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灶王經 The Stove-King Sutra (1)

This short religious text is dedicated to the Stove God. It comes from this booklet https://archive.org/details/xuepenjingimages/page/n9/mode/2up that I purchased in Taobao around 5 years ago.

This short prayer is an example of the syncretic religion of china. Although addressed to a 'daoist' god like the god of the stove, it does so in Buddhist language. Like a lot of short texts of this nature, it also functions as a protective spell.

The stove god is the most important of domestic gods in China. For an example of how the Stove God works to enforce morality, see the tale of Yu Jingyi, which I have translated on the blog here https://edwardwhite.mataroa.blog/blog/draft-the-tale-of-yu-jingyi-meeting-the-stove-god-f7aff82e/

There are additional texts called the Sutra of the Stove King/Stove God, and I hope to translate them on this blog soon.

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灶王經 Stove-King Sutra

灶王菩萨灶王经。家家户户点明灯。
Stove-King Boddhisatva’s Stove-king Sutra,
Every family lights a brilliant lamp.
照见莲花灯结彩。梵冥永恒吃斋人 。
The lotus-lamp shines brilliantly throughout,
The Deep Brahma always [protects?] vegetarians.
每日参拜尊尊佛。每日参拜尊尊佛 。
Every day, pray respectfully to the Worthy Buddhas,
Every day, pray respectfully to the Worthy Buddhas,
邪魔不敢进家门。邪魔野鬼他方去。
[then] Evil demons would not dare to enter the house,
Evil demons and wandering ghosts will go elsewhere.
门神拥护保长生。敬寺吃斋把口忌。
The God of the Door protects longevity
Pay respects at temples; keep a vegetarian diet; [keep the] prohibitions of the mouth. 口忌
一家大小免灾星。清净念诵灶王经 。
To remove disastrous stars, the family young and old
should recite, with purity, the Stove-King’s sutra.
每月 灶前念三遍。永世不坐地狱门。
Reciting this thrice every month before the stove,
Forever you will not sit on the gates of hell.
南无灶王府君 玉地夫人大天尊
I take refuge in King of the stove, Sovereign of the repository!
The great heavenly worthy Lady Jade-land