Translations

Eight Precepts Ceremony (For Precept Recipients) 八关斋戒仪轨 (受戒者用)

(The above in Chinese is/was used at Singapore Buddhist Lodge’s Niànfó retreats, with an English translation below.)

八关斋戒仪轨(受戒者用)
Eight Precepts Ceremony (For Precept Recipients)

(礼佛三拜,礼请戒师)
(Prostrate to the Buddha thrice, and prostrate to invite the Precept Master)
(戒师开示忏罪意义)
(Precept Master gives guidance on meaning of repentance on misgivings)

一、忏悔清净
1. Repentance For Purification

戒师云(受者随):
Precept Master recites (and recipients follow):

我(法名),从无始生死以来,至于今日,身业不善,杀、盗、淫;口业不善,妄言、绮语、两舌、恶口;意业不善,贪欲、嗔恚、愚痴、邪见,如此众罪,今向十方诸佛,诸大菩萨,得道圣贤,现前师僧,求哀忏悔。

(三忏三拜已,教作如是受言)

I (Dharma Name), since beginningless births and deaths, until today, have bodily karma that is not good, from killing, stealing and sexual conduct; have speech karma that is not good, from false speech, flowery speech, double-tongued speech and harsh speech; have mental karma that is not good, with greedy desires, anger, ignorance, evil views and such many misgivings. Now towards all Buddhas of the ten directions, all great Bodhisattvas, noble sages who have attained the path, and monastic teachers now before me, I sorrowfully seek repentance.

(With thrice repenting and thrice prostrating completed, begins teaching to speak thus, the words for receiving.)

二、三皈(纳体)
2. Threefold Refuge (Receiving Of Essence)

戒师云(受者随):
Precept Master recites (and recipients follow):

我(法名),皈依佛,皈依法,皈依僧。一日一夜,为净行优婆(塞/夷),如来至真等正觉,是我世尊。

I (Dharma Name), take refuge in the Buddha(s), take refuge in the Dharma, take refuge in the Saṅgha. For one day and one night, as a purely practising Upā(saka/sikā), before the Thus Come Ones, who have reached truth and equally right awakening, who are our World-Honoured Ones.

(三说三礼,便得戒。次授三结。 )
(Thrice saying and thrice prostrating, thus attains the precepts [for refuge]. Next is transmitting of the three connections.)

我(法名),皈依佛竟,皈依法竟,皈依僧竟。一日一夜,为净行优婆(塞/夷),如来至真等正觉,是我世尊。

I (Dharma Name), take refuge in the Buddha(s) completely, take refuge in the Dharma completely, take refuge in the Saṅgha completely. For one day and one night, as a purely practising Upā(saka/sikā), before the Thus Come Ones, who have reached truth and equally right awakening, who are our World-Honoured Ones.

(三说三礼已)
(With thrice saying and thrice prostrating completed.)

三、受戒相
3. Receiving Of Precepts’ Characteristics

戒师云(受者随):
Precept Master recites (and recipients follow):

[1] 如诸佛尽寿,不杀生,我(法名)一日一夜不杀生。
[1] As all Buddhas, to the end of their lives, do not kill lives, I (Dharma Name), for one day and one night, will not kill lives.

[2] 如诸佛尽寿,不偷盗,我(法名)一日一夜不偷盗。
[2] As all Buddhas, to the end of their lives, do not steal, I (Dharma Name), for one day and one night, will not steal.

[3] 如诸佛尽寿,不淫欲,我(法名)一日一夜不淫欲。
[3] As all Buddhas, to the end of their lives, do not have sexual desires, I (Dharma Name), for one day and one night, will not have sexual desires.

[4] 如诸佛尽寿,不妄语,我(法名)一日一夜不妄语。
[4] As all Buddhas, to the end of their lives, do not have false speech, I (Dharma Name), for one day and one night, will not have false speech.

[5] 如诸佛尽寿,不饮酒,我(法名)一日一夜不饮酒。
[5] As all Buddhas, to the end of their lives, do not drink alcohol, I (Dharma Name), for one day and one night, will not drink alcohol.

[6] 如诸佛尽寿,不着香花鬘,不香油涂身,我(法名)一日一夜不着香花鬘,不香油涂身。
[6] As all Buddhas, to the end of their lives, do not wear perfumes, flowers and garlands, not applying fragrant oils on their bodies, I (Dharma Name), for one day and one night, will not wear perfumes, flowers and garlands, not applying fragrant oils on my body.

[7] 如诸佛尽寿,不坐高广大床,我(法名)一日一夜不坐高广大床。
[7] As all Buddhas, to the end of their lives, do not sit [and lie] on high, broad and big [chairs and] beds, I (Dharma Name), for one day and one night, will not sit [and lie] on high, broad and big [chairs and] beds.

如诸佛尽寿,不歌舞倡伎,不往观听,我(法名)一日一夜不歌舞倡伎,不往观听。
As all Buddhas, to the end of their lives, do not sing, dance, have entertainment, not going to see or hear such, I (Dharma Name), for one day and one night, will not sing, dance, have entertainment, not going to see or hear such.

[8] 如诸佛尽寿,不非时食,我(法名)一日一夜不非时食。
[8] As all Buddhas, to the end of their lives, do not have untimely eating, I (Dharma Name), for one day and one night, will not have untimely eating.

四、发愿
4. Giving Rise Of Aspiration

戒师云(受者随):
Precept Master recites (and recipients follow):

我(法名),受行八戒,随学诸佛,名为布萨。愿持是福,不堕三恶八难,亦不求轮王、梵王,世界之乐。愿断诸烦恼,逮得萨云若,成就佛道。

I, (Dharma Name), having received the Eight Precepts, following and learning from all Buddhas thus, is named Upoṣatha. Aspiring to uphold them is to create blessings, to not fall into the three evil realms, or be with the eight difficulties, also not seeking to be a wheel-turning king, brahmā king, or to seek worldly pleasures. I aspire to sever all afflictions, reach and attain sarvajña, to accomplish the Buddha path.

五、功德回向
5. Dedication Of Merits

愿生西方净土中,
九品莲花为父母,
花开见佛悟无生,
不退菩萨为伴侣。

I vow to be born within the Western Pure Land,
with the nine grades of lotus flowers as parents.
When the flower blossoms, I will see the Buddha, realise non-birth,
and have non-retrogressing Bodhisattvas as my companions.

Notes:

Upāsaka: Male lay Buddhist with at least lifelong commitment to the Five Precepts.

Upāsikā: Female lay Buddhist with at least lifelong commitment to the Five Precepts.

Upoṣatha: Recitation for receiving of precepts, for pure abiding (净住) and (长养) nurturing of purity.

Eight Difficulties (in learning and practising the Dharma): (1) as a hell-being, (2) as a hungry ghost, (3) as an animal, (4) in a long-life heaven, (5) in Uttarakuru (北俱卢洲: the northern continent of Sahā World with excess worldly pleasures), (6) as deaf, blind and/or mute, (7) as a worldly philosopher, (8) when born after the passing of a Buddha and before the next.

Sarvajña: All-knowing wisdom of Buddhas


念佛共修仪轨 (中英版)
Chanting Ceremony For Niànfó Group Cultivation
(Chinese-English)

(一) 八关斋戒授受(如以上)
[1] Eight Precepts Ceremony (as above)

(二) 阿弥陀经
[2] Amitābha Sūtra
https://purelanders.com/2013/01/02/amitabha-sutra

(三) 阿弥陀佛赞偈(赞佛偈)
[3] Verse For Praise Of Buddha
https://purelanders.com/2018/06/26/verse-for-praise-of-buddha

(四) 经行念佛: 南无阿弥陀佛
[4] Niànfó With Walking Meditation: Námó Āmítuófó

(五) 西方发愿文
[5] Verses For Giving Rise To Aspiration For Birth In The Western Pure Land
https://purelanders.com/2016/12/03/verses-for-giving-rise-to-aspiration-for-birth-in-the-western-pure-land

(六) 三皈依
[6] Threefold Refuge
https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2016/12/should-refuge-and-the-five-precepts-go-together

(七) 回向偈(如以上)
[7] Verse For Dedication Of Merits (as above)

Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an

Please be mindful of your speech, Amituofo!

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