By Venerable Master Hsing Yun
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
Today the deceased _____________ has ended all worldly relationships
And let go the physical body that causes and conditions once joined together.
Oh Buddha! We pray that
You receive and guide him/her to pure, carefree Buddhas' lands;
May he/she have no suffering or worries,
But rather receive only happiness;
May he/she be able to see you, see and hear your Path.
Now,
His/her descendents, relatives, and good friends from all over,
Stand before you, upright with respect,
Waiting respectfully for your great concern, protection, and care,
Waiting respectfully for you to receive, guide, and enlighten us.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
We would like to inform you that
The deceased ______________
was your devoted disciple;
He/she was an ethical person;
He/she was zealous in the public affairs of society;
He/she was compassionate and concerned about the masses.
He/she was a kind and amiable senior:
For his/her family, he/she contributed diligently;
For his/her relatives and friends, he/she dedicated himself/herself to the fullest;
He/she was an affectionate parent and a devoted child;
He/she showed love and respect as a good sibling should;
He/she was thoughtful and harmonious;
He/she managed the household and had a respectable career;
He/she strictly followed the teachings and admonitions of the elders;
He/she followed his/her ancestors' career.
At this very moment,
We would like to urge the deceased ______________ :
To put down all worldly desires and have the peace of mind to leave;
To always follow Amitabha Buddha in order to ascend to the Pure Land;
To contemplate the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha;
To cultivate precepts, meditation, and wisdom.
Some time in the future, if conditions are favorable,
May you, the kind one, take the vow of bodhi
And come to this world again;
May you initiate the bodhi mind
And conduct yourself in the way of bodhisattva.
We are praying to the Buddha on your behalf;
May you, under the Buddha's reception and guidance:
Be in the Pure Land;
Attain all happiness;
Tolerate life and dharmas;
And never withdraw.
From now on:
May you never be tortured by lower realms;
May you never be concerned by evil people;
May you never be entangled by worldly affections;
May you never be troubled by financial difficulties.
In the Pure Land:
There are groves of seven-jewel trees and there is the water of virtue;
There are excellent beings of superior wisdom, virtue, and kindness, who gather in one place.
Please rest in peace,
Or take the vow the come back again;
We are all here to transform our endless sad feelings
Into the soft chanting of Buddha's names,
And to transform our boundless memories
Into blessings and thoughts of gratitude.
This is what we pray for,
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Please accept our sincere prayer!
Please accept our sincere prayer!
Namo Shakyamuni Buddha.