妙法蓮華經觀世音菩薩普門品 Guan Yin’s Universal Gate, from the Lotus Sutra

妙法蓮華經觀世音菩薩普門品

Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Universal Gate Section, from the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law Sutra

爾時，無盡意菩薩，即從座起，偏袒右肩，合掌向佛，而作是言：『世尊！觀世音菩薩，以何因緣，名觀世音？』

At that time, Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva rose from his seat, bared his left shoulder, put his hands together in gassho, and said this: “World Honored One! For what reason is Guan Yin Bodhisattva called Guan Yin (i.e., the One who hears (or attends to) the sounds (of the world)?”

佛告無盡意菩薩：『善男子！若有無量百千萬億眾生，受諸苦惱，聞是觀世音菩薩，一心稱名，觀世音菩薩，即時觀其音聲，皆得解脫！若有持是觀世音菩薩名者，設入大火，火不能燒，由是菩薩威神力故。

The Buddha told Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva: “Good son! If there are innumerable myriads of sentient beings recieving bitterness and vexation who hear Guan Yin Bodhisattva and wholeheartedly take her name, Guan Yin Bodhisattva must necessarily liberate them right at the time when she hears their sounds! If there are those taking the name of Guan Yin who are thown into a great fire, the fire cannot burn them, on account of Guan Yin’s awesome spiritual power.

若為大水所漂，稱其名號，即得淺處。若有百千萬億眾生，為求金、銀、琉璃、硨磲、瑪瑙、珊瑚、琥珀、真珠等寶。入於大海，假使黑風吹其船舫，漂墮羅剎鬼國，其中若有乃至一人，稱觀世音菩薩名者，是諸人等，皆得解脫羅剎之難。

If they are tossed about on the high seas, and take Her name, they will gain the shallows. Suppose there are innumerable myriads of sentient beings who embark upon the high seas for the sake of treasures like gold, silver, crystal, carnelian, coral, amber, and precious jewels. Then a black wind blows their vessel, until it is tossed down into the territory of the Rakshasa devils! If one among them is a chanter of Guan Yin’s name, certainly all of those people will be impartially released from the affliction of the Rakshasas.

以是因緣，名觀世音。若復有人，臨當被害，稱觀世音菩薩名者，彼所執刀杖，尋段段壞，而得解脫。若三千大千國土，滿中夜叉、羅剎，欲來惱人，聞其稱觀世音菩薩名者，是諸惡鬼，尚不能以惡眼視之，況復加害﹖設復有人，若有罪、若無罪，杻械、枷鎖，檢繫其身，稱觀世音菩薩名者，皆悉斷壞，即得解脫。

It is for that reason that she is called Guan Yin. And again if there is a person, just on the verge of being harmed, who is a chanter of Guan Yin’s name, who seeks the knives and staves held (by them against her) to be cast down one by one, she will attain release. If there is a great trichiliocosm full of Yakshas and Rakshasas wishing to disturb people, upon hearing that one who is a chanter of Guan Yin’s name, all of those devils will be unable to cast their evil eye, let alone add on injury. Again if there are those remembering Guan Yin who are put under guard, or pilloried, or personally restricted, whether guilty or not guilty, they will be utterly removed and delivered from harm.

((The text is quite explicit in differentiating between Guan Yin’s name in general, and the sound of one who holds it, i.e, practices with it habitually. It is the latter that obtains these magical effects. -xp))

若三千大千國土，滿中怨賊，有一商主，將諸商人，齎持重寶，經過險路，其中一人，作是唱言︰『諸善男子！勿得恐怖！汝等應當一心稱觀世音菩薩名號，是菩薩能以無畏施於眾生；汝等若稱名者，於此怨賊，當得解脫！』眾商人聞，俱發聲言︰『南無觀世音菩薩』稱其名故，即得解脫。

If in a Great Chiciliocosm dominated by despicable bandits, there is a merchant king who takes all those merchants over dangerous roads, for the sake of obtaining and conserving great treasure, and among them there is one person who says “All you good sons! Do not be afraid! All of you should take the name of Guan Yin with one mind. That Bodhisattva can grant fearlessness to sentient beings; if all such as you are chanters of Her Name, you will then obtain freedom from those despicable bandits!” — and if all those merchants who hear send out this utterance: “Namu Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa,” then for the reason that they took Her name, they will gain deliverance.

無盡意！觀世音菩薩摩訶薩，威神之力，巍巍如是！若有眾生多於淫欲，常念恭敬觀世音菩薩，便得離欲。若多瞋恚，常念恭敬觀世音菩薩，便得離瞋。若多愚癡，常念恭敬觀世音菩薩，便得離癡。

Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva! The awesome spirit-power of Guan Yin Bodhisattva Mahasattva is SO majestic! If there are sentient who have much licentious desire, and they constantly remember and venerate Guan Yin Bodhisattva, they will easily attain separation from desire. If they have much anger and rage, they will easily obtain separation from anger. And if having much foolishness and stupidity they constantly remember and venerate Guan Yin Bodhisattva, they will easily attain separation from stupidity.

無盡意！觀世音菩薩，有如是等大威神力，多所饒益，是故眾生，常應心念。若有女人，設欲求男，禮拜供養觀世音菩薩，便生福德智慧之男；設欲求女，便生端正有相之女，宿植*德本，眾人愛敬。

*《佛学大词典》
【 宿植 】 《 陈义孝佛学常见辞汇 》
　　过去世所植下的善根。

Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva! Guan Yin Bodhisattva has such great and awesome spirit powers as these, of abundant benefit to so much, and for that reason, sentient beings should always remember (Her) in their hearts. If there is a female seeking a male (child), who worships and propitiates Guan Yin Bodhisattva, she will then give birth to a fortunate, meritorious, and wise child. If she seeks a female (child), then she will give birth to a daughter of upright characteristics, with fortunate roots of merit brought forward from previous lives, loved and respected by the masses.

無盡意！觀世音菩薩，有如是力。若有眾生，恭敬禮拜觀世音菩薩，福不唐捐。是故眾生，皆應受持觀世音菩薩名號。

Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva! Guan Yin Bodhisattva has such power! If there are sentient beings who venerate and worship Guan Yin Bodhisattva, their merit cannot be diminished. For that reason, all sentient beings should recieved an uphold the chanting of Guan Yin’s name.

無盡意！若有人受持六十二億恒河沙菩薩名字，復盡形供養飲食、衣服、臥具、醫藥，於汝意云何？是善男子、善女人功德多不？』無盡意言：『甚多，世尊！』佛言：『若復有人受持觀世音菩薩名號，乃至一時禮拜供養；是二人福，正等無異，於百千萬億劫，不可窮盡。

Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva! If there is someone who recieves and upholds the names of Bodhisattvas as numerous as 62 hundred million times the (grains of) sand in the River Ganges, and also exhaustively donates food, clothes, bedding, and medicine, what would you think of that? Would that good man or good woman’s merit be great or not? Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva said “Very great, World Honored One!” The World Honored One said: “And again, if there is a person who recieves and upholds Guan Yin’s Name, even to one week’s cultivation, the merit of those two people are exactly equal without difference, and it cannot be exhaused through innumerable kalpas.”

無盡意！受持觀世音菩薩名號，得如是無量無邊福德之利。』無盡意菩薩白佛言：『世尊！觀世音菩薩，云何遊此娑婆世界？云何而為眾生說法？方便之力，其事云何？』佛告無盡意菩薩：『善男子！若有國土眾生，

Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva! Recieving and upholding Guan Yin’s name gains the benefit of that kind of measureless and limitless fortune and merit. Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: say how Guan Yin Bodhisattva journeys through the world, and how does she speak Dharma for sentient beings, and how expedient is her power in their affairs? The Buddha told Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva: “Good son! If there are sentient beings of a land

應以佛身得度者，觀世音菩薩即現佛身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a Buddha body, Guan Yin Pusa imediately manifests a Buddha’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以辟支佛身得度者，即現辟支佛身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a Pratyeka Buddha’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a Pratyeka Buddha’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以聲聞身得度者，即現聲聞身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a Shramana’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a Shramana’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以梵王身得度者，即現梵王身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a Heavenly King’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a Heavenly King’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以帝釋身得度者，即現帝釋身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with Indra’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests Indra’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以自在天身得度者，即現自在天身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a self-existent angelic body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a self-existent angelic body to speak Dharma for them;

應以大自在天身得度者，即現大自在天身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a self-existent archangelic body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a self-existent archangelic body to speak Dharma for them;

應以天大將軍身得度者，即現天大將軍身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a great angelic general’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a great angelic general’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以毘沙門身得度者，即現毘沙門身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with the body of the spirit guardian king of the North, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests the body of the spirit guardian king of the North to speak Dharma for them;

應以小王身得度者，即現小王身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a petty king’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a petty king’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以長者身得度者，即現長者身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with an elder’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests an elder’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以居士身得度者，即現居士身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a layman’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a layman’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以宰官身得度者，即現宰官身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a cruel official’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a cruel official’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以婆羅門身得度者，即現婆羅門身而為說法；

“for those who can be saved by responding with a Brahmin’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a Brahmin’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷身得度者，即現比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷身而為說法。

“for those who can be saved by responding with a Bhiksu’s, Bhiksuni’s, Upasaka’s or Upasaki’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests Bhiksu’s, Bhiksuni’s, Upasaka’s or Upasaki’s bodies to speak Dharma for them;

應以長者、居士、宰官、婆羅門——婦女身得度者，即現婦女身而為說法。

“for those who can be saved by the forms of wives of elders, laymen, cruel officials, and Brahmin, she immediately manifests those wives’ forms to speak Dharma for them.

應以童男、童女身得度者，即現童男、童女身而為說法。

“for those who can be saved by responding with a boy’s or girl’s body, Guan Yin Bodhisattva immediately manifests a boy’s or girl’s body to speak Dharma for them;

應以天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿脩羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩侯羅伽、人非人等身得度者，即皆現之而為說法。

¨for those who can be saved by responding with the bodies of such things as heavenly beings, dragons, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Ashuras, Garudas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, and inhuman beings, she immediately manifests all such bodies to speak Dharma for them.

應以執金剛神得度者，即現執金剛神而為說法。

“for those who can be saved by responding with the body of a Vajrapani, she immediately manifests the body of a Vajrapani to speak Dharma for them.” ((protocol notes: it is not true that Guan Yin appears in the same form as the person needing help, but in the form which will benefit that one. -xp))

無盡意！是觀世音菩薩，成就如是功德，以種種形，遊諸國土，度脫眾生。是故汝等，應當一心供養觀世音菩薩。是觀世音菩薩摩訶薩，於怖畏急難之中，能施無畏，是故此娑婆世界，皆號之為施無畏者。』

Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva! This Guan Yin Bodhisattva has accomplished such merit, that by means of every kind of form, she roams through all realms, crossing over sentient beings.

無盡意菩薩白佛言：『世尊！我今當供養觀世音菩薩。』即解頸眾寶珠瓔珞，價值百千兩金，而以與之。作是言：『仁者！受此法施，珍寶瓔珞！』時觀世音菩薩不肯受之。

Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: “World Honored One! I now should propitiate Guan Yin Bodhisattva.” Thereupon he released from his throat a necklace of myriads of precious jewel beads, worth a hundred thousand ounces (of silver), and offered it to her, making this speech: “Benevolent One! Receive this Dharma donation, a rare and valuable necklace.” But at the time, Guan Yin was not willing to accept it.

無盡意復白觀世音菩薩言︰『仁者！愍我等故，受此瓔珞。』爾時，佛告觀世音菩薩︰『當愍此無盡意菩薩，及四眾、天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿脩羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩侯羅伽、人非人等故，受是瓔珞。』

Then Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: “Benevolent One! In sympathy for such as me, accept this necklace.” At that time, the Buddha told Guan Yin Bodhisattva: “One must recieve this necklace in sympathy with this Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva, as well as with the Four Assemblies (laywomen, laymen, nuns, and monks), heavenly beings, dragons, Yaskshas, Gandharvas, Ashuras, Garudas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, inhuman beings, and so forth.” ((protocol notes: the Buddha has instructed Guan Yin that her essential self-existence or independence (自在) must not interfere the expression of her compassion -xp))

即時觀世音菩薩，愍諸四眾，及於天、龍、人非人等，受其瓔珞。分作二分：一分奉釋迦牟尼佛，一分奉多寶佛塔。

Therefore at that time Guan Yin Bodhisattva, sympathizing with the Four Assemblies, heavenly beings, dragons, inhuman beings and so forth, recieved that necklace. She devided it into two halves: One half she offered to Shakyamuni Buddha, and one half she offered to many precious Buddha stupas. ((protocol notes: Guan Yin has demonstrated that her compassion is consistent with her primary self-existence, and with her primary devotion to the Buddha -xp))

『無盡意！觀世音菩薩，有如是自在神力，遊於娑婆世界。』爾時，無盡意菩薩，以偈問曰：

“Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva! Guan Yin Bodhisattva has such self-existent spirit power in moving through the saha world. ” At that time, Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva, asked by means of a Gatha (in verse form):

This beautiful 25th chapter of the Lotus Sutra ends in: The Gatha in Guan Yin’s Universal Gate which you will find translated on that page.

Namu Amida Butsu
Xing Ping