Wisdom from Chinese Literary and Buddhist Classics
365 Days for Travelers
8/8: A PRAYER FOR OUR PARENTS, RELATIVES, AND FRIENDS (EXCERPT)
Venerable Master Hsing Yun (1927 - , Fo Guang Shan)English translation: Shujan Cheng and Tom Manzo
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
Since we emerged from the womb,
Our parents have raised and educated us,
Our relatives have supported us;
We have received so much from them
But seldom repay their kindness.
When we cried, they gave us joy;
When we were disappointed,
they gave us encouragement;
In each requirement of livelihood,
they gave us provision;
Through hardships and setbacks, they gave us comfort.
They have given us
so many expressions of loving-kindness,
They have given us
so much tenderness and thoughtfulness,
Oh Buddha!
You once carried the coffin for your father,
You also once traveled afar
in order to teach Dharma to your mother.
Please grant us faith and strength;
We wish to bring honor to our deceased ancestors,
We wish to guide our living relatives;
Please bless and protect our parents and relatives;
May they enjoy happiness, longevity, good health,
and peaceful lives,
May they be safe and at ease.
If we have honor, we wish to share it with them;
If we have wealth, we wish them also be free from need.
Buddha, we pray to you:
Allow us to offer repayment
To our relatives in this lifetime;
Allow the sincere gratitude in our hearts
To gain approval from our elders.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
Please gratify your disciples’ humble sincerity!
── from Pearls of Wisdom:
Prayers for Engaged Living
What's New?
AUGUST
Humble Table, Wise Fare
INSPIRATION
Recorded by Leann Moore
Language
—should be like sunshine
and convey a bright view,
—should be like a flower
and convey fragrant thought,
—should be like pure water
and convey clear ideas.
Dharma Instruments
Venerable Master Hsing Yun grants voices to the objects of daily monastic life to tell their stories in this collection of first-person narratives.
Sutras Chanting
The Medicine Buddha SutraMedicine Buddha, the Buddha of healing in Chinese Buddhism, is believed to cure all suffering (both physical and mental) of sentient beings. The Medicine Buddha Sutra is commonly chanted and recited in Buddhist monasteries, and the Medicine Buddha’s twelve great vows are widely praised.
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