What is Sojong?

Sojong is the act of following one day 'lay' precepts and is a purification ritual. Buddhists follow Sojong on holy days, and full, half and new moon days. The precepts are the same as monastic precepts, except instead of taking them for life, the practitioner takes them one day at a time. They are a very effective way to help train the body and speech of a lay practitioner, which will help with one's meditation practice.

Sojong dates in 2002 are:

Half Moon=Medicine Buddha (Lunar 8th day)
Full Moon=Amitabha Buddha (Lunar 15th day)
New Moon=Shakyamuni Buddha (Lunar 30th day)

Half Moon: 1/21, 2/20, 3/22, 4/20, 5/20, 6/18, 7/18, 8/16, 9/15, 10/14, 11/12
Full Moon: 1/28, 2/27, 3/28, 4/27, 5/26, 6/24, 7/24, 8/22, 9/21, 10/21, 11/20
New Moon: 1/13, 2/12, 3/14, 4/12, 5/12, 6/10, 7/10, 8/8, 9/7, 10/6. 11/6

The holy days in which Sojong is followed are:

Losar--February 13 (Sojong from February 17-February 27--12 days)
Vesak--May 26 (Sojong from May 26-June 7--15 days)
His Holiness Dalai Lama's Birthday--July 6
Chokor--July 14
His Holiness Sakya Trizin's Birthday--September 7
Lhabab Duchen--October 28

The Sojong ritual to perform is as follows:

Refuge and Enlightenment Thought

Sang gye Cho'dang Ts'og Kyi Ch'og nam la/
J'ang ch'ub B'ar D'u Dag ni Kyab su ch'i/
Dag g'i Jin sog Gyi pei So nam kyi/
Dro la Phen sh'ir Sang gye 'Drub par shog/

•

In the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, I take refuge until enlightenment is won;
by the merits of giving and other virtuous deeds; may I attain Buddhahood
for the sake of all beings.
(Recite three times.)

Innvocation

(In the space in front of oneself is one's teacher, the exalted Avalokitesvara, surrounded by the principal and lineage masters, peaceful and wrathful tutelary deities, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, exalted sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, dakas, dharma guardians and protectors.)

Mandala Offering

This is the ground anointed by scented waters, bestrewn with flowers, beautified by
sumeru, four continents, the sun and moon. By directing this offering to the realm of the
Buddhas, may all beings dwell in the pure lands.

Om Guru Buddha Bodhisattva
Saparivara Mandala Puja Megha Samudra Spharana Samaya Hum!

Confession
(Kneeling on your right knee and folding your hands at the heart:)

May all the great Vajradhara masters along
with all the Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas in the
ten directions take heed of me!

I, who am called.....(your name)... from beginningless lifetimes to the present, through the power of defilements such as desire, hatred, and ignorance have committed, through body, voice and mind, the sins of the ten nonvirtuous acts, and five boundless evils and five nearboundless evils, have transgressed vows of individual liberation, have transgressed trainings of the Bodhisattvas, have transgressed the pledges of the secret mantra, have disrespected the Triple Gem, have disrespected the father and mother, have disrespected abbots and the teachers, have disrespected the spiritual friends observing celibate vows, have forsaken the holy Dharmas, have utilized sale of holy scriptures, and have blamed the exalted Sangha, and the other acts that hinder to obtain the states of higher rebirth and liberation, and all the flaws and downfalls that have become the causes for cyclic existence and lower states of rebirth, those acts that are committed by me, asked other to do, or have rejoiced that are done by other, I reveal and confess in the presence of the vajradhara master along with all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas in the ten directions.
I will abide by the vows thereafter.
(Recite 3 times.)

The Precepts

Take heed of me all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas in the ten directions,
the blessed king of Sakyas, and the exalted Avalokitesvara!

Just as previously blessed tathagatas, arhatas, and perfectly and fully enlightened Buddhas who are like the all-knowing horse and great elephant, those who have accomplished one's works and who do the works of others, who have left the load, who have gained one's purposes, whose samsaric afflictions have been exhausted, who have perfect speech, perfectly liberation mind, and perfectly liberated wisdom, who for the sake of all beings, in order to benefit them, in order to liberate them, in order to free them from famine, in order to free them from illness, in order to accomplish the enlightened aspects of Dharma and in order to realize the unsurpassable, perfectly and fully enlightened state, performed the restoration and purification; so I, too, who am called by this name...(your name)... for the sake of all beings, in order to benefit the, in order to liberate them, in order to free them from famine, in order to free them from illness, in order to accomplish the enlightened aspects of Dharma and in order to realize the unsurpassable, perfectly and fully enlightened state, will properly take the vow of the restoration and purification, beginnning from this time until the sun arises tomorrow.
(Recite 3 times.)

From now on I will neither take life, nor take away by stealth the wealth of other, engage in sexual acts, or say untruthful words. I will completely abandon alcohol which causes many faults. I will not use high and wide seats and mattresses; likewise I will abandon untimely foods, perfumes, garlands, ornaments, dances and song, and the like.

Just as the Arhatas never take life and so on, likewise, I abandon taking life and so on. May I quickly attain the state of excellent enlightenment. May beings who are tortured by various sufferings be freed from the ocean of worldly existence.
(Recite 3 times.)

(Note: Take the precepts from dawn to dawn.

Broken down, the precepts are as follows:

1. Do not kill (this includes all sentient beings).
2. Do not steal.
3. Do not engage in sexual acts.
4. Do not lie.
5. Abstain from alcohol (and other mind stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, etc.)
6. Do not sit on high or wide seats and mattresses. (Do not hold yourself above others is the meaning of this, though one should show this by not sitting on high or wide seats.)
7. Do not eat after midday. (Fruit juice or clear broth is okay.)
8. Do not wear frivolous things. (Do not wear perfume, make up, or showy ornaments.)
9. Do not sing or dance or engage in any form of entertainment (unless it is dharma-related).

Monastics include one more precept, which is not to accept gold or silver unless it is for the Dharma.)

Recitation of the Dharani of Pure Moral Conduct

OM AMOGHASILA SAMBHARA SAMBHARA BHARA BHARA
MAHASUDDHASATTVA PADMA VIBHUSITA BHUJA DHARA DHAR
SAMANTA AVALOKITE HUM PHAT SVAHA!

OM HRIH TRAILOKYA VIJAYA AMOGHAPASA APRATIHATA
HRIH HAH HUM PHAT SVAHA!
(Recite each mantra 21 times)

Dedication

May all beings accomplish within their minds the accumulation of moral disciplines, concentrative meditation, transcendental wisdom, perfect emancipation, and perception of the wisdom of perfect emancipation.
(Dissolve the field of merit to oneself.)

May I possess pure moral conduct, the moral conduct free from flaws.
May I perfect moral conduct, the moral conduct free of pride.

May I train along with all the Victorious Ones and accomplish the noble conduct.
May I always dwell in the pure and immaculate moral conduct, free of flaws and downfalls.

top