In this article, I will introduce Shari Raimon (舎利礼文), a short Buddhist text recited in Japan.
Is it actually a sutra?
Perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a verse of homage (raihai-mon, 礼拝文)—a text recited to pay respect to Buddha (Śākyamuni) and his relics.
That is why it is called Shari Raimon:
shari (舎利) = the Buddha’s relics
raimon (礼文) = a text expressing homage
Now, let’s take a closer look!
When Is Shari Raimon Recited?
Shari Raimon is often recited at Buddhist funerals and memorial services in Japan.
It is particularly well known in the Sōtō school of Zen Buddhism (曹洞宗, Sōtō-shū), although the text is not limited to that tradition.
What Does Shari Mean?
The Japanese word shari (舎利) comes from the Sanskrit word śarīra, an ancient Indian term meaning “body.”
The Japanese word shari is essentially a phonetic rendering of śarīra using Chinese characters.
In other words, the characters 舎利 themselves were chosen primarily for their sound rather than their meaning.
In Buddhism, however, śarīra came to refer especially to the physical remains or relics of the Buddha, particularly those left after cremation.
In simple terms, we can think of shari here as the Buddha’s remains or relics.
That is also why the Shari Raimon is recited at funerals and memorial services.
Interestingly, in Japan, cooked rice is sometimes called shari as well.
One traditional explanation is that the small white grains of rice were compared to the Buddha’s relics.
So, very simply, Shari Raimon (舎利礼文) is a text expressing reverence for the Buddha’s relics:
Shari (舎利) = the Buddha’s relics
Raimon (礼文) = a text of homage
Therefore, Shari Raimon can be understood as “A Verse of Homage to the Buddha’s Relics.”
The Shari Raimon: Original Text, Japanese Reading, and English Translation
Original Text
It goes like this ↓ I’ve added punctuation and line breaks to make it a little easier to read.
But you’re probably thinking, “How am I supposed to understand this?!” 😂
一心頂礼万徳円満釈迦如来、真身舎利、本地法身、法界塔婆。
我等礼敬、為我現身、入我我入。
仏加持故、我証菩提。
以仏神力、利益衆生。
発菩提心、修菩薩行。
同入円寂平等大智。
今将頂礼。
Japanese Reading
Here it is with the Japanese reading ↓
一心 (isshin) 頂礼 (chōrai) 万徳 (mantoku) 円満 (enman) 釈迦如来 (Shaka Nyorai)、真身 (shinjin) 舎利 (shari)、本地 (honji) 法身 (hosshin)、法界 (hokkai) 塔婆 (tōba)。
我等 (gatō) 礼敬 (raikyō)、為我 (iga) 現身 (genshin)、入我我入 (nyūga ganyū)。
仏 (butsu) 加持 (kaji) 故 (ko)、我 (ga) 証 (shō) 菩提 (bodai)。
以 (i) 仏神力 (butsujinriki)、利益 (riyaku) 衆生 (shujō)。
発 (hotsu) 菩提心 (bodaishin)、修 (shū) 菩薩行 (bosatsugyō)。
同入 (dōnyū) 円寂 (enjaku) 平等 (byōdō) 大智 (daichi)。
今将 (konjō) 頂礼 (chōrai)。
English Translation
The meaning is roughly as follows:
I wholeheartedly pay homage to the Buddha, who is endowed with all virtues; to the Buddha’s relics, which are his true physical remains; to the Dharma-body, which is the fundamental truth itself; and to the Buddha’s stūpa, which embodies the Dharma itself.
When we worship and pay our respects, the Buddha appears before us, takes us into himself, and we enter into him.
Through the power and blessing of the Buddha, I attain enlightenment.
And through the Buddha’s power, I am able to benefit all beings.
Therefore, I now pay homage not only to the Buddha’s relics, but also to the Buddha’s perfectly peaceful and all-embracing wisdom, which regards all beings equally.
How to Memorize It
The best way to memorize it is simple: just keep reciting it!
It is shorter than the Heart Sutra (般若心経, Hannya Shingyō), so it should be relatively easy to memorize.
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