Lǐchàn wén 禮懺文
Worship-and-Confession Text anonymous (Dunhuang manuscript, first of three)
About the work
A single-juan anonymous Dunhuang Buddhist liturgical penitential text, preserved at T85 no. 2854 — the first of three parallel Dunhuang lǐ-chàn wén manuscripts collected in the gǔ-yì bù (the others are KR6s0047 T2855 and KR6s0048 T2856). The text combines the prajñā-pāramitā praise-formula with refuge-taking, fragrant-incense offerings, and the standard penitential confession-formulae.
Prefaces
The text has no auto-preface or byline. It opens directly with the worship-formula:
All in respect, reverently saluting the constantly-abiding Three Jewels. This is □ assembly □ □ □ □ ornaments — the wisdom-incense □ □ food. May this incense-and-flower cloud transform and fill the Ten Direction Realms to make offerings to all the Buddhas’ transformations and bodhisattvas, the innumerable śrāvakas □ □ — receive this incense-and-flower cloud — to consider it the bright-radiance terrace, the radiance with boundless realm, boundless without measure, making the Buddha — this is. Making offerings together with offering-respect to all, together reciting the Mahā-prajñā-pāramitā.
The Tathāgata’s wonderful color-body / the world has none equal-to. / Without compare, inconceivable / Therefore now reverently I salute the Tathāgata’s color. / The boundless wisdom is also the same. / All …
Abstract
Authorship and date are unrecoverable. The text belongs to the substantial Dunhuang penitential-liturgical genre, paralleling but distinct from the more abridged Dà-fó luè chàn (KR6s0033). notBefore = 600, notAfter = 1000. The combination of prajñā praise-verse with refuge-formulae and incense-offerings is characteristic of mid-to-late-Tang Mahāyāna penitential ritual.
Translations and research
See KR6s0033 for general references.
Other points of interest
The text’s incorporation of the Mahā-prajñā-pāramitā as a recitation-element within the penitential-ritual framework reflects the central place of the Prajñāpāramitā tradition in late-Tang Chinese Mahāyāna devotional practice.