Nine-section Shakujō text

Holding the ringed staff, I make this aspiration together with all living beings.

May we open a great assembly of giving, show the way in accord with truth, and make offerings to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

May we open a great assembly of giving, show the way in accord with truth, and make offerings to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

With a pure heart, I make offerings to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

Arousing a pure heart, I make offerings to the Three Treasures.

Seeking a pure heart, I make offerings to the Three Treasures.

Together with all beings, may we become teachers guiding gods and people.

May we fulfill aspirations as boundlessly as space and rescue suffering beings.

May we travel through every world and make offerings to the Three Treasures.

May we encounter Buddhas and swiftly realize awakening.

Together with all beings, may we study and embody true principle.

We extend great kindness and suffering-removing compassion to all beings.

Studying the principles of everyday life, we extend great compassion to all beings.

Studying the one way that leads all to Buddha’s awakening, we extend great compassion to all beings.

We reverently honor and make offerings to the Three Treasures, one at their root: the treasure of Buddha, the treasure of teaching, and the treasure of the community.

Together with all beings, may we perfect giving, sharing without withholding.

We extend great compassion to all beings.

Perfecting the practice of keeping precepts, we extend great compassion to all beings.

Perfecting patient endurance without being swept away by anger, we extend great compassion to all beings.

Perfecting tireless diligence, we extend great compassion to all beings.

Perfecting the settling and concentration of the mind, we extend great compassion to all beings.

Perfecting wisdom that sees truth, we extend great compassion to all beings.

Together with all beings, we pray that throughout every direction,

innumerable beings, hearing the ringed staff, may be transformed:

may the idle become diligent, and those breaking precepts keep them;

may those without trust awaken trust, and the grasping and miserly share;

may the angry become compassionate, and those ignorant of principle gain wisdom;

may the arrogant become respectful, and the heedless gather their minds;

may all fully cultivate good deeds and swiftly realize awakening.

Together with all beings, we pray that throughout every direction,

demons obstructing the teaching, followers of paths outside Buddhism, spirits, and supernatural beings,

even poisonous beasts, dragons, and insects,

may hear the ringed staff and calm their harmful activities,

arouse the heart seeking awakening, cultivate all good deeds, and swiftly realize enlightenment.

Together with all beings, we pray that throughout every direction,

those in hell, hungry-ghost, and animal realms, and the eight difficult conditions where meeting the teaching is hard,

all suffering beings, hearing the ringed staff,

may swiftly be freed from the two obstructions of delusion and ignorance,

leave the hundred and eight afflictions, arouse the heart seeking awakening,

fully cultivate all good deeds, and swiftly realize enlightenment.

Past Buddhas held the ringed staff and have already become Buddhas.

Present Buddhas hold the ringed staff and are now becoming Buddhas.

Future Buddhas will hold the ringed staff and become Buddhas.

Therefore I too bow deeply, hold the ringed staff, and make offerings to the Three Treasures.

Therefore I too bow deeply, hold the ringed staff, and make offerings to the Three Treasures.

Taking refuge in the holy assembly honoring the Three Treasures, I reverently honor it and make offerings.

I reverently honor the precious exoteric and esoteric teachings and make offerings.

Please receive us with compassion, protecting and supporting us, your disciples.