越命 十句 観音経

link

EMMEI JIKKU KANNON GYO
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

KANZEON NAMU BUTSU
YO BUTSU U IN YO BUTSU U EN
BU PO SOEN JO RAKU GA JO
CHO NEN KANZEON BO NEN KANZEON
NEN NEN JU SHIN KI
NEN NEN FU RI SHIN


Kanzeon! Salutation and devotion to Buddha! We are one with Buddha
In cause and effect related to all Buddhas
and to Buddha, Dharama and Sangha.
Our True Nature is
Eternal, Joyous, Selfless and Pure.
So let us chant every morning Kanzeon, with Nen! Nen, Nen arises from Mind.
Nen, Nen is not separate from Mind.

This is a dharani chanted in Zen Temples; it's characterized (in Rinzai temples) by repeitition, increasing in volume, cadence, and energy, drawn from the tanden, where an "ocean of energy" is said to reside.

In such a way, the practice of 越命 十句 観音経 (literally, "Life-prolonging Ten Phrase Kannon Sutra") is in functionality, a shortened version of the Heart Sutra, or can be thought of as a lengthened, vocal practice of 無 (MU). It is a practiced, attentive, vocalized breath practice.

If practiced often and with attention, this practice really can be used to envigorate the body, and actually correct certain ailments due to structural misadjustments - the sort of thing chiropractic is said to address- as well as other ailments.

This isn't really some kind of strange miracle or psychic energy or anything supernatural at all, although I claim no particular expertise in exactly how this works. But it's really quite, uh, natural to be able to do these kinds of things with one's mind. One thing I can say though, and it's kind of a point of the sutra/dharani, is the objective here is to build up 気 (ki) or energy. This cultivation of 気 is crucial to zen practice as well as life itself: it is a cultivation and an active management and skilled use of enthusiasm in one's daily life; so, in effect, 越命 十句 観音経 is a model for how to carry out one's life in a performative manner, as opposed to some moral philosophy. It is done and practiced, and it allows us to be effective when we resume other types of practices, such as "security line at the airport" practice.

Incidentally, one of the things I will be working on "when I have time" is a translation of this page from the Rybo Zen An Temple in Chiba Prefecture.

Incidentally, know what "kinhin" means in Kanji? 経行 is composed of the kanji for "sutra" or "to pass through" combined with the kanji for "go" our carry out. So it's like a going/carried out sutra or pass through.