Serenity Insight Meditation Center 211 Bee Ridge Road, Asheville, NC 28803 www.wncmeditation.com ********* Sunday Chants Three Refuges Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa. Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa. Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa. Buddham saranam gacchāmi. Dhammam saranam gacchāmi. Sangham saranam gacchāmi. Dutiyampi Buddham saranam gacchāmi. Dutiyampi Dhammam saranam gacchāmi. Dutiyampi Sangham saranam gacchāmi. Tatiyampi Buddham saranam gacchāmi. Tatiyampi Dhammam saranam gacchāmi. Tatiyampi Sangham saranam gacchāmi. Homage to him the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One. (3 times) I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Dhamma. I take refuge in the Sangha. 1
For the second time, I take refuge in the Buddha. For the second time, I take refuge in the Dhamma. For the second time, I take refuge in the Sangha. For the third time, I take refuge in the Buddha. For the third time, I take refuge in the Dhamma. For the third time, I take refuge in the Sangha. Five Precepts 1. Pānātipātā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi. 2. Adinnādānā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi. 3. Kamesu micchācārā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi. 4. Musāvādā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi. 5. Surāmeraya-majja-pamādatthānā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi. 1. I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from killing living beings. 2. I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from taking what is not given. 3. I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from sexual misconduct. 4. I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from telling lies. 5. I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from taking drugs and alcohol. Sādhu.. Sādhu Sādhu. 2
Dhammapada Chapter 9 Evil 116. Be quick to do good; restrain your mind from evil. When one is slow to make merit, one s mind delights in evil. 117. Having done something evil, do not repeat it over and over. Do not find pleasure in such acts, for the accumulation of evil brings suffering. 118. Having done something good, repeat it, wish for it. The accumulation of merit brings happiness. 119. The evil-doer may see benefit as long as the evil has not ripened. But when it does ripen, then the evil-doer will meet with painful consequences. 120. The doer of good may meet with misfortune as long as the good has not ripened. But when it does ripen, then the doer of good will meet with good fortune. 121. Do not think lightly of evil, saying, It won t come back to me. Drop by drop the water jug is filled; likewise, little by little, the fool is filled with evil. 3
122. Do not think lightly of good, saying, It won t come back to me. Drop by drop the water jug is filled; likewise, little by little, the sage is filled with merit. 123. Just as a merchant carrying great wealth in a small caravan would avoid a dangerous road, or as someone who loves life would avoid poison; in the same way, you should avoid evil deeds. 124. If a hand is free of any wound, one may even carry poison in it. Poison does not enter without a wound. There are no evil consequences for one who does no evil. 125. Like fine dust thrown against the wind, evil falls back on that fool who harms a person who is innocent, pure and unblemished. 126. Some are reborn in a womb; evil-doers are reborn in hell; those of good conduct go to heaven; the stainless are fully released in Nibbāna. 127. Not in the sky, nor in the ocean, nor in a mountain cave--nowhere in the world is there a place where you may escape from the consequences of evil deeds. 128. Not in the sky, nor in the ocean, nor in a mountain cave--nowhere in the world is there a place where you will not be overcome by death. *********************** 4
Chapter 10 Violence 129. All tremble at violence; all fear death. Seeing others as being like yourself, do not kill or cause others to kill. 130. All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Seeing others as being like yourself, do not kill or cause others to kill. 131. If, desiring happiness, you use violence to harm other beings, who also desire happiness, you will not find happiness after death. 132. If, desiring happiness, you do not use violence to harm other beings, who also desire happiness, you will find happiness after death. 133. Do not speak harshly to anyone; what you say will come back at you. Hostile speech is painful, and you will meet with retaliation. 134. If you can keep yourself calm and quiet, like a broken bell which no longer rings, you have approached Nibbāna, for no hostility is found in you. 135. Just as a cowherd drives the cattle to pasture with a staff, so do old age and death drive the rounds of life from existence to existence. 136. Even while doing evil, fools are ignorant of those unskillful acts. Like one burned by fire, the foolish man is scorched by his own evil deeds. 5
137-140. Whoever uses violence to harm those who are innocent and peace-loving will quickly suffer one or more of these ten conditions: Intense pain or great loss, bodily injury, serious illness or insanity, oppression from the government, loss of relatives or loss of wealth, houses consumed by fire or wealth destroyed; with the breakup of the body, the foolish person falls into hell. 141. Neither nakedness, nor matted hair, nor filth, dust or dirt, nor fasting, nor sleeping on bare ground, nor austerities in a squatting posture, can purify a mortal who has not overcome doubt. 142. Even though well adorned, if one is poised, calm, controlled and chaste, having given up violence toward all beings then one is a brahmin, an ascetic, a monk. 143. Rare in this world is someone who, restrained by conscience, avoids blame, as a good horse avoids the whip. 144. Like a good horse touched by the whip, be ardent, and filled with spiritual yearning. With faith, virtue, effort, concentration, and discernment, accomplished in knowledge and good conduct, mindful, you will leave this great suffering behind. 145. Irrigators regulate the rivers, fletchers straighten the arrow, carpenters shape the wood, the well-practiced tame themselves. ******************************* 6
Sharing Merits Let this merit go to our relatives. May our relatives be happy. (three times) As the rivers full of water Go to make the ocean full, So may that which is given here Go to the benefit of the departed. As water fallen on the highlands Flows down to the plains below, So may that which is given here Go to the benefit of the departed. By this may you achieve Longevity, good health, A rebirth in the heavens, And the attainment of Nibbāna. May beings inhabiting space and earth, Devas and Nāgas of mighty power, Share this merit of ours; May they long protect the Dispensation; May they long protect the Teachings; May they long protect me and others. May all deities share this merit; May all invisible beings share this merit; May all beings share this merit; Which we have thus acquired For the acquisition of all kinds of happiness. 7
Sharing Loving-Friendliness May I be well, happy and peaceful. May no harm come to me. May I always meet with spiritual success. May my parents be well, happy and peaceful. May my teachers be well, happy and peaceful. May my relatives be well, happy and peaceful. May my friends be well, happy and peaceful. May all indifferent persons be well, happy and peaceful. May all unfriendly persons be well, happy and peaceful. May all living beings be well, happy and peaceful. Sādhu.. Sādhu.. Sādhu.. 8