Honor to Thousand-Hand, Thousand-Eye Great Compassion Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva
Main Shrine of NY Guangming-si with Statue of Guanyin Pusa flanked by Sangarama and Skanda[1]
Most of us may be aware that there is a new virus called COVID-19. From January to February 2020, the COVID-19 virus was mainly found in China but it had already spread to many countries around the world. As of March 2, 2020,[2] major outbreaks have occurred in South Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan. On March 11, 2020, the WHO (World Health Organization) has officially declared this to be a worldwide pandemic. As of March 21, 2020 the numbers of COVID-19 cases outside China was almost 3:1 with the worldwide casualties rising greatly. China's proportion of COVID-19 cases has since been reduced as the number of cases have shifted towards the United States and Europe. The United States currently (April 4th) has the highest number of COVID-19 cases. Community spread within countries such as Italy, Spain and the United States are now common place. (The best practice is to stay at home. [The White House Coordinator of Coronavirus, Dr. Birx, recommends that Americans stay home -- do not go grocery shopping or go to the pharmacy unless absolutely necessary for the period between April 5 to April 18.] However if one must go out, as a practical matter, it is best for all of us to wash hands frequently by soaping up for at least 20 seconds (both sides of the hands and parts of the arms) and AVOID TOUCHING THE FACE (especially the eyes, nose and mouth) and to distance oneself from another by at least 6 feet apart as per US Center for Disease Control recommendation. In addition, the US Center for Disease Control (as of April 3, 2020) now recommends the wearing of face masks. The combination of all three steps should minimize the spread of the COVID-19.)[3] Tens of thousands have already died from it. The mortality rate for the old and those already sicken by other diseases are much higher compared with younger people without other diseases. But younger people are still vulnerable and many have been placed on ventilators in hospitals. That is why social distancing (i.e. avoid going out when there is no need and when going out staying at least 6 feet from the next person) as well as other preventative measures mentioned above is very important. The Buddhist response around the world has been to donate to charities to supply medically needed materials such as masks, hazmat suits, etc. to the affected areas (For example, China's Putuoshan (or Mount Putuo), the bodhimanda for Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva has donated 10 million CNY for the construction of the Huoshenshan Hospital, the first of two 1000 bed emergency intensive-care hospitals completed for COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China) and to offer prayers for the speedy recovery of those sicken, the cessation of the spread of this virus and the quick discovery of medicines and/or vaccines for this virus (For example, Taiwan's Foguangshan has already transferred the merits of over ten million recitations of the Heart Sutra towards those sicken by the virus and empowering the success of medical personnel in defeating the disease).
Locally many Buddhist organizations were mindful of the suffering caused by COVID-19. For example, the transference of merits of the morning services recited by over a thousand Buddhist disciples held during this year's Lunar New Year's gathering at Fo Guang Shan's New York temple was directed towards those sicken by the virus. Numerous temples in the United States are also transferring the merits of recitations of various sutras to the affected areas. Foguangshan's St. Louis branch for example is participating it their organization's recitation of the Heart Sutra and transferring or dedicating the accumulated merits on February 23, 2020. For more details of Foguangshan St Louis' program, please click here. For details regarding Foguangshan's Heart Sutra Recitation for those sicken by COVID-19, please click here. Foguangshan has been involved in several local relief efforts. For example, the founder of Foguangshan, Master Hsing Yun in 2001, delivered a prayer at New York's Lincoln Center and participated in a purification ceremony at the World Trade Center site after the 9/11 incident.
Donations of medically needed supplies have also been made by local Buddhist organizations. For example New York's Dharma Drum Mountain Chan Meditation Center has already donated close to 5000 Hazmat suits to the affected areas (Please click here for details regarding Dharma Drum Mountain Fund Raising for 2020 Coronavirus Relief Program.) (Please click here for details regarding Dharma Drum Mountain 2020 Coronavirus Delivery Progress Report) Dharma Drum Mountain presence in the U.S. started in the 1970s. It has been involved in numerous local relief programs. For example, nuns from Dharma Drum Mountain's New York Chan Meditation Center were involved in providing free vegetarian meals to volunteer (workers) who help cleaned up the World Trade Center area after the 9/11 incident. Tzuchi USA has also delivered medical supplies to the coronavirus-affected areas. (Please click here for details regarding Tzuchi USA Donations for 2020 Coronavirus) (Please click here for Tzuchi USA Progress Report for the 2020 Coronavirus Relief Effort) Tzuchi USA has been involved in various disaster relief efforts locally starting from the 9/11 World Trade Center Disaster. Tzuchi USA has organized many local blood drives and most notably, the donation of 10 million USD for Hurricane Sandy in New York. (click for details regarding TZUCHI USA donation of 10 million USD for Hurricane Sandy Victims) Tzuchi USA currently has a matching donation for the first 500,000 USD for donations of Personal Protective Equipment needed in hospitals across the USA including New York. For more information regarding the progression of Tzu Chi USA's donations, you can click here.
In light of these and other efforts, the American Buddhist Citizens League encourages fellow Buddhists to donate money for the purchase of medical supplies for the COVID-19 affected areas. We also encourage our members and fellow Buddhists to recite the Heart Sutra 108 times daily or as many times as one wishes and dedicate the merits to those sicken by the COVID-19 virus for their speedy recovery as well as empowering and protect the medical community in its efforts to cure the disease. Most importantly, everyone should be calm and mindful; especially while they are reciting the Heart Sutra or the Ratana Sutta.
I have enclosed the text of the Heart Sutra below as translated by the Buddhist Text Translation Society (Please click here for original site for Heart Sutra text - City of 10,000 Buddhas) The English and Pali text of the Ratana Sutta follows a few paragraphs afterwards.
Heart Sutra
When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practicing the profound prajna paramita, he illuminated the five skandhas and saw that they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty.
Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. So, too, are feeling, cognition, formation, and consciousness.
Shariputra, all dharmas are empty of characteristics. They are not produced. Not destroyed, not defiled, not pure, and they neither increase nor diminish.
Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, feeling, cognition, formation, or consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch, or dharmas; no field of the eyes, up to and including no field of mind-consciousness; and no ignorance or ending of ignorance, up to and including no old age and death or ending of old age and death. There is no suffering, no accumulating, no extinction, no way, and no understanding and no attaining.
Because nothing is attained, the Bodhisattva, through reliance on prajna paramita, is unimpeded in his mind. Because there is no impediment, he is not afraid, and he leaves distorted dream-thinking far behind. Ultimately Nirvana!
All Buddhas of the three periods of time attain Anuttarasamyaksambodhi through reliance on prajna paramita. Therefore, know that prajna paramita is a great spiritual mantra, a great bright mantra, a supreme mantra, an unequalled mantra. It can remove all suffering; it is genuine and not false. That is why the mantra of prajna paramita was spoken. Recite it like this:
Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha!
For those who know Chinese, Japanese, Korean (Hanja) or Sino-Vietnamese, I have included the Chinese character version below. As English is polysyllabic, it takes more time to make a single recitation of the Heart Sutra in English compared to the aforementioned languages. Therefore if one is lacking time, the version below will take less time.
般若波羅蜜多心經
觀自在菩薩行深般若波羅蜜多時，照見五蘊皆空，度一切苦厄。
「舍利子！色不異空，空不異色； 色即是空，空即是色。受、想、行、識，亦復如是。」
「舍利子！是諸法空相，不生不滅，不垢不淨，不增不減。是故，空中無色，無受、想、行、識；無眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意；無色、聲、香、味、觸、法；無眼界，乃至無意識界；無無明亦無無明盡，乃至無老死亦無老死盡；無苦、集、滅、道；無智，亦無得。」
「以無所得故，菩提薩拖依般若波羅蜜多故，心無罣礙；無罣礙故，無有恐怖，遠離顛倒夢想，究竟涅槃。三世諸佛依般若波羅蜜多故，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」
「故知般若波羅蜜多，是大神咒、是大明咒、是無上咒、是無等等咒，能除一切苦真實不虛，故說般若波羅蜜多咒。」
即說咒曰：「揭諦揭諦，波羅揭諦，波羅僧揭諦，菩提薩婆訶。」
The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the world now. Our own country, the United States has over 22,000 cases whereas worldwide the number of cases are over 300,000. Buddhists around the world continue to care for the plight of humanity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Locally in New York City, numerous Buddhist temples held special sutra recitations also dedicated to the relief of coronavirus. An example of the international Buddhist response to the COVID-19 epidemic can be seen from the one week long prithi held by Sri Lankan Buddhist monks reciting the Ratana Sutta.[4] [5] We suggest those of us who normally recite the Heart Sutra to continue reciting it 108 times or as many times as desire and dedicate the merits to the quick relief of the coronavirus. I have included Pali and English versions of the Ratana Sutta below for those of us accustomed to reciting them.
Ratana Sutta[6]
Translator's Introduction
The occasion for this discourse, in brief, according to the commentary, is as follows: The city of Vesali was afflicted by a famine, causing death, especially to the poor folk. Due to the presence of decaying corpses the evil spirits began to haunt the city; this was followed by a pestilence. Plagued by these three fears of famine, non-human beings and pestilence, the citizens sought the help of the Buddha who was then living at Rajagaha.
Followed by a large number of monks including the Venerable Ananda, his attendant disciple, the Buddha came to the city of Vesali. With the arrival of the Master, there were torrential rains which swept away the putrefying corpses. The atmosphere became purified, the city was clean.
Thereupon the Buddha delivered this Jewel Discourse (Ratana sutta) to the Venerable Ananda, and gave him instructions as to how he should tour the city with the Licchavi citizens reciting the discourse as a mark of protection to the people of Vesali. The Venerable Ananda followed the instructions, and sprinkled the sanctified water from the Buddha's own alms bowl. As a consequence the evil spirits were exorcised, the pestilence subsided. Thereafter the Venerable Ananda returned with the citizens of Vesali to the Public hall where the Buddha and his disciples had assembled awaiting his arrival. There the Buddha recited the same Jewel Discourse to the gathering:
(recitatiion begins here--->)
1. "Whatever beings (non-humans) are assembled here, terrestrial or celestial, may they all have peace of mind, and may they listen attentively to these words:
2. "O beings, listen closely. May you all radiate loving-kindness to those human beings who, by day and night, bring offerings to you (offer merit to you). Wherefore, protect them with diligence.
3. "Whatever treasure there be either here or in the world beyond, whatever precious jewel there be in the heavenly worlds, there is nought comparable to the Tathagata (the perfect One). This precious jewel is the Buddha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
4. "That Cessation, that Detachment, that Deathlessness (Nibbana) supreme, the calm and collected Sakyan Sage (the Buddha) had realized. There is nought comparable to this (Nibbana) Dhamma. This precious jewel is the Dhamma. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
5. "The Supreme Buddha extolled a path of purity (the Noble Eightfold Path) calling it the path which unfailingly brings concentration. There is nought comparable to this concentration. This precious jewel is the Dhamma. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
6. "The eight persons extolled by virtuous men constitute four pairs. They are the disciples of the Buddha and are worthy of offerings. Gifts given to them yield rich results. This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
7. "With a steadfast mind, and applying themselves well in the dispensation of the Buddha Gotama, free from (defilements), they have attained to that which should be attained (arahantship) encountering the Deathless. They enjoy the Peace of Nibbana freely obtained. This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
8. "As a post deep-planted in the earth stands unshaken by the winds from the four quarters, so, too, I declare is the righteous man who comprehends with wisdom the Noble Truths. This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
9. "Those who realized the Noble Truths well taught by him who is profound in wisdom (the Buddha), even though they may be exceedingly heedless, they will not take an eighth existence (in the realm of sense spheres). This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
10. "With his gaining of insight he abandons three states of mind, namely self-illusion, doubt, and indulgence in meaningless rites and rituals, should there be any. He is also fully freed from the four states of woe, and therefore, incapable of committing the six major wrongdoings. This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
11. "Any evil action he may still do by deed, word or thought, he is incapable of concealing it; since it has been proclaimed that such concealing is impossible for one who has seen the Path (of Nibbana). This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
12. "As the woodland groves though in the early heat of the summer month are crowned with blossoming flowers even so is the sublime Dhamma leading to the (calm) of Nibbana which is taught (by the Buddha) for the highest good. This precious jewel is the Buddha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
13. "The Peerless Excellent one (the Buddha) the Knower (of Nibbana), the Giver (of Nibbana), the Bringer (of the Noble Path), taught the excellent Dhamma. This precious jewel is the Buddha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
14. "Their past (kamma) is spent, their new (kamma) no more arises, their mind to future becoming is unattached. Their germ (of rebirth-consciousness) has died, they have no more desire for re-living. Those wise men fade out (of existence) as the flame of this lamp (which has just faded away). This precious jewel is the Sangha. By this (asseveration of the) truth may there be happiness.
15. "Whatever beings (non-human) are assembled here, terrestrial or celestial, come let us salute the Buddha, the Tathagata (the perfect One), honored by gods and men. May there be happiness.
16. "Whatever beings are assembled here, terrestrial or celestial, come let us salute the perfect Dhamma, honored by gods and men. May there be happiness.
17. "Whatever beings are assembled here, terrestrial or celestial, come let us salute the perfect Sangha, honored by gods and men. May there be happiness."
Pali version of Ratanasuttaṁ[7]
Paṇidhānato paṭṭhāya, Tathāgatassa dasapāramiyo,
dasa-upapāramiyo, dasaparamatthapāramiyo - samatiṁsapāramiyo -
pañcamahāpariccāge, tisso cariyā, pacchimabhave gabbhāvakkantiṁ, jātiṁ,
Abhinikkhamanaṁ, padhānacariyaṁ, Bodhipallaṅkaṁ, Māravijayaṁ,
sabbaññutañāṇapaṭivedhaṁ, navalokuttaradhamme ti,
sabbe pime Buddhaguṇe āvajjitvā, Vesāliyaṁ tīsu pākārantaresu,
tiyāmarattiṁ, parittaṁ karonto āyasmā Ānandatthero,
viya kāruññacittaṁ upaṭṭhapetvā:
Koṭisatasahassesu cakkavāḷesu devatā
yassāṇaṁ patigaṇhanti yañ-ca Vesāliyaṁ pure,
rogāmanusssadubbhikkha sambhūtaṁ tividhaṁ bhayaṁ,
khippam-antaradhāpesi, parittaṁ taṁ bhaṇāmahe:
[Ratanasuttaṁ]
Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni, bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe,
sabbe va bhūtā sumanā bhavantu, atho pi sakkacca suṇantu bhāsitaṁ.
Tasmā hi bhūtā nisāmetha sabbe, mettaṁ karotha mānusiyā pajāya,
divā ca ratto ca haranti ye baliṁ, tasmā hi ne rakkhatha appamattā.
Yaṁ kiñci vittaṁ - idha vā huraṁ vā saggesu vā - yaṁ ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ
na no samaṁ atthi Tathāgatena, idam-pi Buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Khayaṁ virāgaṁ amataṁ paṇītaṁ yad-ajjhagā Sakyamunī samāhito
na tena dhammena samatthi kiñci, idam-pi Dhamme ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Yam-Buddhaseṭṭho parivaṇṇayī suciṁ, samādhim-ānantarikañ-ñam-āhu,
samādhinā tena samo na vijjati, idam-pi Dhamme ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ:
etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Ye puggalā aṭṭha sataṁ pasatthā, cattāri etāni yugāni honti,
te dakkhiṇeyyā Sugatassa sāvakā, etesu dinnāni mahapphalāni,
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ: etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Ye suppayuttā manasā daḷhena, nikkāmino Gotamasāsanamhi,
te pattipattā amataṁ vigayha, laddhā mudhā nibbutiṁ bhuñjamānā,
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ: etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Yathindakhīlo paṭhaviṁ sito siyā, catubbhi vātehi asampakampiyo,
Tathūpamaṁ sappurisaṁ vadāmi, yo ariyasaccāni avecca passati,
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ: etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Ye ariyasaccāni vibhāvayanti, gambhīrapaññena sudesitāni,
kiñcāpi te honti bhusappamattā, na te bhavaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ ādiyanti,
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ: etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Sahā vassa dassanasampadāya tayassu dhammā jahitā bhavanti:
Sakkāyadiṭṭhi vicikicchitañ-ca sīlabbataṁ vāpi yad-atthi kiñci.
Catūhapāyehi ca vippamutto, cha cābhiṭhānāni abhabbo kātuṁ,
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ: etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Kiñcāpi so kammaṁ karoti pāpakaṁ, kāyena vācā uda cetasā vā,
abhabbo so tassa paṭicchādāya, abhabbatā diṭṭhapadassa vuttā,
idam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ: etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Vanappagumbe yathā phussitagge gimhānamāse paṭhamasmiṁ gimhe,
Tathūpamaṁ Dhammavaraṁ adesayī, Nibbānagāmiṁ paramaṁhitāya,
idam-pi Buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ: etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Varo varaññū varado varāharo, anuttaro Dhammavaraṁ adesayī.
idam-pi Buddhe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ: etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
Khīṇaṁ purāṇaṁ navaṁ natthi sambhavaṁ, virattacittā āyatike bhavasmiṁ,
te khīṇabījā avirūḷhicchandā, nibbanti dhīrā yathāyam-padīpo,
dam-pi Saṅghe ratanaṁ paṇītaṁ: etena saccena suvatthi hotu!
(spoken by Sakka, lord of the gods)
Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni, bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe,
Tathāgataṁ devamanussapūjitaṁ, Buddhaṁ namassāma suvatthi hotu!
Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni, bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe,
Tathāgataṁ devamanussapūjitaṁ, Dhammaṁ namassāma suvatthi hotu!
Yānīdha bhūtāni samāgatāni, bhummāni vā yāni va antalikkhe,
Tathāgataṁ devamanussapūjitaṁ, Saṅghaṁ namassāma suvatthi hotu!
[Āsīvāda (Blessing)]
Etena saccavajjena sotthi te hotu sabbadā!
Etena saccavajjena hotu te jayamaṅgalaṁ!
Etena saccavajjena sabbarogo vinassatu!
Footnotes
[1]Guangming Temple is also known as the American Society of Buddhist Studies. It was founded in 1974 by Venerable Shou Ye and is located at 214 Centre Street in Manhattan, New York. It has one of the best attended Lunar New Years gathering in New York City where thousands of followers gather for New Year Blessings every year.
[2]The original article was published February 20, 2020. It was revised March 2, 2020 to account for the spread of the coronavirus outside China. The latest revision is dated March 21, 2020. The WHO (World Health Organization) has since declared the COVID-19 as a world wide pandemic. The United States is one of the major countries with widespread coronavirus.
[3]I have personally witness many wearers of face mask wearing it improperly. All wearers of face mask must have the nose covered with the masked pinched around the nose to insure a better fit with the bottom portion of the mask underneath the chin. When putting and taking off the face masks, they should have clean hands and avoid touching especially the outer layer (as it has absorbed germs, viruses, etc., ) grasping the string to remove the mask. They must wash their hands with soap afterwards. Everyone should read the instructions for their specific masks and wear it accordingly. Homemade masks should be treated in a similar manner and need to be launder on with detergent and dried at the highest temperature setting after every trip; multiple masks may be necessary; Sew Face Masks Philadelphia recommends boiling the homemade masks for ten minutes or soaking in a bleach solution before machine washing with detergent and drying at the highest temperature setting. Also please see: More Americans Should Probably Wear Masks for Protection (author: Knvul Sheikh, New York Times article dated March 27, 2020) "When researchers conducted systemic review of variety of interventions used during the SARS outbreak in 2003, they found that washing hands more than ten times daily was 55 percent effective in stopping virus transmission, while wearing a [3 ply face] mask was actually more effective -- at about 68 percent. Wearing gloves offered about the same amount of protection as frequent handwashing, and combining all measures --- hand-washing, masks, gloves and A PROTECTIVE GOWN---increased the intervention effectiveness to 91 percent...." [My take on this is the combination of hand-washing and 3 ply face mask is greater than 68 percent effective but less than 91 percent effective but this was not specifically mentioned in the supporting study.] "If everyone in the community wears a mask, it could decrease transmission", Dr. Fishman said. "But unfortunately I think we don't have enough masks to make that effective policy in the U.S." Also for the latest CDC recommendations on face masks, please see : NBC's coverage of the CDC recommendation on face masks.
[4]cf: Sri Lankan pirith recitation of Ratana Sutta from March 16, 2020 to March 22 2020 for World Coronavirus at the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka - a pilgrimage site in Sri Lanka containing the tooth sarira of Lord Buddha).
[5]Wat Lao Lane Xang located in Connecticut, USA has a video of the March 18, 2020 Sri Dalada Maligawa pirith ceremony for Coronavirus.
[6]We like to thank Access to Insight for their electronic version of Buddhist Publication Society's Ratana Sutta. ("Ratana Sutta: The Jewel Discourse" (Sn 2.1), translated from the Pali by Piyadassi Thera. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.2.01.piya.html.) The original sutta's copyright statement is as follows: ©1999 Buddhist Publication Society. You may copy, reformat, reprint, republish, and redistribute this work in any medium whatsoever, provided that: (1) you only make such copies, etc. available free of charge and, in the case of reprinting, only in quantities of no more than 50 copies; (2) you clearly indicate that any derivatives of this work (including translations) are derived from this source document; and (3) you include the full text of this license in any copies or derivatives of this work. Otherwise, all rights reserved. Documents linked from this page may be subject to other restrictions. From The Book of Protection, translated by Piyadassi Thera (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1999). Copyright © 1999 Buddhist Publication Society.
[7]from: Ānandajoti Bhikkhu. Daily Chanting: a book of daily worship. 2014. pp. 19-23. It also has a different translation into English. There is also a Chinese translation of the Ratana Sutra (三寶經). I will add it later when I have more time.