What is 嘆仏偈 (Tanbutsu-ge)?: The object of our refuge is not those who have realized the Truth, but the Truth itself

嘆仏偈 (Tanbutsu-ge): The enlightened to the truth are countless

What is 嘆仏偈 (Tanbutsu-ge)?: A chant praising those who attained the truth

Key Point: The Tanbutsu-ge is a verse recited during the ‘Tanbutsu’ ritual　a ceremony dedicated to praising the Buddha.

The Tanbutsu-ge is a verse recited during the ‘Tanbutsu’ ritual, a ceremony dedicated to praising the Buddha.

The Tanbutsu-ge is typically chanted solo by 導師 (Doshi,the presiding priest), making it rare to find recordings or text publicly available. However, a specific part—一切恭敬 (Issai Kugyo,offering universal reverence)—is chanted in unison by everyone present.

四八端嚴微妙相: 四八端嚴 is possessing the perfectly arranged thirty-two major marks and eighty minor characteristics of a Buddha. 微妙相 is an exquisitely refined and beautiful countenance.
僧祇三大劫修來: That which has been accomplished through cultivating Buddhist practices over an immensely long period (three great asamkhyeya kalpas).
面如満月目如蓮: 面如満月 is the face is perfectly full and serene, like the full moon. 目如蓮 is the eyes are as beautiful as lotus petals.
天上人閒咸敬仰…天上人閒 is the heavenly realms and the human realm. 咸敬仰 is for all beings to equally respect and look up to the Buddha.
一切恭敬: To reverently honor and respect everything.
一心歸命三世諸佛: With a single, undivided mind, devoting one’s life to taking refuge in all the Buddhas of the past, present, and future.

The number 四十八(forty-eight) is derived from 四(4) multiplied by 八(8), resulting in thirty-two. This refers to the ‘Thirty-two Physical Marks of a Great Man’—the excellent physical characteristics of the Buddha, which serve as the traditional blueprint for crafting Buddhist statues.

三大阿僧祇劫 (The Three Great Asamkhyeya-kalpas) is a metaphor for the unimaginably vast duration of time and intense spiritual discipline required for a Bodhisattva to reach enlightenment. It illustrates that becoming a Buddha is not an easy path, but one demanding an aeon of dedication.

The Stages of 三大阿僧祇劫 (The Three Great Asamkhyeya-kalpas)

The practice is categorized into the following stages:

1. 十住 (Ten Dwellings,Jūjū): The initial stage of cultivating faith and determination (初阿僧祇劫,First Asamkhyeya-kalpa).
2. 十行 (Ten Practices,Jūgyō): The stage of practicing altruism (benefiting others).
3. 十廻向 (Ten Transferences,Jūekō): The stage of dedicating all merits to the welfare of all beings(第二阿僧祇劫,Second Asamkhyeya-kalpa).
4. 十地 (Ten Grounds,Jūji): The progressive stages toward enlightenment (第三阿僧祇劫,Third Asamkhyeya-kalpa).
5. 等覚 (Equal Enlightenment,Tōgaku): The state of being extremely close to full enlightenment.
6. 妙覚 (Wonderful Enlightenment,Myōgaku): The state of complete enlightenment (Buddhahood).

In the context of the past, present, and future, ‘Buddha’ simply means one who has attained enlightenment. Therefore, it is not limited to Shakyamuni Buddha; there are, in fact, countless Buddhas throughout time.

Generally, to take refuge means to seek support in the awakened ones of the past, present, and future.

Although the character 咸 is generally read as ‘kan,’ I have used the reading ‘gen’ as it appears in my audio recordings and feels more natural in this context.
Please note that the term 人閒 (nin-gen) does not mean 人間 (nin-gen,human being). Rather, it refers to the world inhabited by people, society, or human relationships.

The Core

• The true object of refuge is not a specific founder or ideology, but the Truth itself.
• The Tanbutsu-ge is a verse of praise for the Buddha.
• Yet, since a ‘Buddha’ is simply one who has realized the Truth, chanting this verse is nothing more than offering praise to those who have embodied that Truth.

My Experience: And Yet, It Moves

Key Point: It is a common misconception that taking refuge means submitting to a specific founder or ideology. In its truest sense, however, the object of our refuge is not a person or a belief system, but the Truth itself.

The primary theme of this verse is to praise the virtues of the Buddha and to take refuge. In Japan, however, the word ‘religion’ has come to be synonymous with blind obedience to a leader, often implying a loss of personal agency. As Zen emphasizes personal agency above all else, I believed it would challenge this common misconception. Yet, when I performed this ritual practiced in a Zen Dojo, I was honestly deeply disappointed.”

However, I have a deep appreciation for 声明(shomyo,chanting) of Zen. I even found a sense of fulfillment in serving as 主賛(Shusan,the lead chanter) for the Tanbutsu ritual. Realizing that Zen has evolved by incorporating wisdom from various Buddhist schools, I decided to accept this as ‘one of those things,’ recognizing that such contradictions are simply a part of its rich and complex history.

However, after leaving the Zen Dojo and continuing my practice in solitude, I came to a realization: while Zen places great importance on personal agency, one must eventually let go of it. This means acknowledging that the Earth revolves around the Sun, bound by gravity, and that I live my life upon it. Unless I dissolve my own ego, I cannot harmonize with this world—a world governed by such laws. In this sense, ‘taking refuge’ is not a choice, but an inevitable necessity.。

In Japan, there is a deep-seated conviction that ‘taking refuge’ means submitting to a specific founder or ideology. However, this is not the case. The true object of our refuge is the reality of the world itself: that willows are green and flowers are crimson; that the ocean is deep and the mountains are high; that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west; and that the Earth revolves around the Sun, bound by its gravity. In chanting these verses, we are simply praising those who have realized and embodied this profound truth.