Incense
Praise
Incense in the
censer now is burning,
All the Dharma Realm
receives the fragrance.
From afar the
sea-vast host of Buddhas,
All inhale its
sweetness.
In every place
auspicious clouds appearing
Our sincere
intentions thus fulfilling
As all Buddhas show
their wondrous bodies
Namo Incense Cloud
Canopy Bodhisattva, Mahasattva
Namo Incense Cloud
Canopy Bodhisattva, Mahasattva
Namo Incense Cloud
Canopy Bodhisattva, Mahasattva
Sutra
on the Lotus
Flower of the Wondrous Dharma
“The
Universal Door Of The Bodhisattva Who Listens To The Sounds
Of
All The World”
(Translated from the
Sanskrit into Chinese by
Tripitaka Dharma
Master Kumarajiva of the Yao Chin Dynasty.
Translated from
Chinese into English by the Buddhist Text
Translation Society,
Dharma Realm
Buddhist University.)
Namo Fundamental
Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha (3x).
(Verse for Opening
a Sutra)
“The unsurpassed,
deep, profound, subtle, wonderful Dharma,
In a hundred
thousand million eons, is difficult to encounter;
Now that I've come
to receive and hold it, within my sight and hearing,
I vow to fathom the
Thus Come One's true and actual meaning.
At that time,
Bodhisattva Infinite Resolve rose from his seat, bared his right
shoulder, joined his palms, and facing the Buddha, said, “O World
Honored One, how did Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva get the name Gwan Shr
Yin?”
The Buddha answered
Bodhisattva Infinite Resolve,
“Good Man, if
all the countless hundreds of thousands of millions of living beings
tormented by misery and pain hear of Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva, and
with all their hearts invoke his name, Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva will
immediately respond to their prayers and set them free.
If those who hold
the name of Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva should fall into a great fire,
the fire will not burn them, because of Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva's
awesome spiritual power. If they are being tossed about in deep and
treacherous waters and call his name, they will quickly reach the
shallows.
Hundreds of
thousand of myriads of millions of men in search of gold, silver,
lapis lazuli, moonstones,and carnelian, coral, amber, pearls, and
other precious treasures, may run afoul of violent squalls that blow
their ships to the lands of Rakshashas.
But if one man
among them calls the name of Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva,then the entire
group will all be saved from the throes of the Rakshashas. For this
reason he is called “The Enlightened One Who Listens to the Sounds
of All the World.”
If someone facing
deadly harm recites Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva's name, the weapons of
the assailants will break apart and he will get away.
Even if the entire
three-fold, great, thousand-world system were teeming with Yakshas
and Rakshashas bent on vexing men, when the evil demons hear the name
of Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva called out by these men, they will not be
able to see them with their wicked eyes, much less do them in!
If there is a
person,whether innocent or guilty, who is locked in stocks or
shackled by ropes and chains, his fetters will snap and fall away,
letting him go free as soon as he invokes Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva's
name.
Suppose vicious
thieves in legions that could fill a three-fold, great, thousand-
world system infest a perilous road along which a merchant chief
guides a traders' caravan laden with precious jewels.If one man among
them proclaims: “Good Men, do not be afraid! With all your hearts
invoke the name of Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva, the Enlightened One Who
Gives Courage to All Beings! If we beseech this Bodhisattva, we will
surely escape these thieves”.
Upon hearing this
exhortation, if all the traders in unison cry out, ‘Namo Gwan Shr
Yin Bodhisattva!’ By virtue of calling out Gwan Shr Yin's name,
they will immediately go free.
Infinite Resolve!
How imposing is the awesome spiritual power of the Great Bodhisattva
Who Listens to the Sounds of All the World!
If any living being
with weighty desires can constantly revere and keep in mind Gwan Shr
Yin Bodhisattva, his passions will subside. If someone with much
anger can constantly revere and keep in mind Gwan Shr Yin
Bodhisattva, then his anger will subside.If someone dull and foolish
can constantly revere and keep in mind Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva, he
will leave stupidity behind.
Infinite Resolve!
The Bodhisattva Who Listens to the Sounds of All the World,with his
magnificent spiritual power, confers such abundant benefits as these.
And so, living beings should always keep him in their hearts and hold
his name in mind.
If women seeking
sons bow to and make offerings to the Bodhisattva Gwan Shr Yin, they
will give birth to sons happy, virtuous, and wise.If instead, they
wish for daughters, they will bear gifted daughters with deep-rooted,
wholesome characters, beloved and respected by all.
Infinite Resolve!
Such is the power of the Bodhisattva Who Listens to the Sounds of All
the World. Any living being who worships and makes offerings to Gwan
Shr Yin Bodhisattva will never take a loss
Therefore, every
single living being should hold Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva's name in
mind. Infinite Resolve! Suppose someone held the names of
Bodhisattvas to the number of grains of sand in sixty-two million
Ganges Rivers, and for this person's entire life, made offerings to
them all of food and drink, clothes, bedding, and medicine. What is
your opinion? Would the merit and virtue accrued by that good man or
woman be abundant?”
Infinite Resolve
replied, “Extremely abundant, World Honored One,very great indeed!”
The Buddha said,
“Yet if someone else held the name of Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva,
bowed and made an offering but one time, the blessings of these two
people would be identical,the same in every way, and would endure for
quadrillions of aeons.
Infinite Resolve!
Holding the name of Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva brings blessings and
benefits as limitless and boundless as these.”
Again,the
Bodhisattva Infinite Resolve asked the Buddha, “World Honored One,
how does Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva wander in this Saha World? How does
he speak Dharma for living beings, and what manner of resourcefulness
does he command?”
The Buddha answered
Bodhisattva Infinite Resolve, “If there is a living being in some
country who can be liberated by a Buddha, Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva
appears as a Buddha and teaches him the Dharma.If someone can be
liberated by a Pratyeka Buddha, he appears as a Pratyeka Buddha and
teaches him the Dharma. If someone can be liberated by a
Sound-hearer, he appears as a Sound- hearer and teaches him the
Dharma. If someone can be liberated by a Brahma-heaven King, he
appears as a Brahma- heaven King and teaches him the Dharma.
If someone can be
liberated by Shakra, he appears as Shakra and teaches him the Dharma.
If someone can be liberated by the God of Comfort, he appears as the
God of Comfort and teaches him the Dharma. If someone can be
liberated by the God of Great Comfort, he appears as the God of Great
Comfort and teaches him the Dharma. If someone can be liberated by a
mighty General of the Gods, he appears as a mighty General of the
Gods and teaches him the Dharma. If someone can be liberated by the
God Vaisravana, he appears as Vaisravana and teaches him the Dharma.
If someone can be
liberated by a minor king, he appears as a minor king and teaches him
the Dharma. If someone can be liberated by an elder, he appears as
an elder and teaches him the Dharma. If someone can be liberated by a
lay-person, he appears as a lay-person and teaches him the Dharma.
If someone can be liberated by a minister of state, he appears as a
minister of state and teaches him the Dharma.
If someone can be
liberated by a Brahman, he appears as a Brahman and teaches him the
Dharma. If someone can be liberated by a monk or nun, a layman or a
laywoman, he appears as a monk or nun, a layman or laywoman and
teaches him the Dharma. If someone can be liberated by the wife of an
elder, layman, minister of state, or Brahman, he appears as a wife
and teaches him the Dharma.
If someone can be
liberated by a lad or maiden, he appears as a lad or maiden and
teaches him the Dharma. If someone can be liberated by a god, dragon,
yaksha, or gandharva, an asura, garuda, kinnara, or mahoraga, a
human, nonhuman, and so forth, he appears accordingly and teaches him
the Dharma. And if someone can be liberated by a Vajra-wielding
Spirit, he appears as a Vajra-wielding Spirit and teaches him the
Dharma.
Infinite Resolve!
Such are the meritorious deeds done by Gwan Shr Yin, the Bodhisattva
who roams throughout the world and appears in various forms to rescue
living beings. Therefore you should all wholeheartedly make offerings
to the Bodhisattva Who Listens to the Sounds of All the World.
In times of
terror, crisis, and trouble, the Great Bodhisattva Gwan Shr Yin can
bestow courage and dispel all fears. Therefore, all throughout the
Saha world we call him Giver of Courage.
The Bodhisattva
Infinite Resolve said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, I will now
make an offering to the Bodhisattva Gwan Shr Yin.”
And so saying, he
removed his rosary of pearls, worth hundreds of thousands of taels of
gold and presented it to the Bodhisattva with these words: “ O
Humane One, please accept my offering of Dharma, this rosary of
precious pearls.”
But Gwan Shr Yin
Bodhisattva would not accept the pearls. Infinite Resolve once more
entreated Gwan Shr Yin,
“O Humane One,
out of pity for us, please receive the rosary.”
Then the Buddha
said to Gwan Shr Yin, “Out of compassion for Infinite Resolve and
the Four Assemblies, for the gods, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas,
asuras,garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhuman beings, and
the rest, accept this rosary.”
Then Gwan Shr Yin
Bodhisattva, out of pity for the Four Assemblies, for the gods,
dragons, humans, non humans, and the rest, accepted the rosary and
divided it into two parts. One strand he offered to Shakyamuni
Buddha, the other to the stupa of the Buddha Many Jewels.
Infinite Resolve!
With such sovereign spiritual powers does the Bodhisattva Gwan Shr
Yin traverse the Saha World. Then the Bodhisattva Infinite Resolve
put his questions into verses and asked them once again:
“World
Honored One,
Complete
with Wondrous Hallmarks,
Several
questions I would ask again.
How
did this disciple of the Buddha,
Earn
the name Guan Shi Yin?
Then
the World Honored One, his every feature full, answered in melodious
verse to Infinite Resolve:
Come
listen and I'll tell you Guan Yin's story
How
deftly he responds to every side;
Spanning
ages past the ken of numbers,
With
oceanic vows both deep and wide.
Serving
ancient Buddhas, several billions,
His
pure and lofty vows in brief I'll tell.
Whoever
sees his face or learns about him,
Who
can hold this Bodhisattva's name,
Will
leave behind the sorrows of existence,
And
so this cultivation's not in vain!
Should
you be pushed into a raging fire,
By
enemies so harmful, mean, and cruel,
Evoke
the strength of Guan Yin Bodhisattva
The
blaze will turn into a limpid pool.
If
cast adrift upon the mighty ocean,
Where
dragons, ghosts,and sharks in turn surround,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
You'll
float atop the waves and will not drown.
Suppose
an evil person pushed you headlong,
From
atop the peak called Wondrous Tall,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
And
like the sun in space you will not fall.
Perhaps
you tumble down from Vajra Mountain,
Fleeing
wicked ruffians who pursue,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
And
not the slightest harm will come to you.
Surrounded
by a mob of heartless bandits,
Their
weapons drawn, with murder on their minds,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
Their
evil hearts will soften and turn kind.
If
you are on the verge of execution,
Sentenced
by the State, condemned to die,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
The
sword will break to pieces just in time.
If
bound and chained, restrained by ropes and shackles,
With
hands and feet confined in stocks and gyves,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
The
fetters by themselves will fall aside.
Hexes,
poison, magic spells, and voodoo,
Cast
by those who plot to do you in,
Return
to curse the sorcerer who sent them,
When
you invoke the power of Gwan Shr Yin.
If
you meet with evil Rakshashas,
Lethal
dragons, ghosts, and vicious beasts,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
None
will dare to harm you in the least.
Circled
round and trapped by savage creatures,
With
razor fangs and claws that terrify,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
And
they will quickly flee to every side.
Facing
vipers, scorpions, and pythons,
Belching
poisons, fumes, and scorching flames,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
They'll
shrink and turn away before his name.
When
thunder-clouds explode and lightning crackles,
Dumping
sleet, and hail, and heavy rains,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
The
skies will clear, the storms will drift away.
Living
beings harassed and vexed, and troubled,
By
countless sorrows, burdened without cease,
This
Bodhisattva's wondrous wisdom-power.
Can
help the suffering world obtain relief.
Perfect
and complete in psychic power,
Widely
versed in wisdom's subtle skills,
In
lands throughout the ten directions,
The
Bodhisattva manifests at will.
The
agony amid the Evil Pathways,
The
torments of the ghosts, the beasts, the hells,
The
pains of birth, the aged, sick, and dying,
The
Bodhisattva gradually dispels.
O
Thou of true regard, of pure regard,
Regard
far-reaching, wise,and truly great,
Thy
loving-kindness, sympathy, and deep regard,
I
vow to ever laud and venerate.
Your
wisdom-sun can break apart the darkness,
Immaculate,
your virgin light unfurls,
To
quell disasters, winds, and storms, and fires,
A
universal light for all the world.
Wellspring
of compassion, precepts' thunder,
Your
wondrous cloud of kindness covers all.
Extinguishing
the fires of life's afflictions,
As
the rain of sweet-dew Dharma falls.
In
trials, suits, and civil confrontations,
When
fear runs high, when warring armies near,
Evoke
the strength of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva,
Vengeance
and bad feelings disappear.
Fine
and wondrous sound: Gwan Shr Yin!
Brahma-sound,
steady as the tides.
A
name transcending every worldly sound,
Gwan
Yin! Stay forever in my mind.
Let
not a single doubt arise to haunt us,
For
Gwan Yin Bodhisattva, Holy Sage,
Amid
life's troubles, and the pains of dying,
Will
ever be our refuge, and our aid.
O
Holy One! Replete with every virtue,
Your
kindly gaze beholds all living beings.
A
boundless sea you are, of every blessing.
And
let us bow to offer our esteem!”
Then Bodhisattva,
Guardian of the Earth arose from his seat, went before the Buddha and
proclaimed, “O! World Honored One, living beings must have
abundant merit and virtue to hear this chapter on Gwan Shr Yin
Bodhisattva's sovereign deeds, and how he universally responds with
his spiritual power.”
And while the
Buddha spoke this Universal Door Chapter, eighty–four thousand
living beings from among the assembly set their minds on achieving
Anuttara–samyak– sambodhi!
(Recite the Great
Compassion Mantra (3x or 7x)
Namo He La Da Nwo.
Dwo La Ye Ye...
Mantra For Patching
Flaws In the Recitation
Na Mwo He La Da Nwo
Dwo La Ye Ye
Jyu Lwo Jyu Lwo
Jyu Ju Jyu Ju
Mwo La Mwo La
Hu Lu Hung
He He
Su Dan Nwo
Hung
Pwo Mwo Nu
Swo Pwo He
(Recite
3x)
Transferrence
May the merit and
virtue of this recitation
Be shared everywhere
with everyone
So that I and all
living beings
Can accomplish
Buddhahood together
