3. Touching the Earth
Opening Gatha 

The one who bows and the one who is bowed to 
are both, by nature, empty.
Therefore the communication between them 
is inexpressibly perfect.
Our practice center is the Net of Indra 
reflecting all Buddhas everywhere.
And with my person in front of each Buddha,
I go with my whole life for refuge.

Offering light in the Ten Directions,
the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha,
to whom we bow in gratitude. 

Teaching and living the way of awareness 
in the very midst of suffering and confusion, 
Shakyamuni Buddha, the Fully Enlightened One,
to whom we bow in gratitude. 

Cutting through ignorance, awakening our hearts and our minds,
Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Great Understanding,
to whom we bow in gratitude. 

Working mindfully, working joyfully for the sake of all beings,
Samantabhadra, the Bodhisattva of Great Action,
to whom we bow in gratitude. 

Listening deeply, serving beings in countless ways,
Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion,
to whom we bow in gratitude. 

Fearless and persevering through realms of suffering and darkness,
Kshitigarbha, the Bodhisattva of Great Aspiration,
to whom we bow in gratitude. 

Seed of awakening and loving kindness 
in children and all beings,
Maitreya, the Buddha to-be-born,
to whom we bow in gratitude. 

Showing the way fearlessly and compassionately,
the stream of all our Ancestral Teachers,
to whom we bow in gratitude