What is 四句回向 (Shiku-Eko)?: The Profound Interconnectedness of Japanese Buddhism through Zen Chanting (Shomyo)

四句回向 (Shiku-eko): The Fun of Different Sutra and Kanji Readings Based on When Buddhism Was Introduced

What is 四句回向 (Shiku-Eko)? : A short prayer of four lines chanted at the end of a ritual

Key Point: 四句回向 (Shiku-Eko) is a short prayer of four lines chanted at the end of a ritual. In Zen, we often read Kanji using the To-on (Chinese pronunciation). Zen is based on its relationship with various other Buddhist sects.

四句回向 (Shiku-Eko) is a short prayer of four lines chanted at the end of a ritual. Eko is short for “回転趣向.” It means to share one’s good deeds and merits with all living things. This comes from the “回向品 (Eko-bon)” chapter of 華厳経 (the Avatamsaka Sutra). In Japan, monks almost always perform this kind of dedication after reading sutras. At the end of a Buddhist service, we perform “普回向 (Fu-eko),” which means to share the merits with everyone. Among them, this Shiku-Eko, which consists of four lines, is the most common and popular.

The reading above is 宋朝唐音 (the Song dynasty To-on). This To-on (唐音) refers to the sounds of 漢字 (Kanji characters) that monks created when they studied in China during the Song dynasty. Zen monks studied in China during the Song dynasty, so they brought the Song dynasty To-on back to Japan. For this reason, other Buddhist sects read Kanji using 呉音 (Go-on) or 漢音 (Kan-on). They adopted these readings because they brought Buddhism to Japan during the 呉朝(Wu dynasty) or 漢朝 (Han dynasty), which were before the Song dynasty. Also, you may wonder why we call it “To-on (唐音)” even though it is from the Song dynasty. In Japan, the influence of the Tang dynasty (唐朝) was very strong. After that, Japanese people called things from China “Tang” (唐,To). Therefore, it is very confusing whether the reading is from the Song, Tang, or Han dynasties. However, the Zen sect does not read all sutras using the Song dynasty To-on. The Go-on, which is the reading from the Wu dynasty, still remains, and we sometimes read them using the Go-on.

Reading Kanji: An Overview in Japan

• 呉音 (Go-on): In the 5th and 6th centuries, this reading came to Japan with Buddhism through the Korean Peninsula. It is the oldest reading of Kanji in Japan.
• 漢音 (Kan-on): In the 7th to 9th centuries, the envoys to Tang China brought this reading back from Chang’an.
• 宋朝唐音 (the Song dynasty To-on): In the Kamakura period, Zen monks who went to the Southern Song dynasty brought this reading back to Japan.
• 明朝唐音 (the Ming dynasty To-on): In the early Edo period, the Zen master Ingen brought this reading to Japan.

Reference: Japanese Kanji Pronunciation (Personal Blog)

Reading Kanji: Cases in Other Sects

Key Point: Japanese sutras contain a mixture of different Kanji readings because they were influenced by various Chinese dynasties.

I tried to look up Kanji in a dictionary to clearly distinguish between To-on, Kan-on, and Go-on. However, I found that they are all mixed together, and it is difficult to tell them apart. In other words, many different ways of reading Kanji are mixed together. The Shiku-Eko is easy to classify, so it is perfect for this introduction.

For example, 天台宗 (the Tendai sect) and 真言宗 (Shingon sect) use the Kan-on reading, as shown below (Reference: How to read in Kan-on by Tendai Sect Sermon Collection).

Gan-ni-shi-ku-do-ku Fu-gyū-o-i-s-sa-i Ga-tō-yo-shu-jō Ka-i-gu-jō-bu-tsu-dō

四句回向: Kan-on Pronunciation

Also, 黄檗宗 (the Obaku sect) uses the Min-cho To-on reading, as shown below (Reference 1: Sutra chanting audio of the Obaku sect by National Theatre Digital Library), Reference 2: Explanation of the Ming dynasty To-on (a personal blog)).

En-i-tsu-ko-n-tē Pu-ki-ji-i-chi-e Go-te-n-i-cho-n-se-n Kya-i-ko-n-chi-n-fu-ta-u

四句回向: the Ming dynastyTo-on Pronunciation

In this article, I read the Shiku-Eko using the Song dynasty To-on, and then I read it using the modern Japanese reading. The modern reading is as follows:

Ne-gā-wa-ku-wa Ko-no ku-do-ku o mo-t-te A-ma-ne-ku i-s-sa-i ni o-yo-bo-shi Wa-re-ra to shu-jō to Mi-na to-mo ni Bu-tsu-dō o jō-ze-n ko-to o

四句回向: Modern Pronunciation

This dedication comes from 華厳経,the seventh chapter of the Lotus Sutra (Reference: The Lotus Sutra, Chapter 7). In Japan, the Lotus Sutra is strongly associated with 日蓮宗 (the Nichiren sect) rather than the Zen sect, so many people wonder why Zen and other sects chant these lines. However, I believe that all sects are just branches of the same tree, and the roots are the same. Learning the scriptures that other sects value is a great help in learning Zen.

In my YouTube video, I included the Ryaku-Sanbo at the end as an addendum.

十方三世一切仏　諸尊菩薩摩訶薩　摩訶般若波羅蜜略三宝: Original Text

Ji-hō-san-shi-i-shi-fu Shi-son-bu-sa-mō-ko-sa Mō-ko-hō-ja Hō-rō-mi

略三宝: Modern Pronunciation in Zen temples

I added 略三宝 (the Ryaku-Sanbo) at the end because it is so common that I feel like I must include it. This means it is recited very often. The meaning of Ryaku-Sanbo is to praise all Buddhas who exist in all directions (north, south, east, west, up, down, and four corners) and throughout all time (past, present, and future).

Shiku-Eko: Order of Sutra Chanting on YouTube

• Shiku-Eko (Song dynasty To-on)
• Shiku-Eko (Modern Japanese reading in Zen temples)
• Ryaku-Sanbo (Modern Japanese reading in Zen temples)

The Core

• Learning the scriptures of other Buddhist sects is necessary to understand Zen deeply.
• The Shiku-Eko is quoted from the Lotus Sutra.
• The Shiku-Eko is a short prayer of four lines chanted at the end of a ritual

My Experience: Zen was established through the influence of various sects

Key Point: Even in Japanese temples, there are few opportunities to learn about the meaning of Shomyo (Shomyo, Buddhist chanting) and sutras. Zen was established through the influence of various sects. By learning Zen chanting, we can deepen our understanding of Zen through the lens of other sects.

There are two reasons why I wanted to introduce Zen Shomyo (Buddhist chanting) on this blog.

The first reason is that even Japanese people do not understand the meaning of sutras when they hear them, and there are surprisingly few opportunities to learn Shomyo or the meaning of sutras at Japanese temples. At the training dojo where I stayed, many people came from abroad to practice. Everyone was so busy following the lifestyle of the dojo and performing rituals that it was very difficult to find time to study Shomyo or the content of the scriptures. This is the same for Japanese monks; it seems that very few people have enough time to study Shomyo and scriptures while living in a temple.

I was lucky enough to have a special interest in Shomyo since my time at the Zen training dojo, so I have been collecting audio recordings. Also, by leaving the temple and becoming an individual practitioner, I ironically found the time to study the scriptures read in Shomyo. Therefore, I decided to share information about Zen Shomyo in connection with my YouTube channel.

The second reason is that enthusiastic practitioners often tend to think that because Zen is only about Zazen (sitting meditation), chanting sutras is unnecessary. These people have no interest in Shomyo or the scriptures of other sects. At first, I had the same doubt. However, when I studied Zen classics, I realized that Zen masters studied scriptures as a prerequisite. Their stance was quite different from the attitude of not studying scriptures from the beginning. “Zen transcends words and letters” only makes sense after one has fully studied the scriptures.

Also, by engaging with Zen Shomyo, I clearly understood that various sects influence each other. Therefore, I decided to share this perspective, looking at Zen through the interconnectedness of Japanese Buddhism.