By Venerable Master Hsing Yun
Founder of Fo Guang Shan
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
I have often heard,
“Read mountains of books, and travel thousands of miles.”
I have longed to live this kind of carefree life for a long time.
The wonderful example of Sudhana consulting
The fifty-three wise sages is well worth our following!
The generations of patriarchs traveling and teaching
To seek enlightenment is well worth imitating.
However, there have been so many disasters
Resulting from excursions and travel recently;
There have been so many accidents
Involving boats, cars, and airplanes recently.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
Please grant me safety.
May I leave home happily
And return home safely.
Oh, Buddha:
I go on excursions and I travel
To improve my knowledge,
To learn cultures and customs,
To increase my experiences,
And to form good affinities
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
During excursions and journeys,
May I have the opportunity to cultivate good, favorable causes;
May I have the blessed reward of gaining helpful conditions;
May I be able to understand the unique customs of the world;
May I be able to understand clearly the ways of the world.
I would like to express my gratitude to you, Buddha,
For your blessing and protection;
To mountains and rivers and the earth,
For providing me places to enjoy;
To the oceans and the seas,
For allowing me to travel safely;
To the blue sky and white clouds,
For allowing me to grow in strength and be carefree;
To the trees, flowers, and grass,
For allowing me to be completely relaxed and happy.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
Because I am able to take even one trip or excursion,
I would like to give thanks:
To my relatives and friends for their support and assistance,
Which gives me the opportunity to travel;
To my Dharma friends for their help,
Which provides me with modern conveniences;
To the many people who share my responsibilities at work,
Which allows me to travel unhurriedly;
To the many people who contribute to my favorable conditions,
Which enables me to gain so much generous treatment.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
My whole heart is filled with joy;
My whole heart is filled with gratitude.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
During excursions and travel,I would like to pray to you
To ensure my safety,
To assist my smooth sailing.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Please accept my sincerest prayer!
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Please accept my sincerest prayer!
(Excerpted from “A Prayer for Excursion and Travel (為旅行出遊願文)” from Pearls of Wisdom: Prayers for Engaged Living II by Venerable Master Hsing Yun)