Once people are born into this world and engage in life, they have need of self-power and other-power. Self-power is the basis of other-power and other-power is the basis of self-power. Therefore, people who have attained an other-power that is worthy of trust will be like a tree that has firmly rooted itself in the soil. Now that we have learned about the beneficence and awesome power of the Dharmakāya Buddha, the Fourfold Grace, in which we may trust, our aim is to make this perfect Fourfold Grace the fount of our own faith and to offer up thanks whenever we encounter happy situations, and beg forgiveness whenever we encounter distressing situations; to offer up a mental affirmation or an explanatory formal prayer for a decision whenever we find it difficult to reach a decision; to offer up a mental affirmation and an explanatory formal prayer for favorable situations whenever we encounter difficult situations; and, when we encounter favorable situations, to offer up a mental affirmation and an explanatory formal prayer, so that we may not fall into corruption and impertinence. Therefore, if we continue these with dedication, understanding well the meaning of mental affirmation and formal prayer, then, as utmost dedication may move the heavens, we will attain what we wish by naturally gaining the awesome power of the Fourfold Grace, and will become lives of happiness.
However, if we were to turn against our vow involving mental affirmation and formal prayer, then, to the contrary, we will be punished by the awesome power of the Fourfold Grace. Bearing this in mind, we may say that those people who do not indulge in false mental affirmation and formal prayer understand their fundamental meaning.
When we offer up mental affirmation and formal prayer, we say,
May heaven and earth watch over me,
May parents watch over me,
May fellow beings respond to me,
May laws respond to me.
I, this indebted so-and-so, confess before the Dharmak?ya Buddha, the Fourfold Grace.
Within the scope of what was discussed above, we perform mental affirmation and formal prayer in accordance with our respective wishes. In situations where there is a specific object, we may perform a silent mental affirmation, a pragmatic formal prayer, and an explanatory formal prayer; or, if there is no specific object, we may only do silent mental affirmation and explanatory formal prayer. Silent mental affirmation is performed merely within one’s own mind. Pragmatic formal prayer is performed with regard to a specific object, as it becomes relevant. Explanatory formal prayer is performed so that an audience may hear well, and be moved and awakened. http://www.wonbuddhism.org/
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