Verse of Atonement

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All harmful acts, words and thoughts, ever committed by me since of old,

On account of beginningless greed, anger and ignorance,

Born of my body, mouth and mind,

Now I atone for them all

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This verse has been in my mind a lot these days and has given me a lot to think about on my sittings and through out my day. It makes me think on the many times in my life I had been the bad guy, regardless the reasons.

Don't get me wrong. I have never killed or anything that breaks the law. I'm just your average joe. I have many times helped, listened and done good, but in some stories I had taken the part of the villain.

When saying the verse daily, it makes me remember of all these times.

Quote:

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I atone for them all

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What do you think this means?

To repent? To understand? Do I take action like in the AA programs where you have to call people and say you're sorry?

Now I have never lived on the past. I let go things in a very natural way and I can move on from. It's just that this verse makes me think a lot.

What I'm doing with this is to reckon all the times I have been selfish, stubborn, arrogant, a show off, and by action or inaction have hurt people; thus I am mindful what can happen when I am not paying attention to my thoughts and words.

But am I right by doing this?

Hi Choco,

I've recently come to understand (in my limited understanding :P) that the last line is something about taking responsibility for our lives. It's easy to go through the motions of "well yes, I'm sorry about that and blah blah blah". It's much harder to say "yes, this is my life and these are my actions in my life. I'm the only one here to take up for them." Technically speaking, even if what we atone for is perceived to be the fault of someone else, it's still us! :shock:

Life is going to take the course that it does, through ups and downs, it's our responsibility to respond in a manner that is wholly compassionate and wholly at ease. This verse is somewhat of a reminder to keep our heads, especially after we lose them. But, then again, this is just my opinion :)

Be well,
Taylor

"I atone for it all"

It is a beautiful line. We do not only have personal Karma, we also have collective Karma, the Karma that comes to us just by being where we are be it a big city or a remote area. If we live in a city, then there are people around the world who are suffering to produce what is needed in a big city. Not only that, but everything you have is something someone else does not.

In the big picture, this very profound line lets us see this and atone for it. To truly take in the suffering of others and help them. "I atone for it all" When we say this we not only take responsibility for our lives, but for the lives of every other living creature, because when we look deeply we will not find much of a difference between me and you. "I atone for it all" is to manifest Kannon and take up one of her thousand arms to give aid. "I atone for it all" To sit quietly and understand clearly the world we live in. "I atone for it all" the let the past go, to let the future go, and reside exactly where our life actually is; in the here and now.

"I atone for it all" to realize for ourselves, the Buddha enlightenment.

Just some ideas...

Gassho

Seiryu

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Seiryu

"I atone for it all"

It is a beautiful line. We do not only have personal Karma, we also have collective Karma, the Karma that comes to us just by being where we are be it a big city or a remote area. If we live in a city, then there are people around the world who are suffering to produce what is needed in a big city. Not only that, but everything you have is something someone else does not.

In the big picture, this very profound line lets us see this and atone for it. To truly take in the suffering of others and help them. "I atone for it all" When we say this we not only take responsibility for our lives, but for the lives of every other living creature, because when we look deeply we will not find much of a difference between me and you. "I atone for it all" is to manifest Kannon and take up one of her thousand arms to give aid. "I atone for it all" To sit quietly and understand clearly the world we live in. "I atone for it all" the let the past go, to let the future go, and reside exactly where our life actually is; in the here and now.

"I atone for it all" to realize for ourselves, the Buddha enlightenment.

Just some ideas...

Gassho

Seiryu

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Beautiful! _/_

I chipped in with a little something awhile back ... on "atonement" and "at-one-ment" ...

SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: ATONEMENT / AT-ONE-MENT
viewtopic.php?p=46571#p46571

Gassho, J

Thanks guys.

This is pretty much what I was coming to think after a few days. Making mistakes and mend them is part of our experience and be mindful that we can repeat them is something we just have to be alert of.

Jundo: thank you for the video. I wasn't aware of it but it's been really helpful. I will sit on it today. :mrgreen:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jundo

I chipped in with a little something awhile back ... on "atonement" and "at-one-ment" ...

SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: ATONEMENT / AT-ONE-MENT
viewtopic.php?p=46571#p46571

Gassho, J

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wondering if there is an updated link for this talk (?) gassho, -O

Oheso,

I think this is the correct link: http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...NT-AT-ONE-MENT

Let me know if that's not the right one.

Gassho,
Dosho

Apropos of nothing, I like the fact that we say the four vows after the Verse of Atonement. It reminds me every week that we atone because we still have not saved all sentient beings. That alone is reason enough to atone again.

or something like that.

Gassho,
Juki

thanks Dosho! gassho,

Oheso

Another translation of this chant....
Releasing all Harmful Karma
ever created by me since of old
On account of my beginning-less greed, anger, and ignorance
born of my conduct, speech and thought,
*Now I return to Oneness*

I think that brings the At-One of "atonement" into more clarity. not that you should chant it differently, I just offer it as a way of describing my shallow understanding of what it means when we say "Now I atone for them all"