What is 讃仏偈(Sanbutsu-ge)?: A Prayer of Self-Praise for the Buddha

讃仏偈 (Sanbutsu-ge): Putting your own feeling of praise into your own verse.

Key Point: Sanbutsu-ge is a verse to praise the virtues of the Buddha. There are many types of Sanbutsu-ge. For example, some are from Zen Buddhism, and others are from 浄土真宗 (Jodo Shinshu). Also, some poets write their own original verses as Sanbutsu-ge.

What is 讃仏偈(Sanbutsu-ge)?: A verse to praise the virtues of the Buddha

Sanbutsu-ge is a verse to praise the virtues of the Buddha. The Sanbutsu-ge of Jodo Shinshu, which starts with “光顏巍巍,” is famous, but the Sanbutsu-ge introduced this time is a verse for a Buddhist service in Zen Buddhism, so it is a different thing (Reference: Sanbutsu-ge by 真宗大谷派名古屋教区).

I introduced the meaning of the verse as a modern translation, but I will explain the parts that I should mention in particular.

“相好光明(soko-komyo)” means the state of “空即是色(kusoku-zeshiki).” Physical forms and phenomena, which we call “色,” are “空” because they have no true substance. For this reason, we call them “真如実相 (Shinnyo-Jisso),” which means the true aspect of reality as it is. On the other hand, “空,” which has no substance, appears as physical forms and phenomena, or “色.” For this reason, we call it “相好光明,” which means a brilliant and wonderful form (Reference: Yuzankaku (Eds.) (1935). Ruiju Denki Dai Nihon Shi, Vol. 7 [Classified Biographies of Great Japanese History, Vol. 7]. Yuzankaku / Reference2: M. Ueda & K. Matsui (1916). Dai Nihon Kokugo Jiten, Ku-Shi [Great Japanese Dictionary, Ku-Shi]. Fuzambo.).

The phrase “佛面揂如浄滿月 亦如千日放光明” is a quotation from 光明最勝王経第六巻 (the Konko Myo Saisho O Kyo, Vol. 6.) (Reference: Nihon Daizokyo Hensankai (Eds.) (1914-1920). Nihon Daizokyo, Vol. 4 [Japanese Tripitaka, Vol. 4]. Nihon Daizokyo Hensankai.).

In this way, this verse is made by quoting words from many different sutras.

Various Types of Sanbutsu-ge

“Sanbutsu-ge” is not only this one. For example, the following “Sanbutsu-ge” (a part of it) is a quotation from 金光明経 (the Konko Myo Kyo), and it is used in the “Eko” of Zen Buddhism (Reference: Akamatsu, K. (Ed.) (1891). Konko Myo Kyo: Annotated and Corrected Version [Golden Light Sutra: Annotated and Corrected Version]. Yamada Tsunezo.).

佛眞法身　猶如虚空　應物現形　如水中月金光明経 Original

法身 (Dharmakaya) which is the true form of the Buddha, is like the great void, which is a vast space with nothing in it. The Buddha appears in different forms according to the capacity or fate of all living beings. This is like the moon reflected in water, which appears on the surface but has no true substance.金光明経 Modern meaning

Also, “Sanbutsu-ge” has been written by many people in the past, and it was not only created by temples for Buddhist services. For example, great poets of Chinese poetry, such as 白楽天 (Bai Juyi) and 蘇東坡 (Su Dongpo,蘇軾), wrote their own “Sanbutsu-ge.” (Reference: Kato, T. (1918). Shuyo Hyakuwa [One Hundred Tales on Self-Cultivation]. Daito-kaku, Reference2: Kyuichido (Ed.) (1926). Kyuichido Sosho, Vol. 1 [Kyuichido Collection, Vol. 1]. Kyuichido.)

善如一念、念々相属、纒始一縷、縷々相属、功徳圓満、相好具足白楽天 讃仏偈 Original

The accumulation of small good intentions and 念仏 (Nenbutsu,the recitation of the Buddha’s name) continues without a break, just like spinning a thin thread. In the end, it becomes perfect merit, and it leads to possessing the form (相好) of the Buddha.
白楽天 讃仏偈 Modern Meaning

佛以大圓覺 充滿河沙界 我以顛倒想 出没生死中 云何以一念 得往生淨土　我造無始業 本從一念滅 既從一念生 還從一念滅 生滅滅盡處 則我與佛同 如投水海中 如風中鼓索 雖有大聖智 亦不能分別 願我先父母 與一切衆生 在所爲西方 所遇皆極樂 人人無量壽 無往亦無來
蘇東坡 讃仏偈 Original

The Buddha’s perfect wisdom of enlightenment fills the entire universe, which is as vast as the number of grains of sand in a river. In contrast, I am caught in false thoughts and continue to be lost, sinking and floating in the suffering of life and death.

How, then, can I reach the Pure Land through this a single moment of the mind? The accumulated actions that I have created from the beginningless past also arose from this single moment, and they also disappear in this single moment. What is born from this single moment also dies by this single moment. In the state where both “birth” and “death” disappear, I and the Buddha become one.

This is like water thrown into the great ocean becoming one with the sea, or the sound of a drum in the wind becoming one with the wind. Even with the wisdom of the Buddha, one can no longer distinguish between “me” and the “Buddha.”

I pray that my late parents and all living beings will make the West (Paradise) their home. I pray that everything they meet will be Paradise, and that all people will equally attain eternal life. There, one neither goes nor comes, for there is true peace beyond the coming and going of life and death.蘇東坡 讃仏偈 Modern Meaning

As you can see, “Sanbutsu-ge” is not just a ritual specific to a sect or a temple. Originally, it is a way to express one’s own praise for the Buddha.

The Core

• It is not just about reciting a prepared verse formally, but writing your own poem to put your prayer of praise for the Buddha into it.
• The praise of the Buddha is not limited to a specific ritual, as it is an active prayer where each person faces their own illusions to express the truth.
• Therefore, “Sanbutsu-ge” is a verse that praises the virtues of the Buddha.

My Experience: I Wrote My “Sanbutsu-ge”

Key Point: In Japan, there are few opportunities to think about the meaning of “Sanbutsu-ge.” “Sanbutsu-ge” is not specific to temples; it has been composed by many different people. “Sanbutsu-ge” is not something to be recited by heart as a masterpiece, but something one composes oneself to infuse with feelings of praise for the Buddha. Nowadays, you can easily compose a verse by utilizing AI.

I once participated in 嘆仏 (Tanbutsu ritual) at a Zen training hall where we chanted a “Sanbutsu-ge” together. However, because the priority was to move the ceremony forward smoothly, I did not really understand what the verse meant. When I started writing an article about it, I wanted to truly understand this verse, but I found it quite difficult to locate any explanatory texts. Perhaps “praising the Buddha” is considered something so obvious that it is discouraged to ask questions like, “Why am I doing this?” or “I want to be convinced before I participate.” As I continued my research, I discovered various “Sanbutsu-ge” written by different people. Each of them contained the author’s own sincere feelings of praise for the Buddha.

I realized, “Ah, I see. Originally, this part is meant for one to write their own verse to praise the Buddha.” I felt a deep sense of clarity. Back when I was at the training hall, there was a class on how to write verses. I realized this was the very purpose for which that class was intended. Of course, writing a verse is extremely difficult because you have to worry about elements like rhyme. Therefore, this time, I asked an AI to help me create a simple Sanbutsu-ge by quoting from sutras and poems by figures like 蘇東坡 (Su Dongpo). While it may not strictly follow every traditional rule, I was able to create a Sanbutsu-ge that I am personally satisfied with.

一念心開空即色　相好光明現目前　不二法門超往来　唯是如来浄土辺

My Sanbutsu-ge Original

When the mind is calm and a single moment of clarity opens, I realize that the true state of this world is the truth of the Buddha itself. The light of the Buddha appears right before my eyes. In this state, where there is no separation between delusion and enlightenment, transcending the cycle of life and death, this very place is the Pure Land of the Buddha.

My Sanbutsu-ge (讃仏偈) Modern Meaning

I am sharing this prompt with you all, so please try creating your own Sanbutsu-ge.

Request for Collaboration: Creating a “Sanbutsu-ge”

Task Description You are a brilliant poet deeply versed in Buddhist teachings. Please collaborate with me to compose 讃仏偈 (Sanbutsu-ge,a verse of praise for the Buddha) that expresses my own prayers and devotion.

Process

1. I will first share the Buddhist concepts I hold dear and the themes of my prayers.

2. Based on those themes, please propose several gatha verses consisting of seven characters per line (seven-character lines).

3. In your proposals, please prioritize the following elements:

   • Rhythmic flow: Use rhyme to ensure the verse is melodic when chanted.

   • Doctrinal integrity: Respect core Buddhist teachings (such as 空 [Emptiness], 一念 [a single moment of mind], 光明 [Light], or the Pure Land).

   • Aesthetic and resonance: Maintain the formal beauty of classical Chinese poetry (漢詩,kanshi) while selecting words that resonate with modern hearts.

4. For each verse created, please include traditional Japanese reading, a modern translation, and a brief explanation of the key terms.

My Core Concepts and Themes (Please insert the words or thoughts you wish to include here, such as “空即是色” [Form is Emptiness], “一念,” “Gratitude toward my late parents,” or a favorite passage from a sutra.)

My Sanbutsu-ge (讃仏偈) prompt