SADDHARMA-PUNDARÎKA, Or
THE LOTUS OF THE TRUE LAW.
Translated By H. Kern (1884): Sacred Books of the East, Vol XXI.
Chapter XXIV: Containing a description of the transformations of [the Bodhisattva] Avalokitesvara
1) Thereafter the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Akshayamati [one of the two speakers in the story] rose from his seat, put his upper robe upon one shoulder, stretched his joined hands towards the [Buddha], and said: For what reason, O Lord, is the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara called Avalokitesvara [a name meaning, “The Lord who looks down with compassion”]?
2) The [Buddha] answered … [The countless creatures suffering troubles in this world will be released from them merely by hearing] … the name of Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara… [I]f they fall into a great mass of fire, [those who revere his name will] be delivered therefrom by.. the luster of [that] Bodhisattva. … [C]reatures carried off by the current of rivers, should implore Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara, [and] all rivers will afford them a ford. … [If] creatures sailing in a ship on the ocean, should see their bullion, gold, gems, 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 … For that reason, young man of good family, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara is named Avalokitesvara.
3) If a man given up to capital punishment implores Avalokitesvara, young man of good family, the swords of the executioners shall snap asunder… [I]f the whole [universe] were teeming with goblins and giants, [hearing] … the name of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara [would make these evil creatures forget] their wicked designs. If some creature, young man of good family, 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.
4) If this whole [universe], young man of good family, were teeming with knaves, enemies, and robbers [about to attack a rich caravan, and the caravan leader] … spoke to the caravan in this strain: Be not afraid, … invoke, all of you, with one voice the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara, the giver of safety; then you shall be delivered from this danger… [I]f then the whole caravan with one voice invoked Avalokitesvara with the words: Adoration, adoration be to the 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.
5) [Those acting under the impulse of impure passions 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. [Such is the power of] … the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara.
6) 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… If a woman is desirous of getting a daughter, a nice, handsome, beautiful girl shall be born to her … Such, young man of good family, is the power of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara.
7) Those who adore the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara will derive from it an unfailing profit. Suppose … [someone worships Buddhas] equal to sixty-two times the sands of the river Ganges, cherishing their names and worshipping [them] …. by giving robes, alms-bowls, couches, [and] medicines for the sick; how [much] … pious merit [will] that young gentleman or young lady [produce]?
8) So asked, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Akshayamati said to the Lord: [Such actions would indeed produce great merit for] … that young gentleman or young lady … The Lord proceeded: ... 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 [countless years]. So immense, young man of good family, is the pious merit resulting from cherishing the name of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara.
9) Again the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Akshayamati said to the [Buddha]: How, [does]… the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara [appear in] this world? And how does he preach the law? And which is the range of the skilfulness of the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara? So asked, the [Buddha] Lord replied… [Sometimes] 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 [World-Conquering King],… he shows the law after assuming the shape of a [World-Conquering King]; 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 [a commanding general], … he preaches in the shape of [a commanding general]; to those who are to be converted by .. a Brâhman … , he preaches in the shape of a Brâhman; to those who are to be converted by [a celestial Buddha]… he preaches in the shape of [a celestial Buddha]… With such inconceivable qualities, young man of good family, is the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara endowed. Therefore, young man of good family, honor 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).
10) Further, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Akshayamati said to the [Buddha]: Shall we give a gift of piety… to the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara? The [Buddha] replied: Do so, if you think 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 [another Buddha] … who had become completely extinct.
11) With such a faculty of transformation, young man of good family, the Bodhisattva Mahâsattva Avalokitesvara is moving in this .. world.
12) 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.