Scribd
Upload
49 views3 pages

Understanding The Origins of Gongyo Verses

The document outlines various Buddhist practices and verses, including Gongyō, Sanrai, and Sangemon, which are integral to Tendai Buddhism and other traditions. It describes the origins and significance of each practice, emphasizing their roles in daily liturgy, repentance, and taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Additionally, it provides historical anecdotes related to specific sutras, illustrating their spiritual importance and the miraculous outcomes associated with their recitation.

Uploaded by

Seishin Clark
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
49 views3 pages

Understanding The Origins of Gongyo Verses

The document outlines various Buddhist practices and verses, including Gongyō, Sanrai, and Sangemon, which are integral to Tendai Buddhism and other traditions. It describes the origins and significance of each practice, emphasizing their roles in daily liturgy, repentance, and taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Additionally, it provides historical anecdotes related to specific sutras, illustrating their spiritual importance and the miraculous outcomes associated with their recitation.

Uploaded by

Seishin Clark
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Gongyō 勤行 (Diligent/assiduous practice)

Regular/daily liturgy/recitation of the Buddha’s teachings and other such practices. It is also known
as O-tsutome お勤め, meaning ‘to carry out ones work/duty/business’. Although often called ‘pūjā’
(meaning praise or worship), the gongyō of Tendai Buddhism (and others) is actually based around
the repentance practices of our Chinese lineage ancestors. That’s not to say that pūjā, or praise,
doesn’t exist in Tendai.

Sanrai 三禮 (Three Courtesies/bows)


(Also 三礼) The exact origins of this verse are unknown, but can be found in the ‘Ritual for
veneration of the Dharma Flower Sutra’ 禮法華經儀式 (Rei Hokke kyō gishiki礼法華経儀式).
Variations of this verse are then found in texts such as ‘Lotus Repentance Ritual’ (Hokke Senbo 法華
懺法), the ‘Lotus Samādhi Repentance Ritual’ (Hokke Sanmai Gi 法華三昧儀), and the ‘Golden Light
Sutra Repentance Ritual’ (Konkomyo Senbo 金光明懺法), all of which suggests the verse possibly
originated with Master Zhiyi or Master Huisi.

Sangemon 懺悔文 (Verse of repentance/confession)


The Sangemon is taken from the verse at end of Chapter 39 of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. This specific
chapter is also known as the Gandavyūha Sūtra.

Sanki Sankyō 三帰三竟 (Three refuges – three verses)


The Sanki Sankyō verse is taken from the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, chapter 11. Whilst Sanrai is a verse of
veneration, this verse contains the act of taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. This
ritual is the primary act of all Buddhists of all denomitations.

Kaikyōge 開経偈 (Opening Sutra verse)


The Kaikyōge is a verse of mindfulness (gatha 偈文) usually recited before opening a sutra. The
author of the verse is uncertain, however it is believed that it originated in China. According to one
story, in the Tang dynasty, Empress Wu (Wu Zetian武則天) invited the two famous monks 神秀
Jinshū and 慧能 Enō to Chang'an (Xi'an). When they arrived, to articulate her awe of meeting the
two, she recited the now famous verse. In another story, the verse was written by Shikshananda
(Jisshananda 実叉難陀 652–710) as a preface to his translation of the Flower Garland Sutra (Kegon-
gyo 華厳経), at the request of Empress Wu. There are also other stories and theories.

Jū nyōze 十如是 (Ten Thusness’s)


A teaching on the Ten Thusness’s/Suchness’s, this verse is taken directly from chapter 2 of the Lotus
Sutra, as translated into Chinese from Sanskrit by Kumārajīva. BDK version, page 28, first paragraph.

Enmei jukku kannon gyō 延命十句観音経 (Life-Extending Ten-Line Kannon Sutra)


The Enmei jukku kannon gyō is understood to be a summary of the (slightly longer) Kōō Kanzeon gyō
高王観世音経, so called due to its connection with Emperor Gao Huan 高歓 (496 – 547AD). This
sutra is also considered to be a summary of Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra.

The earliest record of the Enmei jukku kannon gyō is from a book called Busso-tōki 仏祖統紀 (Fo-
tsu-t’ung-chi) “The Record of the Lineage of the Buddha and the Patriarchs”, written in 1269CE by the
Tiantai monk Chih-p’an 志磐 (Shiban). The book contains the transmission of the Dharma from the
Buddha, through Indian and Chinese patriarchs, according to the Tiantai school.
On scroll number 36, “27th Year of the reign Yuanjia 元嘉, Lui Song Dynasty 劉宋 (450CE)” a military
commander, Ōgenbō 王玄謨 failed to conquer the north. On the eve before being executed he had
a dream that told him “if you recite the Kannon Gyō 観音経 a thousand times you’ll escape your
sentence. Ōgenbō did as he was instructed in the dream, and the next day was spared execution.
The Kannon Gyō in this story is not the same as the chapter found in the Lotus Sutra 法華経, but the
Enmei jukku kannon gyō.

Scroll number 37 (of the same text) contains a similar story of a person called Son Keitoku 孫敬德
(Sun Jingde), incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit during the Eastern Wei dynasty (534-550).
While on death row, he recited the 25th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra continuously awaiting his
execution. One night he had a dream of a monk who taught him the Kōō Kanzeon gyō. Waking from
his dream, he immediately recited the sutra without making a mistake. As dawn broke he was taken
to be executed, still chanting the sutra. But when the executioner brought his sword down, it broke
into pieces. He tried a second sword but that too broke. Because of this miraculous event, the
Emperor granted Son a special pardon and was acquitted.

In another story on scroll number 53 (same text), a woman loses her sight and is in despair. A person
appears to her in a dream and tells her to recite the Kannon Gyō. After doing so her sight is restored.

Ekō 回向 aka Hokke Jōbutsu Ge 法華成佛偈 (Transference of Merit/Attaining


Enlightenment Through the Lotus Sutra)
The ekō (Pariṇāmanā) comes directly from the Lotus Sutra as translated from Sanskrit into Chinese
by Kumārajīva, chapter 7. In the BDK version of the text, it is at the bottom of page 136.

Shichi Butsu Tsu Kai Ge 七佛通戒偈 (The verse of the commandment commonly
taught by the Seven Buddhas of the past)
A universal verse that can be found in numerous texts and sutras across all traditions, such as the
Pali Dhammapada, the Chinese Si Fen Lu (Vinaya in Four Divisions), numerous Ekottarāgama (such as
T.2, 551a13-14) etc. The seven Buddhas referenced are the named Seven Buddhas of the past, with
Shakyamuni being the 7th.

In Sanskrit; sarva pāpasya akaraṇaṃ, kuśalasya upasaṃpadaḥ; sucitta paryavadānam, etad


buddhasya śāsanam.

Endonsho 圓頓章 (Perfect Sudden Enlightenment)


The Endonsho is almost entirely taken directly from the Maka Shikan (摩訶止観 Mohe chihquan),
written by Master Zhiyi, with the acceptation of the last verse (to chi shin do), which is taken from
Master Zhanran’s commentary.

Shariraimon 舎利礼文 (Verse honouring the relics of the Buddha)


It is believed this verse originates from India and was brought to China by the Vajra master
Amoghavajra 不空金剛 (Fukū Kongo 705–774). The title of the text derives from the Sanskrit Hybrid
word Śarīra meaning ‘relic’, deriving from the original Sanskrit term Śarīraḥ, meaning ‘body’. Śarīra
can also refer to Dharmakāya śarīra, or sutras that were taught by the Dharmakāya. The relics
themselves are typically pearl-like solids left over after the body of an emanant monastic,
Bodhisattva or Buddha is cremated. These relics are considered to emanate adhiṣṭhāna (blessing) to
those who pay respects to them. They are also believed to ward off evil. Relics are typically stored in
stupas.
Hongakusan 本覚讃 (Original Enlightenment Praise)
This verse is an extract from the Myōhō renge zanmai himitsu sanmaya kyō 妙法蓮華三昧秘密三昧
耶経 (Sūtra of the secret samaya (symbols) of the samādhi of the lotus blossom of the Wonderful
Dharma), or Renge sanmai Kyō for short. It is an esoteric text said to have been brought back from
China by Enchin and translated from Sanskrit by Amoghavajra. However, it is now known to have
been written in Japan around Annen’s time (841–889), possibly even written by Annen 安然 himself,
although Annen claims this text was brough back from China by Kūkai. These days, only this extract
is recited. The sutra asserts the unity of the Womb and Diamond Realms through an esoteric
interpretation of the Lotus Sutra.

Kangyomon 觀經文 (Contemplation sutra verse)


A short verse taken from the Contemplation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life Sūtra (Kanmuryoju
Kyō, or Kangyō for short).

Nembutsu ekōge 念仏回向偈 (Mindfulness of the Buddha Merit Transference verse)


This verse is found in the Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra (Daimuryōju kyō 大無量寿経)

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy