事師法五十頌

Relying on the secret-teaching sutras and vinaya

Setting aside the rules of attending upon the Master

Having heard, with joy they arouse the pure mind

And shall attain the Tathagata's Vajra wisdom

If with the Master who confers the consecration

At the three times one constantly pays homage

This itself is making offering

To all the Tathagatas of the ten directions

Arousing supreme reverence

Joining the palms or holding flowers

Scattering there the Mandara blossoms

With head and face touching his feet in prostration

That Master, whether dwelling at home

Or having but newly received the Great Precepts

Place the sutra-staff before him

And forthwith dispel all doubt and arrogance

Or the disciple who has gone forth into homelessness

With a mind ever pure serves and attends

Leaving his place to go and meet him

Save only at the place to which he has come to pay homage

That Master, together with the disciple

When carrying heavy burdens

If one cannot see the other in advance

The two together give rise to fault

If with anger and without compassion

With much craving and a scattered mind

Or relying upon one's lineage

Use wisdom to discern and discriminate

Complete in precepts, patience, compassion and wisdom

Honored yet without boasting

Clear as to the secret rules

Broadly knowing the various treatises and discourses

Skillfully attaining the marks of truthful speech

The undertaking of the Mandala

Shall realize the ten kinds of suchness

And all the faculties become purified

If one comes there seeking the Dharma

Yet the Master gives rise to contempt and scorn

This is to slander all the Tathagatas

And he shall meet with sufferings and afflictions

Through overweening folly and delusion

He shall meet with the various present retributions

Because, grasping the bad, he made it out as good

A grave illness shall bind and fetter him

He is pursued and pressed by the law of the king

And harmed together with venomous serpents

By foe and bandit, by calamity of water and fire

And no one attains benefit and ease

That Vinayaka

Constantly creates obstructions

And from this, when his life comes to its end

He forthwith falls into the evil destinies

Do not act as an Acharya

When even a little gives rise to vexation

Not understanding, he shall meet that realm

Entering straight into the Avici hell

Undergoing many kinds of bitter suffering

To speak of it clearly only adds to dread

Because of slighting the Acharya

There he shall constantly remain

That Acharya

Upholds and maintains the treasury of the true Dharma

Therefore one must be single-minded

And never give rise to contempt and arrogance

Ever toward the Acharya

Serve and make offering

Give rise to a mind of reverence

And thus shall meet with no obstruction

Moreover, in the place of the Master

Joyfully practice together with rejoicing and renunciation

Reckoning nothing of this very body

How much less of wealth and possessions

Through measureless millions of kalpas

With valor and vigor diligently cultivating

Bringing about the realization of Bodhi

Truly a joy, and rare indeed

Skillfully guard this profound vow

To make offering to all the Tathagatas

To revere the Acharya

Just as one reveres all the Buddhas

If one has anything of one's own

Those precious objects and goods

Seeking the inexhaustible Bodhi

With sincere mind reverently offer them

Giving to the Buddhas and to the Acharya

Thought after thought it ever increases and grows

This is the most excellent field of merit

And forthwith one attains the fruit of Bodhi

In this way the seeker of the Dharma

Complete in the merit of precepts and patience

Not false or deceitful toward the Master

Shall attain the Vajra wisdom

If one's foot treads upon the Master's image

The grave fault is like destroying a stupa

To sit or lie upon his bed and seat

The fault is swift as one who rides a horse

If the Master instructs one to repent

With joy listen to his teaching

Whether oneself is able or unable

With good words make it humbly known

Because one takes refuge in and relies upon the Master

Wishing to attain what is to be accomplished

Present joy, and rebirth in the heavens

How much less reckoning of this body

Guard and keep the Master's possessions

Just as one guards one's own body

There, the one who draws near him

Reveres and serves him as constantly as his own body

One should not, before the Master

Conceal things or be excessive

Using hands and feet to flail about

But calmly sit and lie

Or if there is occasion and one is told to sit

Do not carelessly shift the feet

Ever maintain the dignified deportments

When the Master stands, at once one must stand

If he should walk in walking meditation

One should not follow behind him

But should stand still to attend upon him

One should not spit out mucus and phlegm

And further one should not, before the Master

Speak in secret apart and privately

Nor laugh and talk nearby

Nor dance, sing, or chant and the like

Whether one must sit or stand

In each and every case pay reverence

Or if upon a perilous road

Oneself must go ahead

And further one should not, before him

Display in one's body the marks of weariness

Using the hands to make sounds

Bending crookedly and leaning against the wall

Or washing clothes and washing the feet

Together with bathing and the like

First inform the Master so he clearly knows

And do what one does where it cannot be seen

Moreover, even the Master's name

One should not utter aloud oneself

If there is someone who comes to ask

One should speak only a single syllable

The Master may bid one to gather the assembly

Then bid all to come

Whatever task is there to be done

Bear it in mind and constantly never forget

Do not laugh in mockery or be coarse and rude

Or use the hand to cover the mouth

If there is a matter that may be heard

Speak the words gently and softly

If a laywoman

With pure mind comes to hear the Dharma

Joining the palms full of dignity

Gazing intently upon the Master's face

Having heard, forthwith receives and upholds it

Casting off all pride and arrogance

Ever like a new bride

Whose countenance is truly modest and bashful

There, though the body be adorned

One must not give rise to delight and attachment

What does not accord with the good

Reflect upon it all and depart from it

Ever feel the virtue of the Master

One should not pry into petty matters

Following along in accord so as to accomplish

Seeking advantage may bring harm to oneself

Expounding the Dharma to deliver the disciples

The Mandala and the Homa

The city and town where the Master dwells

Without being told, one should not act

Or if expounding the Dharma one obtains anything

Purely giving the various goods and wealth

All should be offered to the Master

And used as is fitting according to what is obtained

Fellow students and Dharma companions

One should not, for the sake of a disciple

Nor again, before the Master

Receive for oneself the act of homage and prostration

If there are things offered up to the Master

One must bear and present them with both hands

The Master may have something to give

Ever with reverence receive it

Of oneself diligently cultivate right conduct

Ever bearing it in mind and never forgetting

Should he be lacking in discipline and deportment

With loving speech, then teach and instruct

If the Master has commanded anything

Or through the condition of illness it is not done

One must perform a salutation and truthfully inform him

Being glad, then there is no matter at all

One should make the Master glad

Departing from all vexing affairs

Let one diligently and earnestly do the work

For fear of troubling him, do not recount it

That Vajra Tathagata

In just such a way spoke

Or clearly setting forth the place of light

Relying on the Master, one attains accomplishment

If the disciple is pure

And can take refuge in the Three Jewels

Even should his life be about to end

Again, for his sake, expound the essentials of the Dharma

Together with bestowing the secret words

This shall cause the true Dharma

Or manifest the marks of recitation and upholding

This shall cut off the root of transgression

If one can in accord follow the Master and learn

Then one accomplishes each and every merit

Taking the good and joyful causes that I have met

I vow that, together with all sentient beings, we soon become Buddhas.