Avalokitêśvara 觀世音,

paying homage to Buddha 南無佛,

forged a causal connection with Buddha 與佛有因,

a karmic affinity with Buddha 與佛有緣,

a karmic affinity with Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha,佛法僧緣

thus attaining permanence, ease, selfhood, and purity 常樂我淨.

In the morning think of Avalokitêśvara 朝念觀世音,

in the evening think of Avalokitêśvara 暮念觀世音.

Thought after thought arises from mind 念念從心起;

thought after thought is not separate from mind 念念不離心.

The first six lines of this verse establish the bodhisattva Avalokitêśvara 觀音 (Guanyin/Gwan-eum/Kannon) as a being worthy of 'mindful remembrance' and prayers for help, typically by calling his name in 'mindful recitation'  念: 'Homage to Avalokitêśvara Bodhisattva'  南無觀世音菩薩. Lines three and four play on the term 'causes and conditions'  因緣, which in Buddhist philosophy refers to 'immediate causes 因 and enabling conditions 緣,' but in common Japanese parlance means something like 'karmic affinity.' 'Permanence, ease, selfhood, and purity'  常樂我淨 are the four attributes of nirvana, which is free from the impermanence 無常, suffering 苦, lack of self 無我, and impurity 不淨 that characterizes all things 法 (Skt. dharmas) in the round of birth and death 生死 (Skt. saṃsāra}. The final two lines turn away from Avalokitêśvara as an object of devotion and focus attention on the mind (oneʼs own mind) in which thoughts of that bodhisattva arise: that mind, in its essence, is nothing other than the Buddha mind 佛心 itself. This combination of devotional and introspective practice was typical of the Buddhism of Ming dynasty (1368-1644) China, which had a big influence on Japanese Zen.