Gathas from the Flower Ornament Sutra

[Kokuu]

Dear all

I have slightly modified a number of gathas (verses for mindfulness) from the Avatamsaka Sutra, chapter eleven 'Purifying Practice', and post them here in case people find any of them useful.

Refuge

Taking refuge in the Buddha
I wish that all beings
Continue the lineage of Buddhas
Conceiving the unexcelled aspiration.

Taking refuge in the Teaching
They should wish that all beings
Enter deeply into the scriptures
And their wisdom deep as the sea.

Taking refuge in the Community,
I wish for all beings
To see our interconnectedness
And become free from obstruction.


Sitting Practice

When entering the Buddha Hall
I wish that all beings
Ascend to the unexcelled sanctuary
And rest there, secure and unshakeable.

When setting out the cushion
I wish that all beings
Nurture their good qualities
And see their true nature.

Sitting up straight
I wish that all beings
Sit on the seat of enlightenment
Their minds without attachment.

Sitting cross-legged
I wish that all beings
Have firm and strong roots of goodness
And attain the state of immovability.

Cultivating awareness
I wish for all beings
To become fully intimate
With the 10 000 things.

When practicing contemplation
I wish that all beings
See truth as it is
And become forever free of opposition and contention.

[Kokuu]

Daily Activities

Taking a toothbrush in hand
I wish for all beings
To attain the wonderful teaching
And become free from delusion.

When brushing my teeth
I wish for all beings
To become harmonious and pure in thought
Brushing away all afflictions.

When going to the toilet
I wish that all beings
Reject greed, hatred and ignorance
And clean away harmful ideas.

When washing the body
I wish for all beings
To see their original nature
With no trace of defilement.

When washing the hands
I wish for all beings
To have clean and open hands
To receive and hold the Buddha’s teaching.

When washing the face with water
I wish that all beings
Attain the pure teaching
And are forever free of defilement.

Taking up a bowl
I wish that all beings
Become a perfect vessel of truth
To receive the teachings.

When sitting in a bath
I wish for all beings
To have omniscient knowledge
And see the emptiness of past, present and future.

When washing the body
I wish for all beings
To be undefiled in body and mind
Radiantly pure, inside and out.


Travelling

Picking up a staff
I wish for all beings
To act with great charity
And follow the road of truth.

Setting out on a road
I wish for all beings
To follow the path of the Buddha
Into the realm of nonattachment.

Walking on the road
I wish that all beings
May walk the path of true reality
With a mind free of obstruction.

Seeing a winding road
I wish that all beings
Abandon false paths
And leave wrong views behind them.

Seeing a straight road
I wish for all beings
To be straight and true in mind
Without flattery or deceit.

Seeing a dusty road
I wish for all beings
To realise the truth of non-self
Where dust and dirt cannot abide.

Seeing a big river
I wish for all beings
To gain entry to the stream of truth
And the ocean of Buddha knowledge.

Seeing a bridge
I wish for all beings
To be carried across
To the other shore.

[Kokuu]

People

Seeing people wearing ornaments
I wish that all beings
Would be adorned with a Buddha’s
Thirty-two marks of distinction.

Seeing people unadorned
I wish for all beings
To live as simply as they can
Taking only what is needed.

Seeing people attached to pleasure
I wish for all beings
To take delight in the truth
Instead of worldly things.

Seeing people without attachments
I wish for all beings
To be freed from attachment
To conditioned things.

Seeing happy people
I wish for all beings
To be peaceful and happy
In the way of the Buddha.

Seeing people suffer
I wish for all beings
To attain the way
And be free from pain.

Seeing healthy people
I wish for all beings
To attain true wisdom
And be free from sickness and afflictions of the mind.

Seeing sick people
I wish for all beings
To know the emptiness of the body
And freedom from suffering.

Seeing handsome people
I wish for all beings
To have unwavering faith
In the buddhas and ancestors.

Seeing ugly people
I wish for all beings
To not be attached
To how things appear.

Seeing grateful people
I wish for all beings
To know the blessings and teachings
Of the buddhas and ancestors.

Seeing ungrateful people
I wish for all beings
To have love and compassion
For those who sorrow.


Going for Alms

Entering a village to beg
I wish for all beings
To enter the profound realm of truth
With a clear and stainless mind.

Approaching someone’s door
I wish for all beings
To find the dharma gate
Of Buddha’s teaching.

Entering a house
I wish for all beings
To enter the vehicle of Buddhahood
Which is unequalled in its truth.

Meeting someone who doesn’t give
I wish for all beings
To never give up
Supremely virtuous ways.

Meeting those who give
I wish for all beings
To forever abandon
The three poisons and the miseries they bring.

Seeing an empty bowl
I wish for all beings
To be pure of heart
And free from afflictions.

Receiving fine food
I wish for all beings
To fulfil their aspirations
And be free of envy and longing.

Receiving poor food
I wish for all beings
To taste the path
Of goalless sitting.


Eating

When eating
I wish for all beings
To feed on the joy of meditation
And be sated by delight in truth.

When tasting flavour
I wish for all beings
To obtain the supreme taste of Buddhahood
And be filled with the elixir of wisdom.

When the meal is finished
I wish for all beings
To accomplish their tasks
And fulfil the Buddha’s teachings.


Sleep and Waking

When going to sleep at night
I wish for all beings
To have physical ease
And undisturbed minds.

Awakening from sleep
I wish for all beings
To see everything with awareness
In the ten directions.


Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Ryumon]

“Seeing people attached to pleasure
I wish for all beings
To take delight in the truth
Instead of worldly things.”

I think it’s worth noting, if I’m correct, that the word truth here is actually a translation for dharma. So other translators might say, “to take delight in the way.“ Yes, no?

[Anthony]

Thank you for sharing these Kokuu! I find gathas to be pretty helpful for staying present throughout the day.

Gassho,
Anthony
satlah

[Jundo]

Lovely.

Maybe we might explain, to those who do not know, that Gathas are little traditional recitals said at various times, many of them ordinary in life, to remember how special and sacred is even this ordinary action or moment, and to dedicate our doing so to the well-being and enlightenment of all sentient beings.

Gassho, J

stlah

[Kaitan]

Thanks Kokuu, I should print this verses



stlah, Kaitan

[Huichan]

Planning to study this sutra at some point but it seems like it would take a while

Maybe I can just start with these gathas


慧禅
stlah

[Shigeru]

Thank you Kokuu

Gassho
Satlah

[mdonnoe]

I love these! They remind me a lot of Thich Nhat Hanh's gathas that he wrote also!

Gassho,
Michael sat/lah

[Kokuu]

I love these! They remind me a lot of Thich Nhat Hanh's gathas that he wrote also!

I think, although could be horribly wrong, that this was the original source for the idea of gathas.

I really like Thich Nhat Hanh's ones also.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Onki]

Beautiful, Kokuu [emoji3590][emoji1431]

Gasshō,

On

Sat today/LAH

[Chikyou]

Gassho,
SatLah
Chikyō

[Tai Do]

Beautiful, Kokuu!
I will adopt some for my daily practice this Ango (and hopefully for after it as well).
Gassho,
Tai Do
Satlah

[Kaisho]

Ah! Just saw these! Lovely Kokuu

Gassho
Stlah

[mdonnoe]

I love these! Thank you for sharing!

Gassho,
Michael
SatLah