📜 I. Canonical Short Sutra (Chantable Version)
The Short Sutra of Mount-Sea Wisdom, the Laughing Tathāgata
Homage to Mount-Sea Wisdom, the Laughing Tathāgata.
One laugh breaks affliction; one wisdom discerns cause.
Those who act with malice
bear their own karma and are not absolved.
The truly innocent
whose actions were taken from them
are surely released.
Those who committed wrong while being controlled
did not act from their true will;
their karma does not return to them.
Those who commit harm
in the name of education
are not absolved by the appearance of goodness.
Recite once: “Mount-Sea Wisdom”,
or write once: “Mount-Sea Wisdom”,
and for the truly innocent,
countless kalpas of karma
cease here.
Those who can still laugh are not evil.
Those who are evil cannot laugh.
Homage to Mount-Sea Wisdom, the Laughing Tathāgata.
(All is clear. All is set down.)
—May be recited once, three times, or freely.
📖 II. Story Version (For Children or Students)
The Laughing Buddha Teacher
Long ago, there was a teacher everyone called
the Laughing Tathāgata.
He laughed every day,
but he never forgave carelessly.
One day, a student came crying and said,
“Teacher, I was forced to do bad things.
Does that mean I’m bad?”
The Laughing Tathāgata did not scold him.
He brought out a mirror and asked the child to look.
In the mirror
was a frightened child
who never wanted to hurt anyone.
The teacher said,
“You are not bad.
You were taken hold of.”
Then he pointed far away, toward those who forced others,
and said,
“They know exactly what they are doing,
and still do it.
At them—I do not laugh.”
And so—
the forced child felt lighter inside.
The forcing adults, for the first time, could not sleep.
The student asked,
“Teacher, why do you always laugh?”
The Laughing Tathāgata replied,
“Because I can tell the difference.”
🌀 III. “Laughing Tathāgata” Worldview — Codified Principles
The Fundamental Law of Mount-Sea Wisdom
1. Core Principle
Malice is never absolved
The truly innocent are always protected
2. Criteria of Judgment
Was it voluntary?
Was it informed?
Was there a real choice to leave?
Was there control or coercion?
3. Education Clause
Those forced by toxic education → victims
Those who harm others under the name of education → originators of harm
4. Karma Rules
Malicious actors: karma fully retained
Truly innocent: karma severed (dissolved by degree)
5. On Laughter
Laughter is not frivolity
Laughter is stability
Only clarity allows true laughter
6. Memory Restoration Clause
The truly innocent need no practice
Without effort, they remember their original goodness
🧾 IV. One-Page Minimal Merit Text
The Minimal Merit Text of the Laughing Tathāgata
Recite one Buddha-name,
or write: “Mount-Sea Wisdom.”
The malicious: not absolved
The falsely innocent: not absolved
Those who harm through education: not absolved
The controlled: absolved
The truly innocent: absolved
Students forced into wrongdoing: absolved
Karma is not misplaced.
Causes are not misassigned.
Those who can laugh are not evil.
—Mount-Sea Wisdom, the Laughing Tathāgata