mo  ko na mu  ka  ra  tan  no to ra ya ya na mu  o ri ya bo ryo  ki  chi shi fu ra ya so mo  ko shi  te do mo  do ra  ho do ya so mo ko
[SOSHI EKO]



DAI SEGAKI

jya jin  nyu  ryo  shi san  shi  i shi   fu in kan  ha kai shin i shi  yui  shin  zo na mu  ji ho fu na mu  ji ho ha na mu  ji ho sen  na mu  hon su shi kya mu  ni fu na mu  dai  zu dai  hi kyu  ku kan shi  in bu sa na mu  ki ko o nan  son  sha na mu  sa bo to to gya  to bo ryo  ki chi  en san mo ra san  mo  ra kin  na mu  su ryo  bo ya to to gya  to ya to ji to en su ryo  su ryo  bo ya su ryo  bo ya su ryo  so mo  ko na mu  sa man da ho do nan  ban na mu  ho shin  ji rai  na mu to ho ji rai  na mu  myo shi shin  ji rai  na mu ko ha shin ji rai  na mu  ri fu i ji rai na mu kan  ro yo ji rai  na mu  o mi to ji rai  na mu o mi to bo ya to to gya  to ya to ni ya to o mi ri tsu  bo bi o mi ri to shi  ta bo mi o mi ri to bi gya  ra chi  o mi ri to bi gya  ra to kya  mi  ni gya  gya  no shi  to ya ri so mo  ko jin  shu  kya  ji jin  nin  shi  fu shi o sa shu ki jin  gen  kai  bo man sha  ken  shin shi do yu min  san zen  do ki i san  bo ha bu ji kyu kin  te shin  bu jo ka kun te bu hen  jin mi rai i shi  shun san  zun  pa shi  ji ten  ki jin  shu go kin  su ji kyu  su ji hen  ji ho i shi  ki jin  kyo  i su shu  an shu  sen  gen  ho ta bu mo  ki ro te son sha  fu ra ju bu kyu  mo  sha  ri ku san  nan  nyo su in san  nyu shi an shi  san  zu ha nan  ku shun san  kyu  mo  kyu  ko sen na su jin  shu  rin nui san  jin  zu gen  ni su kun  tei  fu gyu  o i shi go ten  ni shun san  kai  kyu  jin  bu do ji ho  san shi i shi shi  bu shi  son  bu sa mo  ko sa mo  ko ho jya  ho ro mi

[EKO]



KOZEN  DAITO
Final admonition of national teacher Kozen Daito

ko zen daito koku shi yui kai  nan  jira  sho  nin  kono  san  chu  ni  kita  atte  do  no  tame  ni  ko  beo  atsu  mu  eji  kino  tame  ni  suru  koto  naka  re  kata  a  te  kizu  to  yu  koto  na  ku  kuchi  a  te  kura  wazu  to  yu  koto  na  shi  tada  sube  kara  ku  ju  niji  chu  muri  eno  toko  roni  muka  atte  kiwa  me  kita  ri  kiwa  me  saru  be  shi  ko  in  yano  goto  shi  tsutsu    shin  de  zo  yo  shin  suru  koto  naka  re  kan  shuse  yo  kan  shuse  yo  ro  so  an  gyano  no  chi  aru  iwa  ji  mon  han  ko  bu  kaku  kyo  kan  kin  gin  o  chiri  ba  me  tashu  nyo  netsu  aru  iwa  ju  kyo  fun  ju  cho  za  fu  ga  ichi  jiki  bo  sai  roku  ji  gyo  do  tato  i  in  moni  shi  saru  to  ie  domo  bu  so  fuden  no  myo  do  o mo  te  kyo  kan  ni  kaza  i  sezu  nba  tachi  ma  chi  in  gao  hatsu  mushi  shin  pu  chini  otsu  mina  kore  jyama    no  shuzo  kuna  ri  ro  so  yo  saru  koto  hisa  shiku  tomo  jison  to  sho  suru  koto  o  yuru  sa  ji  aru  iwa  mo  shi  ichi  nin  a  ri  yaga  ini  men  ze  shi  i  pa  bo  tei  se  kyaku  sho  nai  ni  yasa  i  kon  o  nite  ki  shite  hio  sugo  suto  mo  sen  ichi  ni  koji  o  kyu  mei  suru  tei  wa  ro  so  to  nichi  nichi  sho  ken  ho  on  tei  no  hito  na  ri  tare  ka  ae  te  kyo  kotsu  sen  ya  ben  sen  ben  sen
 

You who have come to this mountain gathered for the sake of the way, don’t put your heads together for the sake of food and clothes.  As long as you have shoulders it won’t be the case that you will be wearing nothing.  As long a you have a mouth it won’t be the case that you will have nothing to eat.  There’s only one thing to do!  Throughout the twelve hours face towards the incomprehensible and investigate all your comings and goings.  Time passes like an arrow.  Quiet down and be careful not to disturb your mind with worldly concerns.  Look, look!  After this old monk’s departure you might have a very prosperous temple with buildings and sutra scrolls inlaid profusely with gold and silver; and noisy throngs of enthusiastic devotees.  Or perhaps you may spend time reading sutras and chanting and doing much zazen without ever lying down.  Perhaps you will eat only once a day, observe the fast days, and practice religious deeds throughout the six periods of the day.   Even when you practice forthrightly like this, if you don’t embody the untransmissible and mysterious way of the Buddhas and the ancestors, hold it in your hearts, you will soon come to ignore the law of cause and effect and fall off the true wind and earth.  All such beings belong to the family of evil demons.  However long my departure from the world may be, I will not permit them to be called my descendants.  However, let there be just one individual, who may be living in the wilderness in a hut thatched with one bundle of straw passing the days eating vegetables and roots boiled in a broken legged pot; if that person is single-mindedly devoted to the investigation of their own affairs, that is the very one who has a daily interview with this old monk and is the real person of gratitude.  Who should ever despise such a one?   Be diligent, be diligent!
 



SHIGU SEI GANFour Great Vows
(Three times)

shu   jo  mu  hen
sei  gan   do

bon   no   mu   jin
sei  gan   dan
ho  mon  mu   ryo
sei  gan   gaku
butsu  do  mu   jo
sei  gan   jo


Beings numberless
Vow to liberate
Faults without end
Vow to overcome
Wisdom boundless
Vow to learn
Awakened way unsurpassed
Vow to embody

 



EMMEI JUKKO KANNON GYOKannon Sutra Chant

kan ze on
na mu butsu
yo butsu u in
yo butsu u en
bu po so en
jo raku go jo
cho nen kan ze on
bo nen kan ze on
nen nen ju shin ki
nen nen fu ri shin


Kanzeon
Buddha of compassion
All are one with Buddha
All awake to Buddha
Buddha, Dharma, Sangha
Eternal, joyous, selfless, pure
Through the day Kanzeon
Through the night Kanzeon
This moment arises from heart and mind
This moment itself is heart and mind
 



ATTA DIPA
Look Within


atta dipa
viharatha
atta sharana
ananna sharana
dhamma dipa
dhamma sharana
ananna sharana
 

Look within!
You are The Light.
Take refuge in yourself.
Do not take refuge in others.
Look within!
The Light is The Dharma.
Take refuge in The Dharma.
Do not take refuge in anything,
Other than The Dharma.
 

 
 

SANGE 
Repentance Chant
 
ga shaku sho zo sho aku go (bell)
kai yu mu shi ton jin chi (bell)
ju shin ku i shi sho sho (bell
issai ga kon kai san ge (bell)



All evil committed by me past and future, 
due to my limitless greed, anger and folly, 
born of my body mouth and mind,  
I now repent.


​

REFUGE CHANT

Namu ki e butsu
Namu ki e ho
Namu ki e so
Ki ebutsu mu jo son
Ki e ho ri yoku son
Ki e so wa go son
ki e bukkyo
Ki e ho kyo
Ki e so kyo
 
Take refuge in Buddha
Take refuge in Dharma
Take refuge in Sangh
Take refuge in Buddha the incomparable honored one
Thke refuge in Dharma, honored for purity
Take refuge in Sangha, honored for harmony
Refuge in Buddha accomplished
Refuge in Dharma accomplished
Refuge in Sangha accomplished




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