Shushōgi 修証義

(The Meaning of Practice and Verification)

[Japanese]

Dai isshō: Sōjo

(Chapter One： General Introduction)

1. Shō o akirame shi o akiramuru wa bukke ichi daiji no

innen nari, shōji no naka ni hotoke areba shōji nashi,
tada shōji sunawachi nehan to kokoro ete, shōji toshite
ito beki mo naku,nehan toshite nego beki mo nashi,
kono toki hajimete shōji o hanaruru bun ari,tada ichi
daiji innen to gūjin subeshi.

2. ◎ Ninshin uru koto katashi, buppō ō koto mare nari,

ima warera shukuzen no tasukuru ni yorite, sude ni uke
gataki ninshin o uke taru nomi ni arazu,ai gataki buppō
ni ai tatematsureri, shōji no naka no zenshō, saishō no
shō naru beshi,saishō no zenshin o itazura ni shite
romei o mujō no kaze ni makasuru koto nakare.

3. Mujo tanomi gatashi, shirazu romei ikanaru michi no

kusa ni ka ochin, mi sude ni watakushi ni arazu, inochi
wa kōin ni utsusarete shibaraku mo todome gatashi, kōgan
izuku e ka sari ni shi, tazunen to suru ni shōseki nashi,
tsura tsura kanzuru tokoro ni ōji no futa tabi ō bekarazaru
Ō shi, mujō tachimachi ni itaru toki wa kokuō daijin
shinjitsu jūboku saishi chinhō tasukuru nashi, tada hitori
kōsen ni omomuku nomi nari, onore ni shitagai yuku wa
tada kore zen aku gottō nomi nari.

4. Ima no yo ni inga o shirazu goppō o akiramezu, sanze

o shirazu, zen aku o wakimaezaru jaken no tomogara ni

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wa gun subekarazu, ōyoso inga no dōri rekinen toshite
watakushi nashi, zōaku no mono wa ochi shuzen no
mono wa noboru, gōri mo tagawazaru nari, moshi inga
bōjite munashikaran ga gotoki wa, shobutsu no shusse
aru bekarazu, soshi no serai aru bekarazu.

5. Zen aku no ho ni sanji ari, hitotsu ni wa jungen hōju,

futatsu ni wa junji shōju, mitsu ni wa jungo jiju, kore o
sanji to iu, busso no dō o shujū suru ni wa, sono saisho
yori kono sanji no goppō no ri o narai akiramuru nari,
◎ shika arazareba ōku ayamarite jaken ni otsuru nari,
tada jaken ni otsuru nomi ni arazu, akudō ni ochite chōji
no ku o uku.

6. ◎ Masani shiru beshi konjō no waga mi futatsu nashi,

mitsu nashi, itazura ni jaken ni ochite munashiku akugō
o kantoku sen, oshikara zarame ya, aku o tsukuri nagara
aku ni arazu to omoi, ● aku no hō aru bekarazu to jashi
yui suru ni yorite ● aku no hō o kantoku sezaru ni wa
arazu.

Dai nishō: Sange metsuzai

(Chapter Two: Repenting and Eliminating Bad Karma)

7. ◎ Busso awaremi no amari kōdai no jimon o hiraki

okeri,kore issai shujō o shōnyū seshimen ga tame nari,
ninden tare ka irazaran, kano sanji no aku goppō
kanarazu kanzu beshi to iedomo, sange suru ga gotoki
wa omoki o tenjite kyōju seshimu, mata metsuzai shōjō
narashimuru nari.

8. ◎ Shika areba jōshin o moppara ni shite zenbutsu ni

sange subeshi, inmo suru toki zenbutsu sange no kudoku
riki ware o sukuite shōjō narashimu, kono kudoku yoku

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muge no jōshin shōjin o shōchō seshimuru nari,jōshin
ichigen suru toki, jita onajiku tenze raruru nari,sono
riyaku amaneku jō hijō ni kōburashimu.

9. Sono daishi wa,negawaku wa ware ta toi kako no akugō

ōku kasanarite shōdō no innen ari tomo, butsudō ni
yorite tokudō serishi shobutsu shoso ware o awaremite
gōrui o gedatsu seshime, gakudō sawari nakarashime,
sono kudoku hōmon amaneku ◎ mujin hokkai ni jūman
mirin seran, awaremi o ware ni bunpu subeshi, busso no
ōshaku wa warera nari, warera ga tōrai wa busso naran.

10. ◎ Ga shaku shozō sho akugō kai yū mushi ton jin

chi, jū shin ku i shi shoshō,issai ga konkai sange,kaku
no gotoku sange sureba kanarazu busso no myōjo aru
nari,● shinnen shingi horro byaku butsu subeshi, ●
horro no chikara zaikon o shite shōin seshimuru nari.

Dai sanshō: Jukai nyūi

(Chapter Three： Receiving Precepts and Joining the Ranks)

11. ◎ Tsugi ni wa fukaku buppōsō no sanbō o uyamai

tatematsuru beshi, shō o kae mi o kaete mo sanbō o kuyō
shi uyamai tatematsuran koto o negō beshi, saiten tōdo
busso shōden suru tokoro wa kugyō buppōsō nari.

12. ◎ Moshi hakufaku shōtoku no shujō wa sanbō no

myōji nao kiki tatematsurazaru nari, ika ni iwan ya kie
shi tatematsuru koto o en ya. itazurani shohitsu o
osorete sanjin kijin tō ni kie shi, arui wa gedō no sei ta ni
kie suru koto nakare, kare wa sono kie ni yorite shuku o
gedatsu suru koto nashi, hayaku buppōsō no sanbō ni kie
shitatematsurite, shuku o gedatsu suru nomi ni arazu
bodai o jōjū subeshi.

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13. Sono kie sanbō to wa masani jōshin o moppara ni
shite, a rui wa nyorai genzai se ni mo are, arui wa nyorai
metsugo ni mo are, gasshō shi teizu shite kuchi ni
tonaete iwaku, namu kie butsu, namu kie hō, namu kie
sō, hotoke wa kore daishi naru ga yue ni kie su, hō wa
ryōyaku naru ga yue ni kie su, sō wa shōyū naru ga yue
ni kie su, butsu deshi to naru koto kanarazu sanki ni
yoru, izure no kai o ukuru mo kanarazu sanki o ukete
sono nochi shokai o ukuru nari, shika areba sunawachi
sanki ni yorite tokkai aru nari.

14. Kono kie buppōsō no kudoku, kanarazu kannō dōkō

suru toki jōjū sure nari, tatoi tenjō ningen jigoku ki
chiku nari to iedomo,kannō dōkō sureba kanarazu kie
shi tatematsuru nari, sude ni kie shi tatematsuru ga
gotoki wa shōshō sese zaizai shosho ni zōchō shi,
kanarazu shakku ruitoku shi, a noku tara san myaku san
bodai o jōjū suru nari, shiru beshi sanki no kudoku sore
saison saijō jinjin fuka shigi nari to iu koto, seson sude ni
shōmyō shima shimasu, shujō masa ni shinju subeshi.

15. Tsugi ni wa masa ni san jujō kai o uke tatematsuru

beshi, dai ichi shō ritsugi kai,dai ni shō zenbō kai, dai
san shō shujō kai nari, tsugi ni wa masa ni jū jūkin kai o
uke tatematsuru beshi, dai ichi fu sesshō kai, dai ni fu
chūto kai, dai san fu jain kai, dai shi fu mōgo kai, dai go
fu koshu kai, dai roku fu sekka kai, dai shichi fu jisan kita
kai, dai hachi fu ken hōzai kai, dai ku fu shini kai, dai jū
fu bō sanbō kai nari, jōrai sanki, san jujō kai, jū jūkin kai,
kore shobutsu no juji shitamō tokoro nari.

16. jukai suru ga gotoki wa, sanze no shobutsu no

shoshō naru a noku tara san myaku san bodai kongō fue
no bukka o shō suru nari, tare no chinin ka gongu

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sezaran, seson akiraka ni issai shujō no tame ni shime
shima shimasu, shujō bukkai o ukureba, sunawachi
shobutsu no kurai ni iru, kurai daigaku ni onajūshi
owaru, makoto ni kore shobutsu no miko nari to.

17. ◎ Shobutsu no tsune ni kono naka ni jūji taru,

kakkaku no hōmen ni chikaku o nokosazu, gunjō no
tokoshinae ni kono naka ni shiyō suru, kakkaku no
chikaku ni hōmen arawarezu, ◎ kono toki jippō hokkai
no tochi sōmoku shōheki garyaku mina butsuji o nasu o
motte, sono okosu tokoro no fūsui no riyaku ni azukaru
tomogara, mina jinmyō fuka shigi no bukke ni myōshi
serarete chikaki satori o arawasu, ● kore o mui no
kudoku to su, kore o musa no kudoku to su, ● kore
hotsu bodaishin nari.

Dai yonshō: Hotsugan rishō

(Chapter Four： Making the Vow to Benefit Beings)

18. ◎ Bodaishin o okosu to iu wa, onore imada

watarazaru saki ni issai shujō o watasan to hotsugan shi
itonamu nari, tatoi zaike ni mo are, tatoi shukke ni mo
are, arui wa tenjō ni mo are, arui wa ningen ni mo are,
ku ni ari to iu to mo raku ni ari to iu to mo, hayaku ji mi
tokudo sen dota no kokoro o okosu beshi.

19. ◎ Sono katachi iyashi to iu to mo, kono kokoro o

okoseba, sude ni issai shujō no dōshi nari, tatoi shichi sai
no nyoryū nari to mo sunawachi shishu no dōshi nari,
shujō no jifu nari, nannyo o ronzuru koto nakare, kore
butsudō gokumyō no hōsoku nari.

20. Moshi bodaishin o okoshite nochi,rokushu shishō ni

rinden su to iedomo, sono rinden no innen mina bodai

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no gyōgan to naru nari, shika areba jūrai no kōin wa
tatoi munashiku sugosu to iu to mo, konjō no imada
sugizaru aida ni isogite hotsugan subeshi, tatoi hotoke ni
naru beki kudoku juku shite enman subeshi to iu to mo,
nao megurashite shujō no jōbutsu tokudō ni ekō suru
nari, arui wa muryō gō okonaite shujō o saki ni watashite
mizukara wa tsui ni hotoke ni narazu, tadashi shujō o
watashi shujō o riyaku suru mo ari.

21. Shujō o riyaku su to iu wa shimai no hannya ari,

hitotsu ni wa fuse, futatsu ni wa aigo, mitsu ni wa rigyō,
yotsu ni wa dōji,kore sunawachi satta no gyōgan nari,
sono fuse to iu wa musaborazaru nari, waga mono ni
arazaredomo fuse o saezaru dōri ari, sono mono no
karoki o kirawazu, sono kō no jitsu naru beki nari, shika
areba sunawachi ikku ichige no hō o mo fuse subeshi,
shishō tashō no zenshu to naru, issen issō no takara o mo
fuse subeshi, shise tase no zengon o kizasu, hō mo takara
naru beshi,takara mo ho nam beshi, tada kare ga hōsha
o musaborazu, mizukara ga chikara o wakatsu nari, fune
o oki hashi o watasu mo fuse no dando nari, chishō
sangyō moto yori fuse ni arazaru koto nashi.

22. Aigo to iu wa, shujō o miru ni, mazu jiai no kokoro o

okoshi,koai no gongo o hodokosu nari, jinen shujō
yūnyo shakushi no omoi o takuwaete gongo suru wa aigo
nari, toku aru wa homu beshi, toku naki wa awaremu
beshi, onteki o gōbuku shi, kunshi o waboku
narashimuru koto aigo o konpon to suru nari, mukaite
aigo o kiku wa omote o yorokobashime, kokoro o
tanoshikusu, mukawazu shite aigo o kiku wa kimo ni
meiji tamashii ni meizu, aigo yoku kaiten no chikara aru
koto o gaku subeki nari.

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23. Rigyō to iu wa kisen no shujō ni okite riyaku no
zengyō o megurasu nari, kyūki o mi byōjaku o mi shi toki,
kare ga hōsha o motomezu, tada hitoe ni rigyō ni moyo
osaruru nari, gunin omowaku wa rita o saki to seba
mizukara ga ri habukarenu beshi to, shika ni wa arazaru
nari, rigyō wa ippō nari, amaneku jita o ri suru nari.

24. ◎ Dōji to iu wa fui nari, ji ni mo fui nari, ta ni mo fui

nari, tatoeba ningen no nyorai wa ningen ni dōzeru ga
gotoshi, ◎ ta o shite ji ni dōze shimete nochi ni ji o shite
ta ni dōze shimuru dōri aru beshi, jita wa toki ni shitagōte
mukyū nari, umi no mizu o jisezaru wa dōji nari,kono
yue ni yoku mizu atsumarite umi to naru nari.

25. Ōyoso bodaishin no gyōgan ni wa kaku no gotoku no

dōri shizuka ni shiyui subeshi, sotsuji ni suru koto nakare,
● saido shōju ni issai shujō mina ke o kōburan ● kudoku
o raihai kugyō subeshi.

Dai goshō： Gyōji hōon

(Chapter Five； Practicing Buddhism and Repaying Blessings)

26. ◎ Kono hotsu bodaishin, ōku wa nan enbu no

ninshin ni hosshin subeki nari, ima kaku no gotoku no
innen ari, ganshō shi shaba kokudo shi kitareri, ken
shakamuni butsu o yorokobazaran ya.

27. ◎ Shizuka ni omō beshi, shōbō yo ni rufu sezaran

toki wa, shinmei o shōbō no tame ni hōsha sen koto o
negō to mo ō bekarazu, shōbō ni ō konnichi no warera o
nego beshi, mizu ya, hotoke no notamawaku, mujō bodai
o enzessuru shi ni awan ni wa, shushō o kanzuni koto
nakare, yōgan o miru koto nakare, hi o kirō koto nakare,
okonai o kangauru koto nakare, tada hannya o sonjū suru

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ga yue ni, nichi nichi sanji ni raihai shi, kugyō shite, sara
ni gennō no kokoro o shōze shimuni koto nakare to.

28. Ima no kenbutsu monpō wa busso men men no gyōji

yori kitareru jion nari,busso moshi tanden sezuba, ika ni
shite ka konnichi ni i taran, ikku no on nao hōsha subeshi,
ippō no on nao hōsha subeshi, iwan ya shōbōgenzō mujo
daihō no daion kore o hōsha sezaran ya, byōjaku nao on
o wasurezu sanpu no kan yoku hōsha ari, kyūki nao on o
wasurezu, yofu no in yoku hōsha ari,chikurui nao on o
hōzu, jinrui ikade ka on o shirazaran.

29. Sono hōsha wa yoge no hō wa ataru bekarazu, tada

masa ni nichi nichi no gyōji, sono hōsha no shōdō naru
beshi, iwayuru no dori wa nichi nichi no seimei o naozari
ni sezu, watakushi ni tsuiyasazaran to gyōji suru nari.

30. Kōin wa ya yori mo sumiyaka nari, shinmei wa tsuyu

yori mo moroshi, izure no zengyō hōben arite ka sugi ni
shi ichi nichi o futa tabi kaeshi etaru, itazura ni hyaku sai
ikeran wa uramu beki jitsu getsu nari, kanashimu beki
keigai nari, tatoi hyaku sai no jitsu getsu wa shōshiki no
nubi to chisō su to mo, sono naka ichi nichi no gyōji o
gyōshu seba isshō no hyaku sai o gyōshu suru nomi ni
arazu, hyaku sai no tashō o mo doshu subeki nari, kono
ichi nichi no shinmei wa, tōtobu beki shinmei nari,
tōtobu beki keigai nari, kono gyōji aran shinjin mizukara
mo ai subeshi, mizukara mo uyamō beshi, warera ga
gyōji ni yorite shobutsu no gyōji genjō shi, shobutsu no
◎ daidō tsūdassuru nari, shika areba sunawachi ichi nichi
no gyōji kore shobutsu no shushi nari, shobutsu no gyōji
nari.

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31. ◎ Iwayuru shobutsu to wa shakamuni butsu nari,
shakamuni butsu kore soku shin ze butsu nari, kako
genzai mirai no shobutsu, tomo ni hotoke to naru toki
wa kanarazu shakamuni butsu to naru nari, kore soku
shin ze butsu nari, soku shin ze butsu to iu wa ● tare to
iu zo to shinsai ni sankyū subeshi, ● masa ni butsuon o
hōzuru ni te aran.

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About Soto Zen Liturgy

The main genres of Buddhist literature used in Soto Zen

liturgy in Japan are: sutras (kyō 経),dharanis (āarani 陀羅
尼),treatises (ron 論),eko (ekōmon 回向文),and verses
(ge 偈,mon 文).The scriptures in question are many in
number, varied in literary form and derivation, and
extremely rich and diverse in philosophical, ethical, and
spiritual content. When chanted in the context of formal
Zen ritual and practice, however, they have a limited
number of functions that can be clearly distinguished.

Sutras are texts revered as sermons of the Indian Buddha,

Shakyamimi. Those used in the Zen tradition are mainly
Mahayana scriptures,such as the Heart Sutra and Lotus
Sutra, They are written and recited in classical Chinese,
albeit using Japanese phonetics (on yorni 音読み),which
means that the chanting is incomprehensible to the
average listener. Most well-educated Japanese can read
classical Chinese to some extent, so the chanting may be
understood it they also have a written text to follow or if,
having memorized the text by chanting it many times,
they can visually recall the Chinese characters as they
are intoned. When sutras are studied, they are usually
read in Japanese translation. While many of the teach-
ings and beliefs expressed m them are very important in
the Zen tradition, the main reason for chanting sutras in
liturgical settings is not to broadcast their meaning out
rather to produce spiritual merit (kudoku 功徳)for sub-
sequent ritual offering and dedication to a variety of
beings and purposes. In some elaborate rites, merit is
produced by "revolving reading" (tendoku 転読),which
entails flipping through the pages of a long sutra without
actually chanting the words.

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Dharanis (also called mantras) are magical spells:
strings of sounds that are deemed sacred and powerful,
although they often have little or no discernible
semantic value. Proper pronunciation of the sounds is
deemed necessary for them to be effective. The classical
Chinese characters in which the dharanis used in Soto
liturgy are written were all selected for their phonetic
values (not their meanings) as a device to transliterate
(not translate) spells that were originally written and/or
chanted in Indic languages. Japanese liturgical hand-
books always include a pronunciation guide, written in
the kana syllabary, that runs alongside the Chinese
characters. Dharanis employ a mode of speech that is
performative rather than communicative: they are
believed to magically accomplish things, such as appeas-
ing spirits or preventing disasters. But their main
function in Soto liturgy, like sutras, is to produce merit
for ritual dedication.

Treatises are commentaries on sutras or independent

presentations of Buddhist doctrine attributed to eminent
teachers other than the Buddha himself. Two treatises
used regularly in Soto liturgy are the Harmony of Differ-
ence and Equality, by Shitou Xiqian (700—790),and the
Precious Mirror Samadhi, by Dongshan Liangjie (807-869).
These texts, originally written in classical Chinese, are
recited in Japanese translation. When chanted in the con-
text of ritual offerings to ancestral teachers (soshi 祖師),
they serve the dual purposes of generating merit and
honoring the authors, who belong to and are represen-
tative of the Soto Zen lineage. Two other treatises used
in Soto liturgy are Dogen's Universally Recommended
Instructions for Zazen, and The Meaning of Practice and
Verification, a modern compilation of passages taken

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from his Shōbōgenzō. Although the former is written in
Chinese, both works are chanted in classical Japanese.
Their function in Soto liturgy is to commemorate
Dogen, the founder of the Soto school in Japan, and to
present a capsule summary of his most important
teachings.

Eko are verses for transferring merit,written in classical

Chinese but usually chanted in Japanese translation. The
verses generally have two parts. The first states how the
merit was generated (naming the particular texts chanted
for that purpose), who it is to be transferred to,and the
specific ends to which it is dedicated. The second part is
a prayer that asks for something in exchange for the
merit just given.

Verses are short poems, composed in classical Chinese,

that express Buddhist ideals and values. Some, such as
the Formal Meal Verses,Bath Verse, and Face-Washing
Verse, are used in the context of Zen monastic training
to sanctify and give religious meaning to otherwise mun-
dane activities. They are always recited when and where
the activity in question takes place,either by a group (as
in the case of meals) or by individuals (as when entering
the bath or toilet). Others verses, such as the Three Refuges
Verse, Four Vows,Repentance Verse, and Verse of Homage to
Buddha’s Relics,are chanted as acts of commitment and
worship in and of themselves. They are usually intoned
by groups in conjunction with sutra-chanting and other
services, but in essence their recitation is an individual
act of devotion. The verses used in Soto liturgy are not
unique to the Zen school; almost all derive from the
Chinese Buddhist tradition at large. Most are chanted in
the original classical Chinese word order, but a few

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(such as the Verse of Five Contemplations recited at meals)
are translated into and chanted in Japanese.

Among the most common settings in which texts are

chanted in Soto monasteries and temples are the daily,
monthly, and annual sutra-chanting services (fugin 諷経).
These are rites in which spiritual merit (kudoku 功徳）is
first generated by chanting Buddhist sutras, dharanis,or
treatises and then ritually transferred (ekō 回向）to various
recipients who are named in a formal verse for trans-
ferring merit. Sutra-chanting services are used to make
offerings of merit to a wide range of beings： the Buddha
Shakyamuni； his immediate disciples, the arhats； the
lineage of ancestral teachers through whom the Zen
dharma has been transmitted; the two leading founders
of the Soto Zen tradition in Japan, Dogen and Keizan；
the founding abbot and other former abbots of partic-
ular monasteries； various dharma-protecting and monas-
tery-protecting deities, including Indian devas, Chinese
spirits, and Japanese kami； the ancestors of lay patrons of
Soto temples； and hungry ghosts, denizens of hell, and
various other benighted and suffering spirits. Particular
sutra-chanting services are distinguished by (and some-
times named after) the main figures to whom merit is
transferred, but it is common for a single service to in-
clude offerings to a number of ancillary or minor figures
at the same time.

Other ritual settings in which texts are chanted to

produce and dedicate merit include: monthly memorial
services (gakki 月忌）for Dogen,Keizan, and the found-
ing aobot of each monastery； annual memorial services
(nenki 年忌)for them, other ancestors in the Soto Zen
lineage, and lay patrons; funerals (sogi 喪儀）for monks

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and lay followers; and various routine and occasional
recitation services (nenjū 念誦）and prayer services (kitō
祈禱).

All sutra-chanting, memorial, and funeral services are

held before altars on which images or name tablets of
the major recipients of the offerings are enshrined, The
chanting that produces the merit is generally done in
unison by all the monks (and sometimes laity) present at
a service, whereas the eko, or verse for transferring the
merit, is recited by a single person, a monastic officer
known as the cantor (ino 維那).The oral performance in
which merit is generated and transferred is often accom-
panied by other, more physical offerings at an altar, such
as the burning of incense or the presentation of food and
drink.

Recitation and prayer services are somewhat different in

that the merit produced is dedicated not to individuals,
but rather in support of specific benefits that are prayed
for,such as recovery from illness, harmony in the
community, or the success of a monastic retreat. There
being no named recipients of offerings, such services
need not be performed before an altar, but may be held
in other places, such as an infirmary or meditation hall.

To summarize, the three most important ritual functions

of Soto Zen liturgy are the production and dedication of
merit, the commemoration of ancestral teachers, and the
sanctification of routine activities in the daily lives of
Zen practitioners. But regardless of how they are used in
ritual settings, most of the texts that are chanted in Soto
Zen services and practice can also be read for their mea-
ning, as works of philosophy,ethics,and/or inspirational

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religious literature. Far from being mutually exclusive,
the various functions that the scriptures have are mu-
tually supportive and enriching.

T. Griffith Foulk
Editor
Soto Zen Text Project

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