PACIFIC WORLD - The Institute of Buddhist Studies

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Pacific World
although entitled “Gāthās for a Generalized Repentance Prayer on the
Ten Unvirtuous [Actions]” (“Zong chan shi’e jie wen,” ), no
mention is made in the verses of these ten unvirtuous actions. The relevant
passage on kleśa is found at the end of Lingyu’s gāthā: 107
All the buddhas, at that time,
Are all entirely unable to save [me];
They can only remove what I myself confess;
The errors and faults I have committed.
Responding to the mind of the buddhas and bodhisattvas,
According with the originally pure nature,
The opacity [existent] since beginningless time
From this, gradually becomes slight and tenuous.
Therefore, taking to heart my shame and regret,
With profound mind I repent all offenses.
I pray the buddhas to let forth the radiance of their compassion,
And shine it on suffering sentient beings,
[So that] the accumulations of kleśas that there are
All be entirely dissipated and eliminated.
Tanqian’s prayer is actually organized around the ten unvirtuous
actions and in structure and content is reminiscent of the repentance
prayer in the “Buddha Names of the Seven Registers” at Mt. Bao and
in the VV. The prayer is divided into a repentance prayer proper at the
beginning and a short section on vows at the end, a format standard for
medieval Chinese repentance prayers. It is followed by four couplets in
five-character verse. Although Daoshi gives us no indication of whether
or not this prayer and its concluding verses were to be recited within a
“Buddha Names in Seven Registers” format in which rosters of buddhas’
names are also recited, the structural similarity of this prayer and its verses
to the Mt. Bao inscription are suggestive. The relevant section occurs at the
end of the repentance prayer proper. 108
From beginningless time the ten unvirtuous actions are all
produced from kleśas and wrong views. Now, as a result of relying