Daily Prayer

Tolling of the Bell. When you hear the bell tolls, press the palms together to greet the processional of ministers.

The Verse for Incense Offering. In the beginning of a service, the officiant offers incense to purify our body and mind, and the place where we call upon Buddhas to enter.

GAN GA SHIN JO NYO KO RO
GAN GA  SHIN  NYO  CHI E  KA
NEN  NEN  BON  JO  KAI JO  KO
KU  YO  JI- PPO  SAN  ZE  BU

I pray that my body may be as pure as an incense pot.
I pray that my heart may be as pure as the flame of wisdom.
Aspiring to observe the Buddhist precepts and attain tranquility of our mind, I sincerely offer incense and worship the Buddhas in the ten directions of the universe that exist over the three periods of time.

Taking refuge in the Three Treasures in Buddhism (Buddha, Dharma Sangha).

I- SSHIN  KYO RAI JI- PPO HO KAI JO JU BU
I- SSHIN  KYO RAI JI- PPO HO KAI JO JU HO
I- SSHIN  KYO RAI JI- PPO HO KAI JO JU SO

I bow in reverence to the Buddhas who permanently exist in the lands of the ten directions of the universe.
I bow in reverence to the Dharma who permanently exist in the lands of the ten directions of the universe.
I bow in reverence to the Sangha who permanently exist in the lands of the ten directions of the universe.

A prayer to implore for Buddhas to enter the place where the service observed.

HO ZEI SHI HO JO RAI JI TO CHO SAN KA RAKU
HO ZEI SE KYA JO RAI JI TO CHO SAN KA RAKU
HO ZEI BI TA JO RAI JI TO CHO SAN KA RAKU
HO ZEI KAN NIN SE SHI SHO TAI HO SA
JI TO CHO SAN KA RAKU

With this offering of lotus petals, may we call upon all Buddhas in the ten directions of the universe to enter?
With this offering of lotus petals, may we call upon Sakyamuni Buddha to enter?
With this offering of lotus petals, may we call upon Amida Buddha to enter?
With this offering of lotus petals, may we call upon Kan-non Bosatus, Seishi Bosatsu, and other magnificent Bodhisattvas to enter?

In the presence of Buddhas, we repent of harmful karmas we accumulated from the past to present.

GA SHAKU SHO ZO SHO AKU GO
KAI YU MU SHI TON JIN CHI
JU SHIN GO I SHI SHO SHO
I- SSAI GA KON KAI SAN GE

All harmful karmas I have ever accumulated from the past are caused by my wrong speech, conduct and mind, that are derived from my greed, anger and ignorance. I now repent of all of them.

Recite “Namu Amida Butsu” ten times with your palms pressed together

Introduction for sutra chanting that expresses the gratefulness for having encountered the teachings of Buddha.

MU JO JIN JIN MI MYO HO
HYAKU SEN MAN GO NAN SO GU
GA KON KEN MON TOKU JU JI
GAN GE NYO RAI SHIN JITSU GI

It is difficult to encounter the teaching of Buddha, which is the most profound and subtle, even though I seek for an incredibly long period of time. Now I have heard and received it. Embracing gratefulness to have encountered it, I wish earnestly to understand the essence of it.

An excerpt from Muryoju-kyo (the Sutra of Buddha of immeasurable life).

GA GON CHO SE GAN – I have taken Vows to transcend the world of suffering.
HI- SSHI MU JO DO – I shall reach the highest state of the Buddhist path.
SHI GAN FU MAN ZOKU – If these Vows should not be fulfilled,
SEI FU JO SHO GAKU – may I not attain supreme enlightenment

GA O MU RYO KO – Throughout an immeasurable ages, should I not
FU I DAI SE SHU – reign as a great benefactor
FU SAI SHO BIN GU – and give relief to those who suffer,
SEI FU JO SHO GAKU – may I not attain supreme enlightenment.

GA SHI JO BUTSU DO – When I attain enlightenment,
MYO SHO CHO JI- PPO – my name shall be heard beyond the ten directions.
KU KYO MI SHO MON – If there should be any place where it cannot be heard,
SEI FU JO SHO GAKU – may I not attain supreme enlightenment.

RI YOKU JIN SHO NEN – Completing the sacred practice of leaving the mind of greed and entering a state of profound mindfulness,
JO E SHU BON GYO – and cultivating wisdom,
SHI GU MU JO DO – I will pursue the highest of the Buddhist path
I SHO TEN NIN SHI – and become the master who guides all beings.

JIN RIKI EN DAI KO – Extending the great light obtained by enlightenment
FU SHO MU SAI DO – to shine boundlessly in all directions.
SHO JO SAN KU MYO – My light will extinguish the Three defilements
KO SAI SHU YAKU NAN – and deliver all beings from suffering.

KAI HI CHI E GEN – I will open their eyes of wisdom
ME- SSHI KON MO AN – and extinguish the darkness caused by their ignorance.
HEI SOKU SHO AKU DO – Blocking all the wrong paths,
TSU DATSU ZEN JU MON – I shall have all beings reach the realm of good.

KU SO JO MAN ZOKU – When I obtain the highest merit of enlightenment,
I YO RO JI- PPO – my light shall illuminate in the ten directions of the universe.
NICHI GA- SSHU JU KI – and outshine the sun and moon.
TEN KO ON PU GEN – Even the brilliance of the heavens will be surpassed.

I SHU KAI HO ZO – I will open the vault of Dharma for all beings
KO SEI KU DOKU HO – and endow them with treasures of merit contained.
JO O DAI SHU JU – Always among all beings,
SE- PPO SHI SHI KU – I will expound the Dharma as bold as a lion roars.

KU YO I- SSAI BUTSU – I will honor all buddhas with offerings
GU SOKU SHU TOKU HON – and be endowed with all roots of virtue.
GAN NE SHITSU JO MAN – With my Vows and wisdom being completed,
TOKU I SAN GAI O – I shall become a master who leads all beings in the Three realms.

NYO BUTSU MU GE CHI – Light as magnificent as an unhindered wisdom of Buddha the universe to enter?
TSU DATSU MI FU SHO – reaches all beings and never fails to shine on them.
GAN GA KU E RIKI – May my force of merit and wisdom
TO SHI SAI SHO SON – be equal to that of the superlative one.

SHI GAN NYA KO- KKA – If these Vows are to be fulfilled,
DAI SEN O KAN DO – the whole universe shall tremble and rejoice.
KO KU SHO TEN NIN – All heavenly beings in the space
TO U CHIN MYO KE – will rain down marvelous flowers.

A passage for transferring the merit of sutra

MI DA HON ZEI GAN GOKU RAKU SHI YO MON
JO SAN TO E KO SOKU SHO MU SHO SHIN

Amida Buddha’s Essential Vows enable one to be born in the Pure Land. May this merit of sutra chanting be transferred equally to each one and enable one to enter the realm where the enlightenment is granted.

Recite “Namu Amida Butsu” ten times with your palms pressed together

Introduction to the congregation’s recitation of “Namu Amida Butsu.”

KO MYO HEN JO JI- PPO SE KAI
NEN BU- SSHU JO  SE- SSHU FU SHA

The infinite light of Amida Buddha illuminates the ten directions of the universe. Everyone who wholeheartedly recites His name will be born in His Pure Land and never be disregarded.

Recitations of “Namu Amida

Transference of merit.

Passage for praying all merit of the service may be transferred equally everyone.

GAN NI SHI KU DO KU BYO DO SE I- SSAI
DO HOTSU BO DAI SHIN   O JO AN RA- KKOKU

We pray all the act of merit we have earned in the service may be transferred equally to everyone. May this merit encourage each of us to establish the Bodhi-mind, which is necessary for taking the Buddhist Path, and may we be born together in the Pure Land.

Recite Nembutsu ten times with your palms pressed together

NAMU  AMIDA BU NAMU AMIDA BU NAMU  AMIDA BU NAMU  AMIDA BU take a breath
NAMU  AMIDA BU NAMU AMIDA BU NAMU  AMIDA BU NAMU  AMIDA BU take a breath
NAMU  AMIDA BUTSU NAMU AMIDA BU bow

The four fundamental Buddhist Vows.

SHU JO MU HEN SEI GAN DO
BON- NO MU HEN SEI GAN DAN
HO MON MU JIN SEI GAN CHI
MU JO BO DAI SEI GAN SHO
JI TA HO KAI DO RI YAKU
GU SHO GOKU RAKU JO BUTSU DO

However innumerable sentient beings in the delusive worlds are, we pray to relieve them.
However inexhaustible our unwholesome passions are, we pray to extinguish them.
However immeasurable the Buddhist teachings are, we pray to learn them.
However incomparable the enlightenment is, we pray to attain it.
Sharing all merit with others, we pray to be born in the Pure Land and to attain enlightenment there.

Three prostrations to Amida

NAMU AMIDA BU NAMU AMIDA BU NAMU AMIDA BU
NAMU AMIDA BU NAMU AMIDA BU NAMU AMIDA BU
NAMU AMIDA BU NAMU AMIDA BU NAMU AMIDA BU

A passage to implore for Buddhas to return to their lands.

SHO BUTSU ZUI EN GEN PON GOKU
FU SAN KO KE SHIN SO BUTSU
GAN BUTSU JI SHIN YO GO NEN
DO SHO SO KAN JIN SHU RAI

In deepest appreciation, we offer incense and flowers to pray all Buddhas may return to their own lands.
No matter how far they reside, we earnestly wish to be guarded by their compassion. We pray those who already attain birth in the Pure Land may encourage us to attain it.