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IN SEEKING THE buddha way, make the heart of the way primary. Those who know how the heart of the way should be are rare. Inquire of those who clearly know it.
There are those in the world who have a heart of the way but in fact lack the true heart of the way. There are also those who have a true heart of the way but are not known by others. Thus, it is hard to know whether one does or does not have the heart of the way.
Above all, do not listen to and trust those who are unwholesome. Also, do not make your desire primary, but make the dharma expounded by the Buddha primary. Keep well in mind, day and night, how the heart of the way ought to be. Wish and pray by all means to realize genuine enlightenment in this world.
In this declining world, there is a general lack of those who have the true heart of the way. However, for the time being, keep your mind on impermanence; do not forget that this world is transient and that human life is precarious. But do not be preoccupied with reflecting on the impermanence of the world. Determine to regard the dharma as weighty, and your body and life as lightly weighted. For the sake of dharma, do not withhold any part of your body and life.
Then, deeply respect the three treasures—buddha, dharma, and sangha. Vow to respect and dedicate yourself to the three treasures even if your life or body changes. Asleep or awake, think of the merit of the three treasures. Asleep or awake, chant the three treasures.
When you leave this life, and before you enter the next life, there is a place called an intermediary realm. You stay there for seven days. You should resolve to keep chanting the names of the three treasures without ceasing while you are there. After seven days, you die into another intermediary realm and remain there for no more than seven days. At this time you can see and hear without hindrance, like someone with a celestial eye. Resolve to encourage yourself to keep chanting the names of the three treasures without ceasing: “I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Dharma. I take refuge in the Sangha.”
After passing through the intermediary realm, when you approach your parents to be conceived, resolve to maintain authentic wisdom. Keep chanting refuge in the three treasures in your mother’s womb. Do not neglect chanting while you are being born. Resolve deeply to dedicate yourself to chant and take refuge in the three treasures through the six sense roots.
When your life ends, your eyesight will suddenly become dark. Know that this is the end of your life, and be determined to chant, “I take refuge in the Buddha.” Then, all buddhas in the ten directions will show compassion to you. Even if, due to conditions, you are bound to an unwholesome realm, you will be able to be born in the deva realm or in the presence of the Buddha. Bow and listen to the Buddha.
After darkness arises in your eyes, continue to chant refuge in the three treasures until you enter the intermediary realm and further.
Thus, keep chanting, birth after birth, world after world, until you reach enlightenment, the buddha fruit. This is the way all buddhas and bodhisattvas have practiced. It is the way to deeply realize dharma. It is an embodiment of the buddha way. Resolve not to involve yourself with thoughts other than this.
Work to create a buddha image in your lifetime. Once it is created, dedicate three types of offerings: a mat, sugar water, and candles. Purify them and offer them to the image.
Also, create copies of the Lotus Sutra in your lifetime. Write it or make a print of it and maintain it. Place it on your head and then bow to it. Offer flowers, incense, candles, food, drink, and clothing. Be sure your head is clean before you place the sutra on it.
Do zazen regularly with your kashaya on. There is a precedent for attaining the way in the second next lifetime as the result of wearing a kashaya in this lifetime. It is the robe of all buddhas in the past, present, and future. Its merit is immeasurable. Zazen is not a method of the three realms. It is the method of buddha ancestors.