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A Buddhist Liturgy
For Fellowship of Lay Disciples
by
Rev. Doug Corpolongo
To know all the Buddhas
Of past, present and future
Only perceive that all worlds of experience
Are totally created by the mind
Namo the Flower is in the Lotus
Homage
Commencement of Liturgy
(3 times)
Homage to the Eternal Buddha, Homage to Guatama
Buddha, Homage to all Buddhas past present and future,
Homage to all Bodhisattvas, Homage to all Arhats,
Homage to all Monastic Disciples, Homage to all Lay
Disciples, Homage to all who seek the truth, Homage to
all Sentient Beings.
Tao Te Ching
From verse 1
The Tao that can be told is not the Eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the Eternal Name
The Nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth.
The Three Refuges
(3 times)
We take refuge in the Buddha, and wish all sentient
beings, will awaken to the Great Path, and make the
Supreme Resolution.
We take refuge in the Dharma, and wish all sentient
beings, will penetrate the Sutras, their wisdom as
deep as the ocean.
We take refuge in Sangha, and wish all sentient beings
will be brought together in Great Harmony, without any
obstructions at all.
Platform Sutra
Stanza from chapter 7
May we always be free from the taints of ignorance and
delusion. We repent of our misdeeds and evil committed
under ignorance and delusion. May they expiated at
once and may they never rise again.
May we always be free from the taints of arrogance and
dishonesty. We repent of our arrogant behavior and
dishonest dealing in the past. May they be expiated at
once and they never rise again.
May we always be free from the taints of envy and
jealousy. We repent of our misdeeds and evil committed
in an envious and jealous spirit. May they expiated at
once and may they never rise again.
The Five Precepts
(3 times)
We take to ourselves the Precept, Do No Harm.
We take to ourselves the Precept, Do Not Steal.
We take to ourselves the Precept, Abstain from Promiscuity.
We take to ourselves the Precept, Do Not Deceive.
We take to ourselves the Precept, Abstain from Intoxication.
Platform Sutra
Stanza from Chapter 8
When our mind is in delusion the Sutras turn us around
With an enlightened mind we turn the Sutras instead
To recite the Sutras for a considerable time without
knowing their principal object,
Indicates that you are a stranger to their meaning.
The correct way to recite them is without holding any
arbitrary belief;
Otherwise it is wrong.
He who is above affirmative and negative,
Rides the Vehicle of the Buddha
Heart Sutra
Homage to Perfect Wisdom, the lovely, the holy.
The Bodhisattva Avalokita, while moving in the deep
course of Perfect Wisdom, shed light on the five
aggregates and found them equally empty.
After this penetration, he overcame all pain. Listen,
Sariputra, form is emptiness, emptiness is form, form
does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not
differ from form. The same is true with feeling,
perception, mental functioning, and consciousness.
Here, Sariputra, all Dharmas are marked with
emptiness; they are neither produced nor destroyed;
neither defiled or immaculate, neither increasing or
decreasing.
Therefore, in emptiness there is neither form, nor
feeling, nor perception, nor mental functioning; no
eye, or ear, or nose, or tongue, or body, or mind; no
form, no sound, no smell elements, no interdependent
origins, no extinction of death and decay, no
suffering, no origination of suffering, no extinction,
no path, no wisdom, no attainment.
Because there is no attainment, the Bodhisattva,
basing upon Perfect Wisdom, finds no obstacles for his
mind. Having no obstacles, he overcomes fear,
liberating himself forever from illusion and assault
and realizing Perfect Nirvana.
All Buddhas past, present and future, thanks to this
Perfect Wisdom, arrive to full, right, and Universal
Enlightenment.
Therefore we should know that Perfect Wisdom is the
Great Mantra, is the highest mantra, the destroyer of
all suffering, the incorruptible truth. A mantra of
Prajnaparamita should therefore be proclaimed.
It is this:
Gone, gone, gone to the other shore, gone together to
the other shore.
O Awakening! All Hail!!
Prajnaparamita Sutra
From the beginning there is nothing to be sought
already within is the complete solution.
There is no sense in traveling, no sense in seeking to
get from a learned teacher the wisdom you already
posses.
No sense in austerity, mindlessly sitting sifting and
searching for another's insights.
No sense in adopting ceremonies, rituals, oblations,
doing good just to feel good trying to reach a
destination hidden in your heart.
No sense in walking to reach a goal that isn't there.
No sense in thinking to solve a problem that doesn't
exist.
All you have to do this minute is stop - turn the mind
upon itself, draw your sense within, turn yourself
inside out:
Gazing into the lake of awareness, let what is there
emerge from its lair, let what is there invade you
breathing, let what is there pulsate your heart, let
what is there warm your loins, spin you skull.
What is this anguish of seeking in the future that,
which is already lying in the palms of your hands?
Right now - You have it.
Hold it close - look directly behind your own face.
Grasping the monster firm, let him be or he'll ride
you out again along the paths of time.
And let it all go.
Fall
Gone, gone, altogether gone.
See within - the Universe ringing in your ears.
Time and space are simply the ring through which the
Tiger jumps.
Bell to Commence Meditation
(Warning read by the time keeper to the Assembly)
This day has passed, Our lives too, are closing.
Like fish with too little water, Joy will not last.
Let us work with pure effort, Work as if our heads
were aflame.
Be mindful of impermanence
Be careful of idleness.
Bell to conclude meditation
The Four Great Vows
(3 times)
We vow to deliver innumerable sentient beings
We vow to cut off endless vexations
We vow to master limitless approaches to the Dharma
We vow to attain supreme Buddhahood.
Transfer of Merit
We wish all merits, Deriving now or in the future,
From these practices, To be distributed everywhere,
For the good of all.
We pray for the flourishing of the Buddha's Dharma.
For Peace in the World,
For the joy and contentment of all people,
For reedom and ease of Body and mind of all people,
May all sentient beings depart from suffering.
May the vows of the donors be fulfilled.
Lotus Sutra
(passages from chapter 2)
Any among the living creatures; Who have come into
contact with former Buddhas,
Have learned the Dharma and practiced charity. Or have
undergone discpline and endured forebearance and
humility. Or have made serious efforts at concetration
and understanding.
All these people have attained the Buddha way.
Those people who for rhe sake of the Buddha; Installed
images or had them carved.
All these people have attained the Buddha way.
Those with a happy mind; Have sung glory to the
Buddha; Even with a small sound, or have Worshipped,
Or have merely folded their hands, or have uttered
once, "Homage to the Buddha"
All these people have attained the Buddha way.
Past Buddhas after they passed away from this world;
Those that preach the Dharma
All these people have attained the Buddha way.
Future Buddhas, Their number will be infinite; All
these Tathagatas will preach Dharma by suitable means.
All these Buddhas will save all sentient beings; And
enable them to dwell in the Puree Wisdom of the
Buddha.
Among all who have heard the Dharma,
None will fail to become the Buddha.
Diamond Sutra
(stanza from Chapter 32)
Think shall ye of all this fleeting world;
A star at dawn, a bubble in the stream;
A flash of lightening in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Homage
Conclusion of Liturgy
(3 times)
Homage to the Eternal Buddha, Homage to Guatama
Buddha, Homage to all Buddhas past present and future,
Homage to all Bodhisattvas, Homage to all Arhats,
Homage to all Monastic Disciples, Homage to all Lay
Disciples, Homage to all who seek the truth, Homage to
all Sentient Beings.
