Master Chih-che’s Article of Volitions

　

by Master Tien-tai Chih-che

(538 - 597)

Trans. & Annotated by Hahn Yang
version 1.0

Whenever one intends to recite [a scripture or Buddha’s name] in order to exterminate barriers out of sin and to assist exploration of bodhi-wisdom, one should make volitions. First one must purify the three karmas[1], joins both hands facing Buddhas, and orally states as such:

Disciple Bhikkhu named (say your name), I prostrate with my whole heart, one-mindfully devote my life to all Buddhas in ten-directions of three periods[2] [-], the honorable Dharmas, Prajna, and the true, pure, profound dharma of the Twelve Divisions of Mahayana Sutras, every great Bodhisattava Mahasattvas, all monks noted for virtue and wisdom, the eternal abiding three Gems[3]. I pray your divine power mercifully guard and care for my mind and to witness: by reciting of this statement, with merits and virtues from righteous roots, solely for adornment and honor of four kinds of grace[4] in the three states of mortal existence[5], together with the ultimate of all beings of the ten directions of dharma realm, My prayer, in accompany with all beings and others in the dharma realm, ever since from the no-beginning of a chained transmigration until nowadays, I have been befuddled, bewildered and lived myself upside down. Have committed all sins out of six sense organs[6] and three karmas, The sins of hindrance of the way, whether it is major or minor in nature all are perceived by Buddhas which will perish all at once. And lives after lives I will keep away from the hells forever, and not be reborn as hungry spirits, animals, nor in a female body. I will keep away from the border land of Amitabha’s Pure Land and not be reborn in an inferior body with eight conditions in which it is difficult to learn and practice Buddhism. My prayers are as such: together with all beings and others from the dharma realm, in this life and the rest of future lives before I be enlightened, I will be able to meet people with righteous knowledge often, and listen to preaches of the ultimate, supreme Mahayana righteous dharma often; within this life I will be enlightened and understand the constantly abiding nature of Buddha, all dharmas in the ocean-like great nirvana are originally calmness and extinction in nature; with great bodhi-wisdom perceive and understand the object and sensation of all organs, and distinct the differences between the objects and subjects; each single thought arise from the mind includes all dharmas which containing one hundred realms and three thousand worlds; the sunya, the empirical, and the middle-way are  the seal of dharma realm which is inconceivable; the mind, the Buddha, and the beings are three in one without difference; I shall realize the provision and perceive the reality, initiate the great bodhi-mind, to seek for bodhi-wisdom in order to transcend to the above and transform the beings down below, withdraw sufferings out of living one and the dead and join the ultimate happiness. Practice unadulterated progress with firm and strong will; practice four kinds of Samadhi, merely practice inconceivable single vipasyana comprehending with the three insights[7], to contemplate the inconceivable Madhyamika fundamental doctrine comprehending with triple doctrines[8], to attain the stage that insight and doctrine are one, even encounter four kinds of maras[9] and three kinds of barriers[10] all will be viewed conditionally and be responded and resolved with counter-vision. Use the profound ten ways of meditation to achieve the perfect conveyance of Buddhahood. Benefit both in practice and comprehension of Buddhahood even more, all minds are clear, bright, and calm, and initiate the true middle way, reveal the Buddha’s knowledge and intellection, all minds reveal in front of myself, All wisdom-bodies do not enlighten through others but flow into the sarvajna[11] ocean naturally, abide in the endurance of no rebirth, equip with great prajna-wisdom and achieve Mahayana. Understand and pervade the gradual and the instantaneous teachings clearly, expound from one single particle of dust into thousand rolls of scriptures. The number of Buddha dharma is like sands in the river of Ganges, but, perceive and understand with one single mind. I shall be aware of Buddha’s mercifulness, therefore, no more attitude of stinginess and parsimony. As to the Samatha and vipasyana, it universally carries out everything. It is like opening the door and all storages are out poured, even abandon one’s precious pearl. The underlying true of all things is Buddha. The name of doctrines itself is Buddha. The practice of meditation itself is Buddha. The similarity in form itself is Buddha. The gradual enlightenment itself is Buddha. The ultimate enlightenment itself is Buddha. The true dharma is like meditating and visualizing a cycle with inner three points, it is neither vertically or horizontally. It is the grand righteous castle which stores all treasures – nirvana and bodhi-wisdom. All Buddha dharma rely on oneself to practice and to teach to transform others. It can be done in one life time. If it is not understood, it is not the cause that causes, it is from the cause that retribution resulted. It is from consequence of the non-consequence that achieves the retribution. My prayers go together with all beings and others of the dharma realm, seven days before I shall die, I shall know the exact time, and my mind will be calm without disturbance, my mind will not be confused, my mind will not be shared with other live ones. My body and mind will not have any suffering. I shall sit in lotus posture with righteous mind. My body and my mind will be peaceful and joy. I shall be entering the stage of profound Samadhi. I shall see Buddhas from ten directions. I hope that the Amitabha World Honored One, every Buddha from three periods, the past, the present, and the future, Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamapraptah, and all virtuous beings will not give up their original vows and manifest before me. All illuminate with great brightness simultaneously. Once the lights shine and touch my body and mind all sins and hindrances shall disappear instantaneously, and all sensual roots open up intelligently and enter into the profound knowledge and vision. Use your great divine power absorbs my body and mind, reach me with your hands of golden color, lay them on my head and welcome me. I shall rejoice and jump up high. By the power of Buddha’s volition, I shall be conveyed to the Diamond Platform and follow Tathagata and His saint fellows to be reborn to the highest stage in the Amitabha’s Western Sukhavati World within one blink of thought of time. I will be born by transformation in a golden lotus. I will apprehend and enter the immortal stage of various endurances in calmness and extinction; I will surpass and climb up to the supreme land, attain six kinds of ubiquitous supernatural power and reside in the Surangama of immovable dharma nature. Be able to travel through the ten directions within one blink of thought of time and pay respect to and carry out orders from all Buddhas of the three periods.
I will present myself in front of each Buddha, practice all kinds of offerings, listen to preaches of dharma and accept predestination as a Buddha. At that moment I shall be able to accept and carry out universally the profound ocean-like dharma of Tathagatas of the three periods. Will perceive and understand automatically by myself without enlightening from others the follows: The great intrinsicality, the great volition, the great solemn adornment, the great decisive wisdom, the great omniscience, the great way, the great function, the great provision and reality, the great benefit, the great impermanence. All perfective paramita-deeds of every buddha’s, I will cultivate and practice at one time, in accompany with Manjusri, Samantabhadra and other Mahasattvas, equip and fulfill with all immeasurable, enormous practice and volitions of all bodhisattvas. Attain essences of every grant dharani and every samandhi stages. Know in general of every Buddha realm, and solemn pure country where every Buddha born. Within a flash of time, in the ten directions of every micro dusty way achieve the righteous enlightenment, turn the great dharma wheel to assist all sentient beings to leave the impurity world and attain enlightenment, practice kindness and compassion without immediate cause connection universally through the whole dharma realm. Without moving the ultimate truth entering three periods universally and give release to every sentient beings from the wheel of transmigration. Sometimes appear in a form of Buddha to carry out dharma both in provision and in reality. Sometimes appear in a form of one of the nine realms to distinguish Buddha dharma between the gradual teaching and the sudden teaching, or request to sermon the dharma in gradual or sudden teaching and become knowing thoroughly between the gradual and sudden teachings. By application of the three Buddha wheels,  [body, mouth and mind] to absorb and convert, absorb and convert unlimitedly, same as in the space and across the whole dharma realm to exercise the Buddha’s matter. Base on the fundamental exhibits the provision. Control the provisional and return to the fundamental. The fundamental and the provisional are different, but it is inconceivably oneness in reality. Self and others all practice perfectly, and reside in the mysterious store eternally. All those whom I have hatred with and affection with in the dharma realm I shall attain the vast and profound ocean-like bodhisattva vows together.

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[1] three karmas: deeds, words, and thoughts

[2] Three periods: the past, the present, and the future

[3] Three Gems: Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha (the Monks Order)

[4] Four kinds of grace: 1. grace from one’s mother, 2. grace from one’s father, 3. grace from Buddha, 4. grace from one’s dharma master

[5] Three states of mortal existence 1. the realm of desire, 2. the realm of form, 3. the realm of beyond realm.

[6] Six sense organs: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and consciousness

[7] Three insights: insights of emptiness, provision, and middle way

[8] Three doctrines: doctrines of truth, provision and middle way

[9] Four kinds of maras: mara of worries, mara of five hindrances, mara of death, mara of heaven.

[10] Three kinds of barriers: 1. barrier from parents when one is young, 2. barrier from one’s husband, 3. barrier from son when one is aged.

[11] The perfect knowledge attained by Śākyamuni on attaining buddhahood.

　

　

(September 2009, Taipei,Taiwan)

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天台智者大師發願文

天台 智者大師 撰

(538 - 597)

夫欲念誦。滅罪障。助菩提。應須發願。
先淨三業。十指合掌。面向諸佛。口陳辭句。作如是言。
　

弟子比丘某甲(餘眾各准此稱名)。稽首和南。一心歸命盡十方三世一切諸佛．尊法．般若．十二部經真淨妙法．諸大菩薩摩訶薩眾．諸賢聖僧．常住三寶。唯願神力。慈哀護念。願當證知。以此念誦。善根功德。專用莊嚴四恩三有．盡十方法界一切眾生。願共法界諸眾生等。從無始已來。至於今日。昏沈倒惑。六根．三業造一切鄣道之罪。若麤若細。齊佛所知。一時消滅。生生世世。永離地獄．餓鬼．畜生身。永離女人身。永離邊地．下賤．
八難身。願共法界諸眾生等。若於此生。若於餘生。常值善知識。常聞無上大乘正法。即於此身。悟解常住佛性。大涅槃海。一切諸法。本來寂滅。具大菩提。了達根塵能所。一念起心。具一切法。百界三千。空．假．中。即法界印。不可思議。心．佛．眾生。三無差別。體權識實。發大菩提心。上求下化。拔生死苦。與究竟樂。修牢強精進。四種三昧。只不思議一觀三觀。觀不思議一諦三諦。觀諦冥一。即四魔三鄣。歷緣對境。以十法成圓乘。行解更資。心心明寂。發真中道。開佛知見。心心現前。所有慧身。不由佗悟。自然流入薩婆若海。住無生忍。具大智慧。成摩訶衍。通達漸頓諸教。破一微塵。出大千經卷。恒河沙佛法。一心中曉。覺佛慈悲。無諸慳恡。說於止觀。遍施一切。開門傾藏。捨如意珠。理即．名字觀行．相似．分真．究竟。圓伊三點。不縱不橫。正法大城。金剛寶藏。一切佛法。自行化佗。一生有辦。設未明了。非因之因。從因感果。不果之果。獲勝果報。願共法界諸眾生等。臨命終時。七日之前。自知時節。心不顛倒。心不錯亂。心不共念。身心無諸苦痛。跏趺正念。身心安樂。入深三昧。見十方佛。願彌陀世尊．三世諸佛．觀音．勢至．諸大菩薩．一切聖眾。不捨本誓。悉現在前。同
時放大光明。照觸身心。所有罪障。一時消滅。諸根豁然。深入知見。以大神力。攝受身心。授金色手。摩頂接引。歡喜踊躍。乘佛願力。坐金剛臺。隨從如來聖眾。於一念頃。上品上生西方阿彌陀佛極樂世界。金蓮化生。悟入無生寂滅諸忍。超登上地。獲六神通。住首楞嚴嚴。不動法性。於一念頃。遊歷十方。奉事三世一切諸佛。一一佛前。悉有我身。修諸供養。聞法受記。一時普能受持三世如來甚深法海。即自明解。不由佗悟。大理。大願。大莊嚴。大智斷。大遍知。大道。大用。大權實。大利益。大無住。諸佛所有一切波羅蜜行。一時修習。與文殊．普賢等諸大士為伴侶。具足一切諸菩薩無量無邊廣大行願。得諸大陀羅尼門．諸三昧門。普知諸佛剎嚴淨佛國。於剎那頃。普於十方一切微塵道中。成等正覺。轉大法輪。度脫眾生。無緣慈悲。普覆法界。不動真際。普入三世。度脫一切眾生。或作佛身。施權實。或為九界像。對揚漸頓。請轉漸頓。弘通漸頓。三輪攝化。攝化無窮。同虗虛空遍界。而作佛事。從本垂迹。攝迹還本。本迹雖殊。不思議一。自佗行圓。常住秘藏。法界怨親。同斯願海。
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【經文資訊】卍新纂續藏經第55冊
【載自CBETA電子佛典】No.913 天台智者大師發願文