For Saya

[Jundo]

Apart from rising from our zafus and smiting Asad and his henchmen with the sword of Manjushri, what other measures did you have in mind?

I wish I knew, Rich. A true international peace-keeping force to defend human rights worldwide would be a start, although unlikely any time soon. A world in which we take a stand to defend people, and not fishing and oil rights, would be a better place.

But, no, I am not going to bang on a drum and sing "kumbaya" for poor Saya and her people even though it makes us feel good to do so. Please feel free.

Gassho, J

[Shohei]

I will sit for Saya and all suffering.

Gassho
Shohei

[Shokai]

Jundo; I hear you and agree and, do say a silent prayer.

[Jundo]

Jundo; I hear you and agree and, do say a silent prayer.

I couldn't hurt, and I do hope some power is listening.

Gassho, J

[Mp]

Taigu,

I will sit with you, Saya, my Dharma brothers, sisters, and all of those suffering in Syria.

Gassho
Michael

[Jundo]

Here is the full Gate of Sweet Nectar Ceremony from Bernie's website. Frankly, I do not feel that any of the goo goo ga ga and GYA TA YA TA　would do a darn thing for Saya and Syria or the "hungry ghosts" wherever found, and I would not support its being performed here ...

=============================

Gate of Sweet Nectar text:

(Run and 3 bows)
(Officiant offers incense)
Ø Ø Ø ∆
Gate of Sweet Nectar
Ø(Sung 3x) Calling out to hungry hearts Everywhere through endless time You who wander, you who thirst I offer you this bodhi mind.
Calling out to hungry spirits Everywhere through endless time Calling out to hungry hearts All the lost and left behind
Gather round and share this meal Your joy and your sorrow I make mine.
(Officiant offers incense)
Invitation for all our Aspects to be in attendance
(Everyone in gassho)
Ø
Buddham Saranam Gacchami
Ø
Dhammam Saranam Gacchami
Ø
Sangham Saranam Gacchami
Ø
Being One with the Buddhas in the Ten Directions
Ø
Being One with the Dharma in the Ten Directions
Ø
Being One with the Sangha in the Ten Directions
Ø
Being One with all the Formless Forms throughout space and time
Ø
Being One with the great Manjusri Bodhisattva
Ø
Being One with the the great compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Ø
Being One with our original teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Ø
Being One with our lineage from Mahakasyapa Sonja
Ø
Being One with the Mahayana Saddharma Pundarika Sutra
Ø
Being One with Maha Prajna Paramita
Ø

Supplication for the Raising of the Bodhi Mind
Vow to feed the hungry spirits.
° (officiant bows at altar) Attention! ° (halfway to bowing cushion) Attention!
° Raising the Bodhi Mind, the supreme meal is offered to all the hungry spirits throughout space and time, filling the smallest particle to the largest space. All you hungry spirits in the ten directions, please gather here. Sharing your distress, I offer you this food, hoping it will resolve your thirsts and hungers.
Prayer of food sharing.
Ø I pray that all who receive this offering will return its merits to all Buddhas \\ and to all creations throughout space and time: in this way they will be thoroughly satisfied.
Prayer for raising the Bodhi Mind.
° I further pray that in receiving this meal all your sufferings will be eliminated, and that you will be liberated, so that being joyously reborn you will play freely in the fields of the Pure Land. Raising the Bodhi Mind and practicing the Enlightened Way, you become the future Buddhas without any further regress. Those who realize the way first, please vow to liberate all others throughout all space and time.
Prayer for fulfilling these vows.
Ø I further beseech you to sustain me day and night and give me courage to fulfill my vows.
Prayer for transferring the merit of this practice.
° In offering this meal, I pray that you give its merits equally to all creations in the Dharma worlds. Please transfer the merits of this offering to the Dharma world of True Reality, to unsurpassable enlightenment, and to all the Buddha wisdoms.
Repeated prayer to attain the Enlightened Way.
Ø With all our love, with all our spirit, and with all our energy, \\ inviting misery and suffering no longer, we vow to accomplish the Way. \\ May all creations in the Dharma world swiftly ° accomplish the Buddha Way together.

Dharani for the Invitation for the Manifestation of all the Gods and Demons Ø
NOBO BO HO RI GYA RI TA RI°TA TA GYA TA YA
Ø Being one with the Unconditioned°Tathagata.
Dharani of Hell Crushing and Hungry Spirit Throat Opening
Ø OM BO HO TEI RI GYA TA RI°TA TA GYA TA YA
Ø Being one with the Boundless°Tathagata.
Dharani of Expansion Prayer upon the Food and Drink
Ø NO MAKU SA RA BA TA TA GYA TA BARO KI TEI OM°
SAN BA RA SAN BA RA UN
Ø Being one with all Tathagatas and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, °
please nourish and sustain us.
Dharani upon the Dharma Taste of the Sweet Nectar
Ø NO MAKU SO RO BA YA TA TA GYA TA YA TA NYA TA OM
SO RO SO RO HA RA SO RO°HA RA SO RO SO WA KA
Ø Being one with the Inconceivable Body Tathagata,
let the nectar of Dharma°spring forth.
Dharani of feeding all the Hungry Spirits (Gassho)
(Repeat 14 times)
Ø(1st x)NO MAKU SAN MAN
DA° (14thx) BO TA NAN BAN
(Repeat 7 times)
Ø(1st x)Being One with all Buddhas, °
(7th x) I turn the water wheel of compassion.

Dharanis for Inviting the Buddhas of the Five Families
(Sanskrit is read once, English twice. Everyone in Gassho)
Invitation for the Manifestation of the Buddhas in the Padma Family
Ø NA MU TA HO NYO RAI NO BO BA GYA BA TEI
HA RA BO TA A RA TAN NO YA TA TA GYA TA YA
JO KEN TON GO FU KU CHI EN MAN °
Being one with all Buddhas in the Unifying spheres,
integrating all families, wealth and wisdom are in abundance.

Invitation for the Manifestation of the Buddhas in the Ratna Family
ØNA MU MYO SHIKI SHIN NYO RAI NO BO BA GYA BA TEI
SO RO BA YA TA TA GYA TA YA
HA SHU RO GYO EN MAN SO KO °
Being one with all Buddhas in the Livelihood Spheres,
extending generosity, perfection of both body and mind appears.

Invitation for the Manifestation of the Buddhas in the Buddha Family
ØNA MU KAN RO O NYO RAI NO BO BA GYA BA TEI
A MI RI TEI A RAN JA YA TA TA GYA TA YA
KAN PO SHIN JIN RYO JU KE RA KU °
Being one with all Buddhas in the Formless Spheres,
bodies overflow with boundless Dharma and our life is fulfilled.

Invitation for the Manifestation of the Buddhas in the Vajra Family
ØNA MU KO HAKU SHIN NYO RAI NO BO BA GYA BA TEI
BI HO RA GYA TA RA YA TA TA GYA TA YA
IN KO KO DAI ON JIKI JU BO °
Being one with all Buddhas in the Study Spheres,
throats are opened and eating and drinking fully satisfy.

Invitation for the Manifestation of the Buddhas in the Karma Family
ØNA MU RI FU I NYO RAI NO BO BA GYA BA TEI
A BA EN GYA RA YA TA TA GYA TA YA
KU SHITSU JO RI GA KI SHU °
Being one with all Buddhas in the Service Spheres, •
all sufferings of the Hungry Spirits • are healed.

Dharani for Raising the Bodhi Mind (Everyone in Gassho)
(Once) Officiant: OM BO JI SHI TA BO DA HA DA YA MI °
All: OM BO JI SHI TA BO DA HA DA YA MI
(Twice) Officiant: Now I have raised the Bodhi Mind. °
All: Now I have raised the Bodhi Mind
Dharani of Giving the Bodhisattva Samaya Precepts
(Everyone in Gassho)
(Once) Officiant: OM SAN MA YA SA TO BAN °
All: OM SAN MA YA SA TO BAN
(Twice) Officiant: I am the Buddhas and they are me. °
All: I am the Buddhas and they are me.

Gatha for Transference of Merit
ØBy this practice I sincerely wish to extend all my love to my own being, friends, enemies, family and community, and to all creations for so much done on my behalf. •
May those who practice in this sphere continue to empower, to enrich, to enjoy. •
May those who have gone be released from suffering and nourish peacefulness. •
May all creations in the three worlds receive loving benefactions .•
May those suffering on the three paths come to atonement and be cleansed of all their ills. •
May they be liberated from samsara • and arise in the Pure Land • together.°


Dedication
(Chanter) Buddha nature pervades the whole universe, existing right here right now. In reciting the Gate of Sweet Nectar we dedicate its merits to:
•The all-pervading and everlasting Three Treasures, All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the realm of prajna wisdom, All protectors of the Dharma And all beings in the Dharma worlds. •
Let us forever remember the causes of suffering. Let us forever believe in the end to suffering. May we always have the courage to bear witness, To see ourselves as Other and Other as ourselves. May penetrating light dispel the darkness of ignorance. Let all karma be resolved and the mind flower bloom in eternal spring. May we all ascend to enlightenment, great peace and love And let us vow to feed all the hungry spirits together.

Closing Verse
(Everyone in Gassho) Ø (1st, 3rd and 4thx)
This is our life,
The length of our days.
Day and night
We meditate upon it.

[Jiken]

Although sitting for Saya may not help her or her country it was still asked as something to do by a friend. In my opinion that make all the difference. I take the request in all seriousness. Action for our friends and all others as well. Non-action of course is action as well and both have outcomes. Which will you choose?. Just my opinion.

Daido

[Yugen]

Well said - a deep bow

Yugen

[Jundo]

I am also going to sit for Saya, and all the suffering oppressed around the world. I hope it has some effect, and what else is there to do pending true world action? In sitting, we realize a realm in which there is no Saya or Syria in need of saving from the start, and rising for the cushion, hopefully we take some realistic action to save them nonetheless.

I just won't pop in a CD or sing TA BO DA HA DA YA MI for her.

I own a couple of Khrisna Das CDs, by the way. Indian music rings my bell. However, I do not think it has anything to offer poor Saya in this case, any more than humming Disney's "It's a Small World After All". Nice sentiment, but no particular magic ... and rather distracting from what truly is happening in the world.

Gassho, Jundo

[Seimyo]

Thank you Taigu for sharing your story of Saya. By all means, I will sit for her and the others who remain in countries without basic freedom. Let us hope she is safe and living life.

Thank you Hans for posting the lovely song.

Gassho,

[Shohei]

A true international peace-keeping force to defend human rights worldwide would be a start

Just want to point out canada has a bit of history in that end of things.

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/teach_resources/peacefact

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_peacekeeping_missions

not to mention those on ladies and gentlemen on the local peace (police) keeping scene


Also I do not chant much else but the heart sutra and the other regular zazenkai stuffs/Sesshin stuff, and I see no harm in any kind of positive thought when that is all we have at that moment.

Getting off our Duffs, out and working in our community (local or global or universal if you will) is a must and possibly the only way, but it has to start somewhere?

Sometimes that is all I can give at that moment (and probably safest for all... no one need me going in half cocked!)

I do not say "I will keep you/them/all in my (sometimes best - meaning positive) thoughts"
as a light thing to just make me feel good - its not to set my ego up for another jump...its heart/mind/body felt and I DO this, keep the suffering of others in the forefront of my mind as something to work towards ending in any way I can(knowing its beginning-less and endless. In that light I also give a quick wink and nod to the Universe as it were...(Buddha/Alah/God/Spaghetti Monster) for an end to the needless suffering (Might be careful what I wish for as that could come in a big ol comet or meteor ) I do and still will work towards being able to hands-on help where possible.

My gobbly gook or others I do not see the harm.

Just my useless 2 cents

Gassho
Shohei

[Myozan Kodo]

Hi,
Isn't practice realisation?
Gassho
Myozan

[Risho]

I will sit for Saya and wish her and her people well. It's amazing the things I take for granted in my life. I mean just amazing. I do take note of things I'm thankful for, but it's not too soon afterward that I'm off again into some drama that steals my focus from not remembering all the blessings I've been endowed with.

Gassho,

Risho

[Jinyo]

Hello,

may I suggest and add a whispered "please" to not politicise this thread (I didn't start the thread, this is just me sharing my gut reaction).

Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

Very occasionally - seemingly out of the ether - a whole lot of heat blasts off the pages of Tree Leaf.

I liked the chant Hans (didn't successfully download it - the version I ended up with was spoken so lacked the melody) - but am I missing something concerning wider issues concerning Bernie Glassman, Zen peace movements, whatever?

I feel you offered an emotional response to Taigu's memories/current thoughts of someone he held dear and that's the point that matters.

The full version of the chant that Jundo typed in is very long - not something I'd be adding to my daily ritual - but if others find it helps them to connect to the suffering in the world what harm is there in it?

Isn't this the same as prayer - is it any different to chanting the heart sutra?

In an ideal world connection leads to action - if chanting helps people to connect so be it.

Gassho

Willow

[Nindo]

It is not often that we hear about practitioners in Arab countries.
The hardship in Syria is unimaginable. Yes, we should sit with them.
Thank you for the post, Taigu.