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Chapter Called that of the All-Sided One, Containing a Description of the Transformations of Avalokiteśvara
Thereafter the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva 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 Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara called Avalokiteśvara? So he asked, and the Lord answered to the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Akshayamati: All the hundred thousands of myriads of koṭis of creatures, young man of good family, who in this world are suffering troubles will, if they hear the name of the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, be released from that mass of troubles. Those who shall keep the name of this Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, young man of good family, will, if they fall into a great mass of fire, be delivered therefrom by virtue of the luster of the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva. In case, young man of good family, creatures, carried off by the current of rivers, should implore the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, all rivers will afford them a ford. In case, young man of good family, many hundred thousand myriads of koṭis of creatures, sailing in a ship on the ocean, should see their bullion, gold, gems, pearls, lapis lazuli, conch shells, stones (?), corals, emeralds, Musāragalvas, 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 Avalokiteśvara, all will be saved from that island of Giantesses. For that reason, young man of good family, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara is named Avalokiteśvara.
If a man given up to capital punishment implores Avalokiteśvara, 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 Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara 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 Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara is pronounced. Such, young man of good family, is the power of the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. 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 Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, 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 Avalokiteśvara with the words: Adoration, adoration be to the giver of safety, to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Mahāsattva! 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 Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. In case creatures act under the impulse of impure passion, young man of good family, they will, after adoring the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, be freed from passion. Those who act under the impulse of hatred will, after adoring the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, be freed from hatred. Those who act under the impulse of infatuation will, after adoring the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, be freed from infatuation. So mighty, young man of good family, is the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. If a woman, desirous t of male offspring, young man of good family, adores the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, 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 2, generally beloved and winning, who has planted good roots. Such, young man of good family, is the power of the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.
Those who adore the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara will derive from it an unfailing profit. Suppose, young man of good family, (on one hand) some one adoring the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara 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 3, 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 Mahāsattva 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 Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara 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 Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and cherishes his name, have an equal accumulation of pious merit l; both masses of pious merit are not easy to be destroyed even in hundred thousands of myriads of koṭis of Æons. So immense, young man of good family, is the pious merit resulting from cherishing the name of the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.
Again the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Akshayamati said to the Lord: How, O Lord, is it that the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara frequents this Sahā-World? And how does he preach the law? And which is the range of the skillfulness of the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara? So asked, the Lord replied to the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Akshayamati: In some worlds, young man of good family, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara 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 Īśvara, he preaches the law in the shape of Īśvara; to those who are to be converted by Maheśvara, he preaches assuming the shape of Maheśvara. To those who are to be converted by a Kakravartin, 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 Senapati, he preaches in the shape of Senapati; to those who are to be converted by assuming a Brahman, he preaches in the shape of a Brahman; to those who are to be converted by Vajrapāni, he preaches in the shape of Vajrapāni. With such inconceivable qualities, young man of good family, is the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara endowed. Therefore then, young man of good family, honor the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara. The Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara, young man of good family, affords safety to those who are in anxiety. On that account one calls him in this Sahā-world Abhayandada (i.e., Giver of Safety).
Further, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Akshayamati said to the Lord: Shall we give a gift of piety, a decoration of piety, O Lord, to the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara? The Lord replied: Do so, if thou thinkest it opportune. Then the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Akshayamati took from his neck a pearl necklace, worth a hundred thousand (gold pieces), and presented it to the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara 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 Mahāsattva Akshayamati said to the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara: Out of compassion to us, young man of good family, accept this pearl necklace. Then the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara accepted the pearl necklace from the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Akshayamati, out of compassion to the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Akshayamati and the four classes, and out of compassion to the gods, Nāgas, goblins, Gandharvas, demons, Garuḍas, Kinnaras, great serpents, men, and beings not human. Thereafter he divided (the necklace) into two parts, and offered one part to the Lord Śākyamuni, and the other to the jewel Stūpa of the Lord Prabhūtaratna, the Tathāgata, &c., who had become completely extinct.
With such a faculty of transformation, young man of good family, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara is moving in this Sahā-world.
And on that occasion the Lord uttered the following stanzas:
1. Kitradhvaga asked Akshayamati the following question: For what reason, son of Jina, is Avalokiteśvara (so) called?
2. And Akshayamati, that ocean of profound insight, after considering how the matter stood, spoke to Kitradhvaga: Listen to the conduct of Avalokiteśvara.
3. Hear from my indication how for numerous, inconceivable Æons he has accomplished his vote under many thousand koṭis 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 Avalokiteśvara, and the fire shall be quenched as if sprinkled with water.
6. If one happens to fall into the dreadful ocean, the abode of Nāgas, marine monsters, and demons, he has but to think of Avalokiteśvara, 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 Avalokiteśvara, 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 Avalokiteśvara, 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 Avalokiteśvara, 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 Avalokiteśvara, 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 Avalokiteśvara, and the bonds shall be speedily loosened.
12. Mighty spells, witchcraft, herbs, ghosts, and specters, pernicious to life, revert thither whence they come, when one thinks of Avalokiteśvara.
13. If a man is surrounded by goblins, Nāgas, demons, ghosts, or giants, who are in the habit of taking away bodily vigor, he has but to think of Avalokiteśvara, 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 Avalokiteśvara, 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), he has but to think of Avalokiteśvara, 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 Avalokiteśvara, and the fire of heaven shall quickly, instantaneously be quenched.
17. He (Avalokiteśvara) with his powerful knowledge beholds all creatures who are beset with many hundreds of troubles and afflicted by many sorrows, and thereby is a savior in the world, including the gods.
18. As he is thoroughly practised in the power of magic, and possessed of vast knowledge and skillfulness, 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 luster 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 Avalokiteśvara, who shall quell the wicked troop of foes.
24. One should think of Avalokiteśvara, 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 Avalokiteśvara, 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, Avalokiteśvara, is worthy of adoration.
27. He, so compassionate for the world, shall once become a Buddha, destroying all dangers and sorrows l; I humbly bow to Avalokiteśvara.
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 Amitābha, whom he is fanning, he, by dint of meditation, like a phantom, in all regions honors the Jina.
30. In the west, where the pure world Sukhākara is situated, there the Chief Amitābha, 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 Jina, on springing into existence by apparitional birth, are sitting in the undefiled cups of lotuses.
32. And the Chief Amitābha himself is seated on a throne in the pure and nice cup of a lotus, and shines as the Sāla-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 Mahāsattva Dhārāṇidhara 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 Dharmaparyāya about the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara and this miraculous power of transformation of the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara.
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.
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