Homa Ritual Honoring Bodhisattva Earth Treasure

Reverently composed in Chinese and Translated into English by Dr. Yutang Lin

1. Getting Permission from the Goddess of the Earth

Visualize the Goddess of the Earth with a yellow body as suddenly appearing from the earth and accepting the blessing of the Master who is no different from the Yidam, Bodhisattva Earth Treasure. After she offers her approbation, she disappears. The Master wields the Vajra toward the center of the borrowed place where the fire altar is situated to create there a Vajra-cross foundation. Repeat the incantation of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure and the following half-stanza:

Abiding in the limitless oneness of Dharmadhatu,

The Mandala of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure appears within.

2. Generating Bodhicitta

Stanza:

To bestow rest to ocean-like multitude of beings of black or white karmas,

Solely toward this goal the Great Compassion Mind is hereby generated!

This Mind is originally in oneness with vows of the Bodhisattva Earth Treasure,

Instantaneously I transform into the shape of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure!

3. Blessing the Bell, Vajra and Drum

(a) Visualization:

Visualize that Father and Mother Steadfast Buddha become lights that go into the Vajra and Bell, respectively. Visualize the moon on the right palm and the sun on the left one. With the right hand holding the Vajra and the left one holding the Bell, recite: "Ma Ha, Ban Zha, Hong" and "Ban Zha, Ga Za, A." Use the Vajra to touch the heart chakra three times, simultaneously ring the Bell three times.

(b) Stanza:

Producing boundless wisdom of tranquility,

To dispel hindrances by originally pure sounds.

All dharmas are not first clean then polluted,

This is made well-known to illustrate playing.

Weng, Sha Wa Da Ta Ga Da, Xi Di Ban Zha, San Ma Ya, Di Cha, Ei Qia Si Dang, Da La Ya Mi, Ban Zha Sa Duo, Hei Hei Hei Hei Hei, Hong Hong Hong Pei, Suo Ha.

(d) Incantation of Requesting the Blessing of All Buddhas:

Then, while reciting the incantation of Requesting the Blessing of All Buddhas, use the Vajra to touch the heart chakra to awake all the Buddhas that are in one's own Buddha-nature and with the opening of the Bell facing the top of the Master's head, turn the Bell around three times counter-clockwise, then three times clockwise, thus all Buddhas in the ten directions are requested to give blessing.

Weng, Ban Zha, Geng Zha La Li Da, Zhua La Li Da, Shuang Zhua La Li Da, Sha Wa Bu Da Ken Zha, Zhua Zha Li Lei, Zhua Zha Ba Li Mi, Geng Zha Da Na Ya, Shuang Ha Bi Da, Ban Zha Da Ma Xi Da Ya, Sha Wa Qia Li, Hong Hong Hong, Ho Ho Ho, A Kang Suo Ha.

4. Protection

Two pieces of food, prepared in advance, are offered. One is white in color for vegetarian Gods and the other is red for carnivorous Gods.

(a) The Incantation to offer food to the Protectors:

Weng, Ka Ka, Ka Xi, Ka Xi.

(b) Prayer Stanza to the Protectors:

All the eight departments of protectors,

And all the Yaksas and your family,

Please take all this blessed and delicious food.

Protect all the Yogis and their families.

Let all of them be free and have long life!

Gather all merits and sow all best seeds!

And may you inspire all special enjoyments!

Especially help this salvation fire sacrifice,

And let me get all the accomplishments!

Please remember all your excellent vows,

Help me to gain all the attainments.

Get rid of all bad conditions and death,

Destroy all my obstacles and demons.

Pacify all terrible dreams and bad omens.

Protect us from all dangerous risks.

Help to make peace and rich harvests for all,

May plenty of all kinds of corn and Dharma,

And all good pleasures be helped by you!

Do help me to fulfill all my best wishes!

Those who have been divined to darkness

And cannot understand all the Tantras,

Not able to hear and see this secrecy,

Please leave here and go to the places where you belong.

If you don't take my advice right now,

I shall use the powerful and fiery Vajra

To destroy your head into many pieces!

The Karma Vajra throws the two pieces of food in two different directions.

Repeat the Four-Hong Incantation to send the black deities away.

Weng, Song Ba Li, Song Ba Li, Hong Hong Pei!

Weng, Ge Li Ha Na, Ge Li Ha Na, Hong Hong Pei!

Weng, Ge Li Ha Na Ba Ya, Ge Li Ha Na Ba Ya, Hong Hong Pei!

Weng, A Na Ya Ho, Ba Ga Wen, Bi Ya Lan Zha, Hong Hong Pei!

Then the Master visualizes the Vajra Net that covers all ten directions and is formed with the Vajra Net Mudra. Thus from the beginning of the Homa performance until its end, the altar and the Master and his family and followers are protected.

5. Blessing the Offerings

The Master holds the Vajra dippers together, repeats the incantation given below and visualizes much nectar falling down from Father and Mother Supreme Pleasure Vajra upon all the offerings. Thus all worldly offerings become Vajra Nectar of boundless supply.

Weng, Cha Cha Cha Cha Cha!

6. Arranging the Seat of the God of Fire and that of the Yidam

Place auspicious grasses around the fire altar. Then arrange seats for the God of Fire and the Yidam.

A. Praising and Welcoming the Golden God of Fire

(a) Praise:

Shine upon the dark becoming the bright.

Drive away the demons with big fire!

Your kind smile sends away the sorrows.

Please sit on this good seat and admire!

(b) Visualize the Golden God of Fire:

"Lang" appears on the moon that is on a lotus.

From this "Lang" arises the golden God of Fire!

He has one face and two arms.

The right hand holds the stove.

The left hand holds a fairy bottle.

His hair is very long; his belly big.

He has a golden Brahmin thread around his belly!

The Master raises a bunch of auspicious grass up to the sky to welcome the Wisdom God of Fire and repeats the following incantation:

Zha Ge Hong Zha

(d) Praise:

You are the victorious Prince of Dharma.

You have got the initiation of good Karma!

Your wisdom fire can get rid of obstacles!

I, now, beg you to help this Homa!

B. Arranging the Auspicious Seat for the Yidam

(a) Arrange the seat for the Bodhisattva Earth Treasure with the following stanza:

Everywhere in the Dharmadhatu is your auspicious seat outwardly;

Boundless compassionate vows are your auspicious seat inwardly;

Dharma joy and Chan delights are your auspicious seat secretly;

All round Sunyata Brightness is your auspicious seat most secretly.

(b) Visualization of the Bodhisattva Earth Treasure:

Appearing as a monk to bestow salvation,

Holding a Chan staff to pacify all delusions,

A lotus to signify sublimation through the worldly,

Or a Gem ball to grant fulfillment of good wishes,

With hand Mudras to indicate bestowing of nectars,

Of fearlessness, of guidance, or of suitable teachings,

For beings in Six Realms you adopt Six kinds of Form,

Your transformations spread all over the Dharmadhatu,

Even inside the Non-intermittent Hells, for salvation's sake,

By your all powerful supernatural might you preside!

Reverently arranged holy images to pay homage,

Repetition of Sutras and Mantras serve as praises,

Six Paramitas and all good deeds form true repentance,

Widely propagate Dharma teachings to rejoice together,

Please spin the Dharma wheel of universal salvation,

Constantly appear in countless transformation-bodies,

Dedicate merits toward all beings' sooner Enlightenment.

(d) Praise:

Namo Earth Treasure Bodhisattva

With great vows of salvation as numerous as sands of the Ganges,

Devoted to the rescue of all beings suffering in transmigration,

Willing to attain Enlightenment only after all others have so attained,

Earth Treasure, the great Bodhisattva of compassionate vows!

His merits, benevolence and benefits, all so inconceivable;

Seeing, gazing, saluting, prostrating to his statue brings peace,

Hearing, reciting, chanting, remembering his name yields grace;

Earth Treasure, the great Bodhisattva of compassionate vows!

With expedient means numbered in gillions of trillions,

Never thought of giving up the attempts to help sinful beings;

Everywhere in the Dharmadhatu appears some of his transformations;

Earth Treasure, the great Bodhisattva of compassionate vows!

Mighty power with awe-inspiring presence is his to command;

The solemn and arduous career to salvage suffering beings

With Buddha's approval and appointment is his to sustain;

Earth Treasure, the great Bodhisattva of compassionate vows!

Capable of converting the difficult-to-convert ones, and rescuing beings at each recurrence of their fallings.

Entering mud without being polluted, hells transmit lights of original purity.

Having unified and harmonized the limitless oneness, thus through Your Holiness we abide in compassion.

Engaging in salvation activities through kalpas, laboring so much that you had forgotten about attaining Buddhahood.

Holy Bodhisattva Earth Treasure emits pure lights,

Spiritual nature of sentient beings in all directions are revealed!

Holy Bodhisattva Earth Treasure enunciates clear sounds,

Sorrows of sentient beings at all times are eradicated!

Holy Bodhisattva Earth Treasure always remembered,

Diligently practicing Paramitas one is free from sufferings of sins!

Holy Bodhisattva Earth Treasure is the savior,

Even regressed or lost ones will still find salvation!

Ganges-sand number of vows pledged over continuous kalpas,

Only one wish left unattended, the one for his own well-being.

For peace and joy of attaining Buddha he has no time to spare;

Bodhisattva Earth Treasure remains wholeheartedly altruistic!

7. Blessing the Wood and Oil

Stanza:

With the calamity-like firewood,

Start up the wisdom fire.

After offering them,

All the Sages, beings, do have the Pleasure!

The pure and clean butter helps the wisdom fire,

May all sufferings in the six realms be burned out!

8. Starting the Fire

(a) Start the fire:

With the fire mudra turn around clockwise thrice on top of the fire altar while repeating, "Lang Lang Lang."

Use a fan with the Tibetan syllable "Yang" to fan the fire thrice while repeating, "Yang, Yang, Yang." Then repeat:

Wisdom Wisdom Great Wisdom!

Wisdom Wisdom Constant Wisdom!

Wisdom Wisdom Samadhi Wisdom!

Wisdom Wisdom Tranquility Wisdom!

(b) Offering to the God of Fire:

Incantation:

Weng, A Na Ye, Sha Ba Li Wa La, Ka Ka, Ka Xi, Ka Xi.

Praise:

You are the sovereign Prince of Dharma.

You have been blessed as King of Karma!

With special wisdom burn up the sorrow,

Help us to fulfill the good wishes through Homa!

Stanza:

I, the Acarya, and all the followers

Do have learned Dharma and done good Karma.

Any kind of obstacles before the Homa is done

Please send away from this Mandala!

Weng, A Na Ye, Sha Ba Li Wa La, Weng, Sha Wa Ba Bang, Xin Deng Gu Lu Ye, Suo Ha.

9. Offering to Bodhisattva Earth Treasure

(a) Offer Bodhi-branches:

Stanza:

The Bodhi-branches form natural and great area

To provide shade for the original state that is innate.

After offering it, pacify delusions by Earth Treasure

To demonstrate the right and full enlightenment.

Incantation (repeat thrice):

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Po Ti Zhi Qia Ye, Suo Ha.

(b) Offer black sesame:

Stanza:

Ignorance as the cause grasped by black and white karmas,

Perverse views, disasters and sufferings, all transform into offering.

After this offering one would realize that ignorance is originally of empty nature.

Reveal Dharmakaya for all beings so that all would attain great tranquility.

Incantation (repeat thrice):

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Bo Luo Mo, Lin Tuo Ning, Suo Po He, Weng, Sha Wa Ba Bang, Xin Deng Gu Lu Ye, Suo Ha.

Stanza:

The self-nature of all evils and enemies is originally vacuous and inactive.

After offering mustard seeds all evils will perish automatically.

Seeing through that form and emptiness are originally non-dual,

In the compassion of oneness lie great salvation and great rest.

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Sha Wa, A Qia, Xi Da Ye, Suo Ha.

(d) Offer three whites and three sweets:

Stanza:

All things white and pure contain the joy of Chan;

After offering these may all beings dine on form born of Sunyata.

Wondrous flavor of pleasant sweetness, free from impurities,

Would inspire Dharma nectar to imbue the countless worlds!

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Sha Wa, Sang Ba Dou, Suo Ha.

(e) Offer one coconut:

Stanza:

Sincerely and whole-heartedly dedicate oneself to the Dharma,

Receiving from above the merciful initiations of Bodhicitta,

Pouring to suffering beings below the compassionate rain of teachings,

Benefiting all through constant and enduring aspirations and activities.

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Ban Zha, Po Ti Qi Da, Suo Ha.

(f) Offer walnuts:

Stanza:

Wondrous joy of Chan, who attained its marrows?

Four joys of Tantric practice, who arrived at the ultimate sphere?

Matching outer form and inner sense through this concord offering,

May we obtain realization that completely harmonizes the two truths.

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Ban Zha, Ke Ba Ya, Suo Ha.

(g) Offer herbs for the five chakras:

Stanza:

Hundreds of illness as suffered by beings are indeed hard to bear.

All physicians have no treatments and effective prescriptions unavailable.

Relying solely on the great compassionate power of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure,

Karmic hindrances dispersed completely so that recovery will arrive sooner.

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Sha Wa Ba Bang, Xin Deng Gu Lu Ye, Suo Ha.

(h) Offer white flowers:

Stanza:

Pure and sacred flowers in bloom,

After offering them rainbow flowers come out from space!

Wisdom Dakinis full of secret skills gathering like clouds,

To enable each and every sentient being to enjoy pleasure more.

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Sha Wa, Bu Bei Ye, Suo Ha.

(i) Offer golden silk, needles and threads:

Stanza:

Heavenly garment of wondrous touch matches Sunyata-form.

Red and white Bodhis increase through union of Vajra Love.

Straight channels and pure winds induce light of original purity.

Live long in the world to save countless sentient beings!

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Sha Wa Nuo Ga, Wa Xiang Gu Lu Huo, Weng, A Ma Na Ni, Jiu Wang Di Ye, Suo Ha, Weng, Ban Zha, A Yu Ke, Hong, Suo Ha.

(j) Offer fresh fruits:

Stanza:

Compassionate aspirations to benefit others is the fruit of Nirmanakaya.

Completion of merits and wisdom is the fruit of Sambhogakaya.

Dependence-free light of original purity is the fruit of Dharmakaya.

The above three indistinguishable is the fruit of Sahajakaya.

Wisdom rainbow-body born of great pleasure is the fruit of Mahasukhakaya.

Soon fulfill wisdom and compassion to attain perfect fruit of Buddhahood.

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Ban Zha, Ke Ba Ya, Da Ma Ka Ya, Suo Ha.

(k) Offer gold foil:

Stanza:

Priceless teachings are superior to worldly gold and wealth.

May this offering inspire compassion that is like the wish-fulfilling gem!

All resources needed for propagation of Dharma and salvation of beings

Through pure applications would inspire their flowing in like springs!

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, Ban Zha, Mu Ni Ye, Suo Ha.

(l) Offer the eight offerings:

Stanza:

With water of merits and equality to pacify eight kinds of suffering,

With innate virgin-vase flowers to pacify greed and attachment,

With the aimless incense of oneness to pacify violation of silas,

With the lamp that shines in all directions to pacify the darkness of ignorance,

With the perfume of non-preference to pacify the five poisons,

With the food of neither increasing nor decreasing to pacify poverty,

With the music of no playful talks to pacify the eight worldly winds,

After offering all these, sins are purified and mind is clear to enjoy great pleasure.

Incantation:

Weng, Yan Man Ta Shi, Suo Ha, Weng, A Gang, Ba Dang, Bu Bei, Du Bei, A Nu Gei, Gen Deng, Nu Wei Dou, Xia Da, Zhua Di Zha Ye, Suo Ha.

10. Giving thanks to the God of Fire

Stanza:

Brightness shines, warmth and heat felt.

As incense smokes float and spread so are the grand Dharma activities.

Bodhisattva Earth Treasure's awesome power purifies the whole universe,

While the grace of the God of Fire extends throughout the Dharmadhatu.

Incantation:

Weng, A Na Ye, Sha Ba Li Wa La, Ka Ka, Ka Xi, Ka Xi, Weng A Hong.

11. Dedication of the Merits

Stanza:

Wisdom life was born of Gurus.

Corporeal life was born of parents.

Offerings were born of donors.

Fire, the fire god; water, Dragon King.

Place belongs to the earth god; companions are up to others.

In all these there is neither I nor mine.

Good coming from whatever causes and conditions

Is the natural fruit of those causes and conditions.

The great tranquility that all beings possess originally

Extends beyond the sphere of causes and consequences.

May this Homa that transcends causes and consequences

Bring about the great fruit of great causes!

All calamities, sufferings and hindrances to meditation,

Those arise before attaining the great fruit,

May they all be pacified in the light of Dharma nature!

12. Amendment

Repeat thrice the 100-Word Incantation of Vajrasattva.

13. Repeat Original Vows

Recite the practitioner's Bodhi Vows to pray for continuous and never ending progress of Dharma activities.

14. Mudra and Mantra

Apply Bodhisattva Earth Treasure's Mudra and repeat his Mantra.

15. Circumambulation

Circumambulate clockwise the Homa platform thrice as gesture of reverence, and then bow thrice to Bodhisattva Earth Treasure in reverence to express gratitude.

Auspicious Completion

August 11, 2008

El Cerrito, California

Appendix

Maturity of Causal Conditions for

Bodhisattva Earth Treasure's Fire Puja

Yutang Lin

After Guru Chen entered Nirvana in 1987 I performed fire pujas using only rituals composed by him. Only until 12 years later, after he appeared in a dream and gave instructions, had I composed accordingly a fire puja ritual for making offerings to Guan Yin. Shortly thereafter, due to petition from a faithful Buddhist and immediately subsequent auspicious omens, I composed another one for making offerings to Manjusri. This is because fire pujas are salvation activities and they cannot be effective when done out of personal intentions without qualifications; only with blessings from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can fire pujas be truly beneficial to beings seeking help.

Over a period of more than a decade in the past there were frequent requests from disciples and Buddhists for fire pujas to Bodhisattva Earth Treasure. And yet I had not started to compose such a ritual because I fully understood that it would be meaningful to undertake such an endeavor only after auspicious omens had appeared. During the Asia trip I took in June and July of this year Bodhisattva Earth Treasure graced us with his holy presence during several Powa services performed at various places. At the fire puja to Green Tara performed in Chu Shan, Nan Tou, Taiwan, it so happened that a disciple set a statue of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure on the altar table. In Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia a Buddhist offered me a Hundred-years-of-age bowl that was a souvenir from Jiu Hua Mountain, the holy land of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure in China. In Guang Zhou, China a faithful Buddhist came from He Bei and offered me Fo Cha (Buddha Tea) of Jiu Hua Mountain. In Kun Ming, Yun Nan, China we encountered a Tibetan style statue of Bodhisattva Earth Treasure at the Lian Hua Jing She (Lotus House, Building of a Buddhist Society), and there a disciple offered me a Thangka of such a holy image. Auspicious omens kept arriving one after another; thus we saw that the causal conditions for composing such a ritual had become matured.

Hence, I will soon compose it. And I wrote this short article to record the causal conditions for its making. Later I will attach this article to the end of the ritual to help the public understand why we are so careful in performing Dharma activities. And I hope that Dharma practitioners in the future will comprehend such profound sincerity and learn to wait patiently for maturity of causal conditions, and thus be spared of frivolous and hasty attempts.

Written in Chinese on August 3, 2008

Translated on August 8, 2008

El Cerrito, California

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