Read, reflect, pray

Sandōkai: difference and interconnection

参同契さんどうかい

Zen verses reflecting on the distinctness of things and their interconnection. A teaching text, not a prayer exclusive to one figure.

English meaning and source text

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English meaning

About this English rendering

This site’s English rendering of the Japanese meaning guide, aligned with this edition. It is separate from the source words for recitation and is not an official liturgy. Sacred sounds are explained where possible, not given speculative literal translations. Historical beliefs, royal authority, illness and protection claims belong to the text; they are not present-day judgments, medical advice or guarantees of results.

The heart of Shakyamuni, the great sage of India, has been intimately transmitted to the ancestral teachers in East and West.

Though people differ in sharpness or slowness of understanding, the root of the Buddha’s way knows no division between North and South.

The subtle source is bright and clear; its branching streams flow even where they cannot be seen.

Clinging only to individual phenomena is delusion, yet merely understanding the principle common to everything is not enlightenment either.

All objects appearing at the gates of the senses have aspects that connect with one another and aspects that stand independently.

Where they connect, they interact; where they do not, each maintains its own place and function.

Visible things naturally differ in form; audible things include both pleasing and painful sounds.

In darkness, excellent and ordinary words become one; in brightness, purity and muddiness can be distinguished.

Earth, water, fire, and wind, which constitute the world, naturally return to their original natures, like a child returning to its mother.

Fire is hot, wind moves, water moistens, and earth firmly supports.

For the eye there are colors and forms; for the ear, sounds; for the nose, scents; for the tongue, saltiness and sourness.

Yet each function is connected to one root, as branches and leaves spread from a root.

Discern carefully the source of both root and branches. Words such as noble and low are used according to their particular setting.

Within the brightness that distinguishes things is the darkness without division. Yet do not take it simply as darkness.

Within the darkness without division is the brightness that reveals differences. Yet do not see it simply as brightness.

Light and dark face and support each other, like the forward and rear foot when walking.

Everything has its own function. Attend carefully to that function and to the place where it works.

Concrete matters fit principle like a box and its lid; response to principle meets precisely like the points of flying arrows.

When you receive the words of the teaching, understand their root. Do not arbitrarily invent a measure of your own.

If you cannot understand the way through contact with what is before you, moving your feet will not tell you where the way is.

Walking the Buddha’s way is not a matter of near or far. Through delusion, we ourselves create the barriers of steep mountains and rivers.

Respectfully I say to those studying the profound way: do not pass precious time in vain.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for every line of this source text.

How to use the Roman letters

Roman letters follow the kana displayed in this site’s Japanese reader; some readings are editorial additions documented on the Japanese page. These are a reading aid, not restored Sanskrit or a recording of a temple’s chanting. Historical spellings (such as wo, wi, we and ha used as a particle) are kept. Double vowels and repeated vowels mark the written kana; rhythm and pronunciation can differ by tradition.

You can simply read the meaning or sit quietly. No recitation is required. For a temple or shrine’s own recitation, follow that tradition’s published guidance.

竺土（ちくど）大仙（だいせん）の心（しん）、東西（とうざい）密（みつ）に相附（あいふ）す。

chikudo daisenno shin, touzai mitsuni aifusu.

人根（にんこん）に利鈍（りどん）あり、道（どう）に南北（なんぼく）の祖（そ）なし。

ninkonni ridon'ari, douni nanbokuno sonashi.

霊源（れいげん）明（みょう）に皓潔（こうけつ）たり、支派（しは）暗（あん）に流注（るちゅう）す。

reigen myouni kouketsutari, shiha anni ruchuusu.

事（じ）を執（しゅう）するも元（もと）これ迷（まよ）い、理（り）に契（かな）うも亦（また）悟（さと）りにあらず。

jiwo shuusurumo motokore mayoi, rini kanaumo mata satoriniarazu.

門門一切（もんもんいっさい）の境（きょう）、回互（えご）と不回互（ふえご）と、

monmon'issaino kyou, egoto fuegoto,

回（え）してさらに相渉（あいわた）る。しからざれば位（くらい）によって住（じゅう）す。

eshitesarani aiwataru. shikarazareba kurainiyotte juusu.

色（しき）もと質像（しつぞう）を殊（こと）にし、声（しょう）もと楽苦（らくく）を異（こと）にす。

shikimoto shitsuzouwo kotonishi, shoumoto rakukuwo kotonisu.

暗（あん）は上中（じょうちゅう）の言（こと）に合（かな）い、明（めい）は清濁（せいだく）の句（く）を分（わか）つ。

anha jouchuuno kotoni kanai, meiha seidakuno kuwo wakatsu.

四大（しだい）の性（しょう）おのずから復（ふく）す、子（こ）の其（そ）の母（はは）を得（う）るがごとし。

shidaino shouonozukara fukusu, kono sono hahawo urugagotoshi.

火（ひ）は熱（ねっ）し、風（かぜ）は動揺（どうよう）、水（みず）は湿（うるお）い地（ち）は堅固（けんご）。

hiha nesshi, kazeha douyou, mizuha uruoi chiha kengo.

眼（まなこ）は色（いろ）、耳（みみ）は音声（おんじょう）、鼻（はな）は香（か）、舌（した）は鹹酢（かんそ）。

manakoha iro, mimiha onjou, hanaha ka, shitaha kanso.

しかも一一（いちいち）の法（ほう）において、根（ね）によって葉分布（はぶんぷ）す。

shikamo ichiichino hounioite, neniyotte habunpusu.

本末（ほんまつ）すべからく宗（しゅう）に帰（き）すべし、尊卑（そんぴ）其（そ）の語（ご）を用（もち）ゆ。

honmatsusubekaraku shuuni kisubeshi, sonpi sono gowo mochiyu.

明中（めいちゅう）に当（あた）って暗（あん）あり、暗相（あんそう）をもって遇（お）うことなかれ。

meichuuni atatte an'ari, ansouwomotte oukotonakare.

暗中（あんちゅう）に当（あた）って明（めい）あり、明相（めいそう）をもって覩（み）ることなかれ。

anchuuni atatte meiari, meisouwomotte mirukotonakare.

明暗（めいあん）おのおの相対（あいたい）して、比（ひ）するに前後（ぜんご）の歩（あゆみ）のごとし。

meian'onoono aitaishite, hisuruni zengono ayuminogotoshi.

万物（ばんもつ）おのずから功（こう）あり、当（まさ）に用（よう）と処（しょ）とを言（い）うべし。

banmotsuonozukara kouari, masani youto shotowo iubeshi.

事存（じそん）すれば函蓋（かんがい）合（がっ）し、理（り）応（おう）ずれば箭鋒（せんぽう）拄（さそ）う。

jisonsureba kangai gasshi, ri ouzureba senpou sasou.

言（こと）を承（うけ）てはすべからく宗（しゅう）を会（え）すべし、みずから規矩（きく）を立（りっ）することなかれ。

kotowo uketehasubekaraku shuuwo esubeshi, mizukara kikuwo rissurukotonakare.

触目（そくもく）道（どう）を会（え）せずんば、足（あし）を運（はこ）ぶもいずくんぞ路（みち）を知（し）らん。

sokumoku douwo esezunba, ashiwo hakobumoizukunzo michiwo shiran.

歩（あゆみ）をすすむれば近遠（ごんのん）にあらず、迷（まよ）うて山河（せんが）の固（こ）をへだつ。

ayumiwosusumureba gonnonniarazu, mayoute sengano kowohedatsu.

謹（つつし）んで参玄（さんげん）の人（ひと）にもうす、光陰（こういん）虚（むな）しく度（わた）ることなかれ。

tsutsushinde sangenno hitonimousu, kouin munashiku watarukotonakare.

Sources and edition (2)

English explanations on this page were prepared by Inori no Mori from the cited text and its Japanese explanations. They are not an official translation or a prescribed liturgy.

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