ACROSS THE SEA OF SUFFERING IN A BOAT OF VOWS

ACROSS THE SEA OF SUFFERING

IN A BOAT OF VOWS

On July 24th, 1975, in the Jeweled Hall of the Great Heroes at Gold Mountain Monastery, Sramanera Heng Shun made the following vows before the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions, the Venerable Abbot of Gold Mountain, and the virtuous four-fold assembly:

I, disciple Kuo Hsiang, make the following vows:

1. I vow to take only one meal a day, and that before noon.
2. I vow to have for my daily meal only the food that is in my bowl when I take my first mouthful.
3. I vow to drink only water after noon until sunrise the following day.
4. I vow to never lie down but to take my rest in a sitting posture.
5. I vow not to sleep between 4:00 am and 10:30 p.m.
6. I vow not to hold money or use others' money for my self except when it is used for transportation.
7. I vow to thoroughly learn and diligently cultivate according to the teachings of the Flower Adornment (Avatamsaka) Sutra.
8. I vow at all times to obey and follow the instructions of my teacher, the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua.

AVAILABLE FROM THE SINO-AMERICAN BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION:

Pure Land and Ch'an Dharma Talks. Practical, no-nonsense instruction for those who wish to practice Buddhist recitation and/or Ch'an (Zen) meditation: instructional talks by the Venerable Master Hua given during recitation and meditation session at Gold Mountain Monastery in San Francisco. Paperbound, 72pp. $3.00.

The Sixth Patriarch's Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra. The founding text of Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism, consisting of the teachings and autobiography of the Venerable Master Hui Neng, the greatest of the Chinese Ch'an masters. With illuminating, contemporary commentary by the Venerable Master Hua. Hardbound, 380 pp. $15.00.

Records of the Life of the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua. The remarkable story of the early life of a sage, and a vivid glimpse of the religious life of China under the Republic. The Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, who has brought the orthodox Buddhadharma to the West, is now Abbot of Gold Mountain Monastery in San Francisco. First of three volumes. With photographs. Paperbound. 96 pp. $3.00.