大雲經祈雨壇法
Great Cloud Sutra Rain-Praying Altar Method
若天亢旱時，欲祈請雨者，於露地作壇。除去瓦礫及諸穢物，張設青幕，懸青幡，香泥塗拭作一方壇。於壇中畫七寶水池，池中畫海龍王宮。於龍宮中有釋迦牟尼如來經說法相。佛右畫觀自在菩薩，佛左畫金剛手菩薩等侍衛。於佛前右畫三千大千世界主輪蓋龍王，佛前左畫難陀、跋難陀二龍王。於壇四方用瞿摩夷汁各畫一龍王：於東方畫一龍王，一身三頭，量長三肘，并眷屬圍繞；又於南方畫一龍王，一身五頭，量長五肘，并諸眷屬；又於西方畫一龍王，一身七頭，量長七肘，并眷屬圍繞；於北方又畫一龍王，一身九頭，量長九肘，并眷屬圍繞；皆在靉靆青黑雲中，半身已下如蛇形，尾在池中，半身已上如菩薩形，皆合掌從池涌出。於壇四角置四清水瓶，隨其力分，飲食菓子等皆染作青色，以慇淨心布列供養，燒香散青色華。道場中所用皆作青色。祈雨之人若是出家苾芻，應具律儀；若俗士應受八戒，作法之時，喫三白食。每日香湯沐浴、著新淨青衣，於壇西面以青物為座，即以香塗手。先應三密加持自身及護壇場，案上置此《大雲經》。於一切有情起大慈悲心，至誠請一切佛菩薩加持，晝夜虔誠讀此《大雲經》，或二人三人乃至七人更替讀誦，經聲不應間斷。亢旱之時，如是依法讀此大雲經，或經一日二日乃至七日，定降注甘雨。若災重不雨，更作，必降甘雨。假使大海或有過限越潮，依此經作法轉讀，無不應効。應發願讀經所生功德迴向諸龍，願皆離諸苦難，發無上菩提心，為一切有情降注甘雨。
If there is a severe drought and you wish to pray for rain, build an altar in an open space. Clear away tiles, pebbles, and all impurities. Set up a blue canopy and hang blue banners. Mix fragrant mud and spread it to make a square altar. Within the altar, paint a pool of seven treasures, and in the pool paint the palace of the Ocean Dragon King. In the dragon palace, depict Shakyamuni Tathagata expounding the Dharma. To the Buddha's right, paint Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva; to the Buddha's left, paint Vajrapani Bodhisattva and other attendants. In front of the Buddha on the right, paint the Three Thousand Great Thousand World Lord, the Wheel-Cover Dragon King; in front of the Buddha on the left, paint the two dragon kings Nanda and Upananda. On the four sides of the altar, use cow dung paste to paint one dragon king each: on the east, paint a dragon king with one body and three heads, three cubits in length, surrounded by attendants; on the south, paint a dragon king with one body and five heads, five cubits in length, with all attendants; on the west, paint a dragon king with one body and seven heads, seven cubits in length, surrounded by attendants; on the north, paint a dragon king with one body and nine heads, nine cubits in length, surrounded by attendants. All are within dense blue-black clouds, with the lower half of their bodies in serpent form, their tails in the pool, and the upper half in bodhisattva form, all with palms joined, emerging from the pool.
At the four corners of the altar, place four bottles of pure water. According to your means, food, fruit, and so on should all be colored blue. With sincere and pure hearts, arrange the offerings, burn incense, and scatter blue flowers. Everything used in the ritual space should be blue. If the person praying for rain is a monk, he should observe the precepts fully; if a layperson, he should receive the Eight Precepts. During the ritual, eat the three white foods. Each day, bathe in fragrant water, wear new, clean blue clothes, sit on a blue seat facing the west side of the altar, and rub fragrant incense on your hands. First, apply the three secrets to empower yourself and protect the ritual space. Place this Great Cloud Sutra on the table. Generate great compassion for all sentient beings, sincerely invoke the blessings of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and recite this Great Cloud Sutra devoutly day and night. Two, three, or up to seven people may take turns reciting so that the sound of the sutra is never interrupted. In times of severe drought, if you recite this Great Cloud Sutra according to these instructions—whether for one day, two days, or up to seven days—sweet rain will surely fall. If the disaster is severe and no rain comes, perform the ritual again, and sweet rain will certainly fall. Even if the great ocean should exceed its bounds and tide, by performing this ritual and reciting this sutra, there will be no failure. You should make a vow to dedicate the merit born of reciting the sutra to all dragons, wishing that they be free from all suffering, awaken the unsurpassed bodhi mind, and cause sweet rain to fall for all sentient beings.
大雲經祈雨壇法