Buddhism: The Lotus Sutra
CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER CALLED THAT OF THE ALL-SIDED ONE, CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION
OF THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF AVALOKITESVARA.
Thereafter the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati rose from his
seat, put his upper robe upon one shoulder, stretched his joined
hands towards the Lord (Buddha), and said: For what reason, O Lord, is the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara called Avalokitesvara? So he
asked, and the Lord (Buddha) answered to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva
Akshayamati: All the hundred thousands of myriads of kolis of
creatures, young man of good family, who in this world are suffering
troubles will, if they hear the name of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva
Avalokitesvara, be released from that mass of troubles. Those who
shall keep the name of this Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara,
young man of good family, will, if they fall into a great mass of
fire, be delivered therefrom by virtue of the lustre of the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva. In case, young man of good family,
creatures, carried off by the current of rivers, should implore the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara, all rivers will afford them a
ford. In case,young man of good family, many hundred thousand
myriads of kotis of creatures, sailing in a ship on the ocean,
should see their bullion, gold, gems, pearls, lapis lazuli, conch
shells, stones (?), corals, emeralds, Musaragalvas, read pearls (?),
and other goods lost, and the ship by a vehement, untimely gale cast
on the island of Giantesses, and if in that ship a single being
implores Avalokitesvara, all will be saved from that island of
Giantesses. For that reason, young man of good family, the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara is named Avalokitesvara.
If a man given up to capital punishment implores Avalokitesvara,
young man of good family, the swords of the executioners shall snap
asunder. Further, young man of good family, if the whole triple
chiliocosm were teeming with goblins and giants, they would by
virtue of the name of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara
being pronounced lose the faculty of sight in their wicked designs.
If some creature, young man of good family, shall be bound in wooden
or iron manacles, chains or fetters, be he guilty or innocent, then
those manacles, chains or fetters shall give way as soon as the name
of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara is pronounced. Such,
young man of good family, is the power of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva
Avalokitesvara. If this whole triple chiliocosm, young man of good
family, were teeming with knaves, enemies, and robbers armed with
swords, and if a merchant leader of a caravan marched with a caravan
rich in jewels; if then they perceived those robbers, knaves, and
enemies armed with swords, and in their anxiety and fright thought
themselves helpless; if, further, that leading merchant spoke to the
caravan in this strain: Be not afraid, young gentlemen, be not
frightened; invoke, all of you, with one voice the Bodhisattva
Mahasattva Avalokitesvara, the giver of safety; then you shall be
delivered from this danger by which you are threatened at the hands
of robbers and enemies; if then the whole caravan with one voice
invoked Avalokitesvara with the words: Adoration, adoration be to
the giver of safety, to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva! then,
by the mere act of pronouncing that name, the caravan would be
released from all danger. Such, young man of good family, is the
power of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara. In case
creatures act under the impulse of impure passion, young man of good
family, they will, after adoring the Bodhisattva Mahasattva
Avalokitesvara, be freed from passion. Those who act under the
impulse of hatred will, after adoring the Bodhisattva Mahasattva
Avalokitesvara, be freed from hatred. Those who act under the
impulse of infatuation will, after adoring the Bodhisattva
Mahasattva Avalokitesvara, be freed from infatuation. So mighty,
young man of good family, is the Bodhisattva Mahasattva
Avalokitesvara. If a woman, desirous of male offspring, young man of
good family, adores the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, she shall get a
son, nice, handsome, and beautiful; one possessed of the
characteristics of a male child, generally beloved and winning, who
has planted good roots. If a woman is desirous of getting a
daughter, a nice, handsome, beautiful girl shall be born to her; one
possessed of the (good) characteristics of a girl, generally beloved
and winning, who has planted good roots. Such, young man of good
family, is the power of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara.
Those who adore the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara will
derive from it an unfailing profit. Suppose, young man of good
family, (on one hand) some one adoring the Bodhisattva Mahasattva
Avalokitesvara and cherishing his name; (on the other hand) another
adoring a number of Lords Buddhas equal to sixty-two times the sands
of the river Ganges, cherishing their names and worshipping so many
Lords Buddhas during their stay, existence, and life, by giving
robes, alms-bowls, couches, medicaments for the sick; how great is
then in thine opinion, young man of good family, the accumulation of
pious merit which that young gentleman or young lady will produce in
consequence of it? So asked, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati
said to the Lord (Buddha): Great, O Lord, great, O Sugata, is the pious merit
which that young gentleman or young lady will produce in consequence
of it. the Lord (Buddha) proceeded: Now, young man of good family, the
accumulation of pious merit produced by that young gentleman paying
homage to so many Lords Buddhas, and the accumulation of pious merit
produced by him who performs were it but a single act of adoration
to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara and cherishes his name,
are equal. He who adores a number of Lords Buddhas equal to
sixty-two times the sands of the river Ganges and cherishes their
names, and he who adores the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara
and cherishes his name, have an equal accumulation of pious merit;
both masses of pious merit are not easy to be destroyed even in
hundred thousands of myriads of kotis of Æons. So immense, young man
of good family, is the pious merit resulting from cherishing the
name of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara.
Again the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati said to the Lord (Buddha): How,
O Lord, is it that the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara
frequents this Saha-world? And how does he preach the law? Andwhich
is the range of the skilfulness of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva
Avalokitesvara? So asked, the Lord (Buddha) replied to the Bodhisattva
Mahasattva Akshayamati: In some worlds, young man of good family,
the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara preaches the law to
creatures in the shape of a Buddha; in others he does so in the
shape of a Bodhisattva. To some beings he shows the law in the shape
of a Pratyekabuddha; to others he does so in the shape of a
disciple; to others again under that of Brahma, Indra, or a
Gandharva. To those who are to be converted by a goblin, he preaches
the law assuming the shape of a goblin; to those who are to be
converted by Isvara, he preaches the law in the shape of isvara; to
those who are to be converted by Mahesvara, he preaches assuming the
shape of Mahesvara. To those who are to be converted by a
Kakravartin [This term is ambiguous; it means both 'the mover of the
wheel', i.e. Vishnu, and 'an emperor'], he shows the law after
assuming the shape of a Kakravartin; to those who are to be
converted by an imp, he shows the law under the shape of an imp; to
those who are to be converted by Kubera, he shows the law by
appearing in the shape of Kubera; to those who are to be converted
by Senapati [Ambiguous; the word denotes both 'the
commander-in-chief of the army of the gods, Skanda,' and 'a
commander-in-chief in general'], he preaches in the shape of
Senapati ; to those who are to be converted by assuming a Brahman
[the Brahman may be Brihaspati] , he preaches in the shape of a
Brahman; to those who are to be converted by Vagrapani [Vagrapani is
the name of one of the Dhyanibuddhas, and of certain geniuses, and
an ephitet of Indra] , he preaches in the shape of Vagrapani [The
function of Avalokitesvara, as it appears from these passages, agree
with those of Gadgadasvara mentioned in the foregoing chapter]. With
such inconceivable qualities, young man of good family, is the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara endowed. Therefore then, young
man of good family, honour the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara.
The Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara, young man of good family,
affords safety to those who are in anxiety. On that account one
calls him in this Saha-world Abhayandada (i. e. Giver of Safety).
Further, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati said to the Lord (Buddha):
Shall we give a gift of piety, a decoration of piety, O Lord, to the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara? the Lord (Buddha) replied: Do so, if
thou thinkest it opportune. Then the Bodhisattva Mahasattva
Akshayamati took from his neck a pearl necklace, worth a hundred
thousand (gold pieces), and presented it to the Bodhisattva
Mahasattva Avalokitesvara as a decoration of piety, with the words:
Receive from me this decoration of piety, good man. But he would not
accept it. Then the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati said to the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara: Out of compassion to us,
young man of good family, accept this pearl necklace. Then the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara accepted the pearl necklace
from the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati, out of compassion to
the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Akshayamati and the four classes, and out
of compassion to the gods, Nagas, goblins, Gandharvas demons,
Garudas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men: and beings not human.
Thereafter he divided (the necklace) into two parts, and offered one
part to the Lord (Buddha) Sakyamuni, and the other to the jewel Stupa of the Lord (Buddha) Prabhutaratna, the Tathagata, &c., who had become completely
extinct.
With such a faculty of transformation, young man of good family, the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara is moving in this Saha-world.
And on that occasion the Lord (Buddha) uttered the following stanzas:
1. Kitradhvaga asked Akshayamati the following question: For what
reason, son of Gina, is Avalokitesvara (so) called?
2. And Akshayamati, that ocean of profound insight, after
considering how the matter stood, spoke to Kitradhvaga: Listen to
the conduct of Avalokitesvara.
3. Hear from my indication how for numerous, inconceivable Æons he
has accomplished his vote under many thousand kotis of Buddhas.
4. Hearing, seeing, regularly and constantly thinking will
infallibly destroy all suffering, (mundane) existence, and grief of
living beings here on earth.
5. If one be thrown into a pit of fire, by a wicked enemy with the
object of killing him, he has but to think of Avalokitesvara, and
the fire shall be quenched as if sprinkled with water.
6. If one happens to fall into the dreadful ocean, the abode of
Nagas, marine monsters, and demons, he has but to think of
Avalokitesvara, and he shall never sink down in the king of waters.
7. If a man happens to be hurled down from the brink of the Meru, by
some wicked person with the object of killing him, he has but to
think of Avalokitesvara, and he shall, sunlike, stand firm in the
sky.
8. If rocks of thunderstone and thunderbolts are thrown at a man's
head to kill him, he has but to think of Avalokitesvara, and they
shall not be able to hurt one hair of the body.
9. If a man be surrounded by a host of enemies armed with swords,
who have the intention of killing him, he has but to think of
Avalokitesvara, and they shall instantaneously become kind-hearted.
10. If a man, delivered to the power of the executioners, is already
standing at the place of execution, he has but to think of
Avalokitesvara, and their swords shall go to pieces.
11. If a person happens to be fettered in shackles of wood or iron,
he has but to think of Avalokitesvara, and the bonds shall be
speedily loosened.
12. Mighty spells, witchcraft, herbs, ghosts, and spectres,
pernicious to life, revert thither whence they come, when one thinks
of Avalokitesvara.
13. If a man is surrounded by goblins, Nagas, demons, ghosts, or
giants, who are in the habit of taking away bodily vigour, he has
but to think of Avalokitesvara, and they shall not be able to hurt
one hair of his body.
14. If a man is surrounded by fearful beasts with .sharp teeth and
claws, he has but to think of Avalokitesvara, and they shall quickly
fly in all directions.
15. If a man is surrounded by snakes malicious and frightful on
account of the flames and fires (they emit), be has but to think of
Avalokitesvara, and they shall quickly lose their poison.
16. If a heavy thunderbolt shoots from a cloud pregnant with
lightning and thunder, one has but to think of Avalokitesvara, and
the fire of heaven shall quickly, instantaneously be quenched.
17. He (Avalokitesvara) with his powerful knowledge beholds all
creatures who are beset with many hundreds of troubles and afflicted
by many sorrows, and thereby is a saviour in the world, including
the gods.
18. As he is thoroughly practised in the power of magic, and
possessed of vast knowledge and skilfulness, he shows himself' in
all directions and in all regions of the world.
19. Birth, decrepitude, and disease will come to an end for those
who are in the wretched states of existence, in hell, in brute
creation, in the kingdom of Yama, for all beings (in general).
[Then Akshayamati in the joy of his heart uttered the following
stanzas:]
20. O thou whose eyes are clear, whose eyes are kind, distinguished
by wisdom and knowledge, whose eyes are full of pity and
benevolence; thou so lovely by thy beautiful face and beautiful
eyes!
21. Pure one, whose shine is spotless bright, whose knowledge is
free from darkness, thou shining as the sun, not to be beaten away,
radiant as the blaze of fire, thou spreadest in thy flying course
thy lustre in the world.
22. O thou who rejoicest in kindness having its source in
compassion, thou great cloud of good qualities and of benevolent
mind, thou quenchest the fire that vexes living beings, thou pourest
out nectar, the rain of the law.
23. In quarrel, dispute, war, battle, in any great danger one has to
think of Avalokitesvara, who shall quell the wicked troop of foes.
24. One should think of Avalokitesvara, whose sound is as the
cloud's and the drum's, who thunders like a rain-cloud, possesses a
good voice like Brahma, (a voice) going through the whole gamut of
tones.
25. Think, O think with tranquil mood of Avalokitesvara, that pure
being; he is a protector, a refuge, a recourse in death, disaster,
and calamity.
26. He who possesses the perfection of all virtues, and beholds all
beings with compassion and benevolence, he, an ocean of virtues,
Virtue itself, he, Avalokitesvara, is worthy of adoration.
27. He, so compassionate for the world, shall once become a Buddha,
destroying all dangers and sorrows; I humbly bow to Avalokitesvara.
28. This universal Lord, chief of kings, who is a (rich) mine of
monastic virtues, he, universally worshipped, has reached pure,
supreme enlightenment, after plying his course (of duty) during many
hundreds of Æons.
29. At one time standing to the right, at another to the left of the
Chief Amitabha, whom he is fanning, he, by dint of meditation, like
a phantom, in all regions honours the Gina.
30. In the west, where the pure world Sukhakara is situated, there
the Chief Amitabha, the tamer of men, has his fixed abode.
31. There no women are to be found; there sexual intercourse is
absolutely unknown; there the sons of Gina, on springing into
existence by apparitional birth, are sitting in the undefiled cups
of lotuses.
32. And the Chief Amitabha himself is seated on a throne in the pure
and nice cup of a lotus, and shines as the Sala-king.
33. The Leader of the world, whose store of merit has been praised,
has no equal in the triple world. O supreme of men, let us soon
become like thee!
Thereupon the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Dharanindhara rose from his
seat, put his upper robe upon one shoulder, fixed his right knee
against the earth, stretched his joined hands towards the Lord (Buddha) and
said: They must be possessed of not a few good roots, O Lord, who
are to hear this chapter from the Dharmaparyaya about the
Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara and this miraculous power of
transformation of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokitesvara.
And while this chapter of the All-sided One was being expounded by
the Lord (Buddha), eighty-four thousand living beings from that assembly felt
their minds drawn to that supreme and perfect enlightenment, with
which nothing else can be compared.
from Buddhism: The
Lotus Sutra