Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva | Avalokitesvara

Full spiritual name:

Complete kind, complete care, thousand hand, thousand eye, Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva

Sanskrit:

Avalokitesvara

Chinese:

Guan Yin / Kwan Yin / Kuan Yin

Mantra:

2 mantras associated with Guan Yin:

– Om Mani Padme Hom

– Great Compassion Mantra

Lyrics in Sanskrit:

Namo Ratna Trayaya

Nama Arya Jyana

Sagara Vairochana

Byuhara Jaya Tathagataya

Arahate Samyaksam Buddhaya

Namah Sarwa Tathagate Bhyayh Arahatda Bhayh

Samyaksam Buddhe Bhayh

Namah Arya Awalokite

Shoraya Bohisatwaya

Mahasatwaya

Maha Karunikaya

Tatyata Om Dhara Dhara

Dhiri Dhiri

Dhuru Dhuru

Iti Wit Je Chalee Chalee

Purachale Purachale

Kusume Kusama Wa Re

Ili Mili Chiti

Jwala Mapanaya Soha

Translation in English: Link

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly know all Dharmas;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon obtain the Wisdom Eye;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly ferry all living beings (to the

shore of liberation);

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon obtain virtuous skillful means (to enlighten various living beings);

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly board the Prajna (wisdom) Boat;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon transcend the ocean of suffering;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly achieve precepts, Samadhi and the Way;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon ascend the mountain of Nirvana;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I quickly dwell in the house of non-action;

Namo great compassionate Avalokitesvara, May I soon unite with the Dharma-Nature Body.

If I go towards the mountain of knives, the mountain of knives of itself breaks up;

If I go towards the boiling oil, the boiling oil of itself dries up;

If I go towards the hells, the hells of themselves disappear;

If I go towards the hungry ghosts, the hungry ghosts of themselves become full.

If I go towards the demons, their evil thoughts of themselves are tamed.

If I go towards the animals, they themselves attain great wisdom.

Sutra:

Mahakaruna Dharani Sutra

Lotus Sutra

Wills:

33 Wills. See link here.

Sean Free: Sifu, how many Wills does Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva have and can you please teach them?

Sifu: Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva has 32 Wills; that’s too much to teach today.

Sean Pig: How did Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva become a part of Earth’s history?

Sifu: I’ll just teach one part to you. All the Buddhas talk about how amazing Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva’s system is.

A long time ago, before our universe was created, longer than Star Dust Universe Time, there was a Buddha named Perfect Dharma. He had a Will to appear as Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva to help unlimited Buddhas to teach. His other aspect is to show a thousand hands and a thousand eyes to symbolise that he is aware: observing and hearing every life’s suffering so he can help every life out of suffering and be born into a Pure Land. This includes all kinds of sickness, injury, poverty, and even bad karma.

Perfect Dharma Buddha’s Will is amazing. Even though he had already become Buddha, he still incarnated as a Bodhisattva to help every life. This is why all the Buddhas say that Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva, who is Perfect Dharma Buddha, has an amazing Will.

Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva taught the “Heart Sutra” to help every life become Bodhisattva, and through that wisdom, develop The Four Eternal Hearts and Six Bodhisattva Characters to then become Buddha.

Matt Horse: I don’t understand why a Buddha would appear as a Bodhisattva.

Sifu: Simple. I don’t show you my highest ability because there’s no need. Likewise, a Buddha would only show Bodhisattva-level ability for people who need Bodhisattva-level teaching.

Buddha is the highest level. A Buddha normally appears to help a Bodhisattva. There are not only Buddhas, but also Bodhisattvas, rohans (monks), and energy gods. For example, if you become “unlimited perfect”, would you have an ego to say “I have to show everybody I’m unlimited perfect”? Or would you just enjoy the freedom to appear in unlimited ways to help unlimited lives? Which one would you choose? Anybody who has to show others their abilities has self-doubt; a Buddha will only appear at the level that is required to teach their student.

It is common for Buddhas to appear as Bodhisattvas. Pure Name Buddha also came to the earth as a Bodhisattva.

Matt Horse: I think I understand. But isn’t Bodhisattva even really, really high level compared to us, almost like Buddha?

Sifu: Bodhisattvas are far, far above us, but they are also far, far below Buddhas.

Even though a Buddha appears as a Bodhisattva, truly their ability is still Buddha. Pure Name Buddha showed himself as Bodhisattva on the Earth because Siddhartha Buddha had already appeared. He just wanted to humbly support Siddhartha Buddha, so changed his appearing form to Bodhisattva to help.

Sean Pig: How did Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva introduce himself into Earth’s karma?

Sifu: He just appeared. The first time he appeared, the Earth became amazing right away and people thought “This Bodhisattva is incredibly powerful.” They asked Siddhartha Buddha, Why has this Bodhisattva appeared? Which Pure Land has he come from? Why does he have this awesome power to change all the space into a Pure Land so that we can experience it?

Siddhartha Budda explained that Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva is actually his teacher. A long time ago, when Siddhartha Buddha was a Bodhisattva, Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva was already Perfect Dharma Buddha, and helped him become Buddha. It is Perfect Dharma Buddha’s Will to appear as a Bodhisattva to help and support every Buddha when they first appear as Buddha.

People then asked, Who is Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva and what are his Wills? Then his 32 Wills appeared. His Wills are amazing because they protect every life in so many ways. Everyone then really felt safe, trusting, and appreciative, and bowed to Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva.

One of Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva’s Wills is to appear in any appearing form – he even would appear as a deer to influence other deer – to help them out of suffering. If he hears any suffering he will appear in their form so he can find a way to influence them to a level where they know that Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva exists and can call his name to get the final protection. Before that he would use convenient wisdom to appear to every life form in every space; animals, ghosts, everywhere, even in Hell. He helps every possible life form to influence them to change.

I have avoided introducing Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva because he’s my original teacher; I don’t want to be egotistical and say that he’s my teacher so he should be your teacher, too. I want you to feel free to learn from any Buddha or Bodhisattva because they’re all equally perfect.

In fact, all those represented by statues here in the dojo are already Buddha.

Hell Bodhisattva actually has Buddha power, but he doesn’t become Buddha because his Will is to help everyone else become Buddha first. That’s why we call him Last Buddha.

Observing Life Sound Bodhisattva we now know is Perfect Dharma Buddha.

Great Force Bodhisattva also became Buddha a long time ago and he also has a special system. His system is quite difficult to learn so I don’t explain or teach it. But one of his Wills is very simple. For anyone who follows Amitabha’s Three Conditions, he will come and show lights, a lotus, or appear with Amitabha Buddha, depending on how pure and sincere you are. He will protect your consciousness from the moment you are out-of-body, to keep you from being trapped in bad karma from your past. You’ve already connected to Amitabha’s Pure Land, so he will come and make sure you either go directly to the temple or the Pure Land, according to your level. That’s one of his Wills and that’s why he’s depicted holding the lotus.

Dharma Protector is Siddhartha Buddha so he’s also Buddha.

We have No Beginning No End Great Sun Buddha, all the way to Hell Bodhisattva Last Buddha. I have introduced No Beginning No End Buddha, but you don’t have a chance to understand him because he will only appear when you become Buddha and experience no beginning, no end. Before that, you can only know that he exists. His Will is to stay No Beginning, No End to help every consciousness become Buddha and experience the same no beginning, no end.

This post is taken from a talk by Forever Wisdom Forest on 5 July 2014 at the Sydney dojo.