The Lotus Sūtra 7.32

7.32

「無盡意！觀世音菩薩有如是等大威神力，多所饒益。是故眾生常應心念。若有女人，設欲求男，禮拜供養觀世音菩薩，便生福德智慧之男；設欲求女，便生端正有相之女。宿殖德本，眾人愛敬。

ance. O Akṣayamati! The transcendent power of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva

Avalokiteśvara is as great and mighty as this.

“If there are any sentient beings who are greatly subject to sensual desires,

if they contemplate Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara with respect, they will become

free from these desires. If there are any sentient beings who often become

angry, if they contemplate Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara with respect, they will

become free from anger. If there are any sentient beings who are greatly con-

fused, if they contemplate Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara with respect, they will

become free from their confusion. O Akṣayamati! Thus Bodhisattva Avalo-

kiteśvara greatly benefits sentient beings through his transcendent power. For

this reason sentient beings should always turn their thoughts to him.

“If any woman wanting to have a baby boy pays homage and makes

offerings to Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, she will bear a baby boy endowed

with good merit and wisdom. If she wants to have a baby girl, she will bear

a beautiful and handsome baby girl who has planted roots of good merit and

will have the love of sentient beings. O Akṣayamati! Such are the transcen-

dent powers of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara that if any sentient being rever-

ently respects him, the merit they achieve will never be in vain. For this rea-

son sentient beings should hold to the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara.

O Akṣayamati! What do you think of someone who holds to the names of the

bodhisattvas equal in number to the sands of sixty-two koṭis of Ganges Rivers and pays homage to them with drink and food, clothes, bedding, and medicine. Is the merit of this son or daughter of a virtuous family great or not?”

Akṣayamati answered, saying: “O Bhagavat! It is great.”

The Buddha said: “If there is anyone who holds to the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara and anyone who pays homage to him and makes offerings even for a moment, the merit of these two people will be equal and the same; it will never be extinguished after hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas. O Akṣayamati! Those who hold to the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara will attain such benefits of immeasurable and limitless merit.”

The Bodhisattva Akṣayamati addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! How does Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara wander through this sahā world? How does he teach the Dharma for the sake of sentient beings? What of his power of skillful means?”

The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Akṣayamati: “O son of a virtuous family! If there is any land where sentient beings are to be saved by the form of a buddha, Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a buddha. To those who are to be saved by the form of a pratyekabuddha, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a pratyekabuddha. To those who are to be saved by the form of a śrāvaka, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a śrāvaka. To those who are to be saved by the form of Brahma, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of Brahma. To those who are to be saved by the form of Śakra, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the