Friday
Prime
Blessed One, come to my assistance
O’ Lord, make haste to help me
Glory be to the Blessed Buddha and to the Divine Dharma and to the Hallowed Sangha, both now and forever and ever. Swaha.
Hail, Holy Wisdom; hail, Blessed Dark-Womb of the Unborn, our Translucent Light, our Sweetness, and our Strength. To you do we make supplication, subdued children under Mara’s dominion. To you do we send up our lamentations and afflictions in this valley of dukkha. Turn then, most gracious Tara, your eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our most lingering exile in samsara, show unto us the Immaculate Seed of your Most Beloved Bodhichild. O Temperate One, Most Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mother.
Om Tare, Tuttare, Ture Swaha.
Lauding the Infinite One: (Buddhist Psalms, by S. Yamabe and L. Adams Beck, [1921])
1. Since He who is Infinite attained unto the Wisdom Supreme, the long, long ages of ten Kalpas have rolled away.
The Light of His Dharma-Kaya is in this world eyes to the blind.
2. Seek refuge in the True Illumination! For the light of His Wisdom is infinite.
In all the worlds there is nothing upon which His light shines not.
3. Take refuge in the Light universal.
As the Light of His deliverance is boundless, he who is within it is freed from the lie of affirmation or denial.
4. Seek refuge in That which is beyond understanding,
For His glory is all-embracing as the air. It shineth and pierceth all things, and there is nothing hid from the light thereof.
5. Take refuge in the ultimate Strength, for His pure radiance is above all things. He who perceiveth this Light is set free from the fetters of Karma.
6. Seek refuge in the World-Honoured.
Since His glorious radiance is above all He is called the Buddha of Divine Light. And by Him is the darkness of the three worlds Enlightened.
7. Excellent is the Light of His Wisdom. Therefore is he called the Buddha of Clear Shining.
He who is within the Light, being washed from the soil of Karma, shall attain unto the final deliverance.
8. Take refuge in the Mighty Consoler. Wheresoever His mercy shineth throughout all the worlds, men rejoice in its gladdening light.
9. The darkness of ignorance perisheth before His light. Therefore is He hailed as the Buddha of Radiant Wisdom. All the Buddhas and the threefold choir of sages praise Him.
10. His glory shineth for ever and ever. Therefore is He called the Buddha of Everlasting Light.
Most excellent is the virtue of this light, for he who perceiveth it is born into Paradise without dissolution of being.
11. The glory of the Infinite is boundless, therefore is He known as the Buddha of Light Past Comprehension.
All the Buddhas glorify the majesty of His holiness that leadeth all the earth into His Kingdom.
12. His clear shining transcendeth all revelation, nor can human speech utter it. Therefore is He named the Buddha of Light Unspeakable.
All the Buddhas glorify the glory of the Infinite One who is Buddha through His promise of Light immeasurable. Swaha.
The Trisagion
Blessed Buddha, Mighty Lord, Unborn and Undying…Have mercy on us
Blessed Buddha, Mighty Lord, Unborn and Undying…Have mercy on us
Blessed Buddha, Mighty Lord, Unborn and Undying…Have mercy on us
Supplication
Mother Tara, Noble Queen of the Unborn,
In you we take refuge…
Immaculate Heart of Tara, Out of Your Infinite Compassion,
We consecrate ourselves to you…
Tara-Consoler of the afflicted, Dispense your Healing Mantle,
For we have recourse to you.
Glory be to the Blessed Buddha and to the Divine Dharma and to the Hallowed Sangha, both now and forever and ever. Swaha.
From Mañjuśrī Teaches Prajñāpāramitā (Single Action Samādhi):
Mañjuśrī addressed the Buddha, saying, “Bhagavān, what should one practice in order to quickly attain Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi?” The Buddha said, “Mañjuśrī, one who practices Prajñāpāramitā as explained, is able to quickly attain Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi. Moreover, there is the Single Action Samādhi, and if good men and good women cultivate this samādhi, they will also quickly attain Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi.” Mañjuśrī said, “Bhagavān, what is it that is called the Single Action Samādhi?” The Buddha said, “The Dharma Realm is of one characteristic. Focusing on the condition of the Dharma Realm is called the Single Action Samādhi. If good men and good women wish to enter the Single Action Samādhi, they should first hear Prajñāpāramitā, cultivating and learning it as spoken. From this they will then be able to enter the Single Action Samādhi, which is like the condition of the Dharma Realm: neither regressing nor ending, inconceivable, unimpeded, and without appearances.
[Commentary: The Single-Action Samādhi is contemplating exclusively on the Dharmadhātu (The Real Dharma-field of no beginnings and no-endings). The prerequisite for entering into this sublime samādhi is having a thorough familiarity with the Prajñāpāramitā.]
“Good men and good women who wish to enter the Single Action Samādhi should dwell in an empty place, abandon various random thoughts, not grasping at appearances, and fixate the mind on one buddha, singularly reciting his name. They should correct their body in order to face the direction of that buddha. Able to be mindful of the appearance of that one buddha continuously, then from this mindfulness, they will be able to perceive past, future, and present buddhas. Why? The merits of mindfulness of one buddha are immeasurable and limitless, and as immeasurable, they are not apart from the merits of all buddhas. The inconceivable Buddha Dharma is equal and without division, all are one vehicle for the accomplishment of Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi, replete with immeasurable merit and immeasurable eloquence.
[Commentary: The Single Action Samādhi is resting in the unobstructed and unique singularity of the Unborn Mind. This is being in the Buddha-field of the realm of no-shadows (Nirabhasagocara). All THAT is present is the Singular Vehicle of the Unborn Mind; as such all Buddhas from the three-times are clearly and equally discernable since they all preexist in the Self-Same Dharmakayic and Nirvanic Reality.]
“One who enters the Single Action Samādhi thusly, will completely realize that the Dharma Realm, as well as many buddhas as sand grains in the Ganges River, are without characteristics of distinction. Ānanda, who hears the Buddha Dharma and has attained the mindfulness of complete retention, whose eloquence and wisdom amongst śrāvakas is supreme, is yet limited and still obstructed. If one attains the Single Action Samādhi, then the sūtras and Dharma gates, along with their various divisions, will all be known completely without obstruction. He will be able to expound them day and night with wisdom and eloquence that is continuous and unbroken. Although Ānanda is well learned and eloquent, he is not one hundred thousandth thereof. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas should be mindful, ‘How can I attain the Single Action Samādhi, its inconceivable merits, and its innumerable names and designations?’” The Buddha said, “Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas should be mindful of the Single Action Samādhi, constantly striving with effort and without indolence. Gradually cultivating and learning, then they are able to attain entry into the Single Action Samādhi, and have realization of its inconceivable merits. However, those who slander the true Dharma without belief, or who have obstructions of evil karma from grave offenses, are unable to enter it.” Swaha.
Blessed Arya Tara, we trust that your merciful gaze may descend upon our brokenness; we also implore you that we may hear the gentle voice of your beloved Bodhichild stirring within us. O’ sweet, O’ loving, O’ most Virgin-Void Mother.
From the Sayings of Old Ch’eng:
Having heard that to see original mind you have to calm original mind, here you are, sitting on your asses stiff as bamboo, staring at the wall with your tongues jammed against your palates as you try to bring thinking to a halt. You arrive at some void like cotton wadding, take it for openness of original mind and out bursts your mind-blather again as of wakening from sleep.
And if a flash of enlightenment does shake you, you leap about like young foals, bellowing about how you’ve seen original mind and been through some extraordinary experience.
What value could there possibly be in being struck by lightning? This sort of thing is only good for the circus.
It is in your very mania and your need to attain and possess that you are lost.
Seeing the original mind means seeing it whether there are thoughts in your heads or not, whether you are moving about or still, whether babbling away like me or cleaning out the shit-house, whether you be emperors, monks, or homeless vagabonds. What sort of importance could such things have?
From the The Awakening of Faith (On Four Faiths):
Question: What kind of faith [should a man have] and how should he practice it?
Answer: Briefly, there are four kinds of faith. The first is the faith in the Ultimate Source. Because [of this faith] a man comes to meditate with joy on the principle of Suchness. The second is the faith in the numberless excellent qualities of the buddhas. Because [of this faith] a man comes to meditate on them always, to draw near to them in fellowship, to honor them, and to respect them, developing his capacity for goodness and seeking after the all-embracing knowledge. The third is the faith in the great benefits of the Dharma (Teaching). Because [of this faith] a man comes constantly to remember and practice various disciplines leading to enlightenment. The fourth is the faith in the Sangha (Buddhist Community) whose members are able to devote themselves to the practice of benefiting both themselves and others. Because [of this faith] a man comes to approach the assembly of bodhisattvas constantly and with joy and to seek instruction from them in the correct practice.
Zen Master Ta Hui, from Swampland Flowers:
Since you’re studying this Path, then at all times, in your encounters with people and responses to circumstances, you must not let wrong thoughts continue. If you cannot see through them, then the moment a wrong thought comes up you should quickly concentrate your mental energy to pull yourself away. If you always follow those thoughts and let them continue without a break, not only does this obstruct the Path, but it makes you out to be a man without wisdom.
In the old days Kuei Shan asked Lazy An, “What work do you do doing the twenty-four hours of the day?” An said, “I tend an Ox.” Kuei Shan said, “How do you tend it?” An said, “Whenever it gets into the grass, I pull it back by the nose.” Kuei Shan said, “You’re really tending the Ox!” People who study the Path, in controlling wrong thoughts, should be like Lazy An tending his Ox; then gradually a wholesome ripening will take place of itself.
From Tozen (This great mystery called Mind):
When pursuing your Mind’s true nature, what you review as precious experience born out of decades of trial and error, is all but an illusion.
Unborn Mind, primordial Mind, uncreated Mind, your true nature, cannot be bargained with, pleaded with, tricked or otherwise made to show itself to something impure, because the latter is what your Spirit imagines itself by eons of errors to be, which is something empty of truth and hence out of phase with truth absolute, which your Unborn Mind is.
In order to behold your true nature, your Spirit, i.e. your pure will, must remain as such, that is, perfectly undivided as one and not two or more, thus pure and not holding on to the slightest thought or thing or emotion nor memory and expose itself solely to its own Unborn Mind – there before all things and all creations – as their Master and Lord. In the beginning this takes great effort, because there is resistance from the demons within the student that have grown from tiny seeds somewhere long ago to great ghouls of influence in the student’s mind. There are two ways to fight them; either one by one (Theravada), which takes time, or all at once in one swift cut with Manjusri´s sword (Zen), which is instantaneous. To each their own choice; although the latter is advised and preferred by students of good merit and virtue.
Can this be achieved by sitting, walking, or lying down? If you believe in any of these positions you have yet tried to gain an advantage through a fixed position over something position-less, imageless and impervious to all attempts of worldly entrances.
To be One with this One Mind, your own mind must be completely unbiased, undivided and hence pure (holding on to no image whatsoever). Not even this body of old karma you are dragging around day and night looking for the jewel brighter than all dharmas it reflects in the essence of its own luminous body. If you can focus the will of your entire being on this for even a split second, then you will break through the wall of the evil skandhas and attain Satori, which is produced by an awesome light that naturally leads to the noble wisdom (prajna).
This wisdom, one not born out from anything of this world or other, empowers and enables you to distinguish between the true and the false in any given place or age. Hence you are liberated, free from any further suffering born out of ignorance and error, and can remain an unconcerned being the remainder of your worldly presence in this world system, all in accordance, if desired, with your residual karma.
Benedictus
Blessed be the Hallowed Lord of the Unborn;
because He has Revealed His Inmost-Self within his devotees:
And has raised-up a Salvific-Light unto us,
in the face of our enemies:
Once this Noble Self-Realization is reached,
nothing more need be done,
nor is there anything lost by doing nothing less than
basking in the divine Freedom of the Unborn.
Free to partake in His-Self without fear,
Thus filled with Right Devotion,
we unceasingly celebrate His Abiding Presence.
And You MY Child shall be called the Dharma-womb of the Most High:
for you shall go before the Unborn Lord to prepare His Way:
To bestow Buddha-gnosis upon those who live
in the darkness of ignorance.
In the tender compassion of our Dharma-Lord,
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To enlighten those who are in the bondage of Mara’s death,
And to guide all of us homeward bound in the Unborn.
Glory be to the Blessed Buddha and to the Divine Dharma and to the Hallowed Sangha, both now and forever and ever. Swaha.
May all the Buddhas and Dharma-Guardians bless us, protect us from all harm, and awaken us to the Light of Truth in the Unborn. Swaha
