Transmission of the Compassionate Dharma Assembly Repentance Ritual

This repentance ritual was compiled by Emperor Wu of Liang for his Empress, Lady Xi. Several months after Lady Xi passed away, the emperor remained deeply sorrowful. By day, he was listless and joyless; by night, he lay restless and sleepless. While staying in his bedchamber, he heard a rustling sound from outside. Looking up, he saw a giant serpent slithering into the hall, its eyes gleaming and mouth gaping toward him. The emperor was terrified, with nowhere to flee. Compelled, he rose abruptly and said to the serpent, "My palace is strictly guarded—this is no place for your kind. Have you come with some evil intent to haunt me?"

The serpent replied in human speech, "This serpent is none other than your former Empress, Lady Xi. In life, I was jealous and cruel toward the ladies of the palace. My nature was vicious—when rage seized me, it blazed like fire, and my words shot forth like arrows, wounding others and bringing harm. For these sins, I have been condemned to rebirth as a serpent. I have no food to fill my mouth, no burrow to shelter my body. Starving, exhausted, and desperate, I lack the strength to endure. Moreover, each scale harbors countless insects that gnaw at my flesh—the pain is excruciating, as if pierced by awls and knives. Though I am no ordinary snake, I have taken this form to come to you, undeterred by the depth and majesty of the imperial palace. Moved by your past devotion to me, I have revealed this hideous form to beg your aid. I implore you to perform a virtuous deed to rescue me."

Upon hearing this, the emperor sighed with grief and compassion. But when he looked again, the serpent had vanished. The next day, he gathered a great assembly of monks in the palace courtyard, explained what had happened, and asked, "What is the most virtuous act I can perform to redeem her suffering?"

Zhigong replied, "It is not proper to simply worship the Buddha. One must first purify one's heart with sincere repentance." The Emperor accepted his words. He searched through the Buddhist scriptures, recorded the names of the Buddhas, and personally composed a text of repentance with profound wisdom and sacred brushstrokes, compiling it into ten volumes. All were drawn from the Buddha's own teachings, with extraneous words removed, to serve as the basis for repentance.

Another day, he suddenly smelled an extraordinary fragrance filling the palace, growing sweeter over time. At first, he did not know where it came from. The Emperor looked up and saw a heavenly being, dignified and beautiful, who said to him, "I am the transformed spirit of the serpent. Thanks to Your Majesty's merit, I have been reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Now I appear in my true form as clear proof." After expressing heartfelt gratitude, the being vanished.

From the Liang Dynasty to the present, several hundred years have passed. Those who obtain this scripture and sincerely worship and repent with it find their prayers and actions answered with hidden blessings and spiritual responses. Fearing that this matter might remain obscure, I have recorded it briefly to make it known to all.

Compassionate Repentance Ritual, Volume 1

The phrase "Compassionate Practice Ground" was established because of a dream.

Maitreya, the World-Honored One, has manifested boundless compassion in this present age, extending his mercy even to the distant future. The title of this scripture is based on these profound deeds and cannot be altered. Through the power of this mindfulness, he seeks to protect the Three Jewels, to cause the demons to retreat and hide, and to subdue those who are filled with pride and arrogance.

For those who have not yet planted the seeds of virtue, he will now cause them to be planted. For those who have already planted these seeds, he will cause them to grow and flourish. For those who cling to views and believe they have attained something, he will inspire them to let go of such attachments. For those who delight in lesser teachings, he will dispel their doubts about the greater Dharma. For those who delight in the greater Dharma, he will fill them with joy.

Moreover, this compassion is the king of all virtues, the refuge for all beings. Like the sun that illuminates the day and the moon that lights the night, it is the eye and guide for humanity, a parent and a sibling to all. It leads everyone to the same path of awakening, serving as a true spiritual friend. The bond of compassion is deeper than flesh and blood, following us life after life, never parting even in death. Therefore, with a heart of equality, it is honored with the name above.

Today, in this place of practice, the assembly of beings both visible and unseen establishes this method of repentance. Together, we arouse the great resolve, which arises from twelve great causes and conditions. What are these twelve?

First, we vow to guide all beings of the six realms with a heart that knows no bounds. Second, we vow to repay the boundless kindness and merit of our parents. Third, by the power of this goodness, may all beings uphold the Buddha’s precepts and never give rise to a mind that breaks them. Fourth, by the power of this goodness, may all beings never give rise to a mind of arrogance toward elders and those worthy of respect. Fifth, by the power of this goodness, may all beings, wherever they are born, never give rise to a mind of anger or hatred. Sixth, by the power of this goodness, may all beings never give rise to a mind of envy toward the appearance or qualities of others. Seventh, by the power of this goodness, may all beings never give rise to a mind of stinginess toward inner qualities or external possessions. Eighth, by the power of this goodness, may all beings practice virtuous deeds not for themselves alone, but entirely for the sake of all who are unprotected and unsheltered. Ninth, by the power of this goodness, may all beings practice the four means of embracing others not for their own sake. Tenth, by the power of this goodness, may all beings, upon seeing those who are lonely, imprisoned, or ill, give rise to a mind of relief and aid, enabling them to attain peace and happiness. Eleventh, by the power of this goodness, may all beings subdue those who should be subdued and embrace those who should be embraced. Twelfth, by the power of this goodness, may all beings, wherever they are born, constantly remember and give rise to the mind of enlightenment, ensuring this mind continues unbroken.

We humbly pray that the assembly of beings, both visible and unseen, worldly and sacred, together extend their protection and embrace. May [so-and-so] and all practitioners achieve purity in repentance and fulfillment in aspiration. May our hearts be equal to the hearts of the Buddhas, and our vows be one with the vows of the Buddhas. May all beings of the six realms and four forms of birth follow along, fulfilling the vow for enlightenment and purifying the practices of body, speech, and mind.

(To purify the body, one should bathe; to purify speech, praise the merits of the Buddha; to purify the mind, apply the heart to repentance. Once the three actions are purified, one can then wholeheartedly take refuge in the Three Jewels, the great compassionate father.)

Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels, First. Resolving Doubts, Second. Repentance, Third. Arousing the Bodhi Mind, Fourth. Making Vows, Fifth. Dedicating Merit, Sixth.