As was mentioned in the discussion of Zendo Forms, chanting is a body practice. Please “chant with your ears,” listening for the pitch and pace set by the chant leader, and then continuing to adjust your tone to harmonize with the assembly. Please chant with your whole being. Chanting is a manifestation of our collective energy and harmony. Please chant with vigor, presence, and intention.

Short Verses Chanted at AZC

(chant after zazen before morning service)
Dāi sāi ge dā puku
mu sō fuku dēn e
hi bu nyo rāi kyō
kō do sho shu jō (2x)

Great robe of liberation,
Field far beyond form and emptiness;
Wearing the Tathagata’s teaching,
Saving all beings

All my ancient, twisted karma,
From beginningless greed, hate and delusion,
Born through body, speech and mind,
I now fully avow.

Buddham saranam gacchami
Dhammam saranam gacchami
Sangham saranam gacchami

Dutiyampi buddham saranam gacchami
Dutiyampi dhammam saranam gacchami
Dutiyampi sangham saranam gacchami

Tatiyampi buddham saranam gacchami
Tatiyampi dhammam saranam gacchami
Tatiyampi sangham saranam gacchami

All buddhas, ten directions, three times,
All honored ones, bodhisattva-mahasattvas,
Wisdom beyond wisdom,
Maha Prajña Paramita

In Japanese: 
Ji ho san shi i shi fu,
shi son bu sa mo ko sa,
mo ko ho ja ho ro mi

Vairochana Buddha, pure Dharmakaya
Lochana Buddha, complete Sambhogakaya
Shakyamuni Buddha, myriad Nirmanakaya
Maitreya Buddha, of future birth
All buddhas throughout space and time
Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma, Mahayana Sutra
Manjushri Bodhisattva, great wisdom
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, great activity
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, great compassion
All honored ones, bodhisattva-mahasattvas
Wisdom beyond wisdom, Maha-prajñaparamita

An unsurpassed, penetrating and perfect dharma
Is rarely met with, even in a hundred thousand million kalpas.
Having it to see and listen to, to remember and accept,
I vow to taste the truth of the Tathagata’s words.

In Japanese: 
Mujō jīn jīn mi myō no hō wa
hyaku sēn mān go ni mo āi-o koto katashi
ware ima kēn-mōn shi ju-ji suru koto o etari
negawakuwa nyorāi no shīn-jitsu-gi o geshi tatematsurān

May our intention equally extend to
Every being and place
With the true merit of buddha’s way.

Beings are numberless; I vow to save them.
Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them.
Dharma gates are boundless; I vow to enter them.
Buddha’s way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.

In Japanese: 
Shu-jō mu-hēn sēi-gān-dō
bōn-nō mu-jīn sēi-gān-dān
hō-mōn mu-ryō sēi-gān-gaku
butsu-dō mu-jō sēi-gān-jō

I take refuge in buddha,
Before all beings
Immersing body and mind
Deeply in the way,
Awakening true mind.

I take refuge in dharma,
Before all beings
Entering deeply
The merciful ocean
Of buddha’s way.

I take refuge in sangha,
Before all beings
Bringing harmony
To everyone,
Free from hindrance.

Meal Verses

(Before serving)
All: 

Buddha was born in Kapilavastu,
Enlightened in Magadha,
Taught in Varanasi,
Entered nirvana in Kushinagara.
Now we set out Buddha’s bowls.
May we, with all beings,
Realize the emptiness of the three wheels:
Giver, receiver, and gift.

Ten Names of Buddha
(After bowls are opened)

Leader: In the midst of the three treasures
Which verify our understanding,
Entrusting ourselves to the sangha,
We invoke:
All: Vairochana Buddha, pure Dharmakaya
Lochana Buddha, complete Sambhogakaya
Shakyamuni Buddha, myriad Nirmanakaya
Maitreya Buddha, of future birth
All buddhas throughout space and time
Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma, Mahayana Sutra
Manjushri Bodhisattva, great wisdom
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, great activity
Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, great compassion
All honored ones, bodhisattva-mahasattvas
Wisdom beyond wisdom, Maha-prajñaparamita

(at breakfast) 
Leader: This morning meal of ten benefits
Nourishes us in our practice.
Its rewards are boundless,
Filling us with ease and joy.

(at lunch)
Leader: The three virtues and six tastes of this meal
Are offered to buddha and sangha.
May all sentient beings in the universe
Be equally nourished.

(After serving, before eating)
All: We reflect on the effort that brought us this food
and consider how it comes to us.
We reflect on our virtue and practice,
and whether we are worthy of this offering.
We regard it as essential to keep the mind free
from excesses such as greed.
We regard this food as good medicine to sustain our life.
For the sake of enlightenment we now receive this food.

(lunch only)
All: Oh spirits we now give you an offering.
This food is for all of you in the ten directions.

All: First, this is for the three treasures.
Next, for the four benefactors.
Finally, for the beings in the six realms.
May all be equally nourished.

The first portion is to end all evil.
The second is to cultivate all good.
The third is to free all beings.
May we all realize the buddha way.

(After washing bowls)
All: This water we use to wash our bowls,
Tastes like ambrosia.
We offer it to the many spirits,
To satisfy them.
Om, Mahakushalaya Svaha!

(After meals) 
Leader: Abiding in this ephemeral world,
Like a lotus in muddy water,
The mind is pure and goes beyond.
Thus we bow to buddha.