I first learned the "Life Extending Ten-Line Kannon Sutra" (Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyō 延命十句観音経) from one of my mentors, Doshin Cantor, and we chant it each year as part of our Rohatsu Retreat. In fact, in Soto Zen, it is called simply the "Jikku Kannon Gyo" (Ten-Line Kannon Sutra 十句観音経), with the "Life Extending" Enmei (延命) being included in the title most common in Rinzai Zen (Doshin Cantor was from the White Plum, a mixed Rinzai-Soto Lineage, so used the longer name.) This addition of "Life Extending" was made by the great Japanese Rinzai teacher, Hakuin, who explained his doing so in letters to a lay disciple where he describes various miracles associated with the Sutra:
This work has been associated with wondrous miracles that have taken place in both China and Japan. ... If it is recited with sincerity, awe-inspiring miracles will without fail be accomplished. Its first advantage is that the person who recites it will be completely free from disease and will attain to long life. ... In ancient China a certain Kao-huang, a man of constant faith, was for some reason or other sentenced to be executed. Around midnight of the night before he was to die, as he was devoutly concentrating all his attentions on Kannon, the august form of the bodhisattva appeared before his eyes. He was told that if he were able to recite the Kannon Sutra a thousand times during the night his life would be spared. ... The next morning when the executioner lifted his sword to strike off his head, the blade snapped off at the sword guard. Other swords were brought out, but three times the same thing happened. ... Kao-huang was pardoned. From that time on this sutra was known as the [Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo]. Ever since then people, monks or laymen, men or women, who recite this sutra in faith have had their illnesses cured or escaped from perilous disasters.
https://tricycle.org/magazine/the-kannon-sutra/
https://tricycle.org/magazine/the-kannon-sutra/
Our version reads like this, chanted 3 times in Japanese, 4 times in English, at increasing speed and power:
Kanzeon 觀世音
Namu Butsu 南無佛
Yo Butsu U In 與佛有因
Yo Butsu U En 與佛有縁
Bup Po So En 佛法僧縁
Jo Raku Ga Jo 常樂我淨
Cho Nen Kanzeon 朝念觀世音
Bo Nen Kanzeon 暮念觀世音
Nen Nen Ju Shin Ki 念念從心起
Nen Nen Fu Ri Shin 念念不離心
Kanzeon!
At one with Buddha
Directly Buddha
Also indirectly Buddha
And indirectly Buddha, Dharma, Sangha
Joyful, pure eternal being!
Morning mind is *Kanzeon
Evening mind is *Kanzeon
Nen, nen arises from mind
Nen, nen is not separate from mind.
The first six lines of this verse establish the bodhisattva Kannon (Kanzeon) as a being worthy of "mindful remembrance" (nen 念, S. smti) and prayers for help, typically by calling his name in "mindful recitation" (nen 念): "Homage to Kanzeon Bodhisattva" (Namu Kanzeon Bosa 南無觀世音菩薩).
Lines three and four play on the term innen 因縁, which in Buddhist philosophy refers to "immediate causes (in 因) and enabling conditions (en 縁)," but in common Japanese parlance means something like "karmic affinity."
"Permanence, ease, selfhood, and purity" (jō raku ga jō 常樂我淨) are the four attributes of nirvana, which is free from the impermanence (mujō 無常), suffering (ku 苦), lack of self (muga 無我), and impurity (fujō 不淨) that characterizes all things (hō 法. S. dharmas) in the round of birth and death (shōji生死, S. samsāra).
The final two lines turn away from Kanzeon as an object of devotion and focus attention on the mind (one's own mind) in which thoughts of that bodhisattva arise: that mind, in its essence, is nothing other than the buddha-mind (busshin 佛心) itself.
This combination of devotional and introspective practice was typical of the Buddhism of Ming dynasty (1644-1912) China, which had a big influence on Japanese Zen
Lines three and four play on the term innen 因縁, which in Buddhist philosophy refers to "immediate causes (in 因) and enabling conditions (en 縁)," but in common Japanese parlance means something like "karmic affinity."
"Permanence, ease, selfhood, and purity" (jō raku ga jō 常樂我淨) are the four attributes of nirvana, which is free from the impermanence (mujō 無常), suffering (ku 苦), lack of self (muga 無我), and impurity (fujō 不淨) that characterizes all things (hō 法. S. dharmas) in the round of birth and death (shōji生死, S. samsāra).
The final two lines turn away from Kanzeon as an object of devotion and focus attention on the mind (one's own mind) in which thoughts of that bodhisattva arise: that mind, in its essence, is nothing other than the buddha-mind (busshin 佛心) itself.
This combination of devotional and introspective practice was typical of the Buddhism of Ming dynasty (1644-1912) China, which had a big influence on Japanese Zen
Sojun Mel Weitsman offered an interesting explanation of each line of this short Sutra, perhaps the shortest popularly chanted Buddhist Sutra:
Enmei in the title means something like “eternal,” but eternal is not such an accurate word in Buddhism. Something like endless dimensions without beginning or end may be more accurate. Or we could say, unlimited life, eternal life, boundless life. Jukku (or jikku [an alternative pronunication]) means “ten phrases.” Kannon is Japanese for Avalokiteshvara or Kwan-yin, which is Chinese. Gyo is “sutra.” So, the title is “Endless dimension, ten phrases, Avalokiteshvara sutra.” Endless dimension also has the meaning of endless dimensions in the moment. If there is no beginning or no end, then this moment has, as Dogen says, its own past and future, its own endless dimension. We tend to think of this moment as one speck of time, one fleeting moment of time, but we also have to understand this moment as covering or including all time and all space. Extending life is the same as when we talk about no-birth, no-death – birth, death and no-birth, no-death in endless dimensions.
Here are explanations of the ten phrases:
1) Kanzeon: To evoke Kanzeon is to call forth the spirit of compassion. Each one of the ten phrases expresses our compassionate practice from a particular standpoint. Kanzeon, one might say, is our compassionate heart. It’s our unlimited, universal, compassionate heart. Kan has the feeling of penetrating, illuminating, piercing through or totally understanding. Ze means “world” and on is “sound.” So, Kanzeon is the one who hears the sounds of the world or the cries of the world and doesn’t ignore the suffering of the world. Sound here also can stand for sight or touch or taste or any sense. Avalokiteshvara is probably the most popular Bodhisattva and is given many human qualities. I think Kanzeon personifies what I like to think of as our humaneness, as distinct from our wisdom, which is Manjushri. Manjushri sees with a clear, cold eye, and Avalokiteshvara sees with a vast, warm heart. The balance or synthesis of the two is Buddha. So on one side of the altar we have Manjushri who personifies wisdom beyond wisdom, seeing everything just as it is without any distortion, and on the other side, we have Avalokiteshvara who personifies compassion. In between we have Buddha. Each one is a Bodhisattva who represents a different aspect of our nature. Since these are not idols but personifications, having these figures on our altar is a way we respect aspects of our own nature. Similarly, when we bow, we don’t worship something in particular, but we greatly respect these aspects of our nature. When we offer incense and chant the sutra, we invite the spirit of Kanzeon to join our practice. We evoke something from within ourselves. So the sutra is dedicated to Kanzeon.
2) Namu Butsu: Namu is sometimes translated as “Homage.” Butsu is Buddha. So, the phrase is “Homage to Buddha.” When we say, “pay homage,” it may seem like a vassal paying homage to a lord, and to see ourselves and Buddha in that way may be okay, but to translate Namu as “at one with” is another way of expressing that feeling. Not “Buddha is over there and I’m over here,” but “one with Buddha.” We use the word “atone” sometimes, and we think of atonement as penitence. The word has taken on that meaning. But atonement means to be at one, to return to oneness, or return to completion. It is what we do to be at one with “wholeness” or “holiness.” Whatever is necessary to be at one with Buddha is what we have to do. We can call it “at-one-ment” or atonement. Actually, zazen is atonement. You don’t have to make a fuss, just sit. So Namu Butsu really means at one with Buddha.
3) Yo Butsu u in: Yo means “with,” and Butsu is Buddha, and in means “direct cause,” or “fundamental cause,” or “seed cause.” In this phrase, we have in and in the next phrase, en. In means “direct” and en means “indirect” or “supporting.” This third phrase has the meaning of, “this very nature is Buddha, directly Buddha.” There are three ways of talking about Buddha nature. One is called Ryo in Bussho. Ryo means to realize; it means the capacity to realize our Buddha nature. Bussho means fundamentally, Buddha nature, Dharmakaya or, we are that. En means through participating, or cooperating cause we can realize it. The seed is a direct cause for a plant. This is in. Sun, water, air, heat and so forth are cooperating causes, or en. Direct cause, or in, is the absolute fundamental factor of what we are, and en, or indirect cause, is what we have to manifest to realize it. In is kind of like your original face.
4) Yo Butsu u en: As I said, en means “indirect cause.” So the third and fourth phrase go together. We have a direct cause for Buddhahood and also an indirect cause. The contributory cause is like a catalyst. Practice is like the water and the sun that causes the seed to sprout. En is rubbing the flint to create a spark or we can also call it the condition. In en is another term. Inen as the combination of in and en means “karma.” When we have a volitional action which causes something to move, that’s called karmic activity. That karmic activity is activity within emptiness or ku. Inen is constantly creating forms in emptiness. So, how we direct our effort is important. The basis of Buddhist morality is that you reap the fruit of your own action. If you do something unwholesome, then unwholesomeness follows. And if you do something wholesome, wholesomeness follows. We’re responsible for whatever we do and we share responsibility for the world. Some people think of Buddhism as fatalism because we don’t talk about God or God’s judgment. But instead of judgment, we understand the results of our actions as a kind of retribution according to the laws of karma.
5) Bu po so en: This phrase uses the same en as before, meaning indirect or cooperating cause. Bu is “Buddha.” Po is “Dharma.” So is “Sangha.” Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, the Three Treasures are also a cooperating cause for understanding our Buddha nature, or for being one with our Buddha nature. The Three Treasures evoke our Buddha nature and cause us to remember our original face.
6) Jo raku ga jo: Jo here is another word for “permanent,” or “eternal,” or “endless dimension.” Raku is “happiness” or “joy.” Ga is “self” and jo is “purity.” This has the feeling of, “in purity we have eternal joy of ourselves, or endless dimensions of enjoying our self-nature.” I would say, “self-joyous samadhi.” When we are one with our original nature, when we let drop body and mind and become one with truth, no matter what happens to us, we have joy and purity. So the sixth phrase has the sense of pure joy, self-joyous samadhi, which extends to everyone, and is not separate from anyone.
7) Cho nen Kanzeon: Cho is “morning.” Nen is an important word. It means “mind,” or individual consciousness, or our conscious thought. This phrase has the meaning of, “in the morning put your thought on Kanzeon.” That is, put your undistracted thought on Kanzeon, or evoke Kanzeon. Bring Kanzeon to life. Don’t neglect Kanzeon. Nen is like the conscious thought of this moment. There are different kinds or degrees of nen. There is the nen of this moment and there is the nen, which takes a step back and contemplates. The first nen is one with activity, without reflection, just direct perception. The second nen is when we reflect on something and try to identify it by thought or think about it. And the third nen is taking another step back and developing what the second nen has thought about the first nen. All these nen thoughts are important, but when we sit zazen, we are concentrated in the first nen, just direct perception moment by moment. So in the morning, just let your nen thought become completely with Kanzeon.
8) Bo nen Kanzeon: Bo means “evening.“ In the evening, let your nen thought be on Kanzeon. Together, these last two phrases mean, “moment by moment, be one with Kanzeon.”
9) Nen nen ju shin ki: Thought after thought, conscious thought after conscious thought. Ju means “follow.” Thought following thought. Shin is “mind” and ki is “arrived.” Each thought which follows upon the last is no other than shin, which is big mind, all-inclusive mind. We can say Buddha nature, or universal mind. In this sense, shin is used to complement thought. So sometimes we call Buddha nature mind only. There are many ways of expressing it. Here our individual small mind is not separate from Big Mind and is actually an expression of Big Mind.
10) Nen nen fu ri shin: This complements the previous phrase. Again, it’s nen nen. Fu means “not,” and ri is “separate,” and shin is “mind” again. This is just saying it in a different way. These two phrases go together. Thought after thought arises from Big Mind; thought after thought is not separate from this Mind, meaning Kanzeon is not separate from you or I or Big Mind -- the mind of the universe.
Here are explanations of the ten phrases:
1) Kanzeon: To evoke Kanzeon is to call forth the spirit of compassion. Each one of the ten phrases expresses our compassionate practice from a particular standpoint. Kanzeon, one might say, is our compassionate heart. It’s our unlimited, universal, compassionate heart. Kan has the feeling of penetrating, illuminating, piercing through or totally understanding. Ze means “world” and on is “sound.” So, Kanzeon is the one who hears the sounds of the world or the cries of the world and doesn’t ignore the suffering of the world. Sound here also can stand for sight or touch or taste or any sense. Avalokiteshvara is probably the most popular Bodhisattva and is given many human qualities. I think Kanzeon personifies what I like to think of as our humaneness, as distinct from our wisdom, which is Manjushri. Manjushri sees with a clear, cold eye, and Avalokiteshvara sees with a vast, warm heart. The balance or synthesis of the two is Buddha. So on one side of the altar we have Manjushri who personifies wisdom beyond wisdom, seeing everything just as it is without any distortion, and on the other side, we have Avalokiteshvara who personifies compassion. In between we have Buddha. Each one is a Bodhisattva who represents a different aspect of our nature. Since these are not idols but personifications, having these figures on our altar is a way we respect aspects of our own nature. Similarly, when we bow, we don’t worship something in particular, but we greatly respect these aspects of our nature. When we offer incense and chant the sutra, we invite the spirit of Kanzeon to join our practice. We evoke something from within ourselves. So the sutra is dedicated to Kanzeon.
2) Namu Butsu: Namu is sometimes translated as “Homage.” Butsu is Buddha. So, the phrase is “Homage to Buddha.” When we say, “pay homage,” it may seem like a vassal paying homage to a lord, and to see ourselves and Buddha in that way may be okay, but to translate Namu as “at one with” is another way of expressing that feeling. Not “Buddha is over there and I’m over here,” but “one with Buddha.” We use the word “atone” sometimes, and we think of atonement as penitence. The word has taken on that meaning. But atonement means to be at one, to return to oneness, or return to completion. It is what we do to be at one with “wholeness” or “holiness.” Whatever is necessary to be at one with Buddha is what we have to do. We can call it “at-one-ment” or atonement. Actually, zazen is atonement. You don’t have to make a fuss, just sit. So Namu Butsu really means at one with Buddha.
3) Yo Butsu u in: Yo means “with,” and Butsu is Buddha, and in means “direct cause,” or “fundamental cause,” or “seed cause.” In this phrase, we have in and in the next phrase, en. In means “direct” and en means “indirect” or “supporting.” This third phrase has the meaning of, “this very nature is Buddha, directly Buddha.” There are three ways of talking about Buddha nature. One is called Ryo in Bussho. Ryo means to realize; it means the capacity to realize our Buddha nature. Bussho means fundamentally, Buddha nature, Dharmakaya or, we are that. En means through participating, or cooperating cause we can realize it. The seed is a direct cause for a plant. This is in. Sun, water, air, heat and so forth are cooperating causes, or en. Direct cause, or in, is the absolute fundamental factor of what we are, and en, or indirect cause, is what we have to manifest to realize it. In is kind of like your original face.
4) Yo Butsu u en: As I said, en means “indirect cause.” So the third and fourth phrase go together. We have a direct cause for Buddhahood and also an indirect cause. The contributory cause is like a catalyst. Practice is like the water and the sun that causes the seed to sprout. En is rubbing the flint to create a spark or we can also call it the condition. In en is another term. Inen as the combination of in and en means “karma.” When we have a volitional action which causes something to move, that’s called karmic activity. That karmic activity is activity within emptiness or ku. Inen is constantly creating forms in emptiness. So, how we direct our effort is important. The basis of Buddhist morality is that you reap the fruit of your own action. If you do something unwholesome, then unwholesomeness follows. And if you do something wholesome, wholesomeness follows. We’re responsible for whatever we do and we share responsibility for the world. Some people think of Buddhism as fatalism because we don’t talk about God or God’s judgment. But instead of judgment, we understand the results of our actions as a kind of retribution according to the laws of karma.
5) Bu po so en: This phrase uses the same en as before, meaning indirect or cooperating cause. Bu is “Buddha.” Po is “Dharma.” So is “Sangha.” Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, the Three Treasures are also a cooperating cause for understanding our Buddha nature, or for being one with our Buddha nature. The Three Treasures evoke our Buddha nature and cause us to remember our original face.
6) Jo raku ga jo: Jo here is another word for “permanent,” or “eternal,” or “endless dimension.” Raku is “happiness” or “joy.” Ga is “self” and jo is “purity.” This has the feeling of, “in purity we have eternal joy of ourselves, or endless dimensions of enjoying our self-nature.” I would say, “self-joyous samadhi.” When we are one with our original nature, when we let drop body and mind and become one with truth, no matter what happens to us, we have joy and purity. So the sixth phrase has the sense of pure joy, self-joyous samadhi, which extends to everyone, and is not separate from anyone.
7) Cho nen Kanzeon: Cho is “morning.” Nen is an important word. It means “mind,” or individual consciousness, or our conscious thought. This phrase has the meaning of, “in the morning put your thought on Kanzeon.” That is, put your undistracted thought on Kanzeon, or evoke Kanzeon. Bring Kanzeon to life. Don’t neglect Kanzeon. Nen is like the conscious thought of this moment. There are different kinds or degrees of nen. There is the nen of this moment and there is the nen, which takes a step back and contemplates. The first nen is one with activity, without reflection, just direct perception. The second nen is when we reflect on something and try to identify it by thought or think about it. And the third nen is taking another step back and developing what the second nen has thought about the first nen. All these nen thoughts are important, but when we sit zazen, we are concentrated in the first nen, just direct perception moment by moment. So in the morning, just let your nen thought become completely with Kanzeon.
8) Bo nen Kanzeon: Bo means “evening.“ In the evening, let your nen thought be on Kanzeon. Together, these last two phrases mean, “moment by moment, be one with Kanzeon.”
9) Nen nen ju shin ki: Thought after thought, conscious thought after conscious thought. Ju means “follow.” Thought following thought. Shin is “mind” and ki is “arrived.” Each thought which follows upon the last is no other than shin, which is big mind, all-inclusive mind. We can say Buddha nature, or universal mind. In this sense, shin is used to complement thought. So sometimes we call Buddha nature mind only. There are many ways of expressing it. Here our individual small mind is not separate from Big Mind and is actually an expression of Big Mind.
10) Nen nen fu ri shin: This complements the previous phrase. Again, it’s nen nen. Fu means “not,” and ri is “separate,” and shin is “mind” again. This is just saying it in a different way. These two phrases go together. Thought after thought arises from Big Mind; thought after thought is not separate from this Mind, meaning Kanzeon is not separate from you or I or Big Mind -- the mind of the universe.
The doubling "nen, nen" (念念) indicates that these moments of illuminated thought, awareness and remembrance in wisdom and compassion happen one after the other, morning and night (as the prior lines state), and they arise in "mind" and are "mind." However, even this "mind" (心) as it is employed in Mahayana and Zen signifies, not just the little mind of personal divided thoughts and emotions between the ears, but the vast Mind that sweeps in all things beyond division and subjective personality. Thus, these closing lines of the chant might be taken to mean something like, "(Our little thoughts arise one after another from the little mind, but) Boundless Wise and Compassionate Thoughts arise one after another from the Boundless Mind and are such Mind." Something like that.
A writing attributed to the 4th Zen Ancestor in China, Daoxin, teaches the following, speaking about the identity of this vast Mind and Buddha, but one might shout the same about Kannon and also about this "illuminated awareness and recollection" (nen) which is both Buddha and Kannon:
Apart from mind (心) there is no buddha. Apart from buddha there is no mind. Reflecting (nen 念) on buddha is identical to reflecting on mind (念心). To seek the mind is to seek the buddha. Why is this so? Consciousness is without form. Buddha too is without form and without manifest attributes. To understand this principle is to pacify the mind.
離心無別有佛。離佛無別有心。念佛即是念心。求心即是求佛。所以者何。識無形。佛無形。佛無相貌。若也知此 道理。即是安心
(from the Fundamental Expedient Teachings for Calming the Mind to Enter the Way)
離心無別有佛。離佛無別有心。念佛即是念心。求心即是求佛。所以者何。識無形。佛無形。佛無相貌。若也知此 道理。即是安心
(from the Fundamental Expedient Teachings for Calming the Mind to Enter the Way)
It is also a little awkward how the translation of the White Plum sometimes renders Nen as "mind" (Cho Nen Kanzeon/ Morning Mind is Kanzeon) and then in the next lines says that "Nen arises from mind" (i.e., "mind arises from mind"?), but it makes a little more sense when one recalls the central message that each and all of Kanzeon/Buddha/Mind/Nen/Thoughts/Illuminated Recollections are really each other and one and the same anyway.
As to the melody of the Chant when chanted:
In the way I learned from Doshin Cantor, it is chanted "Stairway to Heaven" or "Proud Mary" style.
It starts off real slow and steady, but builds and builds until the end is totally rockin' and tearing the roof off the place. Here is an example, but it is tame compared to the way that Doshin used to really let loose ... 
In contrast to the above, the usual Japanese Soto-shu way is energetic, but steady and monotone throughout:
One that personally moves me is this 30 minutes+ solo effort by a Pure Land/Jodo Shinshu (I believe, from the crest) priest in a little temple somewhere in the countryside, to welcome the New Year. Amazing. Not elegant, but truly throwing oneself into this .... The Kannon Gyo begins about 1 minute in, and the power does subtly build throughout ... Don't miss this:
Gassho, J
stlah
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