The Shurangama Sutra, Volume 5
with Commentary by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua
Buddhist Lecture Hall, San Francisco, 1968
...Sutra:
Then Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva arose from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet
and said to the Buddha:
Commentary:
Above, Great Strength Bodhisattva told how he cultivated the dharma door of
mindfulness of the Buddha, which is a very appropriate method for people in this
day and age. It's quite effective. Why? The sutras tell us that in the
Dharma-ending Age, not even one in a million people who cultivate will attain
the Way. That many people cultivate and not even one person among them attains
to the Way! Then what shall we do? Don't worry. It goes on to say, "Only by
mindfulness of the Buddha are they taken across." The dharma door of reciting
the Buddha's name is very easy. With the dharma door of mindfulness of the
Buddha,
One transcends the three realms
through the side door (horizontally),
And carries one's karma into that rebirth.
What does it mean to transcend the three realms through the side door? It's like
an insect in a piece of bamboo. If the insect were to gnaw its way out through
the length of the bamboo, it would have to go through all the sections; it would
take a long time. If the insect were to gnaw a hole in the side of the bamboo
instead, it would get out very easily. People who are mindful of the Buddha are
like the insect who goes out the side of the bamboo; they escape the three
realms on a horizontal plane, right at the level they are. "One carries one's
karma into that rebirth." The karma one carries is former karma, not current
karma, it is old karma, not new karma.
This means that before you understood the method of being mindful of the Buddha,
you created offenses. You can take that karma with you when you go to rebirth in
the Pure Land. But you shouldn't continue to create bad karma once you know
about reciting the Buddha's name, because you can't take that karma along. Once
you know about mindfulness of the Buddha, you should change your ways. Don't
keep creating bad karma. If you do, you will be piling karma on top of karma,
adding offenses to offenses. That's called "knowing clearly and transgressing
intentionally," in which case, the offenses are tripled. You can take your old
karma with you, but now that you understand the Buddhadharma, you can't say,
"Oh, I can recite the Buddha's name on the one hand and create bad karma on the
other hand, because in the future I can take my karma with me to the Land of
Ultimate Bliss." That's a mistake. Not only will you be unable to take that
karma with you, you won't be able to be reborn there at all, because you will be
hindered by your karma. We people who believe in the Buddha should take care not
to create any further offenses once we know about mindfulness of the Buddha.
This section of text concerning Great Strength Bodhisattva's perfect penetration
through mindfulness of the Buddha is extremely important.
Everyone should know what the dharma door of mindfulness of the Buddha is all
about.
Why should we be mindful of the Buddha? Because we have great causes and
conditions with Amitabha Buddha. Amitabha Buddha became a Buddha ten kalpas ago.
Before that, he was called Bhikshu Dharma Treasury. At that time he made
forty-eight great vows. In making his thirteenth and fourteenth vows he said,
"If the living beings throughout the ten directions say my name and do not
become Buddhas, I will not attain the right enlightenment." In other words, if
people who recite his name do not become Buddhas, he will not become a Buddha.
And because of the power of Amitabha Buddha's vows, everyone who recites his
name can get reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
The Pure Land dharma door comprises one of the five schools of Chinese Buddhism:
1. the Chan school (dhyana),
2. the Teaching school,
3. the Vinaya school,
4. the Secret school,
5. the Pure Land school.
The Pure Land sect will be the last of the five to endure. In this world, during
the Dharma-ending Age, the Shurangama Sutra will be the first sutra to
disappear. After that, the other sutras will disappear also, until only the
Amitabha Sutra is left. While the Amitabha Sutra remains in the world, it will
take many people across. After another hundred years, it will also be gone.
Dharmaending simply means that the dharma will entirely disappear. Once the
Amitabha Sutra has vanished, all that will be left will be the phrase, "Namo
Amitabha Buddha." This tremendous phrase will also take many people across;
then, after another hundred years, it, too, will disappear. All that will be
left then will be the name "Amitabha Buddha," which will remain in the world yet
another hundred years and then vanish as well. At that point there will be no
Buddhadharma remaining in the world. While we are still at the advent of the
Dharma-ending Age, we should practice and uphold the events of the Proper Dharma
Age. That's called "Requesting that the Buddhas dwell in the world to turn the
dharma wheel." In the Dharma-ending Age, we should not fear any suffering or
difficulty. I don't fear the trouble of lecturing the sutra for you, and you
should not fear the trouble of coming to listen. Strike up your spirits! Don't
say you're tired and have to go rest. Forget yourself for the sake of the
dharma.
Take a look at how Shakyamuni Buddha dwelt in the Snowy Mountains for six years
for the sake of seeking the dharma. We haven't gone to the mountains for six
years, but the least we can do is investigate Buddhism. Take the Buddhadharma as
you would food to eat. "If I don't get to hear this sutra lecture, it'll be like
not getting to eat for several days" that should be your attitude. "I must hear
the dharma. I will certainly work to understand it truly." Where do you go to
gain genuine understanding of the Buddhadharma?
You listen to a lot of sutras. Without hearing the sutras, you will be unable to
open your wisdom. This is especially true of the Shurangama Sutra, for it is the
sutra that opens one's wisdom. Just take as an example this section of the
method for obtaining perfect penetration, which the twenty-five sages are
explaining. Some accomplished their cultivation by means of the fire-light
samadhi. Some reached success by cultivating the water-contemplation samadhi.
Some reached perfection by means of the wind, some from emptiness. Some
cultivated their eyes and won success, and some used their ears. Each of the six
sense-organs was cultivated by one or another of them. Every one of the eighteen
realms was cultivated by someone. Hearing these principles, you should apply
them to yourself.
"Through which sense organ should I cultivate?" you ask. Don't be nervous. It is
the very organ of the ear which Guan Yin Bodhisattva used that is best for you.
Guan Yin Bodhisattva perfected his cultivation through the organ of the ear, and
Ananda will follow him in cultivating the same method. The Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas of former times have left us such a wonderful dharma door that we
should also follow the method of cultivating the organ of the ear to perfect
penetration. This is the easiest method. Then Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva arose
from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet and said to the Buddha. "Gwan" means
to contemplate.
Using the wisdom capable of contemplation,
One contemplates the objective realm.
With the capability of wisdom, one regards the state that is being contemplated.
The wisdom capable of contemplation is inherent in the self-nature of Guan Yin
Bodhisattva. The objective realm which is contemplated is that of the sounds
made by all living beings. You should look into the sounds of suffering, the
sounds of happiness, the sounds of what is neither suffering nor happiness, the
sounds of goodness, the sounds of evil, the sounds of truth, the sounds of
falseness, contemplate all kinds of sounds.
"Shr" is the world, in the sense of time, the past, present, and future.
Contemplate living beings' past causes and effects. Contemplate the karma that
living beings are now creating. Contemplate the rewards and retributions that
living beings will have to undergo in the future. "Why is that person suffering
so much?" you reflect, and then you realize: "Oh, in his last life he was not
filial to his parents and he wasn't kind to people in general. That's why this
time his retribution is unfortunate." Contemplate all kinds of sounds, "Yin."
"Bodhisattva" means "one who enlightens living creatures." It also means "a
living being with a great mind for the Way." A Bodhisattva is also known as "an
enlightened living being": that refers to his self-enlightenment. When we say he
is "one who enlightens living beings," we are referring to his enlightenment of
others. Together these mean he is an enlightened living being who wants to cause
all living beings to become enlightened. What Bodhisattvas do is enlighten
themselves and enlighten others, benefit themselves and benefit others. You who
study the Buddhadharma should remember the definition of Bodhisattva. Don't let
it be like the people who held a meeting of the "United Sangha," but when
someone asked them what "Sangha" meant they were left speechless. Inconceivable!
Sutra:
World Honored One, I remember when, as many kalpas ago as there are sands in the
Ganges, there was a Buddha in the world named Contemplating the World's Sounds.
It was under that Buddha that I brought forth the Bodhi-resolve. That Buddha
taught me to enter samadhi through a process of hearing and reflecting.
Commentary:
Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva said to Shakyamuni Buddha: World Honored One, I
remember when, as many kalpas ago as there are sands in the Ganges, passing back
through an incredibly long time, unreckonable aeons as numerous as the Ganges'
sands, there was a Buddha in the world named Contemplating the World's Sounds.
"Contemplating the World's Sounds" is the English translation of the name Guan
Shi Yin. This is the Guan Yin of old. That Thus Come One, Guan Shi Yin, also
cultivated perfect penetration by means of the organ of the ear. It was under
that Buddha that I brought forth the Bodhi-resolve. I resolved to attain the Way
of enlightenment. That Buddha taught me to enter samadhi through a process of
hearing and reflecting. The Guan Yin Buddha of old taught him the process of
hearing and reflecting. It is from the wisdom of hearing, the wisdom of
reflecting, and the wisdom of cultivating that he entered samadhi. Here
"reflection" does not refer to the thinking of the sixth mind-consciousness.
Rather, it has the meaning of quiet consideration, the skill of Chan.
M2 He gradually unties the knot, cultivates, and is
certified.
Sutra:
Initially, I entered the flow through hearing and forgot objective states. Since
the sense-objects and sense-organs were quiet, the two characteristics of
movement and stillness crystallized and did not arise. After that, gradually
advancing, the hearing and what was heard both disappeared. Once the hearing was
ended, there was nothing to rely on, and awareness and the objects of awareness
became empty. When the emptiness of awareness reached an ultimate perfection,
emptiness and what was being emptied then also ceased to be. Since production
and extinction were gone, still extinction was revealed.
Commentary:
Initially, I entered the flow through hearing and forgot objective states. With
the wisdom of hearing, one listens inside, not outside. Not chasing after the
objects of sound means not following them out. Earlier, the text spoke of not
following the six sense-organs and not being turned by them. This is known as,
Returning the hearing to hear the self-nature.
Returning the hearing means not listening to external sounds but turning back
instead to hear your own self-nature. It means,
Gathering in your body and mind.
It means not seeking outside.
Turn the light around and shine it within.
Here the text says that Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva "entered the flow," which means
he returned and listened to the self-nature. Enter the flow of the dharma-nature
of a sage. He "forgot the objective states." All the "dust", the defiling
objects of the six-sense objects as perceived by the six sense-organs, was
forgotten.
Since the sense-objects and sense-organs were quiet, the two characteristics of
movement and stillness crystallized and did not arise. The source of the six
sense-organs and six sense-objects ceased to be. It was severed. Here he entered
the flow of his own self-nature. When that happens, your self-nature is still
and quiet. When this quietude reaches an ultimate point, the appearance of
movement and stillness ceases as well. Basically, movement appears as movement
and stillness as stillness, but now, although these two characteristics are as
clear as crystal, they do not arise. After that, gradually advancing, the
hearing and what was heard both disappeared. As this pure and clear state of
quiet increased, as day by day it became more full and complete, the hearing
that was capable of hearing the self-nature eventually disappeared. It, too, was
gone. The ability to hear and the objects of hearing both vanished. The organ of
the ear was capable of hearing, and the self-nature was what was being heard,
but now they, too, were gone. Once the hearing was ended, there was nothing to
rely on. Since the hearing-nature was gone, there was no attachment. At that
time it was "producing the mind that does not dwell anywhere."
Awareness and the objects of awareness became empty. Even the perception of
awareness vanished, was emptied out. When the emptiness of awareness reached an
ultimate perfection, emptiness and what was being emptied then also ceased to
be. The emptiness of the nature of awareness reached an ultimate state of
perfection. Then the mind capable of creating vanished, as did the states that
were made empty, so that then there wasn't even any emptiness! As long as
emptiness remains, you're still attached to emptiness. But now, for Guan Yin
Bodhisattva there wasn't even any emptiness.
Since production and extinction were gone, still extinction was revealed. Since
the mind subject to production and extinction vanished, the genuine bliss of
still extinction manifested. That state is inexpressibly blissful.
M3 He explains how in accord with the substance he gives rise to the function.
N1 He lists the two sources.
Sutra:
Suddenly I transcended the mundane and transcendental worlds, and throughout the
ten directions a perfect brightness prevailed. I obtained two supreme states.
Commentary:
When still extinction manifested, suddenly I transcended both the mundane and
transcendental worlds. This refers to the world of sentience and the world of
material objects. And throughout the ten directions a perfect brightness
prevailed. He was united as one with the worlds of the ten directions without
any difficulty. I obtained two supreme states.
Sutra:
First, I was united above with the fundamental, wonderfully enlightened mind of
all the Buddhas of the ten directions, and I gained a strength of compassion
equal to that of all the Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones.
Commentary:
His compassionate mind was exactly like the compassionate mind of all Buddhas.
Sutra:
Second, I was united below with all living beings in the six paths, and I gained
a kind regard for all living beings equally.
Commentary:
Second, I was united below with all living beings in the six paths. What are the
living beings in the six paths? Looked at in terms of a single person, the eyes,
ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind are living beings in the six paths. They are
the cycle of the six paths, as are forms, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of
touch, and dharmas; these are also the revolutions of the six paths. They are
the six paths of living beings in our own self-natures. There is a connection
between these six paths within and the six paths outside. The external six paths
are the path of heavenly beings, asuras, people, animals, hungry ghosts, and
dwellers in the hells. The category of asuras includes all beings who like to
fight. Asuras who use their pugnacious natures beneficially join the armed
services and protect the country. Asuras who use their propensity to fight in a
bad way end up as thieves, robbers, and gunmen. Asuras may live in the heavens,
among people, in the animal realm, or as ghosts. Sometimes asuras are counted as
part of the three good paths, that is, the gods, asuras, and humans. Sometimes
they are placed with the four evil destinies, that is, the hells, hungry ghosts,
animals, and asuras. When you put them together: gods, humans, asuras, animals,
hungry ghosts, and hell-dwellers, you have the cycle of the six paths.
The Buddhas are above Guan Yin Bodhisattva, so the Bodhisattva says, "I was
united above with the compassion of all Buddhas." Beings in the six paths are at
a lesser level than Guan Yin Bodhisattva, so the Bodhisattva says, "I was united
below with beings in the six paths." Living beings ( zhong sheng) are defined as
those born ( sheng) from a multitude ( zhong) of conditions. There are many
factors involved in the birth of beings. The Bodhisattva goes on, "I was united
with living beings, and I gained a kind regard for all living beings equally."
Beings contemplate and seek the kindness of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
N2 He explains in three parts.
O1 Thirty-two response bodies.
P1 He relies on the compassionate power.
Sutra:
World Honored One, because I served and made offerings to the Thus Come One,
Guan Yin, I received from that Thus Come One a transmission of the vajra samadhi
of all being like an illusion, as one becomes permeated with hearing and
cultivates hearing. Because I gained a power of compassion identical with that
of all Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, I became accomplished in thirty-two
response-bodies and entered all lands.
Commentary:
World Honored One, because I served and made offerings to the Thus Come One,
Guan Yin, I received from that Thus Come One a transmission of the vajra samadhi
of all being like an illusion, as one becomes permeated with hearing and
cultivates hearing. It is said to be like an illusion because one cultivates
without cultivating; without cultivating, one cultivates. It means that one is
always aware of what is going on at any given moment and never forgets about it.
And yet, though one does not forget, one does not really think about it, either.
Without thinking about it, one has nonetheless not forgotten it.
"Permeated with hearing" means that every day he cultivated the method of
returning the hearing to hear the self-nature, until he was infused with skill.
This is the method of the vajra samadhi. When one succeeds in this
concentration, one has attained the vajra samadhi.
Because I gained a power of compassion identical with that of all Buddhas, the
Thus Come Ones, I became accomplished in thirty-two response-bodies and entered
all lands. I gained a compassionate power identical to the Buddhas, and it
enabled me to make thirty-two transformation-bodies out of my own body. Then I
went to all countries to teach and transform living beings.
Sutra:
World Honored One, if there are Bodhisattvas who enter samadhi and vigorously
cultivate the extinction of outflows, who have superior understanding and
manifest perfected penetration, I will appear in the body of a Buddha and speak
dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation.
Commentary:
World Honored One, if there are Bodhisattvas who enter samadhi and vigorously
cultivate the extinction of outflows, they have attained samadhi and wish to
progress in their cultivation and attain a genuine state of no outflows, nirvana
without residue. They are those who have superior understanding and manifest
perfected penetration. Their wisdom is extremely wonderful, and they display the
state of perfect penetration of the six organs. I will appear in the body of a
Buddha and speak dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation. When I
encounter living beings like this, I'll manifest the physical form of a Buddha.
Although I have not become a Buddha myself, the power of my compassion is
identical with that of all Buddhas. Based on this power of compassion, I will
manifest as a Buddha and speak dharma for these Bodhisattvas, so that they may
succeed in becoming liberated.
Sutra:
If there are those who are studying, who are tranquil and have wonderful
clarity, who are superior and miraculous and manifest perfection, I will appear
before them in the body of a solitarily enlightened one and speak dharma for
them, causing them to attain liberation.
Commentary:
If there are those who are studying, who are tranquil and have wonderful
clarity. "Those who are studying" refers to those prior to the fourth stage of
arhatship. Those who are superior and miraculous and manifest perfection are
those who have attained the bliss of tranquility and wisdom which is wonderfully
clear. Their wisdom is supreme, and they display perfect penetration. "I will
appear before them in the body of a solitarily enlightened one. For that kind of
living being I will manifest as one who is solitarily enlightened," that is, a
person of the two vehicles who awakens to the Way when there is no Buddha in the
world. They cultivate the twelve links of conditioned causation and become
enlightened.
In the spring they contemplate
the blossoming of the white flowers;
In the fall they observe
the falling of the yellow leaves.
They awaken to the principle of the natural process of birth and extinction of
the myriad things and events in the world. That's how they become enlightened.
The Bodhisattva will appear as a solitarily enlightened one and speak dharma for
them, causing them to attain liberation.
Sutra:
If there are those who are studying, who have severed the twelve links of
conditioned causation, and, having severed the conditions, reveal a supreme
nature, and who are superior and wonderful and manifest perfection, I will
appear before them in the body of one enlightened to conditions and speak dharma
for them, causing them to attain liberation.
Commentary:
If there are those who are studying, who have severed the twelve causal
conditions, and, having severed the conditions, reveal a supreme nature. Again,
"those who are studying" refers to the first three stages of arhatship.
The twelve links of conditioned causation have been explained
before. They are extremely important:
1. Ignorance, which conditions activity;
2. Activity, which conditions consciousness;
3. Consciousness, which conditions name and form;
4. Name and form, which condition the six sense organs;
5. The six sense organs, which condition contact;
6. Contact, which conditions feeling;
7. Feeling, which conditions love;
8. Love, which conditions grasping;
9. Grasping, which conditions existence;
10. Existence, which conditions birth;
11. Birth, which conditions;
12. Old age and death.
This is the door of mutual arising.
When ignorance is extinguished,
activity is extinguished;
when activity is extinguished,
consciousness is extinguished;
when consciousness is extinguished,
name and form are extinguished;
when name and form are extinguished,
the six sense-organs are extinguished;
when the six sense-organs are extinguished,
contact is extinguished;
when contact is extinguished,
feeling is extinguished;
when feeling is extinguished,
craving is extinguished;
when craving is extinguished,
grasping is extinguished;
when grasping is extinguished,
becoming is extinguished;
when becoming is extinguished,
birth is extinguished;
when birth is extinguished,
old age and death are extinguished.
This is the door of returning to extinction. People who cultivate toward
arhatship become very clear about ignorance and the connections that bring about
birth. From birth comes death, and one is born and dies again, cyclically. They
put an end to the cycle by first extinguishing ignorance. Once ignorance is
extinguished, the other links are extinguished in turn. Once they sever these
conditions, they discover a supreme nature. "They become those who are superior
and wonderful and manifest perfection, I will appear," says Guan Yin
Bodhisattva, "before them in the body of one enlightened to conditions and speak
dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation."
Sutra:
If there are those who are studying, who have attained the emptiness of the four
truths, and cultivating the Way, have entered extinction, and have a superior
nature and manifest perfection, I will appear before them in the body of a Sound
Hearer and speak dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation.
Commentary:
If there are those who are studying, who have attained the emptiness of the four
truths, and cultivating the Way, have entered extinction. Perhaps there are
sound-hearers, arhats, who understand the principle of emptiness with regard to
the four truths, who have cultivated the Way and have attained the bliss of
nirvana. They have a superior nature and manifest perfection. They display a
state of perfect penetration and fusion. I will appear before them in the body
of a sound-hearer and speak dharma for them, causing them to attain liberation.
Why does the Bodhisattva manifest the body of a sound-hearer? It's because in
doing so he becomes like them, and it is easier to communicate. He becomes a
good friend and there is mutual trust established. If one has no affinities with
people, then no matter how well one may speak, one won't be believed. He appears
like them in order to teach and transform them. sound-hearers awaken to the Way
upon hearing the Buddha's sound. They are people of the two vehicles.
Q2 He responds to the seeking of the gods.
R1 Heavenly kings.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who wish to have their minds be clear and awakened,
who do not engage in mundane desires and wish to purify their bodies, I will
appear before them in the body of a Brahma king and speak dharma for them,
causing them to attain liberation.
Commentary:
If there are living beings, these beings are not sound-hearers, nor those
enlightened to conditions, nor Bodhisattvas; they are ordinary beings in the six
paths. They are those who wish to have their minds be clear and awakened. They
want to attain enlightenment, genuine understanding. They are those who do not
engage in mundane desires. They abstain from greed and desire (sexual desire) in
the wearisome mundane world, because they wish to purify their bodies, I will
appear before them in the body of a Brahma king and speak dharma for them,
causing them to attain liberation. I will appear as the Great Brahma Heaven lord
and explain the dharma for them so that they can
become free.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who wish to be the Heavenly Lord, leader of heavenly
beings, I will appear before them in the body of Shakra and speak dharma for
them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who wish to be the Heavenly Lord: this
refers to the Christian God. They want to be the leader of heavenly beings. They
want to rule the heavens. I will appear before them in the body of Shakra and
speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish. I will manifest
as Shakra for that kind of living being. Shakra is the heavenly lord God. Did
you know that the Holy Mother of Catholicism is Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva?
Catholics believe in the Holy Mother, because they want to be born in the
heavens. So Guan Yin Bodhisattva manifests as a goddess to teach and transform
them, enabling them to be born in the heavens. Of course, they will have to come
back again from the heavens, but gradually they will make progress. Why does
Guan Yin manifest and speak a dharma to help people get born in the heavens? His
ultimate aim is to get them to believe in the Buddha. But since at present their
wish is to be born in the heavens, he teaches them how to get reborn there. When
they return from there, they will eventually come to believe in the Buddha.
Ordinary people feel that the time involved in this process is quite long, but
actually in the Buddhas' eyes, it is a mere moment, a blink of an eye.
This method can be likened to that of parents who want their child to master an
excellent profession, but whose child does not wish to study that profession.
The parents comply and allow the child to study what he wishes, but after
several false starts, he eventually winds up studying that excellent profession
his parents suggested. Guan Yin Bodhisattva's method for teaching and
transforming living beings is to fulfill whatever wishes they might have. But
the ultimate aim is always to bring living beings to the accomplishment of
Buddhahood.
Sutra:
If living beings wish to attain physical self-mastery and to roam throughout the
ten directions, I will appear before them in the body of a god from the heaven
of self-mastery and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their
wish.
Commentary:
If living beings wish to attain physical self-mastery. They want to be free and
at ease so that they can do whatever they want. I will appear before them in the
body of a god from the heaven of self-mastery and speak dharma for them,
enabling them to accomplish their wish. The gods from the Heaven of Self-Mastery
can roam at will, going wherever they want.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who wish to attain physical self-mastery and fly
through space, I will appear before them in the body of a god from the heaven of
great self-mastery and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their
wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who wish to attain physical selfmastery. They want to
be free and at ease, to have their bodies change forms at will. They want to be
able to fly through space. Since they have this wish, I will ground myself in
the spirit of the Buddha's compassionate strength from above and I will appear
before them in the body of a god from the heaven of great self-mastery and speak
dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish. The lord of the Heaven
of Great Self- Mastery is extremely independent and blissful. Guan Yin
Bodhisattva manifests as this god in order to cause living beings to succeed in
their wish.
R2 Heavenly ministers.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who are fond of ruling over ghosts and spirits in
order to rescue and protect their country, I will appear before them in the body
of a great heavenly general and speak dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who are fond of ruling over ghosts and spirits in
order to rescue and protect their country. Some beings like to command ghosts
and spirits. They do this out of a sense of patriotic spirit for their country,
in order to save it and guard it. I will appear before them in the body of a
great heavenly general and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish
their wish.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who like to govern the world in order to protect
living beings, I will appear before them in the body of one of the four heavenly
kings and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who like to govern the world in order to protect
living beings. They want to rule the world. They want to be leaders in the world
in order to protect the living beings in it. I will appear before them in the
body of one of the four heavenly kings and speak dharma for them, enabling them
to accomplish their wish. The four heavenly kings are:
1) Maintaining-the-Country (dhirtarashtra) who oversees the eastern continent
Purvavideha;
2) Increasing (virudhaka) who oversees the southern continent Jambudvipa;
3) Vast Eyes (virupaksha) who oversees the western continent Aparagodaniya; and
4) Learned (vaishravana) who oversees the northern continent Uttarakuru.
For people who want to rule the country and protect the people, Guan Yin
Bodhisattva manifests in response as one of the four heavenly kings.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who enjoy being born in the heavenly palaces and to
command ghosts and spirits, I will appear before them in the body of a prince
from the kingdoms of the four heavenly kings and speak dharma for them, enabling
them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who enjoy being born in the heavenly palaces to
delight in heavenly blessings. While they are in the heavens, they can command
ghosts and spirits. They order the ghosts to do things for them. They summon the
spirits and put them to work. Actually the ability to command ghosts and spirits
is rather ordinary. People may find it strange, but actually it isn't. For those
who like to order the ghosts and spirits around, I will appear before them in
the body of a prince from the kingdoms of the four heavenly kings and speak
dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Q3 He responds to the seeking of the human destiny.
R1 Kings, ministers, citizens.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who would like to be kings of people, I will appear
before them in the body of a human king and speak dharma for them, enabling them
to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If someone wants to rule over people, I will appear as a ruler of people and
speak the dharma for them.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who enjoy being heads of households, whom those of
the world venerate and yield to, I will appear before them in the body of an
elder and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who enjoy being heads of households. They like being
wealthy and ruling over a large clan. They want to be people whom those of the
world venerate and yield to. People venerate them and bend to their wishes.
People are extremely respectful of such a one and trust him. I will appear
before them in the body of an elder and speak dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish. I will appear as a mighty and wealthy elder to speak the
dharma for them. A person must have ten kinds of virtuous conduct in order to
earn the title of elder. They are:
1. His name is honored.
2. His position is lofty.
3. His wealth is great.
4. His deportment is awesome.
5. His wisdom is profound.
6. His life is long.
7. His conduct is pure.
8. His propriety is perfect.
9. He is praised by those above him.
10. He is a refuge for those below him.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who delight in discussing the classics and who keep
themselves lofty and pure, I will appear before them in the body of an upasaka
and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who delight in discussing the classics. Perhaps they
like poetry, or they are interested in the writings of famous authors. They can
recite much of this material from memory. They keep themselves lofty and pure.
If asked to do something they consider beneath them, they won't have anything to
do with it. I will appear before them in the body of an upasaka and speak dharma
for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish. I will appear as a layman and
speak dharma for them.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who enjoy governing the country and who can handle
matters of state decisively, I will appear before them in the body of an
official and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who enjoy governing the country and who can handle
matters of state decisively. They legislate the great matters of the country. I
will appear before them in the body of an official and speak dharma for them,
enabling them to accomplish their wish. I will appear as a minister or official
and speak the dharma for them.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who like reckoning and incantation and who wish to
guard and protect themselves, I will appear before them in the body of a brahman
and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who like reckoning and incantation. "Reckoning"
refers to mathematics and divination. "Incantation" refers to the black arts,
various dharma-devices. It also refers to the spells and mantras of externalist
ways. The former Brahma Heaven mantra of the Kapila religion that Matangi's
mother used as an example of this. These beings wish to guard and protect
themselves. They figure that if they learn a mantra or dharma, it can protect
them. I will appear before them in the body of a brahman and speak dharma for
them, enabling them to accomplish their wish. Brahmanism is a religion in India.
The name means "descended from the pure" and represents their cultivation of
pure practices. These people have a lot of dharmic devices. They can recite
mantras and have many devious magic tricks. And because Guan Yin Bodhisattva
constantly accords with living beings, he also appears as a brahman to speak the
dharma, so that these kinds of people can have what they wish for.
R2 Sangha members.
Sutra:
If there are men who want to leave the home-life and uphold the precepts and
rules, I will appear before them in the body of a bhikshu and speak dharma for
them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are men who want to leave the home-life and uphold the precepts and
rules. These men study the sutras and decide they want to leave the home-life.
What home do they leave? They leave three types of homes:
1. They leave the ordinary worldly home.
2. They leave the home of afflictions.
3. They leave the home of the triple realm.
The ordinary worldly home refers to one's family. The home of affliction means
dwelling in ignorance. One should get out of ignorance. The triple realm, also
known as the three realms of existence, refers to existence in the desire realm,
existence in the form realm, and existence in the formless realm. It is not
until you have left the triple realm that you can be certified to the fruition
of arhatship.
When these men leave home, they will uphold the precepts and rules. Precepts and
rules are extremely important. One who holds the precepts cannot lie or
exaggerate. At the very least, one should maintain the five precepts, which
prohibit killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and taking intoxicants or
drugs. Here, "precepts and rules" does not just refer to the first five,
however. These men uphold the five precepts, the eight precepts, the ten major
and fortyeight minor Bodhisattva precepts, and the two hundred and fifty bhikshu
precepts. They guard and protect the precepts and do not violate them. I will
appear before them in the body of a bhikshu and speak dharma for them, enabling
them to accomplish their wish. "Bhikshu" has three meanings:
1. mendicant;
2. frightener of Mara;
3. destroyer of evil.
Every day bhikshus would take their bowls and go out to beg for food. They did
not prepare their own food. So they are called mendicants. There are three
precept platforms for receiving the complete precepts. When one ascends to the
bhikshu platform, the karmadana asks, "Are you a great hero?"
The answer is, "I am a great hero."
The karmadana asks, "Have you already brought forth the resolve for Bodhi?"
The answer is, "I have already brought forth the resolve for Bodhi."
Then one is given the bhikshu precepts, and an earth-traveling yaksha informs a
space-traveling yaksha about it, and the word is passed among the flying yakshas
until it reaches the heavenly demons in the sixth desire heaven. They report:
"Someone in the world has just left the home-life and become a bhikshu." This
terrifies the demon king, who says, "My retinue is less by one and the Buddha's
retinue has increased by one."
What evil do bhikshus destroy? The evil of affliction. Without really knowing
why, people from time to time give rise to affliction. When they become
afflicted, they lose all their talent except for the capacity to turn to evil.
For instance, a vegetarian may get upset, and the first thing he decides to do
is stop his practice of pure eating. "I'm going to eat meat," he decides. As
soon as people's afflictions arise, they forget everything except how to do bad
things. Or, suppose there's someone who stopped smoking for a long time. When he
gets upset, however, the first thing he does is reach for a cigarette. And
pretty soon he's back on heroin, opium, and cigarettes all in the same inhale!
He's puffing and smoking up a storm. He's inhaling and exhaling so fast that
it's as if he'd become an immortal who can breathe clouds and spit fog. A person
who likes to drink vows that he'll never touch another drop. But then he gets
angry about something and he goes out and buys a bottle to get drunk and drown
his sorrows. Who would have guessed that the more he drinks, the more depressed
he becomes, but he doesn't realize it, because he's drunk. When he wakes up from
the spree, every bone in his body aches. Ask anyone who drinks and they'll tell
you that the morning after is terrible. If he's broke by then, there's nothing
he can do but endure it. But if he's got any money left, the chances are that
he'll go buy another bottle and start in again. Getting drunk is all he knows
how to do. In general, when your afflictions rise up, you do things that you
ordinarily wouldn't do. It even happens that someone swears he would never kill
anyone, but when he gets afflicted, he totally disregards everything and decides
to kill everyone in the world. And he takes a knife and starts doing just that!
So, affliction is something to avoid. Don't give rise to affliction. You want to
leave the home of afflictions.
One also wants to get out of the home of the triple world, and so "leaving home"
has these three meanings.
Sutra:
If there are women who would like to leave the home-life and hold the pure
precepts, I will appear before them in the body of a bhikshuni and speak dharma
for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are women who would like to leave the home-life and hold the pure
precepts. They also want to study the Buddhadharma.
They also leave the worldly home, the home of afflictions, and the home of the
triple realm. Women have more precepts than men. They hold three hundred
forty-eight precepts. Women are said to have a body with five outflows. So they
have a lot more precepts. I will appear before them in the body of a bhikshuni
and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Sutra:
If there are men who want to uphold the five precepts, I will appear before them
in the body of an upasaka and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish
their wish. If there are women who wish to base themselves in the five precepts,
I will appear before them in the body of an upasika and speak dharma for them,
enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are men who want to uphold the five precepts, that is, no killing, no
stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, and no intoxicants, I will appear
before them in the body of an upasaka and speak dharma for them, enabling them
to accomplish their wish. I will manifest as a layman and speak the Dharma for
them. If there are women who wish to base themselves in the five precepts, they
also want to uphold these precepts. I will appear before them in the body of an
upasika. I will manifest as a laywoman and speak dharma for them,
enabling them to accomplish their wish.
R3 Wives of officials.
Sutra:
If there are women who govern internal affairs of household or country, I will
appear before them in the body of a queen, first lady, or noblewoman and speak
Dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are women who govern internal affairs of household or country. Perhaps
these women look after matters, or perhaps they work for governmental
departments which handle a country's internal affairs, and they govern matters
of state. I will appear before them in the body of a queen, first lady, or
noblewoman and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Perhaps Guan Yin Bodhisattva manifests as the female ruler of a country, or as
the wife of the ruling man. Perhaps she appears as an influential matron or a
woman versed in social graces. In this way she fulfills the wishes of such
women.
R4 Virgin youths.
Sutra:
If there are virgin lads I will appear before them in the body of a pure youth
and speak dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are virgin lads. For youngsters who have not known women and are still
chaste, I will appear before them in the body of a pure youth and speak dharma
for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Sutra:
If there are maidens who want to remain virgins and do not wish to marry, I will
appear before them in the body of a gracious lady and speak dharma for them,
enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are maidens, that is, women who have never known men and have never
married, who want to remain virgins and do not wish to marry. They do not wish
to get near men, to marry, or to undergo the experience of being taken. I will
appear before them in the body of a gracious lady and speak dharma for them,
enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Q4 He responds to those who wish to leave the eight
divisions.
Sutra:
If there are heavenly beings who wish to escape their heavenly destiny, I will
appear in the body of a god and speak dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are heavenly beings who wish to escape their heavenly destiny. These
gods or goddesses don't want to stay in the heavens; they would like to
transcend the triple realm. I will appear in the body of a god and speak dharma
for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish. Since they want to transcend
the heavens, I manifest before them and, using all kinds of dharmas, enable them
to get what they want.
Sutra:
If there are dragons who want to quit their lot of being dragons, I will appear
before them in the body of a dragon and speak dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are dragons who want to quit their lot of being dragons. The average
opinion in this day and age is that dragons do not exist. Some people will
accept myths about ancient dragons, frightening and immense. There's no way to
say for sure about those, but dragons do exist. Where do they live? In dragon
palaces in the sea. "We've explored the depths; why haven't we ever run across
them?" you wonder. If you can detect their whereabouts, they're not true
dragons, because dragons are spiritual creatures. They have spiritual powers and
can make themselves big or little at will. They can grow as big as empty space
itself. They can shrink to the size of a mote of dust if necessary. They can
disappear suddenly, and reappear just as unexpectedly. Their spiritual powers
give them the ability to transform themselves in endless ways. Why do they have
such powers but only the body of an animal? As cultivators in previous lives,
they brought forth the resolve for the great vehicle, but they didn't hold the
precepts. They were "quick with the vehicle but slow about the precepts." They
were very casual. Since they were "quick with the vehicle," they obtained
spiritual powers. But since they did not accept the precepts, they fell into the
animal realm. If dragons decide they want to transcend the realm of dragons,
Guan Yin Bodhisattva will appear before them in the body of a dragon and speak
dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Sutra:
If there are yakshas who want to get out of their present fate, I will appear
before them in the body of a yaksha and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are yakshas. "Yakshas" is a Sanskrit word which means "speedy" (jie yi).
It also means "courageous and strong" (yong jian). Yakshas are a kind of ghost.
There are three main types of ghost:
1. Earth-travelling ghosts;
2. Flying ghosts;
3. Space-travelling ghosts.
A line on the Shurangama Mantra reads, "Yau Cha Jye La He." It refers to the
yakshas. In the mantra, the names of the kings of various kinds of ghosts are
called. Each king of ghosts rules over a lot of lesser ghosts, and when the name
of the ruler is called, all the other ghosts must also respectfully obey one's
commands. If the yakshas want to get out of their present fate, if they don't
want to be ghosts, I will appear before them in the body of a yaksha and speak
Dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish. Guan Yin Bodhisattva
will manifest as a yaksha ghost and help them obtain their wish.
Sutra:
If there are gandharvas who wish to be freed from their destiny, I will appear
before them in the body of a gandharva and speak dharma for them, enabling them
to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are gandharvas. "Gandharva" is a Sanskrit word that means "incense
skandha" ( xiang yin), because the act of smelling incense forms their
consciousness. They are musicians for the Jade Emperor. When the Jade Emperor
lights "sinking-in-the-water incense" wood, they smell the fragrance and are
attracted. They come and enjoy making music for the Jade Emperor. These
gandharvas may wish to be freed from their destiny as gandharvas. They do not
want to be gandharvas any more. I will appear before them in the body of a
gandharva and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Sutra:
If there are asuras who wish to be liberated from their destiny, I will appear
before them in the body of an asura and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are asuras who wish to be liberated from their destiny. They want to
leave the retinue of asuras. I will appear before them in the body of an asura
and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their wish.
This section includes the beings of the eightfold division of ghosts and
spirits, but in the Shurangama Sutra the garudas are not included. In the
"Universal Door Chapter" of the Lotus Sutra, it is related that Guan Yin
Bodhisattva appears in the body of a garuda also. "Garuda" is a Sanskrit word;
it means "great golden-winged Peng bird (da peng jin chi niao)". Garudas are
also part of the eight divisions, and the fact that the sutra does not include
them here is perhaps the fault of an omission in copying the text, or perhaps
they are understood to be included in the general category of "living beings"
mentioned below.
Garudas diet exclusively on dragons. Their wing-span is three hundred thirty
great yojanas. A small yojana is forty Chinese miles (one Chinese mile is
approximately one-third of an English mile). A middle-sized yojana is sixty
miles. A great yojana is eighty miles. With one flap of its wings, the
golden-winged Peng bird flaps away all the waters of the seas. Its strength is
that great. Once the waters of the seas are gone, the dragons are exposed. In
this way, the garuda was just about to finish off the entire population of
dragons. So the dragons went to see the Buddha to seek rescue. The great
golden-winged Peng bird is about to cause the retinue of dragons to become
extinct. What can be done?They sought the Buddha's compassion in helping them
out; they hoped he would forbid the Peng bird to eat them. The Buddha gave the
dragons pieces of his kashaya for them to attach to their horns. After that, the
Peng bird dared not eat them. With nothing to eat, the Peng bird also went to
the Buddha to ask him to save his life. "No one is eating you," said the Buddha.
"Why have you come and asked to be saved?"
"It's true that no one is threatening me, but without anything to eat, I will
die of starvation," said the Peng. "You don't permit me to eat dragons anymore,
and with nothing to eat, I'm about to die of hunger." So he asked the Buddha to
be compassionate and think of a way to help him.
"You don't have anything to eat? All right, after this, I will feed you. Every
time I and all my disciples eat, we will offer something to you to eat. You
don't have to eat dragons any more." That is why, during the high meal offering
at noon, a little of the food is taken outside and offered to the great
golden-winged Peng bird. This sutra does not mention the garuda, but we should
be aware that the eightfold division of ghosts and spirits includes this kind of
being.
Sutra:
If there are kinnaras who wish to transcend their fate, I will appear before
them in the body of a kinnara and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are kinnaras who wish to transcend their fate. "Kinnara," also a
Sanskrit word, means "questionable spirit" (yi shen). They are so called because
they appear to be human, but on their heads is a horn. They are another type of
music spirit that plays music for the Jade Emperor. I will appear before them in
the body of a kinnara and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish
their wish.
Sutra:
If there are mahoragas who wish to be freed from their destiny, I will appear
before them in the body of a mahoraga and speak Dharma for them, enabling them
to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are mahoragas. "Mahoraga" is a Sanskrit word which means "great python
spirit" (da mang shen) and also "earth-dragon" (di long). The dragons mentioned
above can roam in space and are called heavenly dragons. This python, also
called a dragon, is confined to the earth. It does not have spiritual powers.
Mahoragas are also one of the beings of the eightfold division of ghosts and
spirits. If mahoragas wish to be freed from their destiny, I will appear before
them in the body of a mahoraga and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish.
Q5 He responds to people who seek to be people.
Sutra:
If there are living beings who like being people and want to continue to be
people, I will appear in the body of a person and speak Dharma for them,
enabling them to accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are living beings who like being people and want to continue to be
people. They want to be people life after life. They like being a person and
always want to be a person. So Guan Yin Bodhisattva says: I will appear in the
body of a person and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to accomplish their
wish. He will speak Dharma for these kinds of beings and help them to be
successful in their wish.
Q6 He responds to those non-humans who wish to leave their non-human state.
Sutra:
If there are non-humans, whether with form or without form, whether with thought
or without thought, who long to be freed from their destiny, I will appear
before them in a body like theirs and speak Dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish.
Commentary:
If there are non-humans. This refers to animals and creatures other than people
who are with form or without form, with thought or without thought. If there are
beings like this who long to be freed from their destiny, I will appear before
them in a body like theirs and speak dharma for them, enabling them to
accomplish their wish. "With form" means that they have a tangible, visible
shape. "Without form" means that they have no visible shape. There are many
kinds of beings "with thought." Beings "without thought" include earth, wood,
metal, and stone. Beings "without form" originally were sentient beings, but
they have dispersed into emptiness and fallen into oblivion. This is usually a
temporary state, and at some point they can again go through rebirth and become
a person.
P3 Concludes with the name and the reasons.
Sutra:
This is called the wonderful purity of the thirty-two response-bodies, by which
one enters into all lands and accomplishes self-mastery by means of the samadhi
of becoming permeated with hearing and cultivating hearing and by means of the
miraculous strength of effortlessness.
Commentary:
This is called the wonderful purity of the thirty-two response-bodies, by which
one enters into all lands and accomplishes self-mastery by means of the samadhi
of becoming permeated with hearing and cultivating hearing. One develops the
skill of turning back the hearing to hear the self-nature by cultivating every
day. And one applies the miraculous strength of effortlessness. "Effortlessness"
refers to wonderful principle of the unconditioned. With it, there is no need to
go through the conception of an idea and the thought-process of working out the
idea, as people must when they want to do something. The Bodhisattva does not
have to conceive the idea or think it through.
Within samadhi he can do all kinds of things. In the samadhi of becoming
permeated with hearing and cultivating hearing he can attain the miraculous
power of effortlessness. And in this way he accomplishes self-mastery. Very
naturally, matters are taken care of.
O2 Fourteen fearlessnesses.
P1 He relies on kindness.
Sutra:
Also, World Honored One, using this vajra samadhi of becoming permeated with
hearing and cultivating hearing, and using the miraculous strength of
effortlessness, because I have a kind regard equally for all living beings in
the six paths, I go throughout the ten directions and the three periods of time
and cause all living beings who encounter bodies of mine to receive the
meritorious virtue of fourteen kinds of fearlessness.
Commentary:
Also, World Honored One, using this vajra samadhi of becoming permeated with
hearing and cultivating hearing, and using the miraculous strength of
effortlessness, because I have a kind regard equally for all living beings in
the six paths, I have a regard for the kindness of the Buddhadharma, just as do
all beings in the six paths of gods, humans, asuras, animals, hungry ghosts, and
beings in the hells. I go throughout the ten directions and the three periods of
time, past, present, and future. I cultivated the practice of being permeated
with hearing until I attained the vajra samadhi, and I did not need to
conceptualize or think about things in order to be able to do them. I cause all
living beings who encounter bodies of mine to receive the meritorious virtue of
fourteen kinds of fearlessness. I have attained fourteen kinds of virtue in
bestowing fearlessness.
P2 He lists the fourteen fearlessnesses.
Q1 Fearlessness in the eight difficulties.
Sutra:
First: because I do not contemplate sounds for my own sake, but rather listen to
the sounds of those whom I contemplate, I can enable living beings throughout
the ten directions who are suffering and in distress to attain liberation by
contemplating their sounds.
Commentary:
This is the first of the fourteen kinds of fearlessness. First: because I do not
contemplate sounds for my own sake, but rather listen to the sounds of those
whom I contemplate, I can enable living beings throughout the ten directions who
are suffering and in distress to attain liberation by contemplating their
sounds. It's not that he just takes note of his own sound; he contemplates the
sounds of beings in the world. "Since my skill at returning the hearing to hear
the self-nature is accomplished, there is no need for me to contemplate myself.
I can contemplate all the living beings in the world and enable those who are
anguished to be freed. I listen, regarding their sounds of suffering, and I
enable them to attain liberation."
Sutra:
Second: since my knowledge and views have turned around and come back, I can
make it so that if living beings are caught in a raging fire, the fire will not
burn them.
Commentary:
Second: since my knowledge and views have turned around and come back, that is,
since Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva has the skill of returning the light to illumine
within, I can make it so that if living beings are caught in a raging fire, the
fire will not burn them. If such a living being can recite the name of Guan Yin
Bodhisattva and can cultivate, then if he enters a great fire, the fire will not
be able to burn him.
Sutra:
Third: since contemplation and listening have turned around and come back, I can
make it so that if living beings are floundering in deep water, the water cannot
drown them.
Commentary:
Someone says, "I will test Guan Yin Bodhisattva to see if he'll really respond.
I'll sit on a pile of wood and set it afire and see if I burn up." In that case,
you'll certainly burn. "But why does the sutra say that if you enter a great
fire it will not burn you?" That's because the "if" means that it happens to you
without your intending it.
Someone else says, "Guan Yin Bodhisattva says that if one is caught in deep
water, one will not be drowned, so I'll just jump into the ocean and see if I
drown." Again, you're sure to drown. It is when you unexpectedly meet with
suffering or difficulty that Guan Yin Bodhisattva will rescue you. But if your
intention is to test him out, he will pay no attention to you, because basically
you don't believe in Guan Yin Bodhisattva. If you really believed in him, there
would be no reason to test him out. The safest thing would be not to test him
out.
Sutra:
Fourth: since false thinking is cut off, and my mind is without thoughts of
killing or harming, I can make it so that if living beings enter the territory
of ghosts, the ghosts cannot harm them.
Commentary:
If false thinking is cut off, and you don't have any ideas of killing or
harming, and if you can recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, you can enable
beings who enter the region of rakshasa ghosts to not be harmed by the ghosts.
Sutra:
Fifth: since I am permeated with hearing and have brought hearing to
accomplishment, so that the six sense-organs have dissolved and returned to
become identical with hearing, I can make it so that if living beings are about
to be wounded, the knives will break into pieces. I can cause swords of war to
have no more effect than if they were to slice into water, or if one were to
blow upon light.
Commentary:
Fifth: since I am permeated with hearing and have brought hearing to
accomplishment, so that the six sense-organs have dissolved and returned to
become identical with hearing, that is, when the skill of cultivating the return
of the hearing to hear the self-nature is accomplished, the six sense-organs
function mutually. Then I can make it so that if living beings are about to be
wounded, the knives will break into pieces. For instance, suppose someone takes
up a knife with the intent of cutting off someone's head. Just as the blade is
about to fall, the knife of itself breaks into pieces. I can cause swords of war
to have no more effect than if they were to slice into water, or if one were to
blow upon light. I can cause the sharp weapon which is about to cut into
someone's shoulder to have the effect of slicing into water: that is, once it
has passed through, it is gone, and no injury is sustained. Or, I can make the
cut of the blade have the effect of blowing upon light: that is, no effect,
since no matter how much you blow on light, it will not move.
Sutra:
Sixth: when the hearing permeates and the essence is bright, light pervades the
dharma-realm, so that absolutely no darkness remains. I am then able to make it
so that, though yakshas, rakshasas, kumbhandas, pishachas, and putanas may draw
near to living beings, the ghosts will not be able to see them.
Commentary:
Sixth: when the hearing permeates and the essence is bright, that is, when the
skill of returning the hearing to hear the selfnature is perfected, light
pervades the dharma-realm, so that absolutely no darkness remains. The darkness
disappears. I am then able to make it so that, though yakshas, rakshasas,
kumbhandas, pishachas, and putanas may draw near to living beings, the ghosts
will not be able to see them. "Yakshas" are male ghosts, "rakshasas" are female
ghosts. Both kinds are extremely fierce. Their diet consists of human corpses.
They have certain mantras which are powerful enough to remove the stench of the
corpse so they can stand to eat the flesh. "Kumbhanda" is also the name of a
king of ghosts. Kumbhanda are shaped like barrels and give people nightmares.
For instance, when people are asleep they may see a weird apparition; though in
their dream they are mentally alert, they can't move physically. They become
paralyzed through the efforts of the nightmare ghosts. Sometimes, if a person's
yang energies are weak and his yin energies prevail, the person can be paralyzed
for a long time, and the ghost can eventually cause the person's death. This
kind of ghost abounds in this world.
"Pishachas" are ghosts that eat human essence and energy and also the essence of
grains. "Putanas" are "rulers of fevers." They can cause people to get sick and
have a fever. If you cultivate the skill of returning the hearing to hear the
self-nature, or if you recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, then these
ghosts cannot see you, though they may come right up beside you, because you
emit light which they fear. Actually, owls and bats can see at any time. Since
the ghosts belong to yin, they cannot see you if you have yang light. They can
only find you if you give off yin energy.
Sutra:
Seventh: when the nature of sound completely melts away and contemplation and
hearing return and enter, so that I am separate from false and defiling
sense-objects, I am able to make it so that if living beings are confined by
cangues and fetters, the locks will not hold them.
Commentary:
Seventh: when the nature of sound completely melts away and contemplation and
hearing return and enter, so that I am separate from false and defiling
sense-objects. There is no sound, and even the nature of sound disappears when
one returns the act of contemplating and listening back to oneself. One leaves
behind the defiling sense objects and all false thinking. Then I am able to make
it so that if living beings are confined by cangues and fetters, the locks will
not hold them. If you recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, the locks fall
open by themselves. This happens quite often; a lot of people have had this
experience. It's not just a manner of speaking. If people sincerely recite the
name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, there can be responses like this.
Once there was a person who committed a crime and was put in jail. He and seven
or eight other prisoners recited the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. How did he
know about doing that? He knew a monk and had asked the monk to save him from
his plight. The monk had said, "If you want me to save you, you must
singlemindedly recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva; then you will be able to
get out of this predicament." The prisoner recited Guan Yin Bodhisattva's name
for three days and three nights and then the locks on his cangue and chains
spontaneously opened and he was free to go. But he did not go. "What meaning
would there be in my going if the others have to stay here?" was his thought. So
he taught the others to recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. After two more
days of recitation, the locks on the other prisoners also fell away. They all
returned to their homes. After that, they singlemindedly recited the name of
Guan Yin Bodhisattva; they recited so sincerely that they caused everyone in the
village to take up the practice as well.
Sutra:
Eighth: when sound is gone and the hearing is perfected, an all-pervasive power
of compassion arises, and I can make it so that if living beings are travelling
a dangerous road, thieves will not rob them.
Commentary:
Eighth: when sound is gone and the hearing is perfected, an all-pervasive power
of compassion arises. The sounds of the mundane world cease, and by turning the
hearing back to hear the self-nature, one's hearing is perfected, which means
that without using the mind to cognize the hearing, one can hear all sounds. I
can make it so that if living beings are travelling a dangerous road, thieves
will not rob them.
Q2 Fearlessness with the three poisons.
Sutra:
Ninth: when one is permeated with hearing, one separates from worldly objects,
and forms cannot rob one. Then I can make it so that living beings with a great
deal of desire can leave greed and desire far behind.
Commentary:
The ninth fearlessness is to be separate from greed and desire. When one is
permeated with hearing, one separates from worldly objects, and forms cannot rob
one. If one cultivates day after day until the skill of returning the hearing to
hear the selfnature is perfected, one can be apart from all superficial states.
In particular, one can separate from the realm of the defiling objects of form.
People should not think that beautiful forms are good to get involved with. If
you love a beautiful form, it will plunder the treasures of your household. It
will take your most ancient and valuable gems and steal them away from you.
Rather, it should be that:
Eyes contemplate the shapes of forms,
but inside there is nothing.
Ears hear the worldly sounds,
but the mind does not know.
When you see a beautiful form, your attitude of mind should be that it is as if
you had not seen it. If you see a beautiful form and your mind moves, ask
yourself why your mind didn't move before you saw it. Don't let forms rob you of
the wealth of your household. Guan Yin Bodhisattva says: I can make it so that
living beings with a great deal of desire can leave greed and desire far behind.
A passage in the "Chapter on the Universal Door of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva" of
the Lotus Sutra reads: "If people with a great deal of desire can constantly be
mindful and respectful of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva, they can get rid of their
desire." That is the meaning of the present lines of text, as well. "A great
deal of desire" specifically refers to sexual desire. The biggest problem in
human life, the one that is nearly impossible to resolve, is sexual desire. To
see through the involvements of men and women and put them down is genuine
liberation. If you can't see through them and put them down, you cannot get
free, and you cannot become enlightened. If you are really adept in your skill,
then when you eat you won't know you're eating, and when you are dressed you
won't know you're wearing clothes. If you can forget about eating and wearing
clothes, you will be even more able to renounce external things. If men can
forget about their girlfriends and women can forget about their boyfriends, if
you can smash through that state, then your skill will have some substance to
it. How much the less should you get hung up with your sisters and brothers,
your sons and daughters, and the whole lot of relatives.
To study the Buddhadharma, you have to put everything down. During the period in
which you are studying the Buddhadharma, you should pay no regard to anything
else. You should be like a new person just beginning again, and you should
forget about all the events of the past. In that way the water of Dharma can
moisten your Bodhi heart. If you can't put this down and can't renounce that,
then the water of Dharma has no way to nourish your Bodhi heart. If you can
constantly recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva and pay respect to Guan Yin
Bodhisattva, then your thoughts of desire will disappear.
The most important aspect of cultivating the Way is cutting off thoughts of
sexual desire. If you cannot do that, you cannot get out of the triple realm.
You can't decide that you want to become enlightened and still not be able to
part with the experiences of this world. If you can't separate from the affairs
of this world, you cannot become a Buddha. You can't have both. Mencius said it
well:
You can't have fish and bear-paws at the same time. Although one may like to eat
fish and to eat bear-paws, there is no way one can eat both in the same bite. By
the same token, you cannot have worldly pleasures and transcendental bliss at
the same time. You want to become a Buddha, but you can't part with mundane
wealth, forms, fame, food, and sleep. There's no way you can bring that off.
Sutra:
Tenth: when sound is so pure that there is no defiling object, the sense-organ
and the external state are perfectly fused, without any complement and without
anything complemented. Then I can make it so that living beings who are full of
rage and hate can leave all hatred.
Commentary:
The tenth fearlessness: when sound is so pure that there is no defiling object,
the sense-organ and the external state are perfectly fused. When one returns the
hearing to hear the selfnature, the sound becomes pure, which just means that
there isn't any sound. The sound is empty, and the defiling object disappears.
Then there is fusion of the six sense-organs and the state of the six
sense-objects. In this world, anything evil, no matter what it is, can become
good if you know how to deal with it. And good things can turn evil if you
cannot deal with them. Earlier in the sutra the Buddhas of the ten directions
told Ananda that the six thieving sense-organs are what causes one to fall, and
that the six sense organs are also what enables one to accomplish Buddhahood. It
is the six sense-organs and nothing else. If you use them well, they can help
you. If you are unable to use them, they can destroy you. It's just like money:
when you have it, if you realize that you should do meritorious things with it
and perform all kinds of good deeds to benefit beings, then your money has not
be spent badly. But if you use the money to gamble and for opium and various
other unwholesome things, then you have used your money to commit offenses. The
principle is the same with the six sense-organs.
When the sound is gone and the organs and objects are in perfect accord, there
is no complement or anything complemented. They are non-dual; they have become
one. They are united and so there aren't any sense-organs or sense-objects, and
yet the sense-organs are just sense-organs, and the sense-objects are just
sense-objects. There is no matching of sense-organs with senseobjects when one
reaches this state. Then I can make it so that living beings who are full of
rage and hate can leave all hatred. I can cause living beings' big tempers and
fiery natures and their massive hatred to disappear. "Hatred" refers to getting
angry and having afflictions. The Dharma Flower Sutra says: "If people who have
a lot of anger can constantly be mindful and respectful of Guan Shi Yin
Bodhisattva, they can get rid of their hatred."
The essential point here is being constantly mindful. It's not that you recite
today but not tomorrow; recite this morning but not tonight; it's not that you
recite this month but not next month. You must recite every day for your
practice to be worthy of being called constant mindfulness. And "respectful"
does not mean that you recite but never really believe in the Buddha. You harbor
a doubt: "Can it really be this way? Is there such a power?" Once you start to
question it, you won't be able to be successful. So with faith and constant
mindfulness and respect for Guan Yin Bodhisattva, you won't have a temper any
more. You won't be so fiery, and you won't have such huge afflictions. You'll
leave them far behind.
Sutra:
Eleventh: when the dust has gone and has turned to light, the dharma-realm and
the body and mind are like crystal, transparent and unobstructed. Then I can
make it so that all dark and dull-witted beings whose natures are obstructed,
all atyantikas, can be forever free from stupidity and darkness.
Commentary:
Eleventh: when the dust has gone and has turned to light. When the states of the
six sense-organs and six sense-objects melt away, we emit a light. Then, the
dharma-realm and the body and mind are like crystal. The body and mind are the
dharma-realm, and the dharma-realm is the body and mind. They become one. The
body and mind pervade the dharma-realm; isn't that the state of a Buddha? That's
also the way Guan Yin Bodhisattva is. The body and mind become like crystal,
transparent and unobstructed. From inside one can see outside, and from outside
one can see inside. There is no inside, outside, big, or little. That's like the
monk, Da Xiu (Great Rest), from Ling Yen mountain. He deserved his name. He
built himself a tomb out of rock just big enough to sit in. Then he made a door
for it out of stone and carved a couplet beside it, one line on either side of
the door. The couplet went like this:
No big, no little, no inside or out.
I cultivated, I understood, and
I took care of myself.
That is, he did his own cultivation, came to understand by himself, and then
made his own funeral arrangements. After he finished the couplet he sat down in
the tomb, closed the door, and completed extinction. He entered nirvana. That is
an inconceivable state. So when he took his rest, it was indeed a great one. How
vast was his liberation! How free he was! I met this monk at Su Zhou at Ling Yen
mountain. He cultivated for himself and took care of everything else as well. He
wasn't any trouble for anyone. Then I can make it so that all dark and
dull-witted beings whose natures are obstructed, all atyantikas, can be forever
free from stupidity and darkness. They have no wisdom and so they cannot see
through and clearly understand anything, just like a dull knife that can't cut
clean. They mistake right for wrong and wrong for right. But Guan Yin
Bodhisattva can enable these beings to be separate from obstructions that cover
them over. "Atyantikas" is a Sanskrit word that means "unwholesome mind." If you
suggest that such a being do something good, he cannot. Rather than give up a
penny for some good use, he grips it clutched in his fist with such force that
the copper melts. If you tell him to help someone, his reaction is that it's
stupid. "My money's for me to spend. Why should I help other people?" However,
Guan Yin Bodhisattva can help such people get out of their stupidity, their dark
viewpoint. Someone who doesn't help others doesn't have any light in his own
self-nature, and therefore is the stupidest kind of person there is. The
passages just previously discussed greed and hatred. This section concerns
stupidity. The Dharma Flower Sutra says, "If people with a lot of stupidity can
constantly be mindful and respectful of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva, they can get
rid of their stupidity."
Once there was an extremely wealthy man who really loved money and was loath to
give it up. He had three sons. He named the first son "Gold." "Silver" was the
name of the second son. The third son, he was afraid, would do good deeds with
his money instead of hoarding it, so he named him "Karmic Obstacle." When he was
about to die he called his first son to his side and said, "I'm about to go.
Will you go with me?"
Gold said, "You're nuts. How could I die with you? You ordinarily love me best.
Why is it when it comes time for you to die you want to harm me?" Gold would not
go with him.
"Well, I'll talk it over with the second son," the father thought, and he called
in Silver. "Your older brother won't accompany me in death. Will you? You're
usually very filial."
The second son said, "If you're dying, do it by yourself. Although I'm your son,
I can't follow you into death. You're getting eccentric. I'm too young to die."
Gold wouldn't go with him, and neither would Silver.
He called in his third son, Karmic Obstacle. "Usually you're very disobedient,
so I'm not very fond of you. But now I'm about to die, and Gold and Silver won't
go with me. Can you think it over and decide if you can accompany me?"
Karmic Obstacle said, "There's no need for me to think it over. Of course I'll
go. Now you see that Gold and Silver, whom you're so fond of, don't stand up to
the test. But I, Karmic Obstacle, will follow you wherever you go. In birth I
will accompany you, and in death I will join you. So who's most filial after
all, tell me?" None of the myriad things can go. Only karma will follow you. The
old man reflected upon all the gold and silver he had accumulated that would go
for the pleasures of his first and second son, while he himself had to die. He
experienced deep regret. "If only I had built a temple or a Bodhimanda while
there was still time," he thought. "But now that I'm dying, it's too late." The
moral of the story is, don't be like the old man. If you have the means, do good
deeds.
Q3 Fearlessness for those with the two kinds of seeking.
Sutra:
Twelfth: when matter dissipates and returns to the hearing, then unmoving in the
Bodhimanda I can travel through worlds without destroying the appearance of
those worlds. I can make offerings to as many Buddhas, Thus Come Ones, as there
are fine motes of dust throughout the ten directions. At the side of each Buddha
I become a dharma prince, and I can make it so that childless living beings
throughout the dharma-realm who wish to have sons, are blessed with meritorious,
virtuous, and wise sons.
Commentary:
Twelfth: when matter dissipates and returns to the hearing, when the physical
body is transformed and goes back to the nature of hearing, then unmoving in the
Bodhimanda I can travel through worlds without destroying the appearance of
those worlds. "The unmoving Bodhimanda" means that he stays in his original
Way-place. For instance, Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva is here at the Buddhist
lecture hall, but although he is here, he can travel throughout the world. He
hasn't moved from here, but his transformation bodies are in all places. And the
worlds are not destroyed. With his dharma body he can make offerings to as many
Buddhas, Thus Come Ones, as there are fine motes of dust throughout the ten
directions. He goes throughout the ten directions doing the Buddha's work. At
the side of each Buddha I become a Dharma prince, and I can make it so that
childless living beings throughout the dharma-realm who wish to have sons, are
blessed with meritorious, virtuous, and wise sons.
Sutra:
Thirteenth: with perfect penetration of the six sense organs, the light and what
is illumined are not two. Encompassing the ten directions, a great perfect
mirror stands in the empty treasury of the Thus Come One. I inherit the secret
dharma-doors of as many Thus Come Ones as there are fine motes of dust
throughout the ten directions. Receiving them without loss, I am able to make it
so that childless living beings throughout the dharma-realm who seek daughters
are blessed with lovely daughters who are upright, virtuous, and compliant and
whom everyone cherishes and respects.
Commentary:
Thirteenth: with perfect penetration of the six sense-organs, the light and what
is illumined are not two. Encompassing the ten directions, a great perfect
mirror stands in the empty treasury of the Thus Come One. The eyes, ears, nose,
tongue, body, and mind are unobstructed and perfectly interpenetrated.
Everything comes together to one. The six organs function interchangeably.
It is as if a huge mirror were set up and the treasury of the Thus Come One is
empty. I inherit the secret dharma-doors of as many Thus Come Ones as there are
fine motes of dust throughout the ten directions. Receiving them without loss, I
am able to make it so that childless living beings throughout the dharma-realm
who seek daughters are blessed with lovely daughters who are upright, virtuous,
and compliant and whom everyone cherishes and respects. If someone wants a
daughter, they will have a daughter who is proper, has virtue, and is easy to
get along with. Everyone who sees this girl will be fond of her and respect her.
She will be a lovely girl with perfect features.
Q4 Fearlessness in those who hold the name.
Sutra:
Fourteenth: in this three-thousand-great-thousand world system with its billions
of suns and moons, as many dharma princes as there are grains of sand in
sixty-two Ganges Rivers appear in the world and cultivate the dharma. They act
as models in order to teach and transform living beings. They comply with living
beings by means of expedients and wisdom, in different ways for each.
Commentary:
The fourteenth kind of fearlessness: this three-thousandgreat- thousand world
system with its billions of suns and moons, as many Dharma princes as there are
grains of sand in sixty-two Ganges Rivers appear in the world, they are living
in the world right now, and cultivate the dharma. They act as models in order to
teach and transform living beings. They comply with the wishes of living beings
by means of expedients and wisdom. They use skill-in-means and provisional
wisdom in different ways for each kind of living being that is ready to be
taught, since each being is different.
Sutra:
However, because I have obtained the perfect penetration of the sense-organ and
have discovered the wonder of the ear entrance, after which my body and mind
subtly and miraculously included all of the dharma-realm, I am able to make it
so that living beings who uphold my name obtain as much merit and virtue as
would be obtained by a person who upheld the names of all those Dharma princes
who are as many as the grains of sand in sixty-two Ganges Rivers.
Commentary:
However, because I have obtained the perfect penetration of the sense-organ and
have discovered the wonder of the earentrance. I, Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva,
obtained perfect penetration through the organ of the ear and realized the
subtleties of the ear, after which my body and mind subtly and miraculously
included all of the dharma-realm. This subtle state pervaded everything
throughout the dharma-realm. Therefore, I am able to make it so that living
beings who uphold my name, who recite the name of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva,
obtain as much merit and virtue as would be obtained by a person who upheld the
names of all those dharma princes who are as many as the grains of sand in
sixty-two Ganges Rivers. One person recites only the name of Guan Shi Yin
Bodhisattva, and another person recites the names of as many Bodhisattvas as
there are sands in sixty-two Ganges Rivers. The reward of blessings each person
obtains will be identical. This shows how magnificent the merit and virtue of
Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva are.
Sutra:
World Honored One, there is no difference between the merit of my one name and
the merit of those many other names, because from my cultivation I obtained true
and perfect penetration.
Commentary:
World Honored One, there is no difference between the merit of my one name, the
name, Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva, and the merit of those many other names, that
is, the Bodhisattvas who are as many as the grains of sand in sixty-two Ganges
Rivers. How can this be? How can the merit of one name be the same as that of so
many? It is because from my cultivation I obtained true and perfect penetration.
P3 Concludes with the name and shows the benefits.
Sutra:
These are called the fourteen powers of bestowing fearlessness; with them I
bless living beings.
Commentary:
These are called the fourteen powers of bestowing fearlessness; with them I
bless living beings. I come to their aid. Whenever someone seeks something, I
will respond.
O3 Four inconceivables.
P1 He bases himself on the comfort and power of perfect penetration.
P2 The inconceivable identical embodiment of mantras.
Sutra:
Moreover, World Honored One, because I obtained perfect penetration and
cultivated to certification of the unsurpassed path, I also became endowed with
four inconceivable and effortless wonderful virtues.
First: as soon as I obtained the miraculous wonder of hearing the mind, the mind
became essential and the hearing was forgotten, therefore, there was no
distinction between seeing, hearing, sensation, and knowing. I achieved a
single, perfect fusion, pure and precious enlightenment. For this reason, I am
able to manifest many wonderful appearances and can proclaim boundless secret
spiritual mantras.
Commentary:
Moreover, World Honored One, because I obtained perfect penetration and
cultivated to certification of the unsurpassed path, I also became endowed with
four inconceivable and effortless wonderful virtues. What are these four
inconceivable virtues? First: as soon as I obtained the miraculous wonder of
hearing the mind, the mind became essential and the hearing was forgotten. When
I first acquired the skill of returning the hearing to hear the self-nature,
that wonder of wonders, my mind became essential and the hearing was forgotten.
The true mind manifests, and one reaches an essential and wonderful place. Once
the hearing disappeared, there was no distinction between seeing, hearing,
sensation, and knowing. The other sensations were interfused and could not be
divided. I achieved a single, perfect fusion, pure and precious enlightenment.
This means he accomplished a oneness without any distinctions between self and
others. For this reason, I am able to manifest many wonderful appearances and
can proclaim boundless secret spiritual mantras.
Sutra:
For example, I may make appear one head, three heads, five heads, seven heads,
nine heads, eleven heads, and so forth, until there may be a hundred and eight
heads, a thousand heads, ten thousand heads, or eighty-four thousand vajra
heads.
Commentary:
Not only does Guan Yin Bodhisattva have a thousand hands and a thousand eyes,
but also myriad heads, as many as eighty-four thousand of them. The appearances
which Guan Yin Bodhisattva makes include, he says, one head, three heads, the
three-faced Guan Yin, five heads, the five-faced Guan Yin, seven heads, the
seven-faced Guan Yin, or nine heads, eleven heads, and so forth, until there may
be a hundred and eight heads, a thousand heads, ten thousand heads, or
eighty-four thousand vajra heads. "Vajra" means strong and firm.
Sutra:
Two arms, four arms, six arms, eight arms, ten arms, twelve arms, fourteen,
sixteen, eighteen arms, or twenty arms, twenty-four arms, and so forth until
there may be a hundred and eight arms, a thousand arms, ten thousand arms, or
eighty-four thousand mudra arms.
Commentary:
Guan Yin Bodhisattva can also manifest two arms, four arms, six arms, eight
arms, ten arms, twelve arms, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen arms, or twenty arms,
twenty-four arms. Or perhaps he manifests a hundred and eight arms, a thousand
arms, ten thousand arms as many as eighty-four thousand mudra arms. "Mudra" is a
Sanskrit word that means "seal-hand." On one's hand there is a seal-imprint.
Sutra:
Two eyes, three eyes, four eyes, nine eyes, and so forth until there may be a
hundred and eight eyes, a thousand eyes, ten thousand eyes, or eighty-four
thousand pure and precious eyes, sometimes compassionate, sometimes awesome,
sometimes in samadhi, sometimes displaying wisdom to rescue and protect living
beings so that they may attain great self-mastery.
Commentary:
The dharma body of Guan Yin Bodhisattva can manifest two eyes, three eyes, four
eyes, nine eyes, and so forth until there may be a hundred and eight eyes, a
thousand eyes, ten thousand eyes, or eighty-four thousand pure and precious
eyes. How can Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva manifest so many transformations and
appearances? It is because he cultivated the Great Compassion Mantra and the
Forty-two Hands and Eyes on the cause-ground, so that, on the ground of
fruition, when his cultivation was perfected, he had endless transformations.
Sometimes compassionate, sometimes awesome, sometimes in samadhi, sometimes
displaying wisdom. His eyes are perhaps compassionate, or maybe their light is
awesome. Perhaps his eyes display the light of samadhi or of wisdom. He appears
this way in order to rescue and protect living beings so that they may attain
great self-mastery.
P3 The inconceivable embodiment of different mantras.
Sutra:
Second: because of hearing and consideration, I escaped the six defiling
objects, just as a sound leaps over a wall without hindrance. And so I have the
wonderful ability to manifest shape after shape and to recite mantra upon
mantra. These shapes and these mantras dispel the fears of living beings.
Therefore, throughout the ten directions, in as many lands as there are fine
motes of dust, I am known as one who bestows fearlessness.
Commentary:
The second effortless, wonderful virtue: Because of hearing and consideration, I
escaped the six defiling objects. I cultivated the wisdom of hearing and the
wisdom of consideration and got out of forms, smells, tastes, objects of touch,
and dharmas. I was not attached to them. It was just as a sound leaps over a
wall without hindrance. And so I have the wonderful ability to manifest shape
after shape and to recite mantra upon mantra. These shapes I appear in and these
mantras I recite dispel the fears of living beings. They have the power of
bestowing fearlessness. Therefore, throughout the ten directions, in as many
lands as there are fine motes of dust, I am known as one who bestows
fearlessness.
P4 The inconceivable destruction of greed in response to those who seek.
Sutra:
Third: because I cultivated fundamental, wonderful, perfect penetration and
purified the sense-organ, everywhere I go in any world I can make it so that
living beings renounce their physical and material valuables to seek my
sympathy.
Commentary:
Third: because I cultivated fundamental, wonderful, perfect penetration and
purified the sense-organ. He is referring to the fundamental purity of the
ear-organ, the hearing nature. Everywhere I go in any world I can make it so
that living beings renounce their physical and material valuables to seek my
sympathy. They will give up their very bodies and lives and their valuable
possessions in search of my aid.
P5 The inconceivable offerings to Buddhas and aid to
living beings.
Sutra:
Fourth: I obtained the Buddhas' mind and was certified as having attained the
ultimate end, and so I can make offerings of rare treasures to the Thus Come
Ones of the ten directions and to living beings in the six paths throughout the
dharma-realm.
Commentary:
The fourth inconceivable and effortless, wonderful virtue: I obtained the
Buddhas' mind and was certified as having attained the ultimate end. I obtained
the true mind of the treasury of the Thus Come One. "Ultimate end" means the
final fruition of Buddhahood. And so I can make offerings of rare treasures to
the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions and to living beings in the six paths
throughout the dharma-realm. Whatever they want, I will fulfill their wishes.
Sutra:
If they seek a spouse, they obtain a spouse. If they seek children, they can
have children. Seeking samadhi, they obtain samadhi; seeking long life, they
obtain long life, and so forth to the extent that if they seek the great
nirvana, they obtain great nirvana.
Commentary:
Whatever living beings in the six paths wish will be granted them. Guan Yin
Bodhisattva realizes that everyone wants a good spouse, so if they seek a
spouse, they obtain a spouse. If they want a good wife, they will find a
beautiful one. That's the foremost wish of living beings. Once they have a
spouse, they hope for good children. So the second thing Guan Yin Bodhisattva
does is grant children. If they seek children, they can have children. If they
want sons, they get sons. If they wish for daughters, they will have daughters.
Third, he says, seeking samadhi, they obtain samadhi; seeking long life, they
obtain long life. If one has a wife and children and still feels that there is
no meaning to human life and so brings forth a resolve to transcend the world
and seek samadhi, then one can attain samadhi. Some are seeking long life, and
so they obtain long life. They want to become immortal and never die, and they
are able to do so. And so forth to the extent that if they seek the great
nirvana, they obtain great nirvana. If beings seek to become a Buddha, they can
attain the fruition of Buddhahood.
M4 He concludes his answer about accomplishing perfect
penetration.
Sutra:
The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. From the gateway of the ear, I
obtained a perfect and illumining samadhi. The conditioned mind was at ease, and
therefore I entered the appearance of the flow, and obtaining samadhi, I
accomplished Bodhi. This is the foremost method.
Commentary:
The Buddha asks about perfect penetration. The Buddha asks all his disciples how
they first obtained the expedient of perfect penetration. From the gateway of
the ear, I obtained a perfect and illumining samadhi. I cultivated the nature of
hearing and accomplished samadhi-power. The conditioned mind was at ease, and
therefore I entered the appearance of the flow, and obtaining samadhi, I
accomplished Bodhi. This is the foremost method. The mind that climbs on
conditions was gone, and I attained self-mastery. I returned the hearing to hear
the self-nature, and the nature accomplished the Unsurpassed Way. This is the
best method.
Sutra:
World Honored One, that Buddha, the Thus Come One, praised me as having obtained
well the dharma-door of perfect penetration. In the great assembly he bestowed a
prediction upon me and the name, Guan Shi Yin.
Commentary:
World Honored One, that Buddha, the Thus Come One, praised me as having obtained
well the dharma-door of perfect penetration. "That Buddha" refers to the Guan
Shi Yin Thus Come One of old. He praised the ease with which I obtained perfect
penetration. In the great assembly he bestowed a prediction upon me and the
name, Guan Shi Yin. He named me "Contemplator of the Worlds" Sounds," the same
name he had himself.
Sutra:
Because my contemplation and listening is perfectly clear throughout the ten
directions, the name Guan Shi Yin pervades all the realms of the ten directions.
Commentary:
Because my contemplation and listening is perfectly clear throughout the ten
direction, that is, because every place throughout the ten directions, to the
bounds of the dharma-realm, came together, and I experienced a perfect clarity,
therefore, the name Guan Shi Yin pervades all the realms of the ten directions.
In every Buddhaland throughout the ten directions the name Guan Shi Yin is
known.