Celebrating the Buddha’s Birthday

Next week, according to the solar calendar, is the Buddha’s birthday. Many communities observe this holiday using the lunar calendar, and different communities use different lunar calendars, so the dates will vary quite a bit. I use the Japanese-Buddhist calendar which in turn uses the Western calendar since the 19th century, thus April 8th.¹

But I digress.

How does one celebrate the Buddha’s birthday?

Based on my limited experience in Japan and such, Buddhist holidays tend to be pretty laid back affairs. Buddhist temples usually do not hit you over the head with religious teachings, but often do hold local festivals maybe with a sermon or two. There’s no pressure for holiday shopping or even attending a temple. The reality is that Buddhism is not an evangelical religion; people are welcome to come as they are, and approach at their own pace.

Instead, the Buddha’s birthday is a time of joy and reflection.

The appearance of a buddha is, according to tradition, exceedingly rare and even if one is not alive during the time of a buddha, the buddha’s teachings and influence on the world last for many generations. If one lived in an age where the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha, did not exist or were obscured, then one could not benefit from them.

Thus, even for us living 2,500 years² after the Buddha Shakyamuni (e.g. Siddhartha Gautama), we can still learn from the Buddha, apply the teachings as best we can, and thereby break the cycle of rebirth. The Buddha-Dharma is good medicine that one can take as one needs, and apply to their life as they see fit.

So, on April 8th, or whatever day you celebrate, take a moment to reflect on the historical Buddha, enjoy the warm weather, and don’t hesitate to do something good and noble that day.

Namo Shakyamuni Buddha

P.S. Featured image is Shakyamuni Buddha flanked by a guardian named Vajrapani. Notice the strongly Greek artistic style, including Vajrapani who looks similar to Hercules. This was made in Gandhara almost 2,000 years ago. Countless cultures and people have paid homage to Shakyamuni Buddha just as we do now. 🥳

¹ Rant: Given that Christmas is observed on December 25th, despite Jesus’s birth very obviously not taking place in December (the Romans did not collect taxes in winter), the specific date for celebrating an event really isn’t that important. One date is as good as another, as long as the tradition is meaningful for people. I do prefer observing holidays using the solar calendar since it’s just so much easier to observe and plan out, though. Lunar calendars are fascinating in their own way, but they’re opaque and confusing to anyone who doesn’t fully understand them.

² random history fact: by the time the Romans had subjugated places like Egypt and Mesopotamia, these places already had 2,000 years of culture and tradition. The Akkadian language was still in use for religious ceremonies and documents, despite the Akkadian empire of Sargon being gone for more than a thousand years. And all of this is but a drop in the bucket compared to geologic time of the Earth.

Chanting the “Jigage”: Chapter Sixteen of the Lotus Sutra

The Lotus Sutra, one of the most important sutras of Mahayana Buddhism, is the size of an epic novel, and thus much too large to recite cover to cover. Even reciting a single chapter can be daunting because each chapter contains a large narrative section, and one or more verse sections that recap the narrative.

For this reason, certain verse sections have become popular for chanting because they get to the heart of the Lotus Sutra and convey its essential teachings, in a manageable size.

Popular examples (among others) include the Kannon Sutra, the verse section of chapter 16, and the opening section of chapter 2. Both are actively recited in Nichiren and Tendai sect home services. Today we will focus on the big verse section at the end of chapter 16, called the jigagé (自我偈) in Japanese.

Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra is the big reveal of the sutra: Shakyamuni Buddha is not just a historical figure that lived in 5th century India, and member of the warrior-caste Shakya clan, but is also, on another level, a timeless Buddha that has pretty much existed since a remote, incalculable past:

Since I attained Buddhahood the number of kalpas [aeons] that have passed is an immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions, trillions, asamkhyas [in other words, a mind-boggling amount of time]. Constantly I have preached the Law [a.k.a. the Dharma], teaching, converting countless millions of living beings, causing them to enter the Buddha way, all this for immeasurable kalpas.
Translation by Burton Watson

I believe this part of an important theme not just in the Lotus Sutra but Mahayana Buddhism in general: the Dharma is a timeless, eternal law of reality and the various Buddhas simply embody it. The Dharma is what matters, not one particular Buddha or another. You can see hints of this in older Buddhist sutras such as the Vakkali Sutta (SN 22.87) in the Pali Canon, but I believe that Mahayana Buddhism took it to its logical conclusion.

Later in the same verse section is the famous lines:

My pure land is not destroyed, yet the multitude see it as consumed in fire, with anxiety, fear and other sufferings filling it everywhere….But those who practice meritorious ways, who are gentle, peaceful, honest and upright, all of them will see me here in person, preaching the Law [a.k.a. The Dharma]
Translation by Burton Watson

To me, this reinforces that even in the worst, most desolate times, the Dharma is always there, and anyone who seeks it sincerely will find it even when others cannot see it. I’ve talked about this passage often in the Nirvana Day posts I’ve made in the past, among other places.

Anyhow, let’s move on now to the liturgy itself.

Liturgical Language

Because this is a chant used in Japanese Nichiren and Tendai traditions, among others, I am posting it as-is in Japanese, more specifically Sino-Japanese: the original Classical Chinese that it was recorded in, but with historical Japanese pronunciation. You are welcome to recite in English, or any other language, there is no restriction.

For this liturgical text, I relied on a few sources, plus I double-checked the spellings using physical sutra books I have at home. I am fairly certain it’s accurate.

Also, I formatted the text similar to how it is formatted in real service books.

Translation

I decided not to post the translation side-by-side with the text, the way I do with the Heart Sutra and such. This is due to formatting reasons on the blog, plus also length of the text makes this more difficult. I may revise this later.

For now, I highly recommend checking out a modern translation here by the excellent Dr Burton Watson. The Buddhist Text Translation Society also has an excellent translation here. The chant below is the first narrative section that goes all the way to the first verse section.

Disclaimer and Legal Info

I hereby release this into the public domain. Please use it as you see fit, but if you attribute it to this site, greatly appreciated. Also, please bear in mind this is an amateur work, and should not be taken too seriously.

Dedication

I dedicate this effort to all sentient beings everywhere. May all beings be well, and may they all attain perfect peace.

Namu Shakamuni Buddha

The Lotus Sutra sixteenth chapter, verse section

Preamble

Classical Chinese	Japanese Romanization
妙法蓮華経如来寿量品第十六	Myo ho ren ge kyo nyo rai ju ryo hon dai ju roku

Verse Section

Classical Chinese	Japanese Romanization
自我得仏来所経諸劫数無量百千万億載阿僧祇	Ji ga toku butsu rai sho kyo sho kos-shu mu ryo hyaku sen man oku sai a so gi
常説法教化無数億衆生令入於仏道爾来無量劫	jo sep-po kyo ke mu shu oku shu jo ryo nyu o butsu do ni rai mu ryo ko
為度衆生故方便現涅槃而実不滅度常住此説法	i do shu jo ko ho ben gen ne han ni jitsu fu metsu do jo ju shi sep-po
我常住於此以諸神通力令顛倒衆生雖近而不見	ga jo ju o shi i sho jin zu riki ryo ten do shu jo sui gon ni fu ken
衆見我滅度広供養舎利咸皆懐恋慕而生渇仰心	shu ken ga metsu do ko ku yo sha ri gen kai e ren bo ni sho katsu go shin
衆生既信伏質直意柔軟一心欲見仏不自惜身命	shu jo ki shin buku shichi jiki i nyu nan is-shin yoku ken butsu fu ji shaku shin myo
時我及衆僧倶出霊鷲山我時語衆生常在此不滅	ji ga gyu shu so ku shutsu ryo ju sen ga ji go shu jo jo zai shi fu metsu
以方便力故現有滅不滅余国有衆生恭敬信楽者	i ho ben riki ko gen u metsu fu metsu yo koku u shu jo ku gyo shin gyo sha
我復於彼中為説無上法汝等不聞此但謂我滅度	ga bu o hi chu i setsu mu jo ho nyo to fu mon shi tan ni ga metsu do
我見諸衆生没在於苦海故不為現身令其生渇仰	ga ken sho shu jo motsu zai o ku kai ko fu i gen shin ryo go sho katsu go
因其心恋慕乃出為説法神通力如是於阿僧祇劫	in go shin ren bo nai shitsu i sep-po jin zu riki nyo ze o a so gi ko
常在霊鷲山及余諸住処衆生見劫尽大火所焼時	jo zai ryo ju sen gyu yo sho ju sho shu jo ken ko jin dai ka sho sho ji
我此土安穏天人常充満園林諸堂閣種種宝荘厳	ga shi do an non ten nin jo ju man on rin sho do kaku shu ju ho sho gon
宝樹多花果衆生所遊楽諸天撃天鼓常作衆伎楽	ho ju ta ke ka shu jo sho yu raku sho ten kyaku ten ku jo sa shu gi gaku
雨曼陀羅華散仏及大衆我浄土不毀而衆見焼尽	u man da ra ke san butsu gyu dai shu ga jo do fu ki ni shu ken sho jin
憂怖諸苦悩如是悉充満是諸罪衆生以悪業因縁	u fu sho ku no nyo ze shitsu ju man ze sho zai shu jo i aku go in nen
過阿僧祇劫不聞三宝名諸有修功徳柔和質直者	ka a so gi ko fu mon san bo myo sho u shu ku doku nyu wa shichi jiki sha
則皆見我身在此而説法或時為此衆説仏寿無量	sok-kai ken ga shin zai shi ni sep-po waku ji i shi shu setsu butsu ju mu ryo
久乃見仏者為説仏難値我智力如是慧光照無量	ku nai ken bus-sha i setsu butsu nan chi ga chi riki nyo ze e ko sho mu ryo
寿命無数劫久修業所得汝等有智者勿於此生疑	ju myo mu shu ko ku shu go sho toku nyo to u chi sha mot-to shi sho gi
当断令永尽仏語実不虚如医善方便為治狂子故	to dan ryo yo jin butsu go jip-pu ko nyo i zen ho ben i ji o shi ko
実在而言死無能説虚妄我亦為世父救諸苦患者	jitsu zai ni gon shi mu no sek-ko mo ga yaku i se bu ku sho ku gen sha
為凡夫顛倒実在而言滅以常見我故而生憍恣心	i bon bu ten do jitsu zai ni gon metsu i jo ken ga ko ni sho kyo shi shin
放逸著五欲墮於悪道中我常知衆生行道不行道	ho itsu jaku go yoku da o aku do chu ga jo chi shu jo gyo do fu gyo do
随応所可度為説種種法毎自作是念以何令衆生	zui o sho ka do i ses-shu ju ho mai ji sa ze nen i ga ryo shu jo
得入無上道速成就仏身	toku nyu mu jo do soku jo ju bus-shin

P.S. I’ve been posting a lot of Japanese-Buddhist liturgy from various sources, and this is the last one I will post for a while. The ones I have posted so far on the blog cover the most common sutra chants, so anyone curious to get started in a tradition (or rediscover a tradition) should hopefully find what they need. Good luck!

Make Your Own Buddhist Sutra Book

Lately I’ve been talking a lot about home Buddhist practice, including home Buddhist services and such. These are things that devout lay-Buddhists often do (myself included), but then I realized I never talked about making one’s own sutra book.

There are a couple reasons why one might make their own.

First, Buddhist resources outside of Buddhist countries are hard to find. For someone like me who lives on a large city with a large Asian community this is not so hard. But if you lived in, say, rural Iowa, it might be a lot harder. So, sometimes you have to just DIY.

Second, it’s a nice way to personalize your Buddhist practice in a way that suits you.

I started making my own maybe about 9-10 years ago. I picked up a nice little Paperblanks notebook at the airport at the time, and I decided to collect Buddhist sutras and quotes that I liked. I started out small, just copying things now and then from sites like accesstoinsight.org, or copied from books.

This is a small quote from the Dhammapada :

And the Metta Sutta from the Pali Canon:

I also recorded Mahayana Buddhist sutras as well, such as this quote from chapter 5 of the Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra:

I copied each of these by hand. I even tried to copy much longer texts, such as the 4th chapter of the Golden Light Sutra, which is a very beautiful prose about repentance and goodwill, but the text was much longer than I thought, and I eventually gave up halfway.

But eventually, around 2017-2018, when I left my old Jodo Shinshu-Buddhist community and started exploring other sects, I focused more on home practice and I started to add Japanese-style liturgies as well:

I also wrote specific sutra chants too, such as the Shiseige:

And chapter 2 of the Lotus Sutra:

As you can see from the featured photo above,¹ I keep this sutra book on my home altar (bottom left in photo), and use it almost daily. A personal sutra book works best when it’s meaningful, simple and useful for you, so the important thing is to not do what other people do, but make it useful for yourself. Find sutras or Buddhist quotes you like, collect them into a notebook, and copy them by hand (word of advice, use a gel pen, not a ballpoint pen, it’s easier to read), and make it your own. There’s no wrong way to do it.

Further, the sutra book I made has gradually progressed over time, just as my own path and practice have and I still have more room to write things in the future.

¹ You can also see my Buddhist rosary, a Tendai-style rosary I ordered online, along with a boxed copy of the Heart Sutra, which I got in 2023 while visiting Nara‘s Kofukuji Temple, one of my personal favorite.

Chanting The Kannon Sutra

Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra is a popular devotional text in East Asian Buddhism. It is often referred to as the “Avalokiteśvara Sutra”, or kannongyō (観音経) in Japanese, or more formally the kanzeon bosatsu fumonbongé (観世音普門品偈, “Chapter on the Universal Gate of Kanzeon Bodhisattva”).

Despite the name, it is not a stand-alone text, but simply a famous chapter in the larger Lotus Sutra. This particular chapter is the main introduction to one of the most popular Bodhisattvas in Buddhism: Avalokitesvara (Kannon in Japanese, Guanyin in Chinese, etc.). The chapter describes the attributes of Kannon that are familiar to Buddhists, such as their vows to help all beings who call on them, their ability to take on various forms to teach people, and their unwavering compassion to lead all beings to Enlightenment.

A more Chinese-style image of Kannon (a.k.a. Guan-yin) in her more motherly form, photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

The chapter as a whole is long and would be difficult to chant, so the verse section, not the narrative section, is frequently used for liturgical purposes. The Lotus Sutra often describes things in narrative form, then summarizes again in verse form. However, even the verse section alone is longer than the Heart Sutra, or the Shiseige, so just chanting the verse section is a bit challenging. In my experience it takes about 5-7 minutes.

For this reason, medieval Buddhists in Japan also devised an even shorter version called the Ten-Verse Kannon Sutra.

The sutra is frequently recited in both Zen and Tendai liturgies, among others, but it is not well known to Westerner lay-Buddhists. I had difficulty finding an online copy I could use as a reference here, even in Japanese, due to its length.

However, ages ago, I picked up a sutra book at the famous Sensōji temple in Tokyo, and once I figured out what the Kannon Sutra was, I copied it character by character to an old version of the blog, but then lost it later when I changed blogs. Recently, I was able to recover the text (not easily) from the original HTML I wrote, and posted it back on here with minor edits.

I have also provided a PDF version here if you want to print it out and use at home.

Also, special thanks to this website for providing much needed reference information on pronunciation and Chinese characters. My original, recovered text had a few errors, embarrassingly.

Examples

I found a few examples on Youtube that you can follow along if you are learning to chant the Kannon Sutra as shown below.

From Eiheiji temple (one of two home temples of Soto Zen). Note that they chant this at a pretty fast pace.

This example from Zenshoji Temple, a Shingon-sect temple, in Niigata Prefecture, has line by line annotation. The chanting pace is slower and easier to follow.

These examples are very similar, other than slight differences in pacing and pronunciation of certain Chinese characters. For people who are learning to recite the sutra, just pick what works until you get the hang of it.