A Forest of Pearls from the Dharma Garden Volume III

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Chapter Nine

Worship (Paying Respect)

(This section has six parts:) (1) Introduction, (2) Efficacy, (3) Paying Respect Widely, (4) Names, (5) Comparative Explanation, (6) The Sitting Mat, and (7) The Ritual Manual for Ceremony.

1. Introduction

Holy beings are compassionate and the Perfected Ones benefit others. They desire to lead the four kinds of living beings to the treasure place and transport sentient beings in the three realms [of desire, form, and formlessness] in the great carriage. Teachers and disciples follow different roads but share the same end. Monastics and laypeople travel on different paths but they arrive at the same goal. We establish [buddha] images to give expression to the truth, and teach with unchanging rules to regulate worldly practices. We use a finger to point at the moon and eternal norms to give expression to the Way. Yet in being attached to the illusions of one's own self and other's selves people fall into the stream of illusion. Floating along [in the current of] the working out of karma, they do not think of reforming themselves. In this way, caught in delusions over many world ages, people do not recognize the Three Honorable Ones. Ignorant and stubborn, they seldom meet the Ten Holy Beings. For this reason "life is like the flame of a candle in the wind," difficult to preserve. Our body is like the spark of a flintstone. How could it be longlasting? As the five defilements invade everywhere and the four snakes (i.e., the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind) constantly oppress, how could these people find peace living in this world of illusion? Therefore, the Great Holy One, out of pity and compassion, taught and guided them. Of all essential deeds nothing is more important than the practice of repentance. Thus in the Shizhu lun (Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā, T.1521:40c-49b) Nāgārjuna says: 251

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Bodhisattvas, day and night are each divided into three periods. During each of these six periods of time worship the buddhas of the ten directions, repenting, requesting, delighting, and transferring merit. The bodhisattva will then reach the stage of nonretrogression (avaivartika). This practice quickly produces the result of nonretrogression. Sentient beings meditate on Good Virtue Buddha of the eastern direction, or on [any of] the buddhas of the ten directions. Thanks to the power of the Buddha's original vow, if a sentient being had previously planted good roots in a buddha's place, [when] he or she hears the name of that buddha [in this life] they are able to accept him in faith. They then turn to seek nonretrogressive wisdom.

If even ignorant ones, used to hearing evil voices, now suddenly hear [the teaching] and call the Buddha's name, they are filled with delight. Their sins are destroyed and merits are produced. Therefore a sutra says, "If you worship this buddha you remove the grave sins [accumulated] in one hundred myriad previous births and deaths." It is also said, "You remove the grave sins [accumulated] in births and deaths over a thousand world ages." If you do not follow these steps of practice and instead activate worldly thoughts, then you pay for the sins you have committed by suffering over many world ages. Upon hearing the Buddha's name we all dance with joy, [yet we ask,] "Because of what sins are we unable to see the true [physical] appearance [of the Buddha]?" We shed streams of tears and singlemindedly join the palms [of our hands], [saying,] "Because of what good deeds am I able to hear the Buddha's name?" We are delighted and worship the Buddha with increasing intensity. We look up at the holy face [of a buddha image] and yearn for him endlessly. Because of these sorrowful and joyful reactions our faith deepens, day by day. Through such emotional communication our minds become free of entanglements and we pay respect to and take refuge [in the Buddha]. As for monastics and laypeople today, whenever they hear and chant the name of the Buddha, even as they perform the rite with their bodies their minds remain attached to external objects. Even if they stumble in the middle [of the ritual performance] they show no sign of regret. Such a shameful lack of faith is demonstrated by this! Sometimes monastics and lay followers worship in private. [At points in the rite when one is supposed to] rise or lower oneself, they are lazy both in body and mind and they fail to express alarm or fear [about these lapses in their practice]. The sin of disrespect 252

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increases. Sometimes monastics and laypeople worship together in a congregation. A thousand monastics and ten thousand laypeople loudly chant together. The congregation moves quickly through the rite of worship but the monks and laypeople fail to physically bow down, and mentally they lack respectful thought. This is just as during roll call the presence of some soldiers is recorded even when they are not there. People go up and down like a pestle but the effort does not produce any benefit. Such sloppy practices should not escape blame. Practitioners seek fame and wealth yet sincerity and respect are missing. Through faith one enters the path, which produces wisdom. If faith is lacking, there is nothing on which to rely upon entering the path. Below I list five points, which are all based on the holy teaching. They demonstrate the difference between what is authentic and what is false. I request that you remove delusions and turn to truth so that you may attain the final goal.

2. Efficacy

I look up [in gratitude] and think of the compassion of the Great Enlightened One, the Ultimate Sage. Due to the [karmic] help from previous lives and good fortune, this mysterious cosmic response occurs: we are able to hear the name [of the Buddha] and worship him, and our meritorious karma quickly begins [to produce results]. The mind undergoes transformation and the marvelous outcome is achieved in the course of a vastly long period. The sound of [chanting the names of] the fifty-three buddhas gathers strength before the fine dust [of desire]. The light of the three thousand Perfected Ones is bright behind the sands of the Ganges River. The accomplishments of the twentyfive buddhas bring rescue from suffering. A donation of the seven jewels of this sahā world does not measure up to the benefits of one act of worship. The cause of [worshiping by joining one's] palms appears to work slowly, yet the reward of the king of trees (i.e., the bodhi tree) steadily arrives. Therefore, we know that worshiping and praising [the Buddha] are not empty practices. Worshiping with humble sincerity mysteriously brings about benefits. The Zhidu lun (ref. T.1509:275c3-6, 275c24-276a2) says: A bodhisattva who has not realized the truth of the Dharma keeps away from the Buddha Dharma, destroys good karmic roots, and in the midst 253

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A Forest of Pearls from the Dharma Garden, Volume III of afflictions cannot save even themselves. How could they save others? Therefore, you should not keep away from the buddhas, just as a baby should not be separated from its mother, or as one should not lack food when traveling on the road, or as one should not lack a cool wind in the heat, or as one should not lack a warming fire in cold weather, or as one should not lack a solid boat when crossing water, or as one should not lack a good physician when ill. The reason the bodhisattva should never be separated from the Buddha is that one's parents and friends, or the gods cannot help us cross over the ocean of suffering. Only the Buddha helps us escape from suffering. For this reason, always be concerned not to become separated from the Buddha.

The Yaowang yaoshang jing (T.1161:664a5-12, 17-29) says: Śākyamuni Buddha said to the assembly, "An incalculable number of world ages ago, in the period of the decline of the Dharma of Miaoguang Buddha, I renounced the householder's life and studied the path. I heard the names of the fifty-three buddhas, and after hearing them I joined my palms and experienced joy. I also taught others to hear and uphold the names. After hearing the names, the others in turn taught still others, to the point that the worshipers numbered three thousand. These three thousand individuals all pronounced the buddhas' names, singlemindedly worshiped them, and due to the power of the merit acquired in this way they overcame the sins acquired through births and deaths in innumerable world ages. The first thousand of them, from Huaguang Buddha through Viśubhabhū Buddha, achieved buddhahood during the [past] world age of adornment. These are the one thousand past buddhas. The one thousand buddhas of the present world age [of the wise] begin with Krakucchanda and end with Ruci Buddha. They achieve buddhahood one by one during the world age of the wise. The one thousand buddhas of the future begin with Riguang Buddha and end with Xumixiang Buddha. They will achieve buddhahood in the [future] world ages of the lunar stations. "The present buddhas in the ten directions, such as Shande Tathāgata, also heard the names of these fifty-three buddhas and thus achieved buddhahood in their respective worlds in the ten directions. If men and women of good families as well as all other sentient beings hear the names of 254

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these fifty-three buddhas, they will avoid falling into inferior realms of birth for a hundred thousand myriads of innumerable world ages. Furthermore, those who hear these names of the fifty-three buddhas will meet the buddhas of the ten directions in the places where they are born. People sincerely worshiping the names of the fifty-three buddhas will become purified of [all their sins] except for the four grave sins, the five offenses, and the sin of reviling Mahayana sutras. This is due to the original vows of these buddhas. From moment to moment these sins are removed, except for those listed above. (Note: The names of the three thousand buddhas appear in the Zhufo jijie jing [ref. T. 446, T. 447, T. 448]. The buddhas' names, clan affiliations, and lands are listed in the Xianjie jing [T. 447]. Among the one thousand buddhas [of the world age of the wise] Śākyamuni is the fourth to achieve buddhahood.)

The Jueding pini jing (T.325:38c17-39b18) says, "If a person sincerely worships the thirty-five buddhas, the merit that he or she acquires will be incalculable and infinite."

The Foming jing (T.440:158c16-161c5) says:

If men and women of good families hear these names of the twenty-five buddhas and they sincerely accept, recite, and respectfully worship them, they will escape the suffering of the three inferior realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals. They will become free of anger and ignorance and destroy the grave sins they committed over one hundred world ages. They will always be reborn in the pure lands of the buddhas in the ten directions. Even if someone were to fill the universe with the seven jewels and used these jewels to offer donations throughout a lifetime of a hundred years, the merit acquired by this would not even reach the one-thousandth of the merit of receiving and worshiping the names of the twenty-five buddhas. These merits will be beyond calculation or comparison through suitable metaphors. Why is this? Sentient beings with few good karmic roots are unable to hear the names of these buddhas. If sentient beings hear the names of these buddhas, then [this indicates that] they had planted good karmic roots, not just in one or ten buddha lands but in one hundred thousand myriads of buddha lands. Only then are they able to hear the names of these buddhas. These people attain buddhahood before a buddha 255

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A Forest of Pearls from the Dharma Garden, Volume III after forty-eight world ages. People who do not believe in the merit of the names of these twenty-five buddhas will be reborn in Avīci Hell and spend the entirety of one hundred world ages there. Śāriputra, when monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen repent their sins, they should bathe, put on fresh clothes, and clean their chambers; set up a high seat and place an image; hang twenty-five banners; offer various flowers and incense; and recite the names of the twenty-five buddhas. For a period of twenty-five days, through the six periods of practice throughout the day and night, they should repent. This will remove such sins as the four and eight grave offenses. This also applies to śikṣamāṇās, novice monks and nuns.

The Wenshushili wen jing (T.468:494b8-16) gives verses of praise for the Buddha:

I worship all the buddhas, unparalleled charioteer, The true Dharma body, one zhang and six chi in height. I also worship the Buddha's stupa

At the place of his birth, where he attained the Way, Turned the Dharma wheel, and entered nirvana, The places where he walked, stood, sat, and lay down. At all these places I worship.

The buddhas are beyond our understanding, The marvelous Dharmas are also thus.

Having faith [in them] we receive the fruit— This too is beyond our understanding.

Those who with these verses

Praise the tathāgatas,

During a period of a thousand myriads of world ages, Will not descend to evil realms of rebirth. The Pusa benxing jing (ref. T.155:122a1-8) says: If an incalculable number of myriads of people were to become pratyekabuddhas, and if someone was to offer these pratyekabuddhas the four kinds of [requisites] for a hundred years, the merit [attained by that person] would be very great, yet it would not equal the infinite amount of merit 256

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one acquires by reciting a single four-phrase verse (gāthā) of praise to the Tathāgata.

The Shangsheng jing (T.1488:1052a21-23) says:

To make the offering to the Tathāgata of [all the] treasures of the four realms under heaven and to praise the Tathāgata sincerely—there is no difference between the merits of these two.

The Dabei jing (T.380:958b3-5) says, "The merits acquired by reciting the Buddha's name even once [enables one] to enter nirvana. This merit is inexhaustible."

[Compiler's] Comment: We now know that in the holy teaching [of buddhas] the merits [acquired by] worshiping the Buddha are beyond understanding. Therefore, practitioners should always be careful and should not fail. The fear is that death ("impermanence") comes suddenly. [At that time] it is not possible to perform the rite of worshiping the Buddha. A mouse driven into a corner has nowhere to which to escape. For this reason, according to a scripture (ref. Da zhuangyan lun, T.201:270b17-27) the World-honored One taught in verse:

Life is like a lamp exposed to wind;

We do not know when it will go out;

Whether today or tomorrow,

Death quickly arrives when we are not aware.

[After death,] in darkness, following the effects of our karma; We do not know in what realm we will be reborn. The Shangsheng jing (T.452:420b28-c2; T.453:420a29-b4, b6-9, 17-20) says:

One who worships Maitreya Buddha is cleared of the sins [accumulated over] a hundred myriad lives and in a future birth will be able to see the Buddha under the dragonflower tree."

Also:

[The Buddha said,] "After my extinction if a member of the fourfold community or one of the eight kinds of supernatural beings hears my name 257

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and pays respect, when that person's life comes to the end they will be reborn in Tuṣita Heaven.

"If men and women who have violated precepts and committed many evil deeds hear the name of this bodhisattva of great compassion, and they throw their bodies to the ground to worship and sincerely repent, all their sins will quickly be cleansed.

"If someone takes refuge in Maitreya Bodhisattva, you should know that they will attain the stage of nonretrogression. When Maitreya achieves buddhahood, that person will see the light of [that] buddha and will receive the prediction of their future attainment of buddhahood." The Zengyi ahan jing (T.125:674a24-27) says:

The Buddha has five merits: first, attractiveness (Note: When [others] see the marks [of the Buddha] they look up to him.); second, possessing a good voice (Note: When [others] see the Buddha they spontaneously say three times, "Namas, Tathāgata, Arhat, Enlightened One."); third, having material wealth (Note: Because [others] worship by offering flowers, incense, and lamps, according to their ability); fourth, having been born in a noble setting (Note: When [others] see him, their minds are free of defilement and they [spontaneously] kneel on their right knees and with joined palms worship him.]; fifth, [he confers on others] rebirth in heaven. (Note: The merit of meditating on the Buddha accords with the Dharma.) The Jingang sanmei jing (T.644:699a18-26) says:

If someone hears the Buddha's superior wisdom even briefly, and they sincerely find joy in it and do not revile it, that person will not fall into inferior realms of rebirth for as long as a hundred thousand world ages, and at the place of rebirth they will meet the Buddha. The merit [acquired by] meditating on the Buddha's Dharma body is unlimited. The Puxianguan jing (T.277:393c5-10) says:

If one worships the buddhas of the ten directions in the six periods of worship throughout the day and night, recites Mahayana sutras, and meditates on the first teaching on the profound Dharma of emptiness, in as 258

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brief a moment as it takes to snap one's fingers, all of their sins, acquired through lives and deaths of as many world ages as there are grains of sand in one hundred myriad nayutas of Ganges Rivers, will be removed. Those who practice like this are true sons [and daughters] of the Buddha. They are born from the Buddha, and take the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions as their preceptor (upādhyāya). They are called those who are fully ordained in the bodhisattva precepts. They do not require the formal karman ritual [of monastic ordination]. Their ordination is achieved spontaneously, and [those ordained in this way] are to receive offerings from all people and gods.

The Niepan jing (Nirvana Sutra, T.374:491a22-23, b5-8; T.375:734b11-12, 23-26) says: If a person offers to the Buddha and Dharma one piece of incense or a lamp, or presents one flower, then that person will be reborn in the Kingdom of the Immovable. If a person guards property that belongs to the Buddha or the sangha, or sweeps and decorates the ground around a buddha image or a monastery, or even a buddha image or a stupa [as small as] a thumb, and they experience joy [in doing so], that person will also be reborn in the Kingdom of the Immovable.

This [Kingdom of the Immovable] is a pure land of the Buddha, always adorned and never affected by the three calamities.

3. Paying Respect Widely

The Dharma body is without form and yet manifests itself [in form everywhere] throughout the ten directions, namely, the four cardinal directions, the four secondary directions (between each of the four cardinal directions), and above and below. The teachings of worldly Confucians all focus on this world (i.e., "continent"), but there are other continents outside of this world. These worlds are never discussed in Confucian sources, either in the past or at present. Buddhist scriptures exhaustively discuss all of the worlds without limit, vertically and horizontally, covering all foreign worlds. Our sahā world [mentioned] in the Buddhist teaching is a world-system that contains ten thousand myriads of suns and moons and is surrounded on all four sides. 259

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A Forest of Pearls from the Dharma Garden, Volume III This is called a buddha land and it is the realm over which Śākyamuni Tathāgata rules. The Huayan jing says:

The land over which Vairocana Buddha's reward body rules is even greater than this in number. It covers all the worlds in the ten directions, and [its scope is] beyond what ordinary beings can comprehend. The Fanwang jing (T.1484:1003c29-1004a3) says:

I, Vairocana

Am about to sit upon the lotus flower seat.

Above the one thousand flowers surrounding it,

Again appear one thousand Śākyamuni Buddhas.

Each flower [contains] a hundred myriads of kingdoms, In each kingdom, one Śākyamuni

Sits under a bodhi tree,

All simultaneously attaining buddhahood.

The scripture speaks of one thousand flowers and one thousand buddhas. Here one [flower] petal is counted as one flower. So, one flower has a thousand petals, [representing] the one thousand buddhas who appear in the world. The Puxianguan jing (T.277:392c16-17) says:

The land in which Vairocana Tathāgata dwells pervades everywhere. [Yet] the [specific] place in which the Buddha dwells is called Eternal Light of Quietude.

This refers to the dwelling of no dwelling, to which all look up and worship with an empty mind. If we speak in terms of ultimate truth, however, there is no [specific and limited] place of dwelling. Thus, the buddha tathāgatas in an infinite number of worlds in the ten directions never cease to teach. Throughout the past, present, and future [the buddhas] teach that [all dharmas] come into being and go out of being. In terms of [ultimate] reality, the holy teaching pervades everything and, in effect, it is identical to the Dharma realm [itself]. It is not possible to limit the discussion to one specific area or to [any single point] in the three periods of time (i.e., past, present, and future). 260

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Now we speak in terms of the present manifestation of the one life of Śākyamuni. So, provisionally, [we speak of] his conception and the eight stages of his life that culminated in enlightenment. For the benefit of those of limited capacity, the Buddha taught the great teaching in gradual stages. Even his parents, relatives, and other worldly nobles worshiped the Tathāgata. How then could inferior beings [like us] fail to worship him? The Foshuo shierming shenzhou chuzhang miezui jing (T.443:318a20c28) says: At that time the World-honored One said to Maitreya Bodhisattva, "Maitreya, to the east of this buddha realm [there are] ten times an incomprehensible number of buddha lands, as many as a hundred myriads of dust particles. Beyond these buddha lands is the buddha land called World of the Lord of Liberation. In that world is a buddha called King of the Dharma Realm of Unobstructed Release from Life, [Equal to] Empty Space, Whose Pure Merits are as Numerous as Minute Particles of Dust, Whose Eyes are Handsome, a Feature of True Merit, Emitting the Flower of Light, of the Padma Lotus Flower's Lapis Lazuli Light, to Whom Offering is Made with Fragrance of the Essence of Jewels, Fragrances of Highest Quality, and Who is Adorned Variously, with the Hair Knot on the Crown of the Head Emitting the Unlimited Light of the Sun and Moon, Adorned with the Power of Vows, and Adorned with [Miraculous] Transformations Tathāgata. "If a man or a woman of a good family commits [one of] the four grave offenses or the five crimes, or he or she has reviled the Three Jewels or committed one of the pārājika [offense]s, that person's sin would be serious. Suppose the ground of this Jambudvīpa world is turned into minute dust particles, and each dust particle [is counted as a unit of time]—[all these units together] would form one world age. [Even if] that person has sins [accumulated] through several world ages, if he or she says the name of this buddha a single time or worships the Buddha even once, all their sins will be removed. If a person upholds, recites, and recalls without forgetting [the scripture], that person's merit would be beyond our comprehension. "In the world of that buddha is a bodhisattva called King Incomparably Free of Obstructions. The Buddha confers on that bodhisattva the prediction of attaining buddhahood in the future. He will become a buddha called 261

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King with the Ūrṇā Flame of the Sun and Moonlight, [Sitting on] the Jeweled Lotus Flower [Seat], with a Body as Firm as Vajra, Who is Like Vairocana Illumining with Unobstructed Eyes the Ten Directions and Shedding Light on All Buddha Lands Tathāgata.

"To the east is the buddha whose name is Pure Light Adorning All Tathāgata.

"To the south is the buddha whose name is Eloquent Jewel Necklace of Thought Tathāgata.

"To the west is the buddha whose name is King Form of the Pure Moon [Tathāgata].

"To the north is the buddha whose name is Flower Decoration Turned into Light Tathāgata.

"To the southeast is the buddha whose name is One Who Makes Lamps Tathāgata.

"To the southwest is the buddha whose name is Form Superior to Jewels Tathāgata.

"To the northwest is the buddha whose name is Contemplation of Fearlessness Tathāgata. "To the northeast is the buddha whose name is Fearless and Unafraid, Completely Calm Tathāgata.

"In the direction below is the buddha whose name is Root of Lion's Resolve Tathāgata.

"In the direction above is the buddha whose name is One Who Resembles the Powerful King of Golden Light Tathāgata." At that time the Buddha said to Maitreya, "When men and women of good families, of correct faith, call the names of these twelve buddhas, they should repent all sins for ten days and take delight in the merit possessed by all sentient beings. They should request all the buddhas to remain in the world forever, and dedicate [the merit of] all good deeds to the Dharma realm. Then all sins will be immediately destroyed and all karmic obstructions will be purified. They will immediately attain full success [in what they seek] and [be able to] adorn all buddha lands. They will have fearlessness. They will have the bodily marks [of the Buddha]. They will be surrounded by bodhisattvas as attendants. They will have infinite [kinds 262

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of] samādhis. They will freely adorn the buddha land, activate supreme wisdom, and receive delightful physical features."

Then the Buddha said in verse:

If men of good families

Or women of good families,

Uphold the names of these buddhas,

In the series of lives in succeeding worlds

They will be beloved of others.

The power of light [emitted by these buddhas] will be great. [These practitioners] will be respected by others in the places where they are born,

And they will later realize buddhahood.

The Shijialuoyue liuxiangbai jing (T.16:250c14-251c19) says: While the Buddha was in this world there was a son of an elder whose name was Śiṅgālaka, who rose early, bathed, put on clothes, and worshiped four times facing each of the six directions. The Buddha came into Rājagṛha and saw this from a distance. The Buddha came to this man's house and asked, "Why do you worship the six directions? On which teaching is this based?" Śiṅgālaka said, "My father taught me while he was alive. I do not know why I am supposed to worship in the six directions." The Buddha said, "The rite your father taught you is not bodily worship." Śiṅgālaka kneeled and said, "Would the Buddha explain to me the meaning of these six practices?"

The Buddha said, "Listen to this. If an elder who is intelligent observes the four precepts and does not violate them, they will be loved by people in this life and later be reborn in heaven. [The four precepts are:] first, do not kill; second, do not steal; third, do not desire other people's women; fourth, do not tell lies. If someone who is greedy, angry, and stupid fails to control himself with these four, such a person is called "moon's darkness"—he is like a waning moon that is about to disappear: its light is very dim. If a person controls his evil intentions [through these precepts], he is like waxing moon that has just reappeared, the light of which begins to shine brightly. On the fifteenth day the moonlight is brightest." 263

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The Buddha said, "Worshiping facing east is about how a child should serve his or her parents. There are five items: first, the child should think of their livelihood; second, the child should get up early [in the morning] and let the servants prepare food [for the parents]; third, one should not increase their parents' distress; fourth, the child should think of the gravity of their debt to their parents; fifth, when the parents are ill the child should be concerned and seek a physician's help. There are also five items regarding the way parents view their child. First, the parent should constantly think of keeping the child away from evil and turning toward the good. Second, the parent should teach the child arithmetic and writing. Third, the parent should teach the child to observe [the teachings of] the sutras and the precepts. Fourth, the parent should arrange for a son to have a wife. Fifth, the parent should give the child everything that belongs to the household.

"Worshiping facing south is about how a student should serve his or her teacher. There are five items. First, the student should pay respect to and praise the teacher. Second, the student should think of their debt to the teacher. Third, the student should follow what the teacher has taught. Fourth, the student should think of the teacher tirelessly. Fifth, the student should follow the teacher [wherever he goes] and praise him. In teaching the student the teacher should be mindful of five things. First, the teacher should work so that the student learns quickly and does not forget [what is taught]. Second, the teacher should [cause] the student to be superior to other people's students. Third, the teacher should not let the student forget what they have learned. Fourth, the teacher should explain fully whatever the student has doubts about and is difficult to understand. Fifth, the teacher should let the student's wisdom be superior to the teacher's. "Worshiping facing west is about how a wife should serve her husband. There are five items. First, when the husband returns home from outside, the wife should rise and welcome him. Second, when the husband is out and away from home, the wife should cook and clean and wait for him. Third, the wife should not entertain any licentious thoughts outside the home. If the husband yells at her she should not respond angrily. Fourth, the wife should always follow her husband's instruction. She should not hide any of her possessions from him. Fifth, when the husband goes to 264

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sleep the wife should cover him and then lie down herself. There are also five items regarding how a husband should view his wife. First, the husband should inform the wife respectfully when he is going out and when he will return, Second, the husband should provide the wife with food and clothing as needed. Third, the husband should give the wife gold, silver, pearl, and jade [ornaments]. Fourth, the husband should entrust everything in the household to the wife. Fifth, the husband should not keep mistresses outside the household.

"Worshiping facing north is about how one should treat their relatives and friends. There are five items. First, if one sees any relative or friend committing an evil deed, he should lead that person to a secluded spot and reprimand him in order to make him stop. Second, if someone encounters even a minor danger, one should quickly come to their aid and offer rescue and protection. Third, one should never tell others what another person said in confidence. Fourth, one should treat others with respect, and vice-versa. Fifth, one should share a portion of whatever one cherishes with their friends and relatives.

"Worshiping facing the ground (i.e, the lower direction, the nadir) is about how a master should treat his male and female servants. There are five items. First, the master should provide food and clothing at appropriate times. Second, when a servant becomes ill the master should call a physician to provide treatment. Third, the master should not wrongly strike or spit at the servant. Fourth, the master should not confiscate their servants' private property. Fifth, when the master gives things to his servants, he should give to all equally. There are also five items regarding how male and female servants should serve their master. First, the servant should rise early [in the morning], not waiting for the master to call him. Second, whatever task the servant does he or she should do it carefully. Third, the servant should value the master's property; a servant should not give away their master's property to someone who begs for it. Fourth, the servant should rise and greet their master whenever he goes out or returns home. Fifth, the servant should praise the master's good deeds and not mention his evil deeds.

"Worshiping facing the sky (i.e., the upward direction, the zenith) is about how one should serve a monk. There are five items. First, one should 265

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A Forest of Pearls from the Dharma Garden, Volume III face the monk with good intentions. Second, one should choose good words when speaking to the monk. Third, one should worship the monk with bodily gestures [of respect and veneration]. Fourth, one should think of the monk with affection. Fifth, one should view the monk as a hero among humans. One should respectfully offer services to the monk and question him regarding the teaching of going beyond the world. There are also six items regarding how a monk should treat ordinary people. First, the monk should teach them to offer donations [to the monastic community] (dāna), and not to be stingy. Second, the monk should teach them to observe the lay precepts (śīla) and not violate them. Third, the monk should teach them the practice of patience (kṣānti), and warn them not to become angry. Fourth, the monk should teach them to make vigorous effort (vīrya) [in practicing the path]; they should not be lazy [in practice]. Fifth, the monk should teach them singlemindedness (i.e., meditation, dhyāna), and how not to become distracted [in practice]. Sixth, the monk should teach them wisdom (prajñā), instructing them so that they do not remain ignorant.

"It is because of these [six] practices (pāramitās) that your father, while alive in this world, taught you to worship the six directions. Why worry about not being rich?"

Hearing this, Śiṅgālaka immediately accepted the five precepts, paid respect [to the Buddha], and departed.

4. Names

The Way and the world are opposed. Name and reality diverge [from each other]. Attainment consists in meeting the truth in mysterious darkness. Why is this so? Whereas in worldly [Confucian] discourse it is not permitted to spell out the [former] names of deceased ancestors, the Buddhist scriptures name the buddhas. If we praise and worship them we will obtain infinite merit. The buddhas and tathāgatas have great compassion and take pity on beings [in the world], letting their spirits descend to the world and giving priority to the task of bringing salvation. If someone sincerely looks up to the buddhas he or she will receive benefits without fail. Saying the name [of the Buddha] aloud (speech), meditating on the name (mind), and physical acts of worship (body)—if one worships in these three ways (i.e., body, 266

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speech, and mind), the three poisons [of worldly existence] will be purified and cooled; one will gradually uproot oneself from this world and become free of its bondage. Praising these Great Virtuous Ones (the buddhas), we acquire merit. Those who follow the worldly stream are different; they spend their whole lives hiding and shunning these names. How can one reach distant ancestors and later generations if we hide and shun their names? [The obscurity of Confucius' mother] Zhengzai illustrates this point. In treatises different buddhas are [provisionally] named and assigned different categories. Each appears to have their own distinctive capacity. Let me illustrate briefly with the names of the buddhas. The buddha called Śākya[muni] in the West[ern Region] (India) is called Nengren ("Capable of Humaneness") here (China), but how could any one buddha not be capable of humaneness? The buddha called Amitābha in the western direction is called Wuliangshou ("Infinite Life") here, but how could any buddha not have a long life span? Similarly, regarding Shangde ("Good Virtue") [Buddha] of the eastern direction and Guangzhongde ("Broad and Many Virtues") [Buddha] in the direction below, how could any buddha not possess good virtue or have broad and many virtues? The same entity is named differently. In terms of their merit, power, and usefulness they are all the same. If we can only conceive in our mind the name of a single buddha, see with our eyes his golden appearance, and worship him with faith, we will acquire an infinite amount of merit. A verse praising the Buddha in the Shizhu piposha lun (T.1521:42a16-19) says: A person who hears the names

And pronounces these names of the buddhas

Will immediately attain infinite merit—

This the Buddha explained to Ratnacandra.

As I worship these buddhas,

They now appear in the ten directions.

Those who pronounce their names

Immediately attain the stage of nonretrogression.

[Compiler's] Comment: "Establish the practice of 'reverently (gong) paying respect (jing) to all (yiqie)'": yi means reaching universally. Qie means beyond all limits. Gong means obediently looking up. Jing means having no other 267

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thought in mind. If we do not chant these characters, our mind scatters in different directions. So, as we control our emotions and reverently pay respect, [the object of] the correct meditation actually appears before us. "Respectfully worship the eternal (changzhu) Three Jewels": the Nirvana Sutra says that if someone hears the two-character phrase changzhu, that person will never fall into the three evil realms of rebirth (the realms of hell, animals, and hungry ghosts) through successive births. The Dharma body [of the Buddha] is fixed and unchanging, so it is eternal (chang). The response body is continuous and unbroken, so it is eternal. The functioning of the transformation body is ceaseless, so it is unchanging. Furthermore, the buddha body is one in substance, and yet we speak of three [bodies] in different contexts. Therefore, Śākyamuni says, "This body of mine is no other than the Dharma body." As the [physical] basis for upholding this Dharma body, we make a sacred image out of wood and clay. If we pay respect and worship it we will obtain infinite merit. If we make light of it and abuse it, we will have committed sins and will receive punishment. After making the image, we offer incense and flowers and mentally perform worship of the Buddha everywhere. Whether the Buddha appears or not, all sentient beings must in equal measure make offerings of incense, flowers, clothing, food and drink, music, and so on. They must never allow these offerings to be stopped. In the Huayan jing bodhisattvas perform offerings; as one [physically] sees a large mountain, a large cloud, a large flower, or a large fire, so one visualizes a fragrant mountain, a fragrant cloud, water of eight superior qualities, seven pure and beautiful flowers. As one mentally forms the thought everything is realized. Similarly, for verdant forests and fruit trees, one practices accordingly. Worshiping the Buddha: In accordance with proper rituals, worship the buddhas of the ten directions, the twenty-five buddhas, the thirty-five buddhas, the fifty-three buddhas, the one thousand buddhas of the world age of the wise, the ten thousand and five thousand buddhas, and so on. The practice of reciting their names and the mental discipline has been described above. "Repentance": For all acts of repentance, whether of grave or minor sins, as one repents or teaches others to repent, take delight in seeing it performed. The truth must be exposed and thus one repents former offenses—in distress, with regret and sorrow filling one's eyes. If one fails to be instructed they 268

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necessarily undergo long suffering and death. Details of the instruction appear in the chapter on repentance below.

Requesting the Buddha to teach: In utmost sincerity we present the request. The buddhas see sentient beings, not discriminating between the great and the lesser, and wish to fulfill their requests. [Accordingly,] they do not abandon their present life [to enter nirvana]. They vow to remain [in the world] for many world ages and bring salvation to sentient beings. "Joy": One gives rise to the feeling of joy when others acquire merit. "Redirecting karmic merit": This means dedicating all the merit one has acquired toward realization of the supreme path.

"Making the vow": "Vow" incites practice and activates it. If one has made a vow but there is no action, then the vow is empty. If there is action but no vow, then the action is abandoned. (When there is a vow, the action is not abandoned.) Because there is an action the vow is not empty. When vow and action assist each other, the fruit of realization will not be empty (absent). Therefore, even in repenting a sin, one makes a vow or wish that for certain one will not be reborn in inferior realms. These are the universal features [of worshiping the buddhas]. Beyond these it is necessary to take into consideration the circumstances in putting these teachings into practice.

5. Comparative

Explanation

[Compiler's] Comment (ref. Shimen guijing, T.1896:862a22-c7): I describe here the appearances of ritual, which vary according to locality and time. We practice in accordance with the custom of the country, while maintaining a spirit of reverence ("paying respect") as the foundation. Beginners do not understand this practice without studying it. So I explain it here in detail in order to make clear what they have not yet heard. Learned virtuous people naturally would not ask for this. However, the practice of paying respect in Central India differs from that in China. There people worship less and understand more. Here people worship more and understand less. There people show reverence by wearing robes that expose their shoulders and going barefooted. Here people pay respect with their bodies covered by clothes and wearing shoes. The different appearances of monastics and laypeople [in 269

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India] can be compared to the extraordinary show of magicians [in China]. One knows the ritual in detail but applies it in accordance with circumstances. In ceremonies at court we are most diligent in the three aspects, bodily, verbal, and mental, of ritual performance. When time is limited we abbreviate some of the actions [that involve] the four limbs. What matters is the core essence. Wisdom emerges without thinking. Expressing reverence and extreme sorrow— this is what is common between ritual practice as done in India and in China. The Chuyao jing (T.212:733a8-10) says:

The ritual for laymen, the ritual for renunciants, the ritual for greater people of the Way, the ritual for lesser people of the Way—these [rituals] are the foundations of the practice in which good deeds lead to rebirths [in better realms]. Through such acts one is reborn in superior realms. This passage clearly shows that faith and proper ritual are the beginning of the path. This teaching should not be hidden. I therefore offer a preface prescribing it.

Among secular [Chinese] writings the Rites of Zhou speak of nine categories of worship, or greeting (bai). This is from the section on the office of tazhu ("ritual specialist"). This is not a Buddhist teaching. Nonetheless, in ritual the noble practice comes out of worldly customs. The first is called jishoubai ("holding head greeting"), with which subjects greet their ruler. They bow their heads [close to] the ground for a short while. The second is called dunshoubai ("hitting-head greeting"), with which princes that have gathered to make peace with their enemies greet each other. They bow their heads but do not let them touch the ground. The third is called kongshoubai ("empty greeting"), with which the ruler responds to his subjects. He bows his head to the level of his hands [held together in front]. This is called hand worship. The fourth is called zhendongbai ("greeting by hitting one's two hands together"), in which grave respect is expressed in trembling movements. The fifth is called jibai ("auspicious greeting"), in which one greets and then bows the forehead [close to] the ground (jisang). This applies to the cases below qishuai ("sewn-linen mourning robe") and buzhang ("without a cane"). It is called ji ("auspicious") but it was the xiongbai ("inauspicious worship") of [the preceding] Yin dynasty. Under the Zhou dynasty, because of its similarity with the practice of dunshou, [described above,] which is auspicious, 270

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it is called ji ("auspicious"). One first performs jishoubai [as described above], and then jisang. Sang means "forehead." If the forehead touches the ground then one has deviated from the proper rite. The sixth is called xiongbai ("inauspicious worship"). One first performs jisang and then dunshou. This is the worship of those engaged in the three-year mourning period. The seventh is called qibai ("singular greeting"). One bends one's knees. It is today's yabai ("elegant greeting"). According to one theory, this is the greeting the ruler gives once when he answers a subject. The eighth is called baobai ("return greeting"). Bao means "to return." Returning a greeting means greeting twice. It is also said that baobai is the greeting used by today's imperial messengers. They greet twice, both the deity and his medium. The ninth is called subai ("respectful greeting"). One only looks down at one's own hands. It is called yi today. It is also a women's greeting. Subai may be repeated up to three times. Kongshoubai and qibai are performed only once. Others may be repeated twice. The above is taken from the scriptural accounts of worldly rites. Zheng Kangcheng (Zheng Xuan) explained them in this way, on the basis of the status [of the people involved].

In the Buddhist teaching the rite of jing ("paying respect") is given first. There are two broad categories, namely body and mind. The Buddha's teaching considers the mind as fundamental and the body as secondary. Therefore, when [the Buddha returned from heaven, having given instruction to his mother,] Subhūti sat in a quiet room and the Tathāgata praised him, saying that Subhūti worshiped by seeing the Dharma body. When the nun Utpalavarṇā came to the jeweled staircase [where the Buddha had returned] earlier, the Tathāgata criticized her as worshiping the transformation body. For this reason we learn that by meditating in a quiet place we walk the path in every moment of thought. Observing forms and projecting appearances as in a mirror, changing again and again, belongs to the worldly. Unable to transcend the distinction between subject and object, which appear simultaneously in seeing, the wrong view of the self appears. This obstructs the Way.

Therefore, the Buddha made a distinction between bodily and mental acts of worship. One should identify forms as conditioned arising from emptiness and contemplate the realm of objects as the creation of mind, which arises chaotically and always pollutes the fundamental purity [of the mind]. In our worldly knowing and consciousness deluded thoughts remain impure. 271

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A Forest of Pearls from the Dharma Garden, Volume III When [such] thoughts are shown to be empty, these conditioned thoughts cease. Wherever one may reside now, exert utmost effort in controlling [the mind]. In this way, deluded thought may be stopped. Then from moment to moment the thought that arises gradually becomes pure spontaneously. One should always practice two kinds of contemplation [simultaneously], and never practice one of them alone. These are as follows: in knowing that [when we see] objects there is [in fact] no realm of objects [as the object]—this constitutes gradually departing from worldly [truth]; in knowing that when we have consciousness there is [in fact] no mind [as the subject of consciousness]—this constitutes gradually turning toward absolute [truth]. If one cultivates in this way for a long time, everything will become clear and all that one practices [to achieve] over three asaṃkhyeya kalpas (an innumerable number of world ages) will be accomplished.

The Daci jing (Dabei jing, T.380:957b6-9, 957b12-c17) says: The Buddha said to Ānanda, "Salutation to the Buddha" (nanwu fo; Skt. namo 'stu buddhāya) is the vocal sound that is definitively [connected] to the names of the buddhas. For this reason we recite "Salutation to the Buddhas." In the past there was a great merchant [who was traveling on a boat]. When a massive makara fish was about to swallow a merchant's boat he recited the salutation to the Buddha's name and they all escaped the calamity. When the fish heard the Buddha's name it entertained good thoughts and gave up its body. In a later rebirth the makara fish renounced the householder's life and become a follower of the Buddhist path. If a person hears the Buddha's name, listens to his preaching of the true Dharma, and personally plants good karmic roots at the Buddha's place, he or she will necessarily receive benefits.

The Shisong lü (T.1435:280a21-23) says:

The Buddha said to Upāli, "One says '[I] worship' (henan; Skt. vande) verbally, and if one bends one's back, that is designated as mental purity. When a monk gives a greeting he rises from his seat, bares the right shoulder, removes his shoes, kneels with the right knee touching the ground, and with both hands gently touches the feet of the person seated above, and greets him."

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[Compiler's] Comment: The passage speaks of vande, which is a Sanskrit word. [The term is] sometimes rendered as namo or ponan. These are not [strictly] correct. The original correct form [of the term] is pandan/vande, in Chinese "I worship (li)." Some render it as guili. Gui is one's true feeling. Li is the ultimate aim of reverence (jing). Some give guiming ("entrust one's life to"); its meaning is same as nanwu/namas. When li (principle) and shi (concrete manifestation) agree with each other, the expression of feeling is fully realized. When worldly people value [the Sanskrit] namas and neglect [the Chinese] jing (reverence) and li (rites), they show ignorance of the relationship between the original terms and their translations. Why then should one add [to the word henan [to the names of venerable teachers]? The buddhas will become confused and they will burst out laughing! Nanwu/namas is translated in the Shanjianlü (Samantapāsādikā, T. 1462) as entrusting one's life (guiming) to the Enlightened One and as paying respect to great elders. Henan is translated in the Zhuyao yili as paying respect reverently; in the Shanjianlü it is translated as [requesting] that [someone] brings salvation to oneself. To speak on the basis of these explanations, since paying respect reverently and acknowledging that [someone] brings salvation to one would apply broadly to holy and worldly beings, how could henan be confined only to the venerable teacher? It should be used broadly for all saintly ones that rescue living beings. In the scripture, when one comes to the Buddha, one gives a salutation (nanwu; Skt. namas) to the One Who is Free From All Attachment, Arhat, who has achieved supreme enlightenment. Here one praises verbally the Tathāgata's virtues.

6. The Sitting Mat

[Compiler's] Comment: The sutras and vinayas do not speak of using a sitting mat [when worshiping the Buddha]. They speak only of "taking off one's footwear and paying respect [by bowing] to [the Buddha's] feet." Here I examine the use of the sitting mat in light of concrete practical needs (shi) and in accordance with the [appropriate] principle (li). The Sifen lü says, "To protect the body, the robe, and the monk's bedding, [the Buddha] permitted possession of a sitting mat" (ref. T.1428:694a24-25). Here it is made clear 273

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that [the sitting mat] is permitted for the benefit of keeping one's body and robes neat and clean.

The sitting mat is originally a tool used when one sits [in meditation]. Therefore, for worshiping [the Buddha] one does not spread it out [to perform worship]. When the Tathāgata is about to sit down a mat is always spread out [for him]. Following this practice, a monk also spreads his own mat himself when he sits [down to practice meditation]. He must not allow others to spread the sitting mat for him. We now see that when Indian monks arrive to worship before a buddha [image], they shift the lower part of the robe, kneel with one knee to the ground, and then kneel completely with joined palms. They verbally praise the Buddha and then perform dingli (bowing the head to the ground). This is the ancient practice that still survives. We should reverently practice worship according to this model. Today, when monks and nuns come before a buddha [image], they allow others to spread their sitting mats [for them]. This is arrogant and falls short of reverently expressing respect. Waiting before the buddha [image] until one's seat is set up and only then performing worship—this too is not allowed. To first sit down on a chair and then worship—this also shows lack of respect. When one sees an honored elder, one should quickly greet him. How could one first look for a seat [before greeting]? When seeing a king, one should [immediately] worship him. How could one do so while [sitting] in a chair? Human kings are generally honored but do not stand high as objects of reverence. How can they be compared to a Dharma King? Even if one makes an excessive gesture of worshiping him, in the end such gestures become an expression either of arrogance or laziness. Therefore, the Sanqianyi jing says, "One should not pay respect (li) while sitting on a seat (T.1470:916b17). 7. The Ritual Manual

for Ceremony

[Compiler's] Comment: This section treats five rituals. First, I explain [the ritual of] removing one's footwear. This expresses extreme reverence. In this land (China) when ministers take part in the morning audience at the court, they gather in the inner courtyard and do not take off their footwear. However on certain specific occasions when they ascend and enter the palace building, they remove both their swords and their footwear. This is the ancient practice, 274

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not a recent invention. In India the land is large and the weather is hot. They make footwear out of leather and wear it according to regulations. When one meets a superior, one takes off one's footwear. In other cold countries, following this practice, people wear footwear and during ceremonies they take it off to show respect. Laypeople wear shoes when they come to worship. Inside the temple precinct they do not take them off but when they come into the buddha hall they remove their footwear.

Second, I explain [the ritual of ] exposing one side [of the upper body] (piantan). The Vinaya instructs that monks should expose their "right shoulder," or that they should expose "one shoulder," or that they should expose "one arm." The word tan refers to exposing one's upper body. [This practice] indicates that in following the study [of the path] one also engages in [physical] labor. In everyday life (in China) people say, "If you roll up your sleeves [and get to work], everything is taken care of peacefully." This refers to the same thing. Today [in China] monks expose one shoulder but still wear an undershirt. This does not accord with the teaching of exposing a shoulder. The Da zhuangyan lun (T.201:269b11) mentions that the right shoulders of Buddhist monks are "black." This refers to the practice in question. Non-Buddhist [naked ascetics] are black all over their body. [Buddhist] renunciants expose the right [side]. Herein lies the difference. The Vinaya allows only three robes. They are all worn over the shoulders. When one sees an elder, one exposes one side. To cover [both shoulders] with clothing and still speak of exposing a shoulder—this is laughable. Thus, one should know that one exposes the skin of the shoulder. This is the extreme form of paying respect. In performing ceremonies, one must consider who is present. When one engages in a repentance rite or worship before the Buddha or monastic teachers, one must expose one's right shoulder as an expression of reverence. If one is outside of the monastery, walking through the streets, one should cover the shoulder with the robe and not expose the skin. The climate of the Western Region (India) is very hot and humid, so the practice [of exposing the shoulder] is not strange, but this country (China) is a cold place and people will laugh at monks [if they walk around with their right shoulders bare]. Therefore, the Wufenlü says, "In other places where [what has been instructed] in my words proves to be impure, it is not a fault if one does not observe it." 275

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Third, I explain the gesture of showing reverence. The Vinaya says, "Concentrate the mind, hold the ten fingers and the palms of one's hands together, and worship the Lion of the Śākya Clan (i.e., Śākyamuni)." It also says, "When placing the hands together as one addresses the Buddha, one forms an expression of reverence and [this gesture] controls the mind and does not allow it to be distracted. It is difficult to prevent the mind from becoming attached to desires [and becoming distracted], so one presses one's palms together in order to concentrate the mind." Today people worship the Buddha often [cursorily] by holding the [corresponding] fingers [of both hands] together but they fail to hold the palms together, or they hold the palms together but leave the fingers apart. This causes the mind to become arrogant and unfocused. It is better to keep the fingers apart but hold the palms together. Do not hold the fingers together while keeping the palms apart. [If you do this] seeking merit, to the contrary you invite the fault of arrogance. Having mastered the rite of concentrating the mind and holding the palms together, one must worship by touching the ground with the five wheels of one's body (the two elbows, the two knees, and the head). The Dichilun says, "One should make the five wheels [of the body] touch the ground and worship." The Ahan jing says: The two elbows and the two knees, and the crown [of the head] constitute the five wheels. Wheels are round and these five places [of the body] are all round. They enable [the body] to move up and down and turn around, performing meritorious deeds. Because they turn a lot they are called wheels. Today when Western (i.e., Indian) monks worship they lift [the lower part of their robe] to expose their knees and then touch the ground first with their elbows. They hold their palms upward in the gesture of touching [the superior's] feet. Today [in China] we observe that [monks] push against the ground with two hands and place both legs behind them. The head does not touch the ground. This too constitutes arrogance.

After mastering the rite of touching the ground with the five wheels [of the body], one must learn the practice of kneeling on the right knee in the foreign style (hugui). Scriptures often describe kneeling in the foreign style. The expressions hugui and zhangchi both refer to the Indian rite of paying respect. There is nothing mysterious about them. They describe the posture 276

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of kneeling with either one's right or left knee touching the ground. This is the rite for presenting requests or expressing repentance. Fourth, I explain the rite of paying respect. The Shenglun speaks of pannamei (Skt. vandāmi); it refers to what is called li ("to greet") in China. The Dazhidu lun (T.1509:131a1, 495b9-11, 751a24-26) says: There are three kinds of li ("ceremonial greeting"). One is called verbal greeting (Note: it entails simply saying henan [Skt. vande]; this is the lowest form of ceremonial greeting.) The second entails bending the knees but not touching the ground (Note: this is the middle form of ceremonial greeting.) The third entails touching the ground with one's head (Note: this is the highest form of ceremonial greeting.)

The lowest is bending. The middle is kneeling. The highest is lowering the head to the ground.

There are three ways in which bodhisattva greets the Buddha. One is discussed in the chapter on repentance, the second in the chapter on joyfully redirecting merit, and the third in the chapter on requesting the Buddha [to preach].

Question: Is ceremonial greeting (li) only an activity of the body, or is it an activity that includes all three types of acts [of body, speech, and mind]? Answer: It involves all three types of acts. Placing the five wheels [of the body] on the ground is not performed well without physical action. Promoting the name [of the buddhas] and singing hymns are not performed well without the act of speech. Entertaining thoughts in the mind as if they are reflected in a mirror placed in front of oneself is not performed well without mental activity. For the Buddha's eyes physical worship of the body is needed. For the gods' ears verbal chanting through speech is needed. For other beings' minds the mental action of thinking is needed. From the verbal activity of chanting, wisdom attained through hearing is realized. From the mental activity of thinking, wisdom attained through reflection is realized. From the physical activity of worship, wisdom attained through spiritual cultivation is realized. From the physical activity of worship the study of precepts is realized. From the mental activity of thinking the study of meditation is realized. From the verbal activity of chanting the study of wisdom is realized. In this way [all forms of practices] can be neatly explained [in terms of the 277

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three kinds of activities of body, speech, and mind]. Generally speaking the three kinds of study [of precepts (śīla), meditation (samādhi), and wisdom (prajñā)] are subsumed under the three kinds of activities. Fifth, I explain distinguishing the correct and incorrect forms of worship (ref. Shimen guijing, T.1896:865a2-c10). The origin of this teaching on worship (li) goes back to the beginning of the Qi period. An Indian monk called Lena observed that ordinary people here [in China], those who live in a peripheral land, are not skilled in rites and their emotions are no different from those of monkeys and horses. With compassion welling from his heart, he compiled an essay on the seven kinds of worship. The text of the essay was extensive, so I summarize it here. The discussion moves from the coarse to the fine, treating the coarse as the incorrect form of worship and the fine as the correct. So seven levels are distinguished; the emphasis is on the last three. The first level is called the worship of an arrogant self. It is based on one's rank and lacks a sense of reverence and respect. The person is confident of his virtue and does not have the feeling of looking up to the teacher. He feels ashamed if he has to ask questions of an inferior, and does not accept advice. Mentally he does not depend on the Dharma, and even when he performs an act of worship his mind is preoccupied with external things, moving around like a pestle going up and down, without gaining anything. He performs the form [of worshiping] but his mind does not focus on any object [of worship]. Failing to take life seriously and making light of the path, his efforts are in vain. Externally he appears to be reverent but he is increasingly arrogant and deluded within. Like a man made of wood, emotion is neglected. The [five] wheels [of the body, the four limbs and the head] do not take part in the ritual action, and the three aspects of ritual action [of body, speech, and mind] are scattered. This is called the worship of one who is arrogant. The second level is the worship of chanting for reputation. Even though this is free of arrogance, there is nothing pure in the person's thought. While roughly correct in his ritual deportment, both his body and mind are deceitful in pretending to be reverent. In public he appears to be busily performing worship but when other people have gone away his body becomes lazy and his mind tired. He appears to be reverent and may offer very limited assistance but acquires little merit from this worship. This is not a true offering of 278

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respect. Because it involves a combination of verbal chanting and distracted mind, it is called the worship of chiming-in chanting.

The third level is worship with a reverent and respectful body and mind. [The practitioner] hears and chants the Buddha's name and visualizes the Buddha's body as if the Buddha was standing in front of him, endowed with all the primary and secondary marks, adorned, and emitting bright light. When the mental image is complete, the practitioner thanks the Buddha, who then rubs the crown of his head to remove sins. With this, both body and mind express reverence and respect. Free of other thoughts, the practitioner respectfully presents offerings. His feeling of reverence knows no limit. The [Buddha] appears before one as a mental vision and focuses on removing ignorance. The highest and supreme goal of this form of worship is to guide gods and humans [to better rebirths]. Its merit is great but it still falls short of realizing wisdom. [Those who practice this way] often later retrogress. This is called the worship of body and mind.

The fourth level is worship that produces wisdom and purity. Because it reaches the realm of the buddhas, the mind of wisdom [it realizes] is clear and sharp and brings about deep knowledge of the Dharma realm (or reality). Fundamentally there is no [such thing as] obstruction. Yet one ("I") has followed worldly conventions from the infinitely distant beginning, and for that reason one thinks of [things] as "existing" though [ultimately] there is no existence, and thinks of obstruction though there is no [such thing as] obstruction. Now [at this level of worship] one has reached the realization that one's own mind is empty and there is no obstruction. When one practices worship of the Buddha, one freely achieves clear insight.

To worship one Buddha is to worship all the buddhas. All the buddhas are identical with one Buddha. Because the Buddha and the Dharma body are one reality, merged perfectly together, to worship one buddha is to worship the entire Dharma realm. The same can be said about offerings of incense, flowers, and other things. In worshiping the Dharma (the Buddha's teaching) and the Sangha (the monastic community), one acts in the same way. In spite of the distinction between the three (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha), in essence there is no difference. Therefore, the names of the three vehicles differ but their essence, which is liberation, is the same. So, one [act of] worship is all 279

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worship; all worship is one worship. Realizing access to the Three Jewels in this way, all sentient beings in the three spheres, the six realms of birth, and the four types of birth equally form the thought (vision) of the Buddha, make offerings, and worship the Buddha. If one purifies body and mind, one is free of obstruction anywhere. As one meditates on the Buddha's realm, the mind becomes clearer. If one treats each ritual gesture of greeting and rising as an act that expresses respect and recognizes the superiority [of the Buddha], then the effect of that ritual action will be endless, the karmic rewards will be unlimited. This is called worship that produces wisdom. The fifth level is worship that enters everywhere in the Dharma realm. The practitioner meditates and visualizes his own body and mind as being equal to the Dharma (reality); from the infinitely distant beginning they have never been separated from the Dharma realm. He is located neither outside or inside of the Buddha's body, nor outside or within himself. His essential nature is ultimately nonexistent, free of increase and decrease. When he worships one Buddha now, he reaches all the buddhas. His body reaches all pure stages of the three vehicles. His body pervades everywhere, just as the Buddha pervades everywhere. The Dharma realm has two aspects: empty and existent; there are two kinds of karmic consequences: primary and secondary. One presents offerings for adornment regardless of expense and as extensively as is appropriate for the circumstances. He does not leave the Dharma realm and follow his mind without obstruction. He presents both [physical and mental] offerings and joyfully performs the worship of bowing his head to the ground.

Suppose there is a room filled with ten thousand mirrors and someone looks into one of the mirrors. The image [of the person] will appear in all the mirrors in that room. The body of the Buddha is more pure [and more reflective] than a mirror. As different figures appear one after another, the mirror always reflects them all and their images always appear in the mirror. These images are then captured in all the other mirrors. As different images appear in the mirrors, they are all separate. One body is reflected everywhere in this way; the same applies to the bodies of ordinary and saintly beings in all Dharma realms. Each object that is offered all contributes to the delight [of offering], and [with each object everything else is] equally offered. Those who have eyes see; those who don't fail to observe. If one practices and 280

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studies in this way the ritual teaching of the Dharma realm will prove greatly beneficial.

Therefore, the Dichilun (T.1581:925c5-6) speaks of making offerings in the presence of the Buddha and making offerings without the presence of the Buddha. Making offerings without the presence of the Buddha is superior to making offerings in the presence of the Buddha, because it is harder to perform successfully. Knowing that my body is contained within the Buddha's body, how can I in confusion and out of delusion commit evil deeds without feeling shame? The powers and efficacy of the buddhas are equal and their names are the same. Whatever name is recited, all names are recited. For example, if one recites the name Śākya[muni] and worships him, one invites all the buddhas without exception. In India they say Śākya[muni]; here (in China) we say Nengren ("Capable of Benevolence"). How could there be any buddha who is not capable of benevolence? In India they say Amitābha; here we say Wuliangshou ("Infinite Life"). How could there be any buddha who does not have a long life span? In India they say Maitreya; here we say Cishi ("Compassionate Surname"). How could there be a buddha whose surname is not compassionate? The Dazhidu lun says, "The power of one buddha is equal to the power of all the buddhas. The power of all buddhas is equal to the power of one buddha" (She dasheng lun shi, T.1595:254a10-11). Even if all the buddhas except for one buddha failed to teach sentient beings, due to the exception of that one buddha, the power and efficacy of his teaching will reach everywhere in the Dharma realm. This is called worship that enters everywhere in the Dharma realm.

The sixth level is called worship of correct contemplation and sincere cultivation. This makes clear that one worships onself as the Buddha. One does not depend on another reality or another self to worship the Buddha. Why is this so? All sentient beings inherently have buddha-nature, namely, the original enlightenment that does not make distinctions. In accordance with the Dharma realm the mechanism of dependent origination flourishes. It is through delusion that one worships only other selves (i.e., "bodies"). One's self ("body") is buddha-nature but one mistakenly perceives it as evil. If one practices mistakenly in this way, one turns the point of the practice upside down. Believing that one's self is extremely evil and has nothing to do with buddha-nature, one mistakenly worships other people's selves and no benefit 281

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will result in the end. Sentient beings are deluded; even when minute amounts of goodness are activated they turn the Dharma realm and instruments of offering into the worship of other selves. From the infinitely distant beginning not even one lamp, one piece of incense, one greeting, or one meal is offered to the buddha-nature of oneself. If one reflects on one's own original enlightenment, liberation will follow for certain. Therefore, the Vimalakīrti Sutra (T.475:554c29-555a1) says, "As you contemplate oneself as the reality, contemplate the Buddha in the same way." Also: Do not contemplate the Buddha, do not contemplate the Dharma, do not contemplate the Sangha [as separate entities], because one should view oneself and other selves as the same, as the true essence of dharmas. Because one's mind is pure, one's self-nature dwells in buddha-nature. To exert power to cultivate illumination means bringing out the buddha-nature [in oneself]. Attaining the perfect fruit [of cultivation] through three infinitely long asaṃkhyeya kalpas means attaining the perfect fruit, namely buddhanature. The attainment of the marvelous goal is limited to great saintly beings, yet still ordinary beings that have not mastered the sudden cultivation must understand that when traveling over long distances one must depend upon oneself. If one wishes to see buddha-nature one must contemplate the Buddha of oneself; the same applies to the Dharma and the Sangha. The essence is one and nondual. This is called the worship of correct contemplation. The seventh level is worship of true reality beyond distinctions. In broad outline it does not differ from the previous one, which still reifies worship and contemplation. It distinguishes self and others. Now, in this worship there is no distinction between self and other. Ordinary and saintly beings are one suchness. They are the same in essence and their activities merge together into suchness that is [ultimately] free of distinctions. There is no difference between the ancient and the present. Seeing a buddha, one honors and worships him. Seeing ordinary beings, one despises and treats them arrogantly. If you think in this way, you suffer from one-sided attachment. Thus, the Perfection of Wisdom Scripture (T.235:751c24-25; T.236:756a25-26) says: The Dharma is free of distinctions. The distinction between high and low is absent. This is called anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi ("supreme, perfect enlightenment").

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Because true reality is separate from thought, it is not possible to grasp it with the mind. It is not proper to seek for it as [some kind of] appearance. It is not proper to worship it. It is not proper to despise it; one should go beyond high and low and transcend honoring and despising. Quietude and agitation share a common source; reverence and negligence are firmly equal. One pacifies one's mind with this understanding—this is called worship free of distinctions.

The Wenshu liwen (ref. Rulai zhuangyan zhihui guangming ru yiqiefo jingjie jing, T.357:247c17) says, "[Dharmas] do not come into being nor go out of being. For this reason in worship there is no contemplation [of a specific dharma]." When ordinary people, shallow in understanding, hear of this one [view of] worship they react by reviling it. People with superior wisdom practice freedom from distinction internally while following the cultivation of worship externally. The internal and the external fit together. This is called worship of freedom from distinctions.

The Zengyi ahan jing says in verse (T.125:707c24-27; 708a17-20): If one wishes to worship the Buddha of the past, of the future, or Even of the present, one should contemplate him in the light of the emptiness of the Dharma.

If one wishes to worship the Buddha of the past, of the future, or of the present, and worship many buddhas,

One should think in the light of the absence of self. First among good deeds is worship.

At the beginning there were no faults.

[If all is] empty, then there is no teaching of liberation. This is the meaning of worshiping the Buddha.

If one wishes to worship the Buddha of the future, of the past, One should contemplate the emptiness and inexistence of dharmas. This is called the meaning of Buddha worship.

[Concluding] verses say:

I worship the Three Jewels, and

Take refuge in [the buddhas of] the ten directions. I look up and honor them—

This increases good fortune and removes misfortune, 436a

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A Forest of Pearls from the Dharma Garden, Volume III The path of the working [of the Buddha's teaching] is unusual, But in his compassion [the Buddha] invites all to the fragrant [realm]. Both the manifest and the hidden [workings of his teaching] are activated,

And the effects of his teaching reach everywhere.

Even if one is born in this land,

One is miraculously invited to go to the remarkable land [of the Buddha]. One receives the audience of the Buddha [there] and attains joy and happiness.

One's fortunes are increasingly expanded.

The nature of the Dharma transcends dual distinctions. What effect should arbitrary distinctions make?

When one worships once reverently and sincerely,

The effect pervades everywhere, over an incalculably wide area. Miracle Story

(One story is summarized here:) In the Tang dynasty (618-907 C.E.), Li Shanlong.

Li Shanlong of Pingyi, Commander of the Palace Guard of the Left, died suddenly during the Wude period (618-26 C.E.). The area above his heart did not turn cold but remained warm like the palm of a hand. His family did not dare bury him. After seven days he revived and told the following story. When he died he was arrested by an officer of the realm of the dead and taken to a government office. The building was very large, and there were thousands of prisoners in the courtyard. Some were put in the pillory and chained; others were handcuffed and shackled. They all stood facing north, and they filled the courtyard. The officer brought Shanlong to the lower end of the court. A heavenly official sat in a high chair. Guards stood by him as if he was a king. Shanlong asked the officer [who had brought him there] where he was, and the officer answered, "This is the king [of the realm of the dead]." Shanlong proceeded to the bottom of the staircase. The king asked, "What meritorious deeds did you do while you were alive?" Shanlong answered, "Every time villagers held a vegetarian feast and a lecture, I always made donations." The king said, "What did you do yourself?" Shanlong answered, 284

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"I [learned to] recite two rolls of the Lotus Sutra." The king said, "Excellent. You may ascend the staircase."

[Li] Shanlong went up. At the northeastern end of the room was a high seat, which looked like a lecturer's seat. The king pointed to it and told Shanlong to sit on the high seat and recite the scripture. As Shanlong obediently approached the seat, the king stood up and declared, "I request the Dharma master to come up and sit upon the seat." Shanglong went up and sat. The king then sat down facing him. Shanlong opened the scripture and said, "The Sutra of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma, roll 1, Introduction." The king said, "Please come down from the seat." Shanlong came down and again stood at the bottom of the staircase.

As he looked back, he saw that none of the prisoners remained in the courtyard. The king told Shanlong, "The merit of your recitation of the sutra did not only benefit you. All the prisoners in the courtyard heard it and have been pardoned. How could this not be good! Now you are released and may return." Shanlong bowed and took leave, but after a dozen steps the king called him back, saying to the officer, "Let this person visit all the hells one after another."

The officer then led Shanlong eastward. After a hundred steps or so, he saw a massive iron fort. A roof covered the fort. On the side wall were numerous windows of different sizes, some shaped like ullambana bowls. Shanlong saw men and women fly up from the ground and go in through the windows, and they did not come back out. Shanlong was puzzled and asked about this. The officer said, "This is the Great Hell. There are different sections inside, corresponding to different [degrees of] sin. In accordance with his or her original karma, each person goes to a different hell and receives punishment." Hearing this Shanlong was distressed and said, "Praise to the Buddha (nanwu fo)." He asked the officer to lead him outside.

At the gate of the complex he saw a large cauldron, with fire ablaze and boiling water. Next to it two people sat dozing. When Shanlong asked about it, the two explained, "As our retribution we entered this boiling water. Thanks to your saying "Praise to the Buddha," all sinners in this hell have been given a day for rest and sleep." Shanlong again said, "Praise to the Buddha." The official [taking Shanlong around] said, "There are several different government offices, which take turns carrying out government business. Now 285

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the king has released you. You had better ask the king for a note. Otherwise those in the other offices, not knowing of the pardon, might arrest you again." [Li] Shanlong immediately went to see the king and requested a note confirming his pardon. The king ordered a sheet of paper to be brought and he wrote a line on it. He gave it to the officer, saying, "Get signatures from the [offices of] the five realms of rebirth." Following this order, the officer took Shanlong to two government sections. Each building was guarded in the same way. The officer sent by the king got the signatures from these government offices. The staff at each office wrote one line, and gave the document to Shanlong.

Shanlong brought the note to the gate. Three people [there] said to Shanlong, "The king released you. Would you leave something, large or small, for us?" Before Shanlong said anything the officer [who was accompanying him] told him, "This is not a condition for the king's release, but these three are the messengers that arrested you before. One is master of ropes. He bound you with a red rope. One is the master of sticks. He hit your head with a stick. One is a master of bags. He sucks out your qi with a bag. Seeing that you have been released, they are begging for gifts." Shanlong, frightened, said to the three, "I don't know you. Please let me prepare the gifts when I return home. Only I don't know where to send them?" The three said, "Burn them under a tree near a body of water." Shanlong agreed. The officer then took him home.

Shanlong saw his relatives crying and arranging funerary implements. He went into the chamber and reentered the corpse, and then came back to life. Some days later he cut up paper in the shapes of money, food, and wine, and took them himself to a place near water where he burned them. Suddenly, the three people came to thank him, saying, "We are obliged that you did not betray our trust and sent us these gifts. We are grateful." After saying this, they disappeared.

Shanlong himself told this story to the head of Zongchi Monastery, who in turn related it to Tang Ling. (This story comes from the Mingbao ji [compiled by Tang Ling], T.2082:795c12-796b4; ref. Ji shenzhou sanbao gantong lu, T.2145:341a13-22.)

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