February 2-3rd, 2024 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Dedication of Merit

**Jundo** · 02-02-2024, 05:00 AM

Our Talk today will reflect on the "Ekō" (囘向), or "Dedication of Merit," that accompanies our Heart Sutra recital. We call ours at Treeleaf a "Dedication of our Hopes and Aspirations," and I will explain why. The Soto-shu dictionary defines Ekō this way:

Sanskrit/Pali = āmanā. To transfer or give away merit (kudoku 功徳), meaning the karmic fruits or beneficial results of one's own good deeds, to another person or being. In Mahayana texts, especially, one finds the idea that a bodhisattva should from the very start dedicate all the merit that results from his/her cultivation of morality, concentration, and wisdom to all living beings. A great many observances in East Asian Buddhism hinge on the ritual production and dedication of merit. Merit is earned or accumulated by chanting sutras and dharanis, mindfully reciting buddha names, circumambulating, making prostrations and offerings to buddhas enshrined on altars, and other good deeds that are either acts of worship of Buddha or acts that spread his teachings. Merit is then spent or given away by formally reciting a verse for the dedication of merit (ekōmon 囘向文) which (1) states how the merit was generated, (2) names the recipient(s) of the merit, and (3) explains the hoped for outcome of the merit transference. In some cases, merit is dedicated to sacred beings such as buddhas and deities as a kind of offering similar to (and usually performed in conjunction with) offerings of food and drink to ancestral spirits. In those cases, the third part of the dedicatory verse is typically a prayer that asks the powerful recipient for some specific benefits in return.

Our Dedication at Treeleaf entones ...

DEDICATION (EKO)

READ BY INO (CHANT LEADER) ONLY:

Buddha Nature pervades the whole universe, Reality, existing right here now:
In reciting THE HEART OF THE PERFECTION OF GREAT WISDOM SUTRA
(and THE IDENTITY OF RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE)
we dedicate our sincere efforts to:

• Shakyamuni Buddha Honored One; the Historical Buddha and Teacher,
and to those ancestral teachers:
Eihei Dogen Honored One
Soji Keizan Honored One,
All successive Honored Ones up until
Zuigaku Rempo Honored One and
Gudo Wafu Honored One
and to all other Honored Ones throughout history, same yet diverse Honored Ones,
whose names have been forgotten or left unsaid.

We also dedicate these efforts to the Three Treasures,

Buddha, Dharma, Sangha,

To all Awakened Ones and Teachers in all places and times.

We especially seek tranquility & well being for all creatures now suffering or ill in health.
May they be serene through all their ills.
May their lives be at peace and Wisdom pervade the darkness of ignorance.

We dedicate our hopes and aspirations:
To all victims of war and violence and natural events
To the injured and to all families touched by these tragedies
To the healing of hatred in all countries and among all peoples
To the wisdom and compassion of our world leaders
To the peace of the world and harmony of all beings.

Thus, let the harmful effects of words, thoughts and actions be dispelled
and Compassion bloom in perpetual spring.
May we all realize and live the Enlightened Way together:

EVERYONE CHANTS TOGETHER:

• All Buddhas throughout space and time
• All Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas
• Maha • Prajna • Paramita •••••••

(followed by 3x BOWS by EVERYONE)

For comparison, the Soto-shu English chant book suggests this:

Having chanted the Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra, we reverently offer the merit generated thereby to our Great Benefactor and Founder of the Doctrine, the Original Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha [or whatever other figure is currently enshrined as the main object of veneration in the practice place], to the Eminent Ancestor Dogen, to the Great Ancestor Keizan, to the successive generations of buddhas and ancestors who transmitted the flame, to the founding abbot of the monastery, Great Teacher (name), and to the eternal three treasures in the ten directions, that we may repay their compassionate blessings. We further offer it to [all the dharma- protecting devas; to the dharma-protecting saints; to the earth spirit of this place and to the monastery-protecting spirits. What we pray for is peace in the land, harmony among nations, prosperity and longevity for donors throughout the ten directions, tranquility within the monastery, and ample sustenance for the community; may all sentient beings throughout the dharma realm equally perfect omniscience.]

... May this merit extend universally to all, so that we together with all beings realize the buddha way.

You can hear a little of the lovely Eko recital style in Japanese here, from the 3:46 mark following the Heart Sutra/Hannya Shingyo:

https://youtu.be/NdaGqIFJJzQ?si=gPGZeKzH7n2Sw1HQ&t=225

**Jundo** · 02-02-2024, 05:00 AM

Of course, we will dance the ECHO DANCE ...

But WARNING: We are not responsible for injuries due to trying these moves literally!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYQtfYME9Gk

**Kiri** · 02-03-2024, 11:21 AM

Thank you everyone!
Gassho, Kiri
Sat/Lah

**Shade** · 02-03-2024, 12:29 PM

Many thanks to everyone who made this Zazenkai possible!

Gassho,

Chukyo

ST/LAH

**Ramine** · 02-04-2024, 12:59 AM

Thank you. And thank you

for making Treeleaf Zendo a welcoming and safe space for LGBTQ+ folk!

Ramine

Sat and lah

**Jundo** · 02-09-2024, 08:19 AM

For folks who joined our monthly Zazenkai, there was some question as to why the Soto-shu "Eko" contains the words ...

We humbly pray that ... sentient beings throughout the triple world equally perfect omniscience.

It seems like a strange notion, "omniscience." However, this turns out not to be really "omniscience," but a pretty poor translation of 種知, which is more like "comprehensive knowledge and understanding," perhaps "the wisdom that understands all phenomena."

So, it is being "tuned in," knowing and wise ... more than "omniscient."

Gassho, J

stlah

**Bion** · 02-09-2024, 08:30 AM

Originally posted by Jundo

For folks who joined our monthly Zazenkai, there was some question as to why the Soto-shu "Eko" contains the words ...

We humbly pray that ... sentient beings throughout the triple world equally perfect omniscience.

It seems like a strange notion, "omniscience." However, this turns out not to be really "omniscience," but a pretty poor translation of 種知, which is more like "comprehensive knowledge and understanding," perhaps "the wisdom that understands all phenomena."

So, it is being "tuned in," knowing and wise ... more than "omniscient."

Gassho, J

stlah

Ah!!! Nice explanation! Thanks

gassho
sat and lah

**Shade** · 02-09-2024, 11:59 AM

Originally posted by Jundo

For folks who joined our monthly Zazenkai, there was some question as to why the Soto-shu "Eko" contains the words ...

We humbly pray that ... sentient beings throughout the triple world equally perfect omniscience.

It seems like a strange notion, "omniscience." However, this turns out not to be really "omniscience," but a pretty poor translation of 種知, which is more like "comprehensive knowledge and understanding," perhaps "the wisdom that understands all phenomena."

So, it is being "tuned in," knowing and wise ... more than "omniscient."

Gassho, J

stlah

Thanks for looking into this! I was curious about this term as well.

Gassho,

Chukyo

ST/LAH

**Houzan** · 02-13-2024, 08:33 PM

Sat this one with you all.
Thank you Jundo for the talk.

Gassho, Hōzan
Satlah

February 2-3rd, 2024 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Dedication of Merit

February 2-3rd, 2024 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Dedication of Merit

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