SutraCopyingPracticeShakyō

VillageZendo

Dotoku-jiTrueExpressionTemple

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OnthePracticeofShakyo(TracingtheSutras)

Shotoshu

TheBuddhistpracticeofShakyoisameansofspreadingtheBuddhaWayamongpeople.Itisalsoforprayingfortheful?illmentofone’sgreatestwish.Buttoday,besidestheseovertlyreligiouspurposes,wecandoshakyoinordertore?lectonourselves,ortoattainmentalwell-beingbymindfullytracingthesacredscriptures.ItdoesnotmatterifonehasfaithinBuddhismornot,orifone’swritingisgoodornot.

Whenwelookbackatthehistoryofshakyo,we?irst?indthispassageintheNihonshoki;“…gatheringagroupoftranscribers,theBuddhistTripitakawastranscribedatKawaharajitemple1forthe?irsttime…”LateratthetimeofEmperorShomu(701~756),specialistsinsutratranscriptionwereappointedandtheytranscribedthesutrastostoreortodistributetoKokubunjitempleinvariouslocations.ThenafteraroundtheHeianPeriod(794~1192)peoplestartedprivatelydoingshakyoasaBuddhistpractice,orasaprayer/wishforhealingandconsolingthesoulsoftheirancestors.Thus,shakyohasalonghistory.Shakyohasbeenwonderfulnourishmentformanypeopletobringaboutpeaceofmindintheirspirituallives.Itissobecausewhenwedoshakyowithharmonizedbodyandmind,weareimmediatelyintunewithBuddha’steaching.Shakyohasbeenagreatspiritualsupportforway-seekersofalltime.Aspeoplelivinginthepresent-daysituation,wecancherishquietandserenemomentsfosteredbyshakyo,andmakethiscalligraphyasZentodeeplylookattheselfanessentialpartofoureverydaylife.

TheHeartSutraisveryshortbutitbeautifullycapturesanoutlineoftheBuddhadharma.Thus,weencouragebeginnerstostartshakyofromthissutra.

Source:Sotoshuhttps://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/eng/practice/sutra/shakyo.html

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SHAKYŌ

JohnStevens

Therearemanydifferentmethodsofshakyō.varyingfromtempletotempleandfromindividualtoindividual.Somearequiteelaborate.EveryJulyatEnryakuji,headtempleoftheTendaisectonMt.Hiei,aNyohōShakyōKai(session)isheld.BasedonthepracticeofJikakuDaishi(Ennin:794–864)forthreedaystheLotusSūtraiscopiedaccordingtoacomplicatedritual.Othersaresimple.AtTōdaijiinNara,aball-pointpenorevenapencilmaybeused.The?inishedsūtrasarestoredinsidetheGreatBuddhathere.intheNichirenschoolonemustwearamaskthatcoversthenoseandmouthandnottouchthepaperwiththehandsduringshaykō,andwhentiredordistractedonemustchantthedaimoku:namumyōhōrengekyō.

Individualstrytodosomeshakyoeverydayandinthepastgroupstendedtodoshakyoononeofthesixfastdaysofthemonth:the8th,14th,15th,23rd,25th,and30th.Actually,anytimeorplaceissuitable.

Themostpopularsūtraistheone-pageMahā-prajnāpāramitā-hrdayaSūtra,theHeartSūtra.VersionsinSanskrit,Chinese,Tibetan,Korean,andEnglisharegiveninthismanual.Onceonedecidesonthelanguageandscriptthefollowingprocedureisrecommended.Completelycleanandscrubtheroomandtablethatwillbeusedforcopying.Sinceone’sspiritshould?lowthroughthebodyandintotheink,itisbettertouseafountainorscriptpen(orabrushifwritinginChinese)ratherthanaball-pointpenorpencil,although,asnotedabove,eventhesearepermissible.Preparefreshpaperandmakesurethewritinginstrumentsarecleanandarrangedneatlyonthedesk.Donoteatordrinkanythingforsometimebeforestarting,anddonoteat,drink,orsmokewhilecopying.Ifpossiblepurifyoneselfwithathoroughwashing.Putoncleanclothes,lightincense,andsitquietlyinmeditationforafewminutes.

Inclassicalshakyōpracticeoneputsthepalmsofthehandstogetheringassho,andmakesthreegreatprostrations(touchingtheforeheadtotheground),butasimplebowissuf?icient.Readorchantthesūtrathroughonetime.InJapanastylizedinvocationisthenread,oftentheFourGreatVows:

shujōmuhenseigandobonnōmujinseigandanhōmonmuryōseigangakubutsudōmujōseiganjō

Sentientbeingsarenumberless,IvowtosavethemallThepassionsareinexhaustible,IvowtocutthemoffThedharmaisunfathomable,IvowtomasteritBuddha’swayissupreme,Ivowtoattainit

Anysuchresolutionwilldo.

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Keepthebackstraight,whetherinachairorsittingJapanesestyle(seiza),relaxtheshoulders,breathefromthetanden(thephysicalandspiritualcenterofthebodyjustbelowthenavel),andholdthebrush?irmlybutnottootightly.Writeeachstrokewithfullconcentrationofbodyandmind,asifswingingaheavywoodensword.Thestrokesshouldbethick,strong,andclear,thebiggerandmorepowerfulthebetter.Copythesūtrawiththeentirebody,notjustthehands.Eachlettershouldbewrittenwithafeelingofgratitudefortheteaching.Donothurryorcopyabsentmindedly.

Workstraightthroughwithoutstopping.Ifamistakeismade(inshakyoamistakeisasignofalackofconcentration)drawasinglelinethroughit(ifwritinginChinesemakeacirclethroughthecharacter);omittedcharactersshouldbewritteninthemargin.Dependingonthelanguageandthescript,itshouldtakefromfortyminutesto11/2hourstomakeacopyoftheHeartSūtra.Uponcompletion,onemayrecordthedateandone’snameatthebottomofthepagealongwithanyspecialpetition.Aconcludinginvocationmayberecited:Maythevirtueofthissūtraenablealltohavecorrectthoughts,hearthedharma,seeBuddha,dwellinthePureLand,andrealizeenlightenment.

Completethesessionwithabowofgratitude.Thecopiedsütrashouldbekeptinaproperplace,forexample,withinanaltarorstupaifavailable.Itshouldneverbethrownawayorusedforanyotherpurpose.

Thesimplemethoddescribedaboveisappropriateforgroupsorindividuals.Variationsincludeusinggoldorsilverinkonbluepaper,usingdifferentstylesofcalligraphyorinks,makingthreeprostrationsforeachcharacterorword,combiningscripts—therearemanypossibilities.

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ItisbesttousetheHeartSūtraexclusivelyat?irst,especiallyifthescriptisunfamiliar.OtherpopularBuddhisttextsaretheDiamondCutterSūtra.theKannonSūtra,(thetwenty-?ifthchapteroftheLotusSūtra),andtheAmidaSūtra.ShakyōoftheentireLotusSūtraisdonefairlyoften.

ShakyōisnotlimitedtoBuddhistsūtras.ManyoftheUpanisadsandtheBhagavadGitamakeexcellenttextsforshakyōand,ofcourse,ChristiancopyingoftheBiblehasarichtradition.Notisshakyōnecessarilylimitedto‘holy’texts;poetryorotherformsofliteraturemayalsobecopiedwithgreatspiritualbene?it.

121.Eachcharacterofthisshakyōwasaccompaniedbythreegreatprostrations.Muromachiperiod.

122.HeartSūtraSealinancientscript(tensho).Japan

Source:JohnStevens,SacredCalligraphyoftheEast,viaZCLAShakyōManual

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SutraCopying

MaezumiRoshi

Whatisthepracticeofcopyingsutras?TheLotusSutrasaysrepeatedlythatthosewhocopyitwillbycopyingitselfaccomplishsupremeenlightenment.Copyingisanexcellentwaytofullyputyourselfintoasutra.Youareonewithcopyingandonewiththesutra,trulysensingandfeelingit.Theactionandobjectareeasilyuni?ied.Whenyouarecopying,thereisasenseofcopyingandalsoofthesutraallowingyoutocopyit.Thisinterrelationshipisfeltintimately,andsuchastateofbeingisitselfsupremeenlightenment.

Whichsutrashouldyoucopy?Youcancopyanysutraorevenpartofalongone.CopyingtheHeartSutraorHannyaShingyoisaverycommonpracticeinJapanthesedays.OfcoursethesearecopiedinChinese,butthereisnoreasonforyounottocopyinEnglish.Therearedifferentwaystocopyasutra.Somepeoplecopyonestrokeoroneword,dothreebows,sitdown,writeanotherstrokeandthendothreebowsagain.Otherswriteonecharacterthenmakeabow.Otherssimplycopy.Howeveryouexpressyourrespecttowardsthesutra,pleasedoitwithsinceredevotionandreverence.

InhiswritingsontheLotusSutra,DogenZenjiwroteofthelotusastheblossom3fthesubtledharma.Thelotusisaveryunusual?lower.Doyouknowitsuniquecharacteristics?Whenalotusblooms,theseedsgrowtogetherwiththe?lower.Usuallya?lowerblossomsandafterthatturnsintoseed.Butnotsowiththelotus.Itisamazing.Whenthelotusblooms,biglotusseedsarealreadygrowinginthebottomofthe?lower.

Considertheseseedsand?lowerasananalogyforourlife.Ourlifeislikethisblossoming.Ifwesaythatthemajorpartofourlifeis20,40,or50years,thatperiodcouldbecalledthe?lowering.Buttheresultortheseeddoesnotnecessarilycomeafterlifeorthe?loweringassuch,butnowwithinourlife,theseedisalwaysexisting.Theresultisalreadyherewithus!Howdoweappreciatethatthelifewhichcontinuesishere,now?

Anothercharacteristicofthelotus,isthatitgrowsinthemudandyetisnotde?iled.Attheendofourmeals,wechant:“weexistinmuddywaterwithpuritylikealotus,thuswebowtoBuddha.”Thistranslationiswelldone,butthereisanotherpointinadditiontothispureandgenuinequality.Chineseisaveryrichlanguage.Thesamewordsarepronouncedinadifferentwayaccordingtothedynasties.PersonallyIliketochantthisversewiththeTangDynastypronunciationinsteadofhowwedoitinJapanese,whichismoreliketheHanDynastypronunciation.

SousingtheT’angDynastypronunciation,thisversecanalsomean“toliveintheworld.”Whilelivingintheworld,livelikethelotus?lower,notattachedtothewaterorthemud.Whenwaterdropsonthelotusleaf,thewaterrollsoffrightaway.Theanalogyforusistolivelikethewaterdroplet,notattachinganywhere.Soconsiderbothimplications,thatofbeingpureandgenuineandatthesametime,beingfree.Notbeingattached,themindiskeptinagenuineandpureway.

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Whatdoesthelotus?lowerstandfor?Thesubtledharma.IntheGathaonOpeningtheSutrawechant:

TheDharma,incomparablyprofoundandinNinitelysubtle,Israrelyencounteredeveninmillionsofages.Nowwehearit,receiveandmaintainit.MayweallrealizetheTathagata’struemeaning.

Thatsubtledharmaisthissubtledharmaofthelotusblossom.Howdoyoureceiveit?Howdoyoumaintainit?Livingthissubtledharmaeveryday,howdoyouseeit?Allowingthissubtledharmaintoyourselfmomentaftermoment,howdoyouseeit?Whenchanting,weexperienceit.Whenreading,weexperienceit.Whenwritingandcopying,weexperienceit.Whatwearetrulycopying?LiterallywecansaythatIamwritingmylifethroughmyactionofcopyingthismostprecioussubtledharma.

Sowhatistrulythesutra?Andhowdoyoutrulyreadorrevolvethesutra?Howdoyouseeit,hearit,andmaintainitnowasthesubtledharma?Thesutramustbealiveasthefunctioningofyourlife!Pleasetrustyourself.Trustinyourselfasthesutra,asthedynamic,boundlessdharmaitself.ThisiswhatImeanwhenIsaybenicetoyourself.Trustingyourlifeasthesutraisthebestwaytobenicetoyourself.

Thispracticeofsutracopyinghaswonderfulmerit.Iencourageyoutodoitandenjoyit.Bycopying,youwillenrichyourlife.Unifyyourselfwithwhatyoudo!Thisisactuallythekey,thissenseofunityofyouasyouareandasyourlifeinterpenetratingwiththelifeofliterallyeverything,doyousee?

Source:DraftEditofTeishobyMaezumiRoshi,reprintedintheZCLAShakyōManual

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OneWord,OneBuddha

JohnStevens

The?ivevirtuesofshakyōare:VeneratingtheletterswithyoureyesKeepingthelettersinyourheartChantingtheletterswithyourmouthWritingtheletterswithyourhandsBecomingonewithBuddha

ThephysicalrelicsofBuddhaarehisashes;therelicsofhisteachingarethecopiedsutras.Thosesutrasproclaimthegreatvirtueof“receiving,preserving,reading.copying,andchanting”theholytexts.Shakyōisthusatypeofskillfulmeans(upaya)enablingotherstoapproachtheBuddhistteaching.

Onanotherlevelshakyōisanactofworship,anofferingforthereposeofthedeceasedtohelpthemavoidevilandsufferingintheirsearchfor?inalrelease.

Shakyōisalsoaprayer.ManyrulersinChina.Tibet,andJapanwrotesutrasaddingthepostscript“Fortheprotectionofthecountryandthewelfareofallmysubjects.’’Therearenumerouscasesofpeoplerecoveringfromillnesses,beingsavedfromcalamity,orreceivingsomewonderfulbene?itafterdoingshakyō.Perhapsitistruethat“ifonecopiesthesutrasallpetitionswillbeanswered“;butindividualrequestsshouldnotbetheexclusivepurposeofshakyō.

Finally,shakyōisaformofmeditation.ItiswrittenZen,foritrequiresthesamedeterminationandconcentrationassittingZen.Onecannotwriteproperlyifoneisupset.angry,ordistractedinanyway.Writingintenselyinsilencewithacomposedmindpuri?iestheheart.EachwordisanewBuddha.

Source:JohnStevens,SacredCalligraphyoftheEast,

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HannyaShingyō(withpronunciationandtranslation)

摩訶般波羅蜜多⼼経MakaHannyaHaramitaShinGyoTheGreatHeartofWisdomSutra

観⾃在菩薩⾏深般波羅蜜多時KanJiZaiBoSaGyoJinHan-NyaHaRaMiTaJiAvalokiteshvaraBodhisattva,doingdeepPrajñaParamita,

照⾒五薀皆空度⼀切苦厄ShoKenGoOnKaiKuDoISaiKuYakuClearlysawemptinessofallthe?iveconditionsThuscompletelyrelievingmisfortuneandpain.

舍利⼦⾊不異空ShaRiShiShikiFuIKuOShariputra,formisnootherthanemptiness,

空不異⾊KuFuIShikiemptinessnootherthanform;

⾊即是空ShikiSokuZeKuFormisexactlyemptiness,

空即是⾊KuSokuZeShikiemptinessexactlyform.

受想⾏識亦復如是JuSoGyoShikiYakuBuNyoZeSensation,conception,discrimination,awarenessarelikewiselikethis.

舍利⼦是諸法空相ShaRiShiZeShoHoKuSoOShariputra,allDharmasareformsofemptiness:

不⽣不滅FuShoFuMetsuNotborn,notdestroyed;

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不垢不浄FuKuFuJonotstained,notpure,

不増不減FuZoFuGenwithoutloss,withoutgain.

是故空中無⾊ZeKoKuChuMuShikiSoinemptinessthereisnoform,

無受想⾏識MuJuSoGyoShikinosensation,conception,discrimination,awareness.

無眼⽿⿐⾆身意MuGenNiBiZeShinNiNoeye,ear,nose,tongue,body,mind;

無⾊声⾹味触法MuShikiShoKoMiSokuHonocolor,sound,smell,taste,touch,phenomena.

無限界乃至無意識界MuGenKaiNaiShiMuIShikiKaiNorealmofsight,norealmofconsciousness,

無無明亦無無明尽MuMuMyoYakuMuMuMyoJinnoignoranceandnoendtoignorance,

乃至無⽼死亦無⽼死尽NaiShiMuRoShiYakuMuRoShiJinNooldageanddeath,andnoendtooldageanddeath,

無苦集滅道MuKuShuMetsuDoNosuffering,nocauseofsuffering,noextinguishing,nopath,

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無智亦無得MuChiYakuMuTokunowisdomandnogain.

以無所得故IMuShoTok'koNogainandthus

菩提薩埵依般若波羅蜜多故BoDaiSaTaEHan-NyaHaRaMiTaKotheBodhisattvalivesPrajñaParamita

⼼無罣礙ShinMuKeiGeWithnohindranceinthemind.

無罣礙故無有恐怖MuKeiGeKoMuUKuFuNohindrance,thereforenofear.

遠離⼀切顛倒無想OnRiISaiTenDoMuSoFarbeyonddeludedthoughts,

究竟涅槃KuGyoNeHanthisisNirvana.

三世諸仏SanZeShoButsuAllpast,presentandfutureBuddhas

依般若波羅蜜多故EHan-NyaHaRaMiTa KolivePrajñaParamita

得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提TokuANokuTaRaSanMyakuSanBoDaiAndthereforeattainAnuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi.

故知般若波羅蜜多KoChiHan-NyaHaRaMiTaThereforeknowPrajñaParamita

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是⼤神呪ZeDaiJinShuisthegreatmantra,

是⼤明呪ZeDaiMyoShuThevividmantra,

是無上呪ZeMuJoShuthebestmantra,

是無等等呪ZeMuToDoShutheunsurpassablemantra

能除⼀切苦真実不嘘NoJoISaiKuShinJitsuFuKoItcompletelyclearsallpain.Thisisthetruthnotalie.

故説般若波羅蜜多呪KoSetsuHan-NyaHaRaMiTaShuSosetforththePrajñaParamitamantra,

即説呪曰SokuSetsuShuWatsuSetforththismantraandsay:

揭諦揭諦波羅揭諦

GyaTeiGyaTeiHaRaGyaTeiGateGateParagate!

波羅僧揭諦菩提薩婆訶HaraSoGyaTeiBoJiSowaKaParasamgate!BodhiSvaha!

般波⼼経Han-NyaShinGyoPrajñaHeartSutra.

Source:adaptedfromhttp://shugendo.org/content/hannya-shingyō-—-heart-sutra(nolongeronline)usingVZSutrabookpronunciationsandtranslation.

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MahaPrajñaParamitaHeartSutra

AvalokiteshvaraBodhisattva,doingdeepPrajñaParamita,

Clearlysawemptinessofallthe?iveconditions

Thuscompletelyrelievingmisfortuneandpain.

OShariputra,formisnootherthanemptiness,emptinessnootherthanform;

Formisexactlyemptiness,emptinessexactlyform.

Sensation,conception,discrimination,awarenessarelikewiselikethis.

OShariputra,allDharmasareformsofemptiness:

Notborn,notdestroyed;notstained,notpure,withoutloss,withoutgain.

Soinemptinessthereisnoform,nosensation,conception,discrimination,awareness.

Noeye,ear,nose,tongue,body,mind;nocolor,sound,smell,taste,touch,phenomena.

Norealmofsight,norealmofconsciousness,noignoranceandnoendtoignorance,

Nooldageanddeath,andnoendtooldageanddeath,

Nosuffering,nocauseofsuffering,noextinguishing,nopath,nowisdomandnogain.

NogainandthustheBodhisattvalivesPrajñaParamita.

Withnohindranceinthemind.Nohindrance,thereforenofear.

Farbeyonddeludedthoughts,thisisNirvana.

Allpast,presentandfutureBuddhaslivePrajñaParamita

AndthereforeattainAnuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi.

ThereforeknowPrajñaParamitaisthegreatmantra,

Thevividmantra,thebestmantra,theunsurpassablemantra

Itcompletelyclearsallpain.Thisisthetruthnotalie.

SosetforththePrajñaParamitamantra,

Setforththismantraandsay:

GateGateParagate!Parasamgate!BodhiSvaha!PrajñaHeartSutra.

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CustomaryRefrain

AllBuddhasthroughoutspaceandtimeAllBodhisattvaMahasattvasMahaPrajñaParamita

TheFourGreatVows

Sentientbeingsarenumberless,Ivowtosavethem.Desiresareinexhaustible,Ivowtoputanendtothem.TheDharmasareboundless,Ivowtomasterthem.TheBuddhaWayisunattainable,Ivowtoattainit.

VerseoftheKesa

Vastistherobeofliberation,Aformless?ieldofbenefaction.IweartheTathagatateaching,Savingallsentientbeings.

GathaonOpeningtheSutra

TheDharma,incomparablyprofoundandin?initelysubtle,Israrelyencountered,eveninmillionsofages.Nowweseeit,hearit,receiveandmaintainit.MaywecompletelyrealizetheTathagata'struemeaning.

VerseofAtonement

Allevilkarmaevercommittedbymesinceofold,Onaccountofmybeginninglessgreed,angerandignorance,Bornofmybody,mouthandthought,NowIatoneforitall.

EveningGatha

Letmerespectfullyremindyou:Lifeanddeathareofsupremeimportance.Timeswiftlypassesbyandopportunityislost.Eachofusshouldstrivetoawaken...Awaken!Takeheed.Donotsquanderyourlife.

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ShoSaiMyoKichijoDharani(AuspiciousDharaniForAvertingCalamity)(Chant3times)

NoMoSanManDaMotoNanOhaRaChiKotoShaSonoNanToJiToEnGyaGyaGyaKiGyaKiUnNunShiuRaShiuRaHaraShiuRaHaraShiuRaChishuSaChishuSaChishuRiChishuRiSowaJaSowaJaSenChiGyaShiriESomoKo

EnMeiJukkuKannonGyo

(Chant3times)

KanZeOnNaMuButsuYoButsuUInYoButsuUEnBupPoSoEnJoRakuGaJoChoNenKanZeOnBoNenKanZeOnNenNenJuShinKiNenNenFuRiShin

(Chant3times)

Kanzeon!AtonewithBuddhaDirectlyBuddhaAlsoindirectlyBuddhaAndindirectlyBuddha,Dharma,Sangha.Joyfulpureeternalbeing!MorningmindisKanzeon.EveningmindisKanzeon.Nen,nenarisesfromMind.Nen,nenisnotseparatefromMind.

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