The Buddha's Verses on the Vows of Maitreya Bodhisattva
Translated by Gombujab, Minister-in-Charge of Translation of Western and Mongolian Languages and Director of Western Language Studies
Sanskrit: Ārya He ē da la ba ni da ha a na la a za a
In Chinese, this is called: The Sacred Vow King of Maitreya.
Homage to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
The Buddha said to Ānanda: "In the past, when the great being Maitreya was practicing the path to enlightenment, at all times—whether day or night—he would bare his right shoulder, kneel on his right knee, press his palms together with deep respect, and recite this prayer:
I pay homage to all Buddhas, And to those with the celestial eye, To Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, And to all the noble listeners. To lead us from the paths of suffering, And show the way to peace that never ends, To guide us where there is no aging or death, I bow to the awakened heart.
All wrongs I have committed, Driven by a confused mind, Before the Buddhas now, I confess without reserve.
All the virtue I have gathered, Through body, speech, and mind, Is seed for universal wisdom, May my path never end.
In all the lands in every direction, All offerings made to Buddhas, Which the Buddhas have rejoiced in, I now rejoice in them too.
I confess all my faults, Rejoice in all good roots, Pay homage to all Buddhas, And pray for great wisdom.
In all places in every direction, All the great Bodhisattvas, Who dwell upon the ten stages, I pray they soon reach perfect awakening.
Having realized the heart of perfect enlightenment, Vanquishing all armies of delusion, For the benefit of all beings, I pray they turn the wheel of Dharma.
With the great drum sound of Dharma, Taking beings beyond the shores of suffering, May they dwell in the world for countless eons, Always teaching.
I pray they use great compassion and wisdom, To lovingly help all beings, Who drown in the swamp of craving And are bound by the ropes of attachment.
Beings are hindered by obstacles, But the Buddhas do not abandon them; With compassion for all who have consciousness, They pull them from the ocean of existence.
All paths and teachings Followed by Buddhas of past, present, and future, I now follow and learn from, Praying to realize the path of awakening.
Together crossing to the six far shores, Liberating beings from the six realms, Attaining the six superknowledges, Praying to realize the unsurpassed way.
What is unborn and the original source, No location, no self-nature, Realizing this truth of emptiness, No wisdom and no attainment.
No soul, no beings, No turning away, no grasping, May I realize the truth of no-self, And become equal to the great sages.
May I not dwell on two extremes, And everything that I possess, For the benefit of beings, I will give freely without attachment.
Though material things be abundant and luxurious, May my use of them be moderate, Knowing their nature is empty and still, Perfecting the practice of generosity.
All my actions and creations, May they be flawless and pure, Without ignorance, pride, or arrogance, Perfecting the practice of ethical conduct.
Like earth, water, fire, and wind, These four great elements without resistance, When violated I feel no anger, Perfecting the practice of patience.
With diligence from start to finish, Always joyful, never lazy, With strength of body and mind, Perfecting the practice of effort.
Calming the mind in right concentration, Like a magical absorption, The diamond-like meditation, Perfecting the practice of stillness.
The three gates of liberation, The truth equal in past, present, and future, Clear through hearing, reflecting, and cultivating, Perfecting the practice of wisdom.
Praised by all Buddhas, Blazing with brilliant light, Diligently walking the Bodhisattva path, Fulfilling the wishes of self and others.
Walking this path to awakening, Called the child of the Compassionate One, Perfecting the six perfections, Transcending the ten stages.
"Through this wholesome act, I pray that all beings, Upon leaving this life, quickly reach the Tusita Heaven. There, reborn in the Dharma-Viewing Hall, May we become the eldest sons of Maitreya.
When he descends to the Jambudvipa world as a freely-roaming Ten-Stage Bodhisattva, And attains the great position of the Ten Powers, May we drink the sweet dew of his wondrous Dharma, Completing the path to Buddhahood without remainder.
From that life’s end, empowered by this vow, We shall ascend to the Tusita Heaven, Joyfully serving the Honored Maitreya, Swiftly receiving the prophecy of enlightenment."
"Ananda, you should know that the Great Being Maitreya Bodhisattva, through such genuine and skillful cultivation of pure actions, walks a smooth path to attain unsurpassed enlightenment, achieve perfect awakening, and realize the true and great gateway of skillful means."
Note: This sutra is not found in either Chinese or Tibetan canons, nor does it appear in the Pali scriptures. However, many great masters in the Western tradition have written commentaries on it, and they commonly practice it as a daily devotional, grouping it with the *Samantabhadra’s Aspiration for Good Conduct* and the *Aspiration for the Thirty-Five Buddhas* as the three great repentance prayers. I have briefly compared it. It was likely translated from Sanskrit, drawing essential elements from sutras such as *Maitreya’s Birth* and *Maitreya’s Descent*(Closely related to *Maitreya’s Descent Sutra* translated by Dharmarakṣa of the Tang dynasty). Now, in this peaceful and prosperous time under heaven, the three teachings flourish, resources are abundant, and many people incline toward goodness, with the practice of the Dragon Flower Assembly being increasingly observed. Remembering those who may wish to recite it, I have specially translated it into Chinese, making it convenient for faithful followers to read and pray with devotion.