Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Speaking of Emptiness

When the Tathagata has spoken of the Golden Excellence Mantra, Buddha continues to speak of Emptiness to benefit the great bodhisattvas and help the assembly- devas, human, understand the supreme method, very profound and truthful. Buddha uses the following verses to elucidate the meanings:

The Tathagata has vividly spoken of

The Excellent meaning of Emptiness

In various other Sutra

Now, in this Sutra, the king of Sutra

Buddha will speak of the meaning of Emptiness

Which is Supreme and surpassing all thoughts

Towards the profound and great

Meaning of Emptiness

The lay person is unable to know and understand

As such, the Tathagata will speak of it here

The great meaning

To help them understand and become awaken

Those with great compassion

Who pity the sentient beings

As such they use the benign means

As the excellent cause (seeds for future results)

As such, the Tathagata will now

Speak of the meaning of Emptiness

In this assembly

Emptiness is to this body

As the empty town to the 6 kinds of bandits

Who abide there

Yet they do not know one another

The kinds of bandits belonging to the 6 circumstances (realms)

Relying on the 6 senses

Yet they do not know one another

It is just the same

The visual sense often looks at

The realm of forms

The auditory sense often listens

To various sounds

The olfactory sense

Often smells in the realm of smell

The sense of taste

Abides in the beauty of that particular realm

The sense of touch receives

Soft and gentle touch  

The sense of thought

Never tired of the methods

As such the six senses

Arise according to their elements

And their particular realms of perception

Thus, distinction is born

The mind, consciousness is like a transformed illusion

Which is not real

It relies on the scenes and circumstances (realms)

And attaches itself to want

Just like a person

Who travels near and far in an empty village

The six consciousnesses are just like that

They rely on the six senses

Consciousness is ever moving, inconstant

And change according to its position

Relying on the senses and attaching to (dependent on) the scenes

Thus it knows the world:

Indulged in beautiful forms and gentle scent

Drunk with the methods of touch (sensory)

And in particular with (peculiar to) the method

It searches endlessly

Consciousness follows the causes (roots)

And travels with the six senses

Just like a bird

Flying in space

Yet it has to rely on the senses

As a dwelling place

Consciousness becomes aware

Of the scenes

It is not a knower

Nor a doer

The body is not permanent and strong

It is made from the elements

All are born from misunderstood (confused) distinction

Just like a machine

That moves because of Habits (karma)

Earth, Water, Fire and Wind

Combine to make a body

And depending on the elements

The results are different

Yet when they abide in the same body

They harm one another

Just like the 4 poisonous snakes

That live in the same box

The 4 great elemental snakes

Have different characters

In the same body

They manifest in terms of rise and fall

Either up or down

Throughout the entire body

As such they meet their own destruction

Such four poisonous snakes

The four great elements

Earth and Water are the two

That tends to sink down

Fire and wind are the two

That tends to sublimate (rise)

Because of their conflicting characters

Sicknesses are born

Consciousness relies on such a body

To create virtuous or non-virtuous deeds

In all kinds of forms

And in the deva and human realms

Or the 3 evil realms

That body receives the results accordingly

Depending on the karma

That body becomes sick

And then dies

For sickness, there is defecation and urination

For death, there is the final decomposition

Fearful maggots and bugs

Thrown to the cemetery

Like a rotten log

The assembly should see

The body as such

Why attach to self, and (the concept of) a living being?

You should know that all methods

Are impermanent

All set into motion

By the power of ignorance

The 4 kinds of elements

Are all empty and false

Their characters (nature) are unreal

And they do not give birth to a true body

As such the Tathagata says

That all elements are Empty

As such, you know that they are false

And not real

And the nature of ignorance

Is empty in itself

If there exists a “form”

It is just the combinations of elements

As such, the true wisdom is lost

Thus the Tathagata calls it “Ignorance”

From practice (habits) and consciousness

There arise names and forms

The 6 entries and sensory

Are also born from that

As a result of love, and the thought of having a self

Birth, old age and death come

Suffering and worries

Pursue sentient beings endlessly

Suffering from the ripening of evil deeds

Which keeps sentient beings in the bondage

Of birth and death, cyclic existence

As such, it does not rest

Its true nature is non-possessing

The nature is empty

Because it is not like the method,

And born from distinction (differentiate)

The Tathagata has eliminated

All kinds of defilement

Often lives according to

The righteous mind and wisdom

Buddha knows that the house of the 5 skandals

Is all empty

And moves on to the true Bodhi

The only true and real place

Buddha opens the gates

Of the castle of sweet dew of immortality

And shows its content

Replete with the miraculous dews

Buddha has acquired His own dews (cam lộ)

The true taste of dews of immortality

And now give to others

That same taste of dews of immortality

Buddha sounds the great Dharma drum

Blow the great Dharma conch

Light the Supreme Dharma torch

And let down rains of the supreme Dharma

Conquer all defilements

Together with all hatred and attachment (oán kết)

Buddha sets up the supreme banners of the Dharma

From the ocean of samsara

Buddha salvage all sentient beings

Buddha closes the doors

To the three evil realms

The great fire of defilement

Which burns and scorches sentient beings

And there is none who can save them

Nor is there a place of refuge

Buddha gives them the sweet and cool dews

That satisfies all their wishes

Their burned body and scorched mind

Are all solaced, and their sufferings eliminated

Thus the Buddha

In countless eons

Have respectfully given offerings

To the past Tathagatas

And also steadfast in keeping the precepts

Stepping forward to Bodhi (enlightenment)

Buddha has the wish to attain the Dharma body

And manifest the state of happiness and bliss

Buddha has also given away

Ears, eyes, arms and legs

Wives and children,

All given away without any regret

Properties, gold, pearls and jewels

Buddha offers them all  

To those who need them

Buddha cultivates fully

The 6 paramitas

And completes the 10 grounds

After that, Buddha attains the state of enlightenment

As such, others reverently call Buddha

The Supremely Wise

No one else can know the Tathagata

Suppose the earth and soil

In the great heavenly worlds

Everywhere in there sprouts up trees and plants

Bushes and forests

Rice plants, sesame, bamboos and reeds

Together with other kinds of plants

All such plants

Are cut and ground into the size of atoms

All such atoms

Gathered into a mount

Even till that mount fills up space completely

All world systems in the 10 directions

In there are countless many great heavenly worlds

And the land in there

Also ground to dust

There is no means to calculate the number of dust particles there

Suppose the wisdom of all sentient beings in the world

Is concentrated in the wisdom of one person

And there are numerous such beings

These people can calculate

The number of dust particles said above

However, even if they ponder together

For countless eons, and in many lives

A fraction of a second of the Tathagata’s thought and wisdom

They are unable to know and understand

Only learning a little of it

At this time, when the assembly has heard the Tathagata speaks of the profound meaning of emptiness, countless sentient beings consummate the fact that the 4 elements and the 5 skandals are all empty, and that the 6 senses and 6 scenes are only falsely related (connected) to each other. Everyone has the wish to abandon samsara, and correctly practice the means of liberation; everyone rejoices and practice just as what the Tathagata has taught.  

Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Golden Glory Mantra

At this, time, the Blessed One in the assembly speaks to the great bodhisattva Benign Abiding, child of the lineage, there is a mantra called Golden Glory. Any son or daughter of the lineage who wishes to see for themselves the bodies of the Tathagata in the past, present and future to respectfully make offering, should uphold this mantra. This mantra is the mother of the Tathagatas in the 3 times. As such you should know that you will acquire great merit if you uphold this mantra. Only those who sow roots of virtues in countless Tathagatas in the past are able to uphold this mantra. One will definitely purify one’s Dharma realm (precepts), not having any fault (in the precepts), not missing in any requirements (of the precept), one will definitely enter the profound door of the Dharma. To begin chanting this mantra, one should chant the names of the following Buddha and bodhisattva, respectfully bowing down in homage, afterwards, one can start chanting the mantra.

I bow down to the Tathagatas

I bow down to the great bodhsattvas

I bow down to the Disciples and Solitary Enlightened beings

I bow down to the Sakyamuni Tathagata

I bow down to the non-moving Tathagata to the East

I bow down to the Treasure Garland Tathagata to the South

I bow down to the Amitabha Tathagata to the west

I bow down to the Heavenly ancient sound King Tathagata to the North

I bow down to the Encompassing Great Beings (Quảng chúng ) Tathagata in the Upward direction

I bow down to the Bright Virtue Tathagata to the Downward direction

I bow down to the Treasure body Tathagata

I bow down to the Universal Light Tathagata

I bow down to the Universal Brightness Tathagata

I bow down to the King of Perfume relics (Hương tích) Tathagata

I bow down to the Exquisite Lotus Tathagata

I bow down to the Seeing all as Equal (Bình đẳng kiến) Tathagata

I bow down to the Treasure Altar (Bảo kế) Tathagata

I bow down to the High Treasure Tathagata

I bow down to the Treasure Light Tathagata

I bow down to the Stainless Light Tathagata

I bow down to the Solemn Eloquence Thought Tathagata

I bow down to the Pure Moon Light demonstrating forms King Tathagata

I bow down to the Avatamsaka (Flower Garlands Light) Tathagata

I bow down to the Bright Light King Tathagata

I bow down to the Benign Light of Stainlessness Declaring King Tathagata

I bow down to the Free and Fearless View King Tathagata

I bow down to the Fearless calling Names Tathagata

I bow down to the Supreme King Tathagata

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Chenrezig

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Earth Body

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Void Air body

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Gentle Auspicious

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Vajra Protector (Kim cang thủ)

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Universal Goodness

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Endless Mind

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Great World Will

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Gentle Compassionate Help

I bow down to the great bodhisattva Benign Wisdom

After that, recite the Mantra Golden Excellence as followed: Namo ratna trayaya tadyatha kunte kunte kusate kusale kusale icchili mitili svaha

The Tathagata says to the bodhisattva Benign Abiding, this mantra is the mother of Tathagatas in the three times. Any son or daughter of the lineage who upholds this mantra will create much merit, even infinity, it is the same as making offering, giving respect, praise and honor to countless Tathagatas, and those Tathagatas will make a prediction for that person. Benign Abiding, whoever upholds this mantra will in their present life have abundant food, clothes, properties, having much listening (learned), intelligent, free from sickness, long lifespan, having many benefits included there and satisfy one’s wishes. Benign Abiding, if one upholds this mantra, one will be born in the fields of the bodhisattva Golden Castle Mountain, the bodhisattva Gentle Compassion, the bodhisattva Great Ocean, the bodhisattva Chenrezig, the bodhisattva Gentle and Miraculous Auspicious, the bodhisattva Great bang di la and others in the same levels, up until enlightenment, one will be protected by these great bodhisattva

Child of the lineage, this is the method of upholding this mantra. First, one should recite this mantra 10008 times as the base, means. Afterwards, decorate and arrange a ritual field in a closed room, on the first day of the month of bright moon, clean and bathe oneself, wear new clothes and burn incense, scatter flowers, and also offer food. When one enters the ritual field, one should bow down in homage and call out the names of the said Bodhisattvas and Buddha; afterwards, one should whole-heartedly and sincerely repent on past non-virtuous deeds (which have created obstacles); after that, the right knee should touch the ground, and recite the mantra 1008 times, then sit upright and ponder about one’s wish. When the sun has not risen, eat pure food (tịnh hắc ) in the ritual site, and only eat once a day. Only leave the ritual site after 15 days. If one can do that, one will have inconceivable might, merits and virtue, whatever one wishes, one will be able to fulfill that wish. If the wish has not come true, again enter the ritual site and repeat. If one’s wish comes true, still do not forget to continue chanting.

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Praise of the Lotus

At this time, the Tathagata speaks to the goddess of the great old Bodhi tree (thọ thần của bồ đề đại thọ), heavenly goddess, you should know the reason why the bodhisattva Gentle Garland dreams of the Golden drum emitting great sounds, fulfilling the praise of the Tathagata and the methods of repentance. The Tathagata will speak to you about that cause. You should listen carefully, and remember correctly. In the past there is a king called Lord of the Golden Dragon, who often use lotus as an example to praise the Tathagatas. The Blessed One then speaks of this praise to the whole assembly

The Tathagatas in the past

In the future and present

Among the world in the 10 directions

To You I now whole-heartedly bow down in homage

One-mindedly praising the Supreme Ones

The great Sakyamuni

The Unsurpassed and pure.     

The brightness from His body

Shines with the Golden color

Among all sounds

The sound of His voice is alone supreme

Just like the voice of the great Brahma

Like thunders resounding greatly

Buddha’s hair color

Resembles the blackness of the queen bee

With many waves of curls

Gleaming with the blue color

Buddha’s teeth are uniform and closely fit

As white as the snow and pearl

Very flat and straight

And lightly glisten

Buddha’s eyes a bright and stainless

Excellently beautiful and solemn

Buddha’s eyes are as large

As the blue lotus’s petal

Together with the sign

Of the wide and long tongue

Which is gentle and yielding

Red as the pink lotus

From the water pond sprouting up

In the middle of the eyebrows

There is bright white hair

Which curls clockwise

With the color of crystal

Buddha’s eyebrows are long and fine

As bright as the new moon   

Which glistens brightly

Like the body of the queen bee

Buddha’s nose is high, long and straight

Just like the golden tip

Clean and bright

Not wanting in beauty

All kinds of perfumes

Abound in this world

Buddha’s nose can tell

Where they are from

Just by smelling

The Golden body form

Supreme and peerless

Each hair tip is equally beautiful

Compared to the rest (other hair)

Brightly blue in color, soft and downy

Which curls to the right

Exquisite and shimmering

None can compare

When that Body is newly born in the world

It already has light

Shining and spreading everywhere

Of the worlds in the 10 directions

Capable of eliminating sufferings

Of the sentient beings in the 3 realms

Making them all rest in joy and comfort

Whether it is in hell

Animal kingdoms, pretas

Asura or devas and mankind

The light eliminates

All kinds of suffering for them

Often enjoying the natural bliss

The light from that body

Often shines to everywhere

Just like pure gold

Which is most exquisite

Buddha’s eyes are clear

Just like the full moon

Buddha’s lips are scarlet

Like the color of the tan ba fruit

Buddha’s steps are solemn and powerful

Just like the gait of the lion

The body of Buddha is

Just like the sun at dawn

The arms are long

Passing the knees

Often left naturally dangling

As straight as the sa la branch

The white circle halo

Shining brightly forth

Like hundred thousands of suns

Spreading to all Buddha’s field

Those who have the cause (roots and habits in the past)

Will be awakened

The pure and transparent light

Illuminating to hundred thousands of worlds

And throughout the 10 directions unhindered

All darkness will vanish

The compassionate light of the Tathagata

Brings about happiness and peace

The color is of a shade of transparency

Just like a mountain of pure gold

The light spreading to everywhere

Hundreds of thousand worlds

Those who see this light

Will be liberated

Countless infinite merits

Accomplishing (completing) the body of the Tathagata

All these merits

Decorate the Buddha’s body

Surpassing the 3 realms

The Tathagata is the King ruling all

Above all worlds

Becoming the Unsurpassed and peerless

The Tathagatas in the past

As numerous as the grains of dust

In the whole great heavenly world

The Tathagatas

In the present and future

Also as numerous

As the grains of dust

Of the whole great heavenly world

I now make use of my body, speech and mind

To sincerely and thoroughly bow down

To the Tathagatas in the 3 times

Praising the ocean of boundless merits

Making offering using all kinds

Of perfumes, incense and flowers

Suppose I had a thousand tounges

Praising the Tathagatas

In countless eons

The merit of Buddha

Is inconceivable

Supreme and very profound

Very hard to describe

Suppose I have hundreds of thousands of mouths

It is still impossible to exhaustively

Praise even one single part

Of one merit and virtue of one Buddha

Accomplishing a very small part

No need to speak of countless

Merits of the Tathagata

Suppose the whole world

Including the devas

Up to the Hữu đảnh heaven

All become sea water

Using the measurement of

One droplet of water collected on one hair tip

It is possible to count and know all

Yet even one virtue of Buddha

Can barely be known and understood

I use my body, speech and mind

To sincerely bow down in homage

And praise the boundless virtues and merits

Of the Tathagatas

The great merits and supremely joyful results

That comes from such praising and honoring  

I will dedicate to all sentient beings

And wish them to quickly attain Tathagatahood

The Lord of Golden Dragon King

Having praised the Buddha so,

His mind becomes even more sincere

Deeply moved, he made a great vow:

I vow that in future times

In countless of eons of birth in the future

May I often dream

The great Golden drum

Able to listen to the methods of repentance

The merits that come from praising the Buddha

Is like the lotus flower

May I attain Non-birth

And become the great Enlightened One

Only rarely, once in hundreds of thousands of eons

Does the Tathagata appear in the world

It is very rare to see and meet the Tathagata

So at night, may I often dream

Of the sound of the golden drum

And in the day I will follow accordingly

The method of repentance

May I completely and fully cultivate

The 6 paramitas

To liberate sentient beings

From the ocean of birth-death

Only after that do I become

The Supreme, Unsurpassed Enlightened One

Having a Buddha field

That is inconceivable

May I offer to the Tathagatas

The golden drum

Praising the Tathagata

The true merits and virtues

May I see the Tathagata

Through doing this act

And the Buddha will make a prediction

For me to continue the lineage

Of the Dharma King

Golden Dragon, Golden Light

Are my two sons

In the past, they were my virtuous friends

May they still be born in my family

In this life, together with me,

May they also receive the prediction

From the Buddha

Towards the sentient beings

Who are helpless, often staying in samsara

And receiving sorrow and suffering

In my future lives, may I become

Their refuge and support

Giving them great joy and bliss

I vow to eliminate

The suffering in the 3 realms

Giving them what they wish (according to their own will)

Often living in serenity

I vow that I will cultivate the Bodhi practice

In my future lives

Just like in the past, those

Beings who have become Buddha

I pray for the merits

Of the repentance from the golden drum

Which dry up the ocean of suffering

And eliminate all obstacles

When the obstacles of habits and ignorance (confusion)

Have been eliminated

May I receive the pure results

The ocean of merits and wisdom

Which is boundless, extremely pure and transparent

And very profound

May I accomplish that ocean of merits and wisdom

So that I will quickly reach

The unsurpassed Enlightenment

The power of repentance

Which issues forth from the golden drum

Will complete (and demonstrate) that light of merits and virtues

Demonstrating such miraculous light

And bring the light of wisdom

To shine forth everywhere

May my body, light aura

Merits, virtues and wisdom

Become just like the Tathagata’s

In all worlds, the Buddha is supreme

Having a free, independent power

None can compare

May I cross the sea of outflows

Often traversing

The sea of nothingness (vô vi)

May my ocean of merit

Not dry up but always full

The ocean of wisdom in the future

May It be whole and complete

May my world system

Surpass the three realms

Having Supreme qualities

All infinite and countless

May all those who are related to me

Be born in that world

So that they will quickly achieve

The pure faculty of wisdom

Gentle Garland you should know

The Golden dragon king

Is you; you have made just that vow

And your two sons

Golden dragon, Golden light

Today are Echoing form, and Echoing light respectively

Today they will receive

The prediction from the Tathagata

When the assembly has heard these words from the Tathagata, everyone generates the thought of Unsurpassed Enlightenment, making vows to practice the said methods of repentance in the present and future accordingly.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The sound from the Golden Drum

At this time, the Bodhisattva Gentle Garland, having heard His Dharma, rejoices and becomes jubilant, one-mindedly thinking about It and returns home. In that night, bodhisattva dreams of a huge golden drum, it glitters just like the sun.  In that light, bodhisattva sees the Tathagatas in the ten directions, all sitting on lapis altars under jaded trees, surrounded by the assemblies with numerous beings. Bodhisattva also sees a Brahmin use a stick to hit that golden drum, making great sound. This sound speaks of wondrous verses, of the methods of repentance. The Bodhisattva Gentle Garland keeps it in mind, recalling it just as if bodhisattva has just heard it. When the day comes bodhisattva together with hundreds of thousands of people bring alms and leave the Rajagriha city, arrive at the Vulture’s peak, to where the Tathagata is. Bodhisattva bows to Buddha’s feet, displays the flowers and incense, walks around the Tathagata 3 times, and sit to one side, respectfully holds the palms together, regarding the body form of the Tathagata and says, Blessed One, in the past night, I saw a Brahmin use a stick to hit a drum made of pure gold, very pleasing to the eyes, emitting great sound. The sound speaks of great verses, explaining the method of repentance. Having heard it, I keep it all in mind. Blessed One, please allow me to recount. Towards the Tathagata, bodhisattva Gentle Garland speaks of the following verse.

In the past night

I dreamed of a golden drum

Very great and beautiful

The whole body of the drum

Emits golden light rays

Just like the sun

Such light rays

Illuminate everywhere

Of the world in the 10 directions

Making all see the Tathagatas

Under the jaded trees

Buddha sit together

On lapis Altars

There are thousands of people

All very respectfully surrounding

The Tathagatas

One Brahmin holds a stick

To hit the golden drum

Emitting great sound

And the sound coming from the drum

Speaks of the following

Miraculous verses

Resounding everywhere

Throughout the great worlds

Eliminating very heavy sins

In the three evil realms

Together with many sufferings

Of mankind

The might of the sound

Coming from the golden drum

Eliminates all defilement and obstacles

Eliminates too fear

Making one rejoice

Just like the free Sakyamuni

Just in the place

Of birth and death

The Tathagata cultivate virtues

And become the all-knowing

Making sentient beings

Have wholesome bodies

And be liberated towards

The sea of merits

The drum emits great miraculous sounds

Anyone who hears it

Acquires the sound of the profound Brahma

And then attains

The great Unsurpassed Enlightenment

Often revolving the wheel of Dharma-

Pure and miraculous

Also acquires inconceivable longevity

Speaking the Dharma depending on circumstances

To benefit sentient beings,

Sever the river of numerous causes of suffering

All defilements are also eliminated

Those who are in very evil ways

The great conflagration

Covers the whole body

Having heard of the sound

From the golden drum

Will immediately be liberated from suffering

And take refuge in the Buddha

And then acquires

The vision of ones’ past lives

Able to recall the past

For hundreds of thousands of lives

Also remember the Great Muni

And the great Dharma of Buddha

Thanks to having heard

The sound from the golden drum

That person will stay near

The Tathagatas

Often abandoning all evil deeds

And cultivate the pure and virtuous methods

All sentient beings

Human and devas,

Who sincerely wish for anything

Having heard of the sound

Coming from the golden drum

Will be granted according to their wishes

Anyone who falls into

The Ceaseless hell,

Firing blazing and burning the whole body

And those who are helpless

Having heard the sound from the golden drum

 All suffering vanishes

Human and devas

Together with other kinds

Anyone who are suffering

From various torment

Having heard the sound from the golden drum,

They will be free from suffering

And be liberated

I pray that the Tathagatas

Currently residing in the world

In the ten directions

Please think of me

With Your mind of great compassion

Anyone who is without a refuge, shelter

And is helpless

I vow to become their great support

In the past I have done

Many evil deeds

Which include heavy sins

Today, towards the Tathagatas

I wholeheartedly repent all

I did not trust the Tathagatas

Also not respecting parents or elders

Not diligent in cultivating

Many roots of virtues

Thus I often created

Much evil fruit

I have prided myself

In being noble and wealthy

Social status and lineage

Materials and positions

In youth and strength

Squandering much money for luxury

As such I have created

Many evil karma

The mind often thinks of evil thoughts

The speech is also malevolent

Not seeing any fault

As such I often committed

Many evil deeds

I have often done the kinds of work

Of the layperson

Ignorance and confusion

Following bad companions

As such I often committed

Many evil deeds

Or when I indulged myself

Or when depressed and down

Lust, anger

All entangled inside me

As such I often committed

Many evil deeds

Keep company with the bad

Tight-fisted, jealousy

Flatter and deceive

As such I often committed

Many evil deeds

There were also times

When I did not delight in evils

But because of fear

And I was ordered about

As such I often committed

Many evil deeds

Or because of enthusiasm

Or vengeful, thirst or hunger

All tormenting me

As such I often committed

Many evil deeds

For food and clothing

And lust in women

Or the fire of defilement

Burning and scorching

As such I often committed

Many evil deeds

Towards Buddha Dharma and Sangha

I did not revere

As such I often committed

Such evil deeds as above

Today I wish to repent

Solitary Enlightened beings, bodhisattva

I did not respect

As such I often committed

Such evil deeds

Today I wish to repent

Deprecating the Buddha Dharma

Not filial to parents

Many evil deeds

Today I wish to repent all

Because of ignorance and conceit

Greed and anger

I often committed

Such evil deeds

Today I wish to repent everything

In all worlds

Making offering to countless Tathagatas

I vow to help all sentient beings

And liberate them from all sufferings

Praying that all sentient beings

Will stand on the 10 grounds

Accomplishing the great merit and wisdom

Having become the Tathagatas

To lead all ignorant sentient beings

I will do difficult practice

For sentient beings

Hundreds of thousands of lives

I will use the great power of wisdom

To help them cross over the sea of suffering

I will speak of the Golden Light sutra

For the benefits of the sentient beings

The supreme Sutra

Capable of eliminating all wickedness

Anyone who has committed heavy sins

For hundreds of thousands of lives

Yet if they repent

All wickedness will be purified

Following exactly as written in the Golden Light sutra

And repent

All wickedness will soon be eliminated

Wickedness that causes one to suffer

Hundreds of thousands of

Supreme meditation

Inconceivable, 5 roots, 5 powers

The 7 limbs of wisdom

8 limbs of the saint way

37 methods

I vow to regularly practice

Without fatigue

And I will arrive at

The 10 grounds of the bodhisattva

Where there is sufficiently

All precious things

Consummating all qualities of Tathagatahood

Salvaging sentient beings

Helping them cross the sea of birth-death

Towards the sea

The position of Buddha

And the cache of profound merits

Miraculous wisdom

Inconceivable

I vow to accomplish fully

I pray that the Tathagatas

In the 10 directions

Will support me

With the heart of great compassion

Accept and consider

My repentance

In countless eons

I have committed evil deeds

Because of that wickedness

Suffering arises

I pray that the Tathagatas will consider

And let me purify all such wickedness

Since I have committed evil deeds

Terror will be born

In all actions- walk, stand, sit or lie down

I have never had

A single moment of happiness

The compassionate Tathagatas

Who eliminate all fear for the sentient beings

Please accept and allow me to repent

So that I will be free from fear

I have sufficient all karma and obstacles

Together with the fruit that comes from it

I pray for the Tathagatas

To use the water of great compassion

And wash it cleanly

Great evil deeds I have done

In the past and present

I whole-heartedly wish to reveal and repent

Pray that they will be purified

And I will refrain from

 All future wickedness

 Not letting such thought arise

If I violate this vow

I will never dare to hide

The body has 3 habits

Speech has 4 habits

Thought has 3 habits

Tying sentient beings

Since countless ages up till now

Ceaseless

Through body, speech and thought

The ten non-virtuous acts are carried out

Such wickedness has many forms

Today I hope to repent all

The wickedness that I have done

In the future I will have to face

Unpleasant results (no repentance)

Today, in front of the Tathagatas

I whole-heartedly repent everything

The great Jambudvipa world

And all the worlds in it

I now rejoice with all of its virtuous deeds

Vowing to abandon the 10 non-virtuous deeds

And complete the 10 virtuous deeds

Abiding in the 10 grounds

Often seeing the Tathagatas

All merits and wisdom

That I have acquired

Through my body, speech and mind

I will utilize such roots of virtue

To quickly reach the Unsurpassed Enlightenment

Now I in front of the Tathagatas

I sincerely repent

Many types of obstacles:

The obstacle of ignorance

Loving the 3 realms

 The obstacle that causes heavy evil results

The obstacle of accumulating

Lust, wrong views

The obstacles of greed for love

Which often flow incessantly

The obstacle of love and attachment to the present world

The obstacle of the layperson defilements

The obstacle of thoughtlessness,

Rash acts and depravity

The obstacle of having bad companions

The obstacle of loving

The place of birth-death

The obstacle of anger and ignorance

Ignorance as the root

The obstacle of being born

In the 8 inconvenient places

The obstacle of not accumulating the roots of virtues

Now I towards the great Tathagatas

Repent countless such wickedness

Now I take refuge in the Tathagatas

I bow down to the ones

Whose sea of virtue is unsurpassed

You, like the great golden mountain

Shining to everywhere

Please have the compassion to aid me

The body of Buddha shines forth brightly

The color of golden light

The eyes of Buddha is like

The blue lapis

The Auspicious one

Who has special might and virtues

You take the sun of compassion

To ward off the darkness

For countless sentient beings

Buddha is like the sun

Shining everywhere

Clear, bright and not tarnished

Free from all dust and blemish

Buddha is like the moon

Shining forth cooling light

Shining away the heat

Of all defilement

32 good marks

Solemn body form

80 auxiliary signs

The whole body perfect

Great merits and virtues, inconceivable

Just like the sun

Shining the whole world

The radiance from the body

Is just like the transparent lapis

Also like the full moon

The body has a golden color

And nets of crystal

Which shines forth with many colors

In the waterfall of birth-death and suffering

Old age and sickness

Swirling the sentient beings around

Such a great sea can hardly be endured

The sun of a Tathagata

Shines and dries it all up

I bow to the One

Whose wisdom is complete

The rarest among the great worlds

One with golden color

Shining brightly

The one who is decorated

With many beauties

You are like the ocean

Vast, hard to know

You are like the earth

Hard to know the number of dust

You are like the great mountain

Hard to know the weight

You are like space

The boundary of which is hard to know

A Tathagata is as such

The sentient beings can hardly know

The more one thinks, the more one realizes

Even in countless ages

It is hard to know

The shore of a Tathagata’s virtues

Crushing the whole world

The mathematics of knowing the miniscule

The mathematics of knowing droplets

Of the whole ocean

The amount of virtues of a Tathagata

Is hard to know

All sentient beings

Together praise the renowned qualities

The pure and good body form

Miraculous solemnity of the Tathagata

Yet is impossible to know

The limit

Many kinds of roots of virtues

That I have sown

I vow to quickly become

The great, Unsurpassed

Speaking the Dharma in many forms

Benefit all sentient beings

Liberating them from suffering

Defeating the army of Mara

Having great power

Turning the wheel of the supreme Dharma

Abiding on earth for a very long time

I will use the dew of immortality

To invigorate the sentient beings

Just like in the past

The Supreme Ones

Have consummated all the 6 paramitas

Destroying lust, anger and ignorance

Eliminating defilement

And all suffering

I pray to have the knowledge of previous lives

Remembering the past

For hundreds of thousands of lives

Especially remembering

The great Muni

Able to listen to

His profound Dharma

Pray that I will use

Such roots of virtue

To serve countless Tathagatas

Abandoning all bad deeds

Often cultivating virtues

The true Dharma

Making all sentient

In all kinds of worlds

Forever liberated from suffering

And fulfill their happiness

All those who have imperfect senses

Will be made whole

Anyone who experience suffering

Because of illness

Having a weak and feeble body

Without a place of refuge

I will make them free from sickness

And have good health and body forms

Also sufficient with all

Anyone who transgress the law

About to be executed

Tortured by suffering

Tormented by fear

When they are in such a great state of fear

Having no one to rely on

I will help them

When they are beaten

Bound and chained

All kinds of instruments

Tormenting the body

In such countless fears

Occupying the mind

Without a moment of reprieve

I will help them

Liberate them from

All instruments that torment them

If they are about to be executed

I help them protect their lives

All other kinds of suffering

Will be exhausted permanently

Any sentient beings

Who are struck with hunger and thirst

I will help them experience

All kinds of enjoyable tastes

Let the blind be able to see

The deaf to hear

The lame to walk

The speech-defect to speak

Anyone who is poor

Acquire treasures

Not wanting in any aspects

I make them enjoy

The supreme joy

No one else will have to suffer

From pain and anguish

Everyone becomes pleasing to the eye

Honorable appearance and gait

Also solemn and orderly

Everyone enjoys happiness

Having a vivid lifestyle

Sufficient with all merits and virtues

Up to their wish

When they think of music

Magnificent music is played

When they think of water

Cool water appears in a lake

And in that lake

There appear golden lotus blossoms

Depending on the sentient beings

Whatever they think of

They will be satisfied in all

Food and furniture

With gold and jade

All kinds of lapis

And strings of pearls, jewel garlands

All sufficient

Also making sentient beings

Become free from hearing vicious voices

Also not seeing anything that is against one’s will

The appearance that they will all acquire

Will be all solemn

And towards one another

They think of compassion

Any instrument that is necessary for life

Appear upon thought

Gold and jade they have acquired

They share to all sentient beings

All that they need

Without the regret

All kinds of perfume and flowers

Fall down from trees

3 times a day

Which they will enjoy upon will

The heart full of joy

I vow for all sentient beings

To be able to make offering

To the great Tathagatas

In the worlds in the 10 directions

Making offering to the Miraculous Dharma

Accomplishing the 3 bright vehicles

Making offering to the Saintly beings

With all Bodhisattvas, Hearers and Solitary Enlightened ones

I pray that all sentient beings

Will not fall into mean and humble places

The eight inconvenient places

Often born as human

And able to cultivate

Often serving the Tathagatas

I pray that sentient beings

Will be born in rich households

Properties and treasures

All become sufficient and full

The body forms and reputation

Are among everyone peerless

The lifespan reaching countless ages

I pray that sentient beings

Females will be reborn as males

Intelligent and strong

Endowed with great wisdom and capabilities

And all will walk on the path

Of the Bodhisattva

Which is cultivating in the 6 paramitas

I pray that sentient beings

Will frequently see the Tathagatas

Residing in the Altars

Beneath the jaded trees

The Lion Altars

Made of lapis

Often listening to Buddha

Revolving the Wheel of Dharma

Past and present

If I am reborn in the 3 worlds

Creating non-virtuous deeds

Possibly reaping unpleasant results

I pray that they will all be purified

Without exception

In the sea, there are countless beings

Who are bounded by the net of birth and death

I pray that I will cut that net for them

Using the sword of wisdom

Making them quickly leave birth-death

And acquire the unsurpassed wisdom

The great Jambudvipa world

Or other worlds

The sentient beings in there

Those who create many good roots of virtues

I now vow to rejoice in all those roots

Pray, I will use such act of rejoicing

And many kinds of virtuous deeds

Of the body, speech and mind

To nurture such good roots

Often acquiring the great wisdom

All roots of virtues acquired from

Making offering and praising

The virtues of the Tathagatas

With the profound mind

Extremely pure, spotless

I will dedicate

And make a vow

Thanks to that, I will surpass the evil ways

For sixty eons

If there is any son or daughter of the lineage

Or other royalties

Such as Brahmin

Who whole-heartedly hold their palms together

And praise the Buddha

As such, wherever they are born

They can recall their previous lives

Having perfect senses

And complete body

All accomplishing the supreme merits

In the future, wherever they are born

Human and devas will often

Regard them with respect

That person has already cultivated roots of virtue

Not just in one Buddha, or ten Buddha

Thanks to which they can now listen

To this method of repentance

They must have cultivated roots of virtue

In hundreds of thousands of Buddha

As such, they now listen

To this miraculous method of repentance

At this time, the Tathagata having listened to these verses, applauded the Bodhisattva Gentle Garland, saying How benign, child of the lineage, the sound issuing from the golden drum that you dreamed of, has praised the qualities of the Tathagatas and the method of repentance. Whoever hears this sound creates much merit. This sound benefits greatly for the sentient beings, eliminating their obstacles. You should know that this supreme occasion arises from your habits of praising the Tathagatas and repenting, it is also thanks to the sustaining might of the Tathagatas. That cause, the Tathagata will now speak of

At this time, the entire assembly hears this, everyone rejoices and accept, and practice accordingly