This week, October 5-9, Shao Shan Temple offered a daily midday chanting/teaching series on the sutra, Vaiśālīpraveśamahāsūtra. This "Mahasutra on entering the city of Vashali" is an account of the Buddha's instructions to Ananda for ending an epidemic that was afflicting the city of Vaishali. It has traditionally been recited “during times of personal or collective illness, bereavement, and other difficulties” and seems especially appropriate for our current time of pandemic, natural disasters and political upheaval. Those who participated found coming together daily(virtually) and the sutra itself to be supportive.
The beautiful chant version of the sutra that we used can be heard here:
(we listened to only the first half during the daily program)
The translation of the sutra and notes can be found here:
