Daily Vietnamese Mahayana Ritual - why we do what we do
A Dharma friend in Vietnam who composes daily rituals explains to me why we have to take all those steps instead of just “diving in”. I find it beneficial. Below are the structure of a Mahayana ritual at home and some brief explanations, sometimes he didn’t explain in full. I hope you find it beneficial as well:
Take Refuge in the Triple Gems: start with Namo Buddhaya, etc.
Offer 5 kinds of incense: chant some verses on the incense of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, liberating knowledge. The verses here and the subsequent parts are either seven-syllable (traditional Chinese meter), six-eight syllable (traditional Vietnamese meter), or a mix of these two, or some other types of meter. The rhythm helps with concentration.
Praise the Buddha
Prostrations:
To the Buddhas and their retinues of the three times and in ten directions
To the three kayas (Buddha bodies) and their retinues. The three kayas are: Dharmakaya (Truth Body - Vairocana), Sambhogakaya (Bliss Body - Locana), Nirmanakaya (Emanation Body - Shakyamuni)
To the Buddha of the Western Pure Land: Amitabha and his retinue
To the Buddha of the Eastern Pure Land: Medicine Buddha and his retinue
To the Dharmapalas (Dharma Protectors)Repentance
Praise the incense offering
Praise the Triple Gems
Invite the Dharmapalas, the Aṣṭagatyaḥ (8 kinds of non-human being): it is advised that the practitioner prepares actual offerings to them. They protect the practitioner from obscurations made by negative forces.
Mantra that purifies the dharma-dhatu: Oṃ laṃ svāha (to purify the place around the practitioner)
Mantra of self protection of Manjushri: Oṃ śrīṃ
Mantra that purifies verbal karma: Oṃ śuri śuri mahā śuri śuśuri svāhā
Mantra that purifies three types of karma: Oṃ svabhavaśuddhā sarvadharmā svabhavaśuddho’ haṃ
Shurangama mantra (short version): Tadyathā oṃ anale (anale) viśade (viśade) vīra vajra dhare bandha bandhani vajra pāṇiḥe phaṭ hūṃ trūṃ phaṭ svāhā
Mantra of the Earth God Prthivi: Namaḥ samanta buddhānāṃ oṃ duru duru diri diri prthiviyesvāhā
Mantra for the offerings: Oṃ gagana saṃbhava vajra hoḥ (imagine waiting for the “guests” you just invited to finish their meals and explaining why you invited them here)
Nilakantha Dharani (Dharani of Great Compassion): the friend explains the story of “Blue Neck Avalokiteshvara”: Similar to Shiva, Avalokiteshvara swallows the poison from all beings, making his neck blue. Chant this dharani to arouse the four immeasurables (love, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity), as well as Bodhicitta, the correct intention for practicing. This is why the dharani is placed before the reading of a sutra.
Uṣṇīṣa-vijaya dhāraṇī (Dharani of Dispelling Obscurations)
Verses for starting a sutra: Recite Empress Wu Zeitian’s poem on making the effort to understand the deep meaning of the Dharma
[Read a sutra of your choice]: a good number of sutras and even Theravadin suttas are versified. Popular Mahayana sutras include: Amitabha Sutra, Medicine Buddha Sutra, Universal Gate Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, etc.
[Practice]: Buddha recollection (Buddha-nusmrti, often reciting Amitabha’s name), then meditation.
Recite the Heart Sutra: the emphasis on Emptiness (Sunyata) is employed to counter any pride gained after practicing (“I have recited 3 rounds of mala/ sit in meditation for 30 minutes, I’m good!”)
Repentance after practice: for any shortcomings during practice (distractions, wrong postures, unkempt clothing, etc.)
Dedication of merits
There are slightly different versions, and this structure can be customized. Sometimes my friend advised me to add the Buddha Recollection Chapter of the Shurangama Sutra after meditation. In conclusion, the structure is here to direct the mind.