Chants | Sutras
The Shared Voice of Our Practice
These chants support our zazen, services, and daily life, helping us return to clarity and compassion. Whether recited in silence or in community, they connect us to the timeless rhythm of the Buddha Way.
Robe Verse
Dai sai geda pu ku
muso fuku den e
hi bu nyorai kyo
ko do shoshu jo. (2X)
Great robe of liberation
Field far beyond form and emptiness
Wearing the Tathagata’s teaching
Saving all beings.
Phonetics
dī sī gƏ-dah pū kū
mū sō-o fū-kū dƏ nā
ē bū nyo rī kyo
kō-o dō shō-shū jō
Heart Sutra
Great Wisdom Beyond Wisdom Heart Sutra
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, when deeply practicing prajña paramita, clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty and thus relieved all suffering.
Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself form. Sensations, perceptions, formations, and consciousness are also like this.
Shariputra, all dharmas are marked by emptiness; they neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor pure, neither increase nor decrease.
Therefore, given emptiness, there is no form, no sensation, no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind; no realm of sight … no realm of mind consciousness.
There is neither ignorance nor extinction of ignorance… neither old age and death, nor extinction of old age and death; no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path; no knowledge and no attainment.
With nothing to attain, a bodhisattva relies on prajña paramita, and thus the mind is without hindrance. Without hindrance, there is no fear. Far beyond all inverted views, one realizes nirvana.
All buddhas of past, present, and future rely on prajña paramita and thereby attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.
Therefore, know the prajña paramita as the great miraculous mantra, the great bright mantra, the supreme mantra, the incomparable mantra, which removes all suffering and is true, not false.
Therefore we proclaim the prajña paramita mantra, the mantra that says: “Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.”
Hymn to the Perfection of Wisdom
Homage to the Perfection of Wisdom
the lovely, the holy
The Perfection of Wisdom gives light
Unstained — the entire world cannot stain her
She is a source of light
From everyone in the triple world
She removes darkness
Most excellent are her works
She brings light so that all fear and distress may be forsaken
And disperses the gloom and darkness of delusion
She herself is an organ of vision
She knows the own-being of all dharmas
For she does not stray from it
The Perfection of Wisdom of the buddhas
sets in motion the wheel of dharma
Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo
Kan ze on
Na mu butsu
Yo butsu u in
Yo butsu u en
Bup po so en
Jo raku ga jo
Cho nen Kan ze on
Bo nen Kan ze on
Nen nen ju shin ki
Nen nen fu ri shin
Metta Sutta (part I)
This is what should be accomplished
by the one who is wise
who seeks the good
and has obtained peace
Let one be strenuous
upright and sincere
without pride
easily contented and joyous
Let one not be submerged
by the things of the world
Let one not take upon oneself
the burden of riches
Let one’s senses be controlled
Let one be wise but not puffed up
Let one not desire great possessions
even for one’s family
Let one do nothing that is mean
or that the wise would reprove
May all beings be happy
May they be joyous
and live in safety
All living beings
whether weak or strong
in high or middle
or low realms of existence
Small or great
visible or invisible
near or far
born or to be born
May all beings be happy
Metta Sutta (part II)
Let no one deceive another
nor despise any being in any state
Let none through anger or hatred
wish harm to another
Even as a mother
at the risk of her life
watches over
and protects her only child
So with a boundless mind
should one cherish all living things
Suffusing love
over the entire world
above below
and all around
without limit
So let one cultivate
an infinite good will
toward the whole world
Standing or walking
sitting or lying down
during all one’s waking hours
Let one practice the way
with gratitude
Not holding to fixed views
endowed with insight
freed from sense appetites
One who achieves the way
will be freed
from the duality
of birth and death
Triple Refuges
I take refuge in Buddha
Before all beings
immersing body and mind
deeply in the Way
awakening true mind
I take refuge in Dharma
Before all beings
entering deeply
the merciful ocean
of Buddha’s Way
I take refuge in Sangha
Before all beings
bringing harmony
to everyone
free from hindrance
Bodhisattva Vow
Sentient beings are numberless
I vow to save them
Delusions are inexhaustible
I vow to end them
Dharma gates are boundless
I vow to enter them
Buddha’s Way is unsurpassable
I vow to realize it
All Buddhas
ten directions
three times
All Honored Ones
bodhisattvas
mahasattvas
Wisdom beyond wisdom
Mahaprajna Paramita
Purification
All my ancient, twisted karma,
From beginningless greed, hate, and delusion,
Born through body, speech, and mind —
I now fully avow.
Dedication of Merit
All buddhas, ten directions, three times;
All honored ones, bodhisattva-mahasattvas;
Wisdom beyond wisdom,
Maha Prajna Paramita.