Bodhisattva's Vow

I am only a simple disciple, but I offer these respectful words:


When I regard the true nature of the many dharmas, I find them all to be sacred forms of the Tathagata's never-failing essence. Each particle of matter, each moment, is none other than the Tataghata's inexpressible radiance.

With this realization, our virtuous ancestors, with compassionate minds and hearts, gave tender care to beasts and birds.

Among us, in our daily lives, who is not reverently grateful for the protection of life: food, drink and clothing! Though they are inanimate things, they are nonetheless the warm flesh and blood, the merciful incarnations of Buddha.

All the more, we can be especially sympathetic and affectionate with foolish people, particularly with someone who becomes a sworn enemy and persecutes us with abusive language. That very abuse conveys the Buddha's boundless loving-kindness. It is a compassionate device to liberate us entirely from the mean-spirited delusions we have built up with our wrongful conduct from the beginningless past.

With our open response to such abuse we completely relinquish ourselves, and the most profound and pure faith arises. At the peak of each thought a lotus flower opens; and on each flower there is revealed a Buddha.

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Everywhere is the Pure Land in its beauty. We see fully the Tathagata's radiant light right where we are.

May we retain this mind and extend it throughout the world so that we and all beings become mature in Buddha's wisdom.

Torei Zenji

Torei Zenji, a Rinzai Master, lived in Japan in the XVII th century.
He is remembered as a Zen historian and an eminent literary man.
His frail health and stay-at-home nature prevented him from being a man of the people or having the common touch, he was therefore never publicly acclaimed.

His Bodhisattva's Vow is part of the traditional Rinzai sutra collection and has been recited daily down the centuries by groups connected to him.

I found this information on Master Torei Zenji in A Buddhist Library, a site well worth keeping in our 'favorites' for our own research. It is a wonderful Buddhist educational resource.

They are offering more than 400 books and 6,000 articles. A real library!

Most of the material that is offered comes from the main Buddhist Traditions but you'll also find interesting material from the main world religions.
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