Ritual of Repentance and Mindfulness of Amitābha (禮念彌陀道場懺法)

Invocation of the Three Jewels

Today, in this assembly, all beings both seen and unseen, we humbly invoke the honored ones of the Three Bodies, the Four Wisdoms, and the perfectly clear Ten Epithets. We call upon the subtle and profound teaching of the One Truth, contained in the Eight Treasuries and the Five Vehicles. We turn to the Bodhisattvas who increase compassion and wisdom, to the learners and the masters who have realized the truth, to the dragon deities throughout the cosmos, and to all the sages and saints filling the vastness of empty space. We earnestly pray you do not abandon your vow of compassion, but kindly shine your light upon us and behold us clearly.

Today, (on this day), we establish a pure land practice retreat to show all beings the way home. We present this sacred gathering with sincere hearts. Why? Because beings like (your name here—each person should speak their own name, the same applies below) cycle through the three realms, never escaping the six paths of rebirth; adrift in the four kinds of birth, we remain lost. In the human world, the eight sufferings torment us, while in the heavens, the five signs of decline bring their own distress. Without the Great Kind Father, who could open the true gate of liberation? To cultivate the nine grades of true return, we must repent the evil karma of countless lives. Moreover, the perfect, clear, wondrous essence is originally just one mind; this illusory, floating life mistakenly becomes many offenses. Offenses arise only from delusion, forming through evil conditions; delusion is removed by truth, extinguished through wholesome thoughts. We hope that all fellow practitioners will let go of their wandering thoughts and attachments, completely escape the wheel of suffering, and be reborn together in the Land of Bliss. Following the repentance practice taught by the Buddha Shakyamuni’s legacy, we now invite the holy and wise, beseeching them to descend in response.

Again, with one mind, I reverently invite all the Three Jewels and countless holy beings throughout the ten directions, extending to the edges of space. ((Bow once))

To all beings, seen and unseen, assembled in this sanctuary today: We have already invited the Three Jewels, bared our sincere hearts, and confessed our accumulated wrongdoings. Now, with humble dedication, we seek refuge and repentance. With single-minded devotion, we turn toward the Western Pure Land, the ultimate bliss of Amitābha Buddha.