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Posted on April 29, 2023
Ten key points from The Universal Door of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva Scripture
Disclaimer: I am not an expert or a qualified person to explain the Dharma and my understanding and capacity is limited. Be aware of potential mistakes and I apology in advance if there are any mistakes. Please leave a comment below if there are any mistakes that you found.
I was thinking what is the best way for me to understand Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva and I thought what better way than to go right to the source it self, the Universal Door of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva chapter from the Lotus Sutra. This sutra goes into detail of his abilities, characteristics and benefits of building a connection with him. The text provides a foundational understanding of how he operates. It is also one of the old surviving Buddhist text found since 286 CE.
It’s important to remember that this is not a comprehensive guide to learn Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva but just my personal selected ten key points out of the many other aspects. I thought it might be more comprehensible and digestible to investigate these ten key points areas to aid our learning. However, I encourage you to read the entire Sutra text to better understand Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva’s features, abilities and benefit of recitation.
I’ve started with the ten key points, followed by ten key points with quotation from the sutra text, then advice how to build connection with this Bodhisattva and my own personal thoughts of him.
Before I begin to investigate such profound and wonderful ancient text, I’ll like to remind what the enlightened masters usually remind us, which is how rare and special it is to encounter such sutra and Dharma therefore we must treasure and cherish it. It takes many live times of creating good roots to encounter such dharma; so may we sincerely, reverently and gratefully receive the wonderful teaching from the sutra treasury and earnestly practice.
As The Universal Door of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva sutra says: “At that time the Bodhisattva Guardian of the Earth rose from his seat and said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, if there are those who hear this chapter of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, who learn about the self-mastery of his deeds and the power of his spiritual penetrations as shown in this Universal Door, you should know that the merit and virtue of such people will not be small.””
My ten key points:
In case you just want to read my ten key points I’ve taken from the Universal Door of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva without quotation.
Who is Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva?
1. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva is the hearer of our cries and rescue those who recites his name single-mindedly.
2. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva have made great vows to serve many Buddhas and help us.
3. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva has great wisdom and great compassion to help us.
What ability does Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva have?
4. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva with his great spiritual powers to manifest throughout all realms and appears in different forms/incarnation to teach Dharma, transform and liberate all living beings out of suffering & samsara.
What is the benefit of being reciting Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva?
5. Reciting Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva rescue living beings from all kinds of harm i.e. fire, drowning, enemies or beat attack, evil spirits, evil spells, poisons and imprisonment.
6. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva bestow fearlessness.
7. Reciting Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva name, bowing and make offering receives limitless and boundless blessings.
8. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva can blessed people with good & virtuous children.
9. Reciting Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva’s name can remove the poisons of the mind (lust, hatred & stupidity) and afflictions.
10. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva can help us wipe away suffering, evil destiny and cycle of rebirth in samsara.
My key points with quotations:
Who is Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva?
1. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva is the hearer of our cries and rescue those who recites his name single-mindedly:
“The Buddha told Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva, “Good man, if any of the limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of living beings who are undergoing all kinds of suffering hear of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva and recite his name single-mindedly, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva will immediately hear their voices and rescue them.”
2: Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva have made great vows to serve many Buddhas and to help us:
Vows are an essential practice in the Bodhisattva path. Making vows is needed first for something to manifest in reality. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva in the past made great vows to help guide and liberate living beings and therefore now she is fulfilling her great vows. So without vows, the condition for her to help us would not manifest. Aren’t we grateful for his great vows. You can read more about his vows here.
“With vast vows, as deep as the sea,
Throughout inconceivable eons,
He has served many thousands of kotis of Buddhas,
And has made great, pure vows.
I shall now tell you in brief,
That for those who hear his name or see him,
And who are mindful of his name unceasingly,
He can extinguish the suffering of all realms of existence.”
3. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva has great wisdom and great compassion to help us:
In order for a Bodhisattva to help us, they perfect their ability of great compassion, psychic powers, wisdom and expedient skills to help guide us safely to escape the entrapment of samsara and lead us to liberation.
“True Contemplator, Pure Contemplator,
Contemplator with Vast, Great Wisdom,
Compassionate Contemplator, Kind Contemplator,
May we constantly behold you with reverence!
Undefiled pure light,
The sun of wisdom that breaks through the darkness
Is able to quell calamities of wind and fire
As it shines on all worlds.
Compassionate substance: the thunder of precepts.
Kind intent: a wondrous great cloud.
He rains down sweet dew and Dharma rain,
Which extinguish the flames of affliction.”
What ability does Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva have?
4. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva with his great spiritual powers to manifest throughout all realms and appears in different forms/incarnation to teach Dharma, transform and liberate all living beings out of suffering and samsara:
Verse below explains how Guan Shi Yin has great psychic spiritual powers to manifest in different forms and incarnation throughout all realms of existence, in order to guide and transform beings towards awakening and liberation.
“The Buddha told Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva, “Good man, if living beings in this land must be saved by means of someone in the body of a Buddha, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva will manifest in the body of a Buddha and speak Dharma for them.
(…) If they must be saved by someone in the body of the Great God of Sovereignty, he will manifest in the body of the Great God of Sovereignty and speak Dharma for them.
(…) If they must be saved by someone in the body of a Bhikshu, Bhikshuni, Upasaka, or Upasika, he will manifest in the body of a Bhikshu, Bhikshuni, Upasaka, or Upasika and speak Dharma for them.
(…) If they must be saved by someone in the body of a heavenly dragon, yaksha, gandharva, asura, garuda, kinnara, mahoraga, human, or nonhuman, and so forth, he will manifest in such a body and speak Dharma for them.
(…) Inexhaustible Intention, such is the self-mastery and spiritual power of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, who roams throughout the Saha world.”
“Complete with the power of spiritual penetrations,
Vastly cultivating wisdom and expedient means,
Going throughout countries in the ten directions,
He manifests everywhere in all places.
The various evil destinies,
Those of the hells, ghosts, and animals,
And the pain of birth, old age, sickness, and death
Are all gradually wiped away.”
What are the benefits of reciting Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva?
5. Reciting Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva rescue living beings from all kinds of harm and danger i.e. fire, drowning, enemies or beat attack, evil spirits, evil curse/spells, poisons and imprisonment:
The sutra describes how Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva uses his spiritual powers to save one from harm and danger such as fire, drowning, enemies or beat attack, evil spirits, evil curse/spells, poisons and imprisonment.
These may seem like a bunch of myths at first, but in actuality there had been many stories of how Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva had saved a people from various danger, which has been documented from ancient times to modern recent times. He is very responsive and have helped the lives of countless people, which explains why he is very popular in East Asia.
I personally know a few people who had such encounter too, which makes it all the more so interesting. These incidents includes how Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva had saved people from sinking ships, drowning, terminal illness, accidents and unlawful imprisonment. Such incidents also involves seeing real life apparition of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva, receiving instructional messages in dreams such as advise to visit a particular doctor or multiple people having the similar dream of him with the same underlining messages.
Here are verses from the sutra that describes that he saves people from suffering and difficulties:
“Living beings are beset with hardships,
And oppressed by limitless sufferings.
The power of Guanyin’s wondrous wisdom
Can rescue the world from suffering.
Complete with the power of spiritual penetrations,
Vastly cultivating wisdom and expedient means,
Going throughout countries in the ten directions,
He manifests everywhere in all places.
(…) In thought after thought we have no doubt:
Guanshiyin is pure and sagely.
In times of suffering, agony, danger, and death,
He is our refuge and protector.”
6. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva is the bestower of fearlessness:
Fear is probably the cause of many evil things in this world. It causes irrational. unskilled and impulsive behaviour/decision which ruin relationship and cause harm to ourselves and others. Fear also lowering our energy or vibration that allows opening for psychic attack from evil entities. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva gives us courage and fearlessness to face challenges in life, so that we can have peace of mind, clarity of mind and make wise decisions in the midst of chaos.
“Guanshiyin Bodhisattva Mahasattva can, in the midst of fear, crisis, and hardship, bestow fearlessness. That is why in this Saha world all call him the “Bestower of Fearlessness.””
7. Reciting Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva name, bowing and make offering allows one to receive limitless and boundless blessings:
Reciting Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva name, bowing and make offering to him has extraordinarily more merit and virtue than doing so with numerous other Bodhisattvas. He is a vessel of limitless and boundless blessings and virtue, where we can draw from just by upholding his name.
“”Inexhaustible Intention! If a person were to receive and uphold the names of Bodhisattvas in number as the grains of sand in sixty-two kotis of Ganges Rivers, and in addition were to exhaustively make offerings to them of food, drink, clothing, bedding, and medicine, what do you think—would that good man’s or good woman’s merit and virtue be great or not?”
Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva replied, “Very great, World Honored One.”
The Buddha said, “If another person were to receive and uphold the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva and bow and make offerings but once, that person’s blessings would be equal to and not different from the other person’s. They could not be exhausted in hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of eons.
“Inexhaustible Intention, one who receives and upholds the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva obtains the benefit of blessings and virtues as limitless and boundless as those.””
8. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva can blessed people with good & virtuous children:
Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva is compassionate and not only help monastic practitioner but help all beings including lay people. To those who bow and make offering to him, he bless them with virtuous and good children.
“If women who seek sons bow and make offerings to Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, they will give birth to blessed, virtuous, and wise sons. If they seek daughters, they will give birth to upright and handsome daughters who have planted roots of virtue in previous lives and who are regarded and respected by all.
9. Reciting Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva’s name can remove the poisons of the mind (lust, hatred & stupidity) and afflictions:
Through the practice of constant recitation of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva’s name, one can be free from poisons of lust, hatred and stupidity that chain us in samsara.
“”If living beings who have much sexual desire constantly and reverently recite the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, they will be separated from desire.
“If those who have much hatred constantly and reverently recite the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, they will be separated from hatred.
“If those who are very stupid constantly and reverently recite the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, they will be separated from stupidity.”
“He rains down sweet dew and Dharma rain,
Which extinguish the flames of affliction.”
10. Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva can help us wipe away suffering, evil destiny and cycle of rebirth in samsara:
With Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattvas’ great compassion, patience, wisdom and skills as well as great blessings; life after life he guides us towards Awakening and liberation from Samsara.
“Complete with the power of spiritual penetrations,
Vastly cultivating wisdom and expedient means,
Going throughout countries in the ten directions,
He manifests everywhere in all places.
The various evil destinies,
Those of the hells, ghosts, and animals,
And the pain of birth, old age, sickness, and death
Are all gradually wiped away.”
How to build a connection with Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva?
Reciting:
As the sutra states, “single-minded” recite his name; Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa (Namo Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva). Single minded means to sincerely recite without other thoughts in your mind and to be respectful and reverent. The Sutra also says “May we constantly behold you with reverence!”. Using a mala bead can help aid with constant recitation practice. Recitation is a form of meditation that leads to state samadhi. Regular practice build a stronger connection/affinity to him and ensure response when needed in times of danger.
To build a connection with Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva, it is important to be reverent, respectful, have faith and be single-minded. Faith & confidence grows with more practice, try to leave doubt outside the door during the actual practice as it hinders the concentration and full experience of the practice. Be sincere and single-minded. It may be difficult at first with a lot of thoughts running in your mind, but with patience and keep on drawing your attention back to the name whenever distraction arises will naturally quiet down your mind and improve your single-minded concentration.
Bowing and give offering:
The sutra also encourage us to bow and make offering to him. There is blessing created in making offering. The practice of offering allow our hearts to let go of attachments, practice generosity and create blessings. As we receive what we give to the universe, blessing is returned after the act of unattached wholesome giving. You may offer incense, candle light, flower, water, fruits and vegetarian food (no eggs).
Bowing can be incorporated in our routine practice, such as doing 3 bows, 30 bows or how many bows you want. I’d like to address the fact eastern culture has a different conception and understanding of bowing in comparison to the west. The eastern culture do not see bowing as just a master and servant dynamic as the west sees it. But it has more diverse meaning, usage and depth to it. It can be used to greetings, show respect & admiration, act of showing selfless humility as well as a other spiritual aspect such as igniting inspiration, or a yoga like visualisation or contemplative practice.
Bowing to Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva, the embodiment of Great Compassion and Awakened nature, can be seen as a way to reconnect, inspire, nurture and awaken to our own Great Compassion and awakening nature. There is also great blessings in doing such wholesome and spiritual practices, especially due to the vows that Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva had made that was to bless and help those who reach out to him. There are health, psychological and spiritual benefits in bowing. There is an element of rebalancing and grounding ourselves energetically, where during bowing our hearts is higher than our thoughts/brain, and so it helps realigns and rebalance ourselves to be more heart centred and less thought/mind orientated. Being thoughts/mind orientated can cause restless or stressful uncontrolled overthinking mind as well as being in an egocentric states. After bowing, there are spiritual and psychological changes such as feeling more lighter, happier, balanced and peaceful.
If you want to further your spiritual training there are other advance bowing techniques to explore. For instance, it can be used as a way to humbly repent and reform or renewal ourselves from our past bad deeds (including past lives), so we can nullify the impact of negative karma as well as letting go of guilt and remorse that hold us back from our spiritual journal. There are yoga like contemplation or visualisation techniques that can help your meditative state. For example, there are techniques that involves contemplating bowing throughout the Dharma Realm to help expanse our mental consciousness. There are also bowing techniques where you remove the mark of self & others in our mind to enter a profound state. If you are interested in these sort of advance practices, you may be interested in the Seven Kinds of Bowing.
Recite his sutra, mantras and vows:
Another way to practice is to recite sutras or mantra/dharani. Sutra includes the Universal Door of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva Sutra or The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra. Sutra is the source of dharma and much blessing is created by reciting it. His famous mantra is the Six Syllable Mantra (Om Mani Padme Hum), Great Compassion Mantra, Guan Yin’s Efficacious Response True Words and Ekadaśamukha Mantra (NB: commonly mistaken with the Great Compassion Mantra when it is actually different). Reciting his vows is usually recited as an adjunction with other practices or in ceremonies.
Example of practice: offering, bowing, sutra, vows, mantras and name recitation.
Practice his conduct, mindset and virtues:
To really connect with him is to follow his example, behaviour and mind. This means keep his moral conduct (precepts), develop great kindness & compassion, practice the Brahmavihara or four great minds (loving kindness, compassion, joy with others and equanimity), make Bodhisattva vows and live a harmless lifestyle (i.e. vegetarian).
It is also worth mentioning the features and characteristics of the Great Compassion Mantra: “It is the great merciful and compassionate heart, the impartial heart, the motionless heart, the unpolluted and unattached heart, the emptiness-observing heart, the respectful heart, the humble heart, the uncluttered heart, the non-view and non-grasping heart, and the uppermost Bodhi-Heart. You should know that such hearts are the feature and characteristics of this Dharani, you should practice according to them.”
Set a sacred space to practice:
If you are a regular practitioner, it is worth considering setting up an altar at home. It is useful to have sacred space to do your spiritual practice. Having such sacred space will create positive energy to your home, remind you to practice and have a place to escape from stress of life & recharge or rebalance you.
To do so, find a quiet spot and set altar that is higher than your height of your heart (as a gesture of respect). Have a statue or image of Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva, incense holder, vase to offer flower and a cup/plate to offer fruits and water. You can also recite whilst contemplate on his image when practicing.
How I see Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva:
Firstly, I’d like to make a disclaimer that I’m not qualified to teach the dharma nor do I have true insight and wisdom to do so. I’ll be describing how I see him with my limited understanding and limited capacity. Secondly, I am aware that words cannot truly describe his wonderful qualities that is beyond mere words or ordinary human comprehension. But with my limited ordinary capacity and understanding, I will attempt to outline who is for me:
Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva is an embodiment of Great Compassion. He is an enlightened sage who out of great kindness and compassion decide to return back to samsara to fulfil his great vow to help liberate living beings who trapped in samsara. He possessed great spiritual psychic powers, great wisdom and expedient skills to rescue us from all harm and suffering. With great patience and a never retreating heart, life after life, he quietly & invisibly bless us, protect us and guide us towards liberation. He is a vessel of boundless blessings that we can draw from. He bless us with favourable conditions that makes our lives peaceful, happy and satisfied. With our wish fulfilled, we can happily continue with spiritual journey. He helps to remove our the poisons and afflictions in our mind that held us captured in samsara and guide us to liberation. He is a great protector & supporter, source of inspiration and a beacon of light to guide us out of burning house of samsara.
It is also worth noting that the relationship with Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva is not the same as worshipping God in other religions, where there is a master and slave role. Although there is an element of him being a our great protector and a source of blessing, essentially he is guiding us to look within our own nature and find Enlightened nature or own Buddha nature. He is seen as a guide or teacher to find our true nature, and to realised all our enlightened nature is the same as all the Buddhas but we just need to rediscover it with cultivation.
Verse to conclude:
I would like to conclude with these verses that I find fitting:
“Living beings are beset with hardships,
And oppressed by limitless sufferings.
The power of Guanyin’s wondrous wisdom
Can rescue the world from suffering.
(…) The various evil destinies,
Those of the hells, ghosts, and animals,
And the pain of birth, old age, sickness, and death
Are all gradually wiped away.”
“In thought after thought we have no doubt:
Guanshiyin is pure and sagely.
In times of suffering, agony, danger, and death,
He is our refuge and protector.”
I hope this have helped you understanding on Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva and bring much blessings and benefit to your lives. May we all be find awakening and liberation!
