Turning to the Tathāgata

I touch the earth and turn to the Tathāgata, 

the lighthouse that shines over the ocean of dust and suffering.

Lord of Compassion, embrace us with your love.

Today we are determined to return to our true home. 

We, your disciples, owe so much gratitude

to our parents, teachers, friends, and all other beings,

which we have not been able to repay. 

Looking over the three realms and across the four quarters,

we see all species drowning in suffering.

It wakes us with a start.

Although we have turned in its direction,

the shore of awakening still lies far away.

Fortunately, everywhere in the saha world

are the hands of the Compassionate One bringing relief.

We wholeheartedly return and take refuge, 

vowing to be disciples of the Tathāgata.

We unify our body and mind before the Buddha,

letting go of all our worldly desires. 

With great respect, we shall receive the wonderful teachings,

and put them into practice every day, 

nourishing mindfulness trainings and concentration,

for the fruit of understanding to be ripened in the future.

May the practice protect us day and night.

May the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha show us their compassion. 

We know that the obstacles created by our actions are still heavy,

that the merit from our virtues is still frail,

that our perceptions are still often wrong,

that our roots of understanding are not yet solid,

that the impurities of our mind still arise easily,

that our listening, contemplation, and practice are not really firm.

In this moment, we touch the earth,

may loving kindness embrace us as we open our hearts. 

We, your disciples for countless past lives, 

have chased after worldly things, 

because we have not been able to recognize our pure, original mind. 

Our actions of body, speech, and mind have been unwholesome.

We have drowned in ignorant cravings, jealousy, hatred, and anger.

Now the sound of the great bell has awoken us, 

and we are determined to renew our body and mind,

to completely remove all wrongdoings. 

In this moment,

we make the deep vow to leave behind old habit energies,

taking refuge in the Sangha for our whole life. 

May loving kindness and compassion support us. 

We vow that while we meditate, share the Dharma, 

stand, walk, cook, wash the dishes,

lie, sit, work, wash clothes, 

and practice slow walking, 

while we recollect the buddhas and bodhisattvas,

offer incense or touch the earth,

every step will restore peace and joy, 

every smile will radiate freedom.

We will live mindfully in each and every moment

in order to show people there is a path out of suffering. 

We vow to touch the Pure Land with every step

and the ultimate dimension in every action.

We shall take steps on the ground of reality, 

breathe to realize true emptiness, 

lighting up the clear wisdom of the wonderful mind

and drawing aside the curtain of ignorance.

May our body and mind be pure and happy, free and at ease, 

so that when we leave this life,

we shall be free from regrets and pain, 

our mind will be conscious, 

with clear mindfulness and the six senses calmed, 

we shall let go of this body in meditative concentration. 

In our next manifestation 

we shall be disciples of the Tathāgata, 

continuing the career of helping the world,

bringing all species to the shore of awakening,

realizing the Three Bodies and the Four Wisdoms,

using the Five Eyes and the Six Miracles,

manifesting thousands of appropriate forms,

being present at the same time in the Three Worlds,

coming in and going out in freedom.

We will not abandon anyone, helping all beings to transform, 

and bringing them to the shore of no regression. 

Space, living beings, actions, and afflictions are infinite. 

My aspiration is also infinite. 

We bow before the Buddha and vow to practice

to uphold virtue and share this merit with countless beings, 

in order to repay the gratitude that we owe

and bring the teachings of transformation everywhere. 

May we, along with all beings, 

fully realize the great understanding.