This anthem is about generating the feeling of deep remorse and deep forgiveness that burns away karma and ends the second poison of the mind which is anger, negativity, and condemnation. Because negativity is dependent upon craving, greed, and attachment on one side and delusion, denial, and projection on the other side, deeply ending this root karma severely weakens the force of the other two poisons in our mindstream and heartstream.
In the thousands upon thousands of lifetimes,
I have been both victim and abuser many times.
I have violated all the wise precepts
about how to behave so many times
that I cannot count them.
I have been unloving, insensitive, and unkind.
Mercifully, the small amount of loving acts
that I have done, has kept me from staying too long
in the painful bardos where I experience
what I have done to others.
I am sorry, deeply ashamed, and anguished
over my past deeds.
I am afraid of the karmas
my past deeds have set into motion
and are drawing towards me even now.
My own memories rise up as witness against me
as I meditate and no longer resist the mindflow
that purges and purifies my consciousness.
I no longer try to defend a self image
that I am kinder than I am.
I choose to no longer play innocent victim
of a harsh cosmos.
I own my part in setting into motion
the painful karmas that I presently experience.
Deeply feeling my own harsh and unkind energy,
I can easily forgive others
for the trivial crimes they visit upon me.
I open up to the purifying and loving energy
of Amida Buddha
that joins my deep remorse
and burns away the roots of my karmas
within the depths of my subconscious mind
and within the very feeling depths of my heart.
Because I no longer wish to be tormented
for my own past deeds,
I forgive everyone for any unkindness
that they have done to me
and no longer wish to return
harm for harm.
I accept that like has attracted like
within the field of universal law
and has played out all the karmas
that everyone has ever experienced.
I humbly bow down to the perfect justice
that is behind this panoramic display.
I humbly accept the small amount of pain
that life brings me as just and fair
within the largest vision of life
that is possible.
By experiencing deep remorse
and deep forgiveness for everyone,
I fully open myself up to the mercy
that purifies my mind and my heart,
and releases me from paths
of future sorrow.
At the same time, the remaining karmas
already set into motion,
already having enough force
to manifest in my life
and bring me pain,
I will humbly accept
and endure,
with the peaceful knowing
that they too will be finally done
very soon
and that the mercy
of Amida Buddha is even now
softening their effects upon me
and bringing enough healing
to raise me from the dead
once the karmaic storms
have blown over.
I feel deep remorse
and deep forgiveness,
because I am a loving being
bound to the wheel
of action and reaction,
and want to be free
to truly be myself
and release this love fully
to bless a world of sorrow.
You who once tormented me
and I who once tormented you,
are a sentient being who,
like me, deserves only love.
Here and now, I choose to meet you
in this loving energy
without the thought
of getting anything back from you.
I lay down my weopons,
my negative thoughts, judgments, and curses,
and lay down my shields,
my defensive thoughts, denials, and masks,
and meet you with innocence, kindness, and peace.
Let us, if we can, rise up together,
blessing instead of cursing,
and leave this tainted world completely,
building another one
from a vision of universal
and unconditional love.
Namaste. Svaha. Amen.
(through Tenabah, copyright 2010)
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Footnote1: From MANUAL OF ZEN BUDDHISM by D.T. Suzuki, Grove Press, 17th printing, First Evergreen Edition, 1960, page 74:
ReplyDelete1. What is meant by "How to requite hatred"? He who disciplines in the Path should think thus when he has to struggle with adverse conditions: "During the innumerable past ages I have wandered through a multiplicity of existences, all the while giving myself to unimportant details of life at the expense of essentials, and thus creating infinite occasions for hate, ill-will, and wrongdoing. While no violations have been committed in this life, the fruits of evil deeds in the past are to be gathered now. Neither gods nor men can foretell what is coming upon me. I will submit myself willingly and patiently to all the ills that befall me, and I will never bemoan or complain. The Sutra teaches me not to worry over ills that may happen to me. Why? Because when things are surveyed by a higher intelligence, the foundation of causation is reached." When this thought is awakened in a man, he will be in accord with the Reason because he makes the best use of hatred and turns it into the service in his advance toward the Path. This is called the "way to requite hatred".
Footnote2: From MANUAL OF ZEN BUDDHISM by D.T. Suzuki, Grove Press, 17th printing, First Evergreen Edition, 1960, pages 74 and 75:
ReplyDelete2. By "being obedient to karma: is meant this: There is no self (atman) in whatever beings are produced by the interplay of karmaic conditions; the pleasure and pain I suffer are also the results of my previous action. If I am rewarded with fortune, honour, etc., this is the outcome of py past deeds which by reason of causation affect my present life. When the force of karma is exhausted, the result I am enjoying now will disappear; what is then the use of being joyful over it? Gain or loss, let me accept the karma as it brings to me the one or the other; the Mind itself knows neither increase or decrease. The wind of pleasure [and pain] will not stir me, for I am silently in harmony with the Path. Therefore this is called "being obedient to karma".
Footnote3: From MANUAL OF ZEN BUDDHISM by D.T. Suzuki, Grove Press, 17th printing, First Evergreen Edition, 1960, page 75:
ReplyDelete3. By "not craving (ch'iu) anything" is meant this: Men of the world, in eternal confusion, are attached everywhere to one thing or another, which is called craving. The wise however understand the truth and are not like the ignorant. Their minds abide serenely in the uncreated while the body moves about in accordance with the laws of causation. All things are empty and there is nothing desirable to seek after. Where there is the merit of brightness there surely lurks the demerit of darkness. This triple world where we stay altogether too long is like a house on fire; all that has a body suffers, and nobody really knows what peace is. Because the wise are thoroughly acquainted with this truth, they are never attached to things that change; their thoughts are quieted, they never crave anything. Says the Sutra: "Wherever there is a craving, there is pain; cease from craving and you are blessed." Thus we know that not crave anything is indeed the way to the Truth. There it is taught "not to crave anything".
Footnote4: From MANUAL OF ZEN BUDDHISM by D.T. Suzuki, Grove Press, 17th printing, First Evergreen Edition, 1960, pages 75 and 76:
ReplyDelete4. By "being in accord with the Dharma" is meant that the Reason which we call the Dharma in its essence is pure, and that this Reason is the principle of emptiness (shunyata) in all that is manifested; it is above defilements and attachments, and there is no "self", no "other" in it. Says the Sutra: "In the Dharma there are no sentient beings, because it is free from the stain of being; in the Dharma there is no 'self' because it is free from the stain of selfhood." When the wise understand this truth and believe in it, their lives will be "in accordance with the Dharma".
As there is in the essence of the Dharma no desire to possess, the wise are ever ready to practice charity with their body, life, and property, and they never begrudge, they never know what an ill grace means. As they have a perfect understanding of the threefold nature of emptiness, they are above partiality and attachment. Only because of their will to cleanse all beings of their stains, they come among them as of them, but they are not attached to form. This is the self-benefiting phase of their lives. They, however, know also how to benefit others, and again how to glorify the truth of enlightenment. As with the virtue of charity, so with the other five virtues [of the Prajnaparmita]. The wise practice the six virtues of perfection to get rid of confused thoughts, and yet there is no specific consciousness on their part that they are engaged in any meritorious deeds. This is called "being in accord with the Dharma".
Footnote5: From BEING NOBODY, GOING NOWHERE by Ayya Khema, Wisdom Basic Book, Orange Series, 2nd printing 1990, page 86:
ReplyDelete'I am the owner of my kamma. I inherit my kamma. I am of my kamma. I am related to my kamma. I live supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I create, whether good or evil, that I shall inherit.' The Buddha said we needed to remember this every day.
[The word "kamma" is Pali for "karma" the more common Sanskrit word for the law of cause and effect applied to human actions.]