Sutras
Sutra Book
Maha Prajna Paramita Hridaya Sutra (The Heart Sutra in English)
Embodies the essential teachings of Mahayana Buddhist practice
Teidai Denpo Busso No Myogo (Dharma Lineage)
The names of the Buddha which existed prior to Shakyamuni,
then Shakyamuni and those in the lineage of dharma transmission
Hannya Shingyo
Heart Sutra (Japanese)
Sho Sai Shu (The Great Light Dharani)
A Dharani to be chanted quickly for harmony and concentration
Dai Hi Shu (The Great Compassionate Dharani)
Originally a devotional sutra to the Lord of Death (Shiva).
This sutra is often read in memory of those who had karmic
connections with Sogenji or members of the Sangha.
Hakuin Zenji’s Song of Zazen
Embodies the essence of Zen practice
Bu Chin Son Shin Dharani (Chant for Protecting Deities)
For all temple-protecting deities
Enmei Juku Kannon Gyo
Repeat thirty-three times.
Shikuseigan
The four vows of bodhisattvas (Japanese)
The Bodhisattva Vows
The four vows of bodhisattvas (English)
Opening this Dharma
Chanted before teisho
Dai E Zenji’s Vow for Awakening
Chanted in the evening during sesshin
Other Sutras
Twenty Essential Rules for the Zen Community
Rules for the monastic community
Address by Torei Zenji
Embodies the essential teachings of Mahayana Buddhist practice
Meal Chants
Verse After the Midday/Evening Meal
Verse After the Morning Gruel Meal
About Chanting
From the most basic tenet of Zen, self and Buddha are one. Buddha’s mind is our mind. We sleep, wake up, eat, and work with the mind of Buddha. Simply chant sutras with your whole Mind, chanting sutras only for the sake of chanting sutras. To explain it further, ears mouth, voice, and mind become One and deep samadhi is entered. By chanting sutras in this way the deep link between all will be realized; Mind will extend throughout the universe and inner and outer worlds become One.Dharani”Dharani” is translated “that which holds” by the Chinese. It is a long verse mantra which is considered “to hold” deep meaning and power for those who recite it, though it makes no intellectual sense. It was a practice of Shingon, and was incorporated in the Chinese Zen of the Sung Dynasty, which was brought back to Japan by the Japanese Zen Masters.Sutrabooks in PDF format for printing