Ch.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER CALLED THAT OF THE ALL-SIDED ONE, CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF AVALOKITESVARA.
Thereafter
the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Akshayamati rose from his
seat, put his upper robe upon one shoulder, stretched his
joined hands towards the Lord, and said: For what reason,
O Lord, is the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara
called Avalokitesvara? So he asked, and the Lord answered
to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva 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
Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara, be released from that mass of
troubles. Those who shall keep the name of this
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva 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 Mahâsattva. In case, young man of good
family, creatures, carried off by the current of rivers,
should implore the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva 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, Musâragalvas, 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 Mahâsattva 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 Mahâsattva 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 Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara is
pronounced. Such, young man of good family, is the power
of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva 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 Mahâsattva 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
tothe giver of safety, to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva! 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 Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara. In case creatures
act under the impulse of impure passion, young man of
good family, they will, after adoring the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara, be freed from passion. Those
who act under the impulse of hatred will, after adoring
the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara, be freed from
hatred. Those who act under the impulse of infatuation
will, after adoring the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Avalokitesvara, be freed from infatuation. So mighty,
young man of good family, is the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
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 Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara.
Those who adore the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara
will derive from it an unfailing profit. Suppose, young
man of good family, (on one hand) some one adoring the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva 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 Mahâsattva
Akshayamati said to the Lord: 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
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
Mahâsattva 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
Mahâsattva 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 Mahâsattva
Avalokitesvara.
Again the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Akshayamati said to the
Lord: How, O Lord, is it that the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Avalokitesvara frequents this Saha-world? And how does he
preach the law? Andwhich is the range of the skilfulness
of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara? So asked,
the Lord replied to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Akshayamati: In some worlds, young man of good family,
the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva 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 Senâpati [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 Brâhman [the
Brâhman may be Brihaspati] , he preaches in the shape of
a Brâhman; to those who are to be converted by Vagrapâni
[Vagrapâni is the name of one of the Dhyânibuddhas, and
of certain geniuses, and an ephitet of Indra] , he
preaches in the shape of Vagrapâni [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 Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara
endowed. Therefore then, young man of good family, honour
the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara. The
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva 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 Mahâsattva Akshayamati said to
the Lord: Shall we give a gift of piety, a decoration of
piety, O Lord, to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Avalokitesvara? The Lord replied: Do so, if thou thinkest
it opportune. Then the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Akshayamati
took from his neck a pearl necklace, worth a hundred
thousand (gold pieces), and presented it to the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva 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 Mahâsattva Akshayamati said to the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara: Out of compassion
to us, young man of good family, accept this pearl
necklace. Then the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara
accepted the pearl necklace from the Bodhisattva
Mahâsattva Akshayamati, out of compassion to the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Akshayamati and the four classes,
and out of compassion to the gods, Nâgas, 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 Sakyamuni, and the other to the jewel Stûpa of the
Lord Prabhûtaratna, the Tathagata, &c., who had
become completely extinct.
With such a faculty of transformation, young man of good
family, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara is
moving in this Saha-world.
And on that occasion the Lord 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, Nâgas, 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 Sukhâkara 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 Amitâbha himself is seated on a throne
in the pure and nice cup of a lotus, and shines as the
Sâla-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 Mahâsattva 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 and said: They must be
possessed of not a few good roots, O Lord, who are to
hear this chapter from the Dharmaparyâya about the
Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara and this miraculous
power of transformation of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva
Avalokitesvara.
And while this chapter of the All-sided One was being
expounded by the Lord, 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.