Birthday and Full Month Ceremony

1) INCENSE PRAISE (LU XIANG)

The incense has just begun to burn in the censer, perfuming the Dharma Realm.

The Great Congregations Buddhas has perceived it from far

Everywhere there are gather auspicious clouds, in the midst of our almost sincerity

Buddhas manifest themselves in their entirety


Homage to the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas under incense cloud canopies.

Homage to the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas under incense cloud canopies.

Homage to the Bodhisattvas Mahasattvas under incense cloud canopies.

2) PRAISE TO THE BUDDHA

Homage to Our Original Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha

Homage to Our Original Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha

Homage to Our Original Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha

3) The Heart Sutra

When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practising the profound Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the five skandhas and saw that they are empty, and he crossed beyond suffering and difficulty.


Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. So, too, are feeling, cognition, formation and consiousness.


Shariputra, the dharmas are empty of characteristics. They are not produced, not destroyed, not defiled, not pure and they neither increase nor diminish.


Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, feeling, cognition, formation or consciousness, no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch or dharmas, no field of the eyes, up to and including no field of mind-consciousness; and no ignorance or ending of ignorance, up to and including no old age and death or ending of old age and death.


There in no suffering, no accumulating, no extinction, no way and no understanding and no attaining. Because nothing is attained, the Bodhisattva, through reliance on Prajna Paramita, is unimpeded in his mind. Because there is no impediment, he is not afraid, and he leaves distorted dreams and thoughts far behind. Ultimate Nirvana!


The Buddhas of the three periods of time attain Annutarasamyaksambodhi through reliance on Prajna Paramita. Therefore, know that Prajna Paramita is a great spiritual mantra, a great bright mantra, a supreme mantra, an unequalled mantra. It can remove sufferings; it is genuine and not false.That is why the mantra of Prajna Paramita was spoken. Recite it like this:


GA-TE GA-TE PARAGA-TE PARASAMGA-TE BODHI SVAHA

Gone, gone, gone beyond, utterly gone beyond

O What an Awakening! All hail!

4) Supplication to the Buddhas (Thrice)

Master:

Offering flowers and incense

Lay Person:

We disciples beseech and invite with sincere hearts,

The teacher of this samsaric world,

Our original teacher Shakyamuni Buddha,

Amitabha Buddha of Sukhavati Western Pureland,

The Buddhas in ten directions of the past, present and future,

The Buddhas pervading all space and the Dharma Realm,

In the light of compassion, may we not transgress our vows.

May you bear witness to our taking of refuge.

(Bow Once)


5) Supplication to the Dharma (Thrice)

Master:

Offering flowers and incense,

Lay Person:

We disciples beseech and invite with sincere hearts,

The small and great vehicles,

The precepts

The precepts that lead to liberation,

The twelve division of the sutras,

The authoritative teaching of truth,

That lead to renunciation of craving and attainment of true purity,

The profound treasury of the Dharma.

Mindfully and wholeheartedly,

I go for refuge for my life.

(Bow Once)


6) Supplication to the Sangha (Thrice)


Master:

Offering flowers and incense

Lay Person:

We disciples beseech and invite with sincere hearts,

Ava-Lo-Ki-Tes-Vara Bodhisattva and Ksi-Ti-Gar-Bha Bodhisattva

Man-Ju-Sri Bodhisattva and Sa-Manta-Bha-Dra Bodhisattva

The Multitude of Pure Beings

The Great Bodhisattvas

Venerable Upali of the assembly of the precepts

The Patriarchs of Generations Great Master of India and China

In the light of your compassion, may we not transgress our vows.

May you bear witness to our taking of refuge.

(Bow Once)


7) Repentance (Master recite first follow by lay person) [Thrice]

The past evil karma I had committed

were all due to beginning greed, hatred and ignorance

as expressed through my body, speech and mind.

All these misgivings I hereby repent and resolve not to repeat.

(Bow Once)

8) The Four Great Vows

{All Kneel} (Master recite first follow by lay person) [Thrice] {Bow Thrice at End}

Sentient beings are numberless, I vow to save them all

Afflictions are inexhaustible, I vow to uproot them all

Dharma teachings are boundless, I vow to master them all

The Buddha way is not surpass-able, I vow to attain it


9) The Threefold Refuse

I take my refuge in Buddha and wish that sentients beings may understand the Great Way where-by the Buddha seed may forever thrive [follow by bow]

I take my refuge in Dharma and wish that sentients beings may enter deeply into the sutra treasure and attain wisdom as vast as the ocean [follow by bow]

I take my refuge in Sangha and wish that sentients beings may reign in Great Multitudes without any obstruction whatsoever and to respect the sacred Sangha [follow by bow]

Lay Person:

Let us bow to the Sangha trice out of gratitude

Master:

Bow once to the Buddha

Lay Person:

Amitabha Buddha

Master:

Behold, the donors of Birthday and Full Month Event

Will certainly gain the benefits

If one donates in delight

He will later have peace and joy

Having offered food to Buddhas

We will the Sentient Beings to accomplish fully and all that they do

and fulfil the Buddha Dharma

Lay Person:

Amitabha Buddha