Also known as the
Bodhisattva Vow. Chanted at the beginning of
Zen meditation periods.
- The many beings are numberless -- I vow to save them.
- Greed, hatred and folly rise endlessly -- I vow to abandon them.
- Dharma gates are countless -- I vow to wake to them.
- Buddha's way is unsurpassable -- I vow to embody it fully.
and in Romanji Japanese...
- Su-jo mu-hen sei gan do
- Bon-no mu-jin sei gan dan
- Ho-mon muryo sei gan gakku
- Butsu-do mu-gen sei gan jo
The person doing the chanting is vowing not to leave the cycle of reincarnation until all other beings have been led to enlightenment, an endeavor that could take countless kalpas.