受五戒八戒文

TEXT OF THE EIGHT PRECEPTS

1_ Chapter of Bowing Down to Invite Witness and Verification:

We, your disciples, bow our heads and reverently pay homage to the Unsurpassed Universal Wisdom of the Empty-Space Dharma Realm, to the One who, relying upon form, completed and accomplished the body into Perfect Enlightenment, to the Mahā-prajñā, to the Vaipulya One Vehicle, to the Sages who dwell upon the Ten Grounds, to the Great Beings (Mahāsattva) of the Three Worthy Stages, to the Spirits who govern the manifest and the hidden, the same and the different, throughout Empty Space, to the Devas of the Realm of Form and the Formless Realm, to the Brahmā Kings together with their retinues, to Śakra, Protector of the World, together with his attendant officials, to the Officers and Functionaries of the Path of Darkness (the officials of the Realm of Darkness), and to Yama,

Lord of the Underworld.

We pray that this day, with your pure Divine Eye, you may behold all these people who, with reverence and utmost sincerity, single-mindedly pay homage with bowed heads.

2_ Chapter of Washing Away and Repenting Past Karma: (Cleansing and confessing the sins and karma of former times)

We, your disciples, together with all those of the Bodhimaṇḍa (Place of Enlightenment), have, from the beginningless past until now, amassed and accumulated immeasurable transgressions, hard to reckon to their farther shore; we have committed faults that bind our lives, and it is rare that one might find the shore or limit of such sins. Toward the Three Jewels we have given rise to a mind of disbelief; toward the Honored Ones of the ten directions we have constantly practiced impure conduct (conduct that is not pure conduct, abrahmacarya).

We have given the body free rein to follow killing, stealing, and unwholesome lust. We have given the mouth free rein to follow false speech, frivolous and ornate speech, and harsh cursing speech. We have given the mind free rein to follow greedy desire, anger, and delusion.

From this we have widely produced boundless evil karma, revolving within the Three Existences, sinking and drowning within the Four Floods, the Five Hindrances covering over the mind, the ten fetters bewildering and obscuring the Nature, dwelling long within the rank of ordinary beings with no fixed term for liberation.

In Sanskrit it is said Kṣama (Sàm Ma), which means contrition and repentance for one's faults. From this time onward, we beg to sever the continuity of such a mind. All the transgressions amassed and accumulated in former times, we pray may be utterly extinguished.

3_ Chapter of Receiving the Precepts, the Threefold Refuge

We, your disciples, together with all those of the Bodhimaṇḍa, pray:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the One perfect in Merit and Wisdom (the Honored One Complete in the Two Sufficiencies).
I take refuge in the Dharma, the One who has departed from and transcended greedy desire (the Honored One Free of Desire).
I take refuge in the Saṅgha, the ones of supreme and lofty practice (the Honored Ones Among the Assembly).
We pray that the Three Jewels, with compassion, may bear witness and verify, and with pity may embrace and receive us. (Recite three times)

We, your disciples, together with all those of the Bodhimaṇḍa, having taken refuge in the Buddha, having taken refuge in the Dharma, having taken refuge in the Saṅgha—I beg to receive the Eight Precepts, the Disciplinary Code of the Upavāsa (Dwelling Near). We pray that the Honored Ones may keep us in mind and, with compassion, protect and be mindful of us. (Recite three times)

4_ Chapter of Asking, Maintaining, and Declaring

Let all you ranks of the Buddha's disciples listen attentively to the proclamation of the Eight Precepts. The first is not to kill; the second is not to steal; the third is not to indulge in lust; the fourth is not to speak falsely; the fifth is not to drink liquor or eat meat; the sixth is not to anoint the body with fragrant oils nor to adorn oneself with flower garlands; the seventh is not to sing songs or play music, nor to habitually watch and listen to such; the eighth is not to lie upon a high and large bed and couch, nor to eat past midday (after the hour of Noon).

Beginning from this moment until early dawn tomorrow, for one day and one night, you shall constantly follow the Buddha in leaving the household life, and in that interval you may not transgress. Are you able to maintain and uphold this? (Translator's note: Reply: Yes! I am able to maintain it.)

5_ Chapter of Dedicating Merit and Making Vows:

We, your disciples, together with all those of the Bodhimaṇḍa, having received the Precepts and obtained this wholesome condition, beg to take all of it and dedicate it to all sentient beings within the Dharma Realm. We pray to depart far from the deluded clinging of the emotions, to cut off forever the obstruction of delusion, to understand clearly here and now the Wisdom of Non-Discrimination, to cultivate and study with vigor the Gate of Practices Possessed of Marks, to roam everywhere throughout the Flower-Treasury World (Avataṃsaka World), to accord with the deep and fundamental root of the Mind of the Tathāgata-garbha, to realize what has not yet been realized, to perfect and complete what has not yet been completed,

and within the ocean of sentient beings to vow to attain Buddhahood together with all.

TEXT OF THE FIVE PRECEPTS

All ordinary beings are deluded about the Nature of Original Enlightenment; following the deluded flow they revolve within the Three Existences, delighting in the six destinies, dividing humans and gods into separate realms. The Buddha has five Precepts, causing people to receive and uphold them, so that through the Gate of Skillful Means they may enter the Principle of True Reality.

1_ Chapter of Arousing Sincerity and Bowing to Invite:

We, your disciples, together with all those of the Bodhimaṇḍa, reverently make our supplication to those throughout the ten directions of the Empty-Space Dharma Realm—those who have accomplished Perfect Enlightenment, those who turn the Wheel of the Dharma, those of Parinirvāṇa—who are the true good spiritual friends (kalyāṇamitra) of our company. Because the Master and Physician King embraces and receives us, therefore the boundless Dharma Treasury, the single flavor of Ghee (Sarpirmaṇḍa), the half-and-full perfect sound (?), and the Prajñā that expounds the Teaching are our excellent medicine, are our vessel and boat that ferry and deliver us across the river of birth and death.

The holy ones of the Three Vehicles, the eight assemblies of Bhikṣus, the Śrāvakas who hasten toward quiescence, and the Bodhisattvas of remaining outflows and compassion—toward us they give rise to a mind of pity and compassion, like seeing a sick person and rescuing and protecting us. We pray that the Three Jewels, by the power of their vast and solemn Vows, by the inconceivable power within the True Nature, may arouse the Compassion of No Conditions and, on this very day, accept the supplication of our company.

2_ Chapter of Repenting Faults and Reproaching the Transgressions of Former Times

We, your disciples, together with all those of the Bodhimaṇḍa, through many kalpas of foolish delusion until this present day, because we did not understand clearly the Supreme Meaning (Paramārtha), therefore gave rise to the various Gates of Obstruction—the afflictions (kleśa), the obstruction of the known (jñeyāvaraṇa), delusion about phenomena, and delusion about principle. Coming into contact with objects we aroused karma, following conditions we committed faults: the body gives rise to three branches, the mouth commits four faults, the mind has three karmas—and these practices revolved and turned ever deeper, like grains of sand, like motes of dust, their number many and immeasurable.

We did not understand that the body is a chest containing four poisonous serpents, the five Caṇḍālas, the six Entrances, and the Empty Aggregates; we took the false to be a kind and friendly companion, while for the most part they were evil conditions chasing after the conscious mind, turning and revolving within the five destinies. From this we amassed and accumulated the eighty-four thousand transgressions of the human realm, and there was no evil deed that we did not dare to commit.

Beginning from this very day, we examine our own body and mind and lay them bare before the Buddha. We pray that all of this may together be utterly extinguished.

3_ Chapter of Turning from the Heterodox and Taking Refuge in Reverence

We, your disciples, together with all those of the Bodhimaṇḍa, pray:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the Unsurpassed One (the Unsurpassed Honored One).

I take refuge in the Dharma, the One who has departed from and transcended greedy desire (the Honored One Free of Desire).

I take refuge in the Saṅgha, the ones of supreme and lofty practice (the Honored Ones Among the Assembly).

From this day onward, I take the Buddha as my Teacher and do not take refuge in any other heterodox Māra or outside path.

We pray that the Three Jewels, with compassion, may bear witness and verify, and with pity may embrace and receive us. (Recite three times)

We, your disciples, together with all those of the Bodhimaṇḍa, having taken refuge in the Buddha, having taken refuge in the Dharma, having taken refuge in the Saṅgha—the Buddha, Bhagavate-Tathāgatāya-Arhate-Samyaksaṃbuddhāya (the World-Honored One, the Thus-Come One, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly and Completely Enlightened One)—this is my Great Master. Now I take refuge; I pray that the Buddha may embrace and receive me. (Recite three times)

4_ Chapter of Declaring Together with Joint Cultivation

Let the Buddha's disciples listen attentively to the proclamation of the Precepts of the Upāsaka. The first is not to kill; the second is not to steal; the third is not to be entangled in wrong conduct; the fourth is not to speak falsely; the fifth is not to drink liquor or eat meat. Beginning from this moment until the very limit of the future, in that interval you may not transgress. Are you able to maintain and uphold this? (Translator's note: Reply: Yes! I am able to maintain it.)

5_ Chapter of Dedicating Merit to the Ocean of Vows:

We, your disciples, together with all those of the Bodhimaṇḍa, turn toward the receiving of the Precepts and dedicate the merit toward the ocean of the Bodhi Nature of True Suchness (Tathatā); may all sentient beings of the Four Floods and Three Existences together arouse the mind to cultivate the Practices of Samantabhadra, never severing the seed-sprout of the Buddhas, being born into the house of the Tathāgata. Turning back, we take Great Compassion and unfold and reveal it in turn; we obtain the precious jewel within the topknot, we obtain the round gem within the sleeve; we shall sit upon the Place of Enlightenment, and we vow to attain Buddhahood together with all.

TEXT FOR RECEIVING THE FIVE PRECEPTS AND THE EIGHT PRECEPTS ONE FASCICLE (The End)