Observing The World, Zen, -  Jan 20, 2017

A Ceremony for Inauguration Day

I’m sharing a ceremony, written by Zen teacher Ed Brown, meant to be performed before or during the inauguration itself. Please feel free to add, subtract, or change anything. It begins with an explanation.

On the occasion of the Inauguration of Mr. Donald Trump—

An Introduction:

Where our attention goes, energy flows. So let us give careful thought to where we place our attention—and possibly choose
to place it on the highest principles and values of our country.
I invite any of you who feel inspired to join me and others on inauguration day to attend to Donald Trump’s vow in a prayerful ceremonial context. Our attention will be on the duties of the president’s office, not the person holding it. The presidency is about serving all people of this nation in the highest alignment to our nation’s established bright guiding principles.

For those who want to contribute in a positive way to what may be a challenging day emotionally, the text below is offered as one possible way of enlisting ceremony to invoke heartfelt prayer.
On the inauguration day, Mr. Trump will be taking the oath of office, speaking a Vow, the intention of which is that he be in alignment with the founding principles of this country and those who have labored to make it so.
Words are powerful, and the spoken word can be even more so. A Vow spoken during ceremony, is meant to hold the person saying it to the intended meaning of those words. There is great power in that, whether the person saying it knows this or not.
Should you feel so inspired on inauguration day to attend to Trump’s vow in this ceremonial context, the words below are intended to provide a profound and sacred framework to what is happening. Depending on those participating, please utilize the appropriate portions of the ceremony.

A possible Buddhist Ceremony for the Inauguration. (Use what you choose to use.)

Incense Offering
Three Bows
Officiant:
Invoking the presence and compassion of our ancestors
In faith that we are Buddha
We walk Buddha’s Path
Homage to all Buddhas in the ten directions
Homage to the complete Dharma in ten directions
Homage to every Sangha in ten directions
Homage to our first teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Homage to the succession of Bodhisattvas and Ancestors
Homage to Eihei Dogen Zenji
Homage to Shogaku Shunryu Daiosho
May their presence and compassion help to sustain us.
Let us recite the names of Buddha:
Everyone:
Homage to the Dharmakaya Vairochana Buddha
Homage to the Sambhogakaya Lochana Buddha
Homage to the Nirmanakaya Shakyamuni Buddha
Gassho Homage to the future Maitreya Buddha
Chokei Homage to all Buddhas in the ten directions, past, present, and future
Homage to the Mahayana Saddharma Pundarika Sutra
Homage to Manjusri, the Perfect Wisdom Bodhisattva
Homage to Samantabhadra, the Shining Practice Bodhisattva
Homage to Avalokitesvara, the Infinite Compassion Bodhisattva
Homage to the many Bodhisattva Mahasattvas
Homage to the Maha Prajna Paramita
Officiant:
Having invoked the presence of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Ancestors
to join with us, we offer our shared prayers for the safety and well-being of our
country and all its people and creatures.
To do this we focus our attention on the following listed Principles and
Alignment with them, through all the dimensions, no matter what situation we are in.
Specifically, as we visualize our next President on Inauguration Day, with his hand upon the Bible, swearing his Oath of Office, we call in these Highest Principles of our Democracy, to witness his vow, that he, as our new President, may be aligned by and to these Principles, for the good of all in the execution of his duties.
In support of our prayers, we call on these witnesses, who hold this truth to be self-evident—that all people are created equal—
Everyone:
* The U.S. Constitution
* The Masons
* The Bill of Rights
* The Supreme Court
* The Iroquois Confederation
* “We the People”
* Congress
* The Bible
* Lady Liberty
* The Office of the Presidency
* The Liberty Bell
* Suffragettes
* Those who hold aloft a light, in a time of human ignorance.
* The Land, America the beautiful
* “Of the people, by the people, for the people”
* We Shall Overcome
* Black Mesa
* Source

* The Mind of Liberation
Chanting of the Sho Sai Myo Kichijo Darani (auspicious darani for averting calamity)
No Mo San Man Da Moto Nan Oha Ra Chi Koto Sha Sono Nan To Ji To En Gya Gya Gya Ki Gya Ki Un Nun Shifu Ra Shifu Ra Hara Shifu Ra Hara Shifu Ra Chishu Sa Chishu Sa Chishu Ri Chishu Ri Sowa Ja Sowa Ja Sen Chi Gya Shiri E Somo Ko x3 with drum
Dedication: May the merit of this ceremony and our chanting permeate throughout space and time holding our country, its peoples, and all beings in blessedness
All Buddhas, ten directions, three times.
All beings, Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas,
Wisdom beyond wisdom, Maha prajña paramita.
Three Bows