妙法蓮華經玄贊 10.330

10.330

來意者，論云「救眾生諸難力者謂觀世音，〈陀羅尼品〉示現。觀音救未發心眾生難，令離眾苦發心持經。陀羅尼救已發心持經者難，令離苦持經。又觀音以天眼、天耳、他心三通護持經者難，陀羅尼二聖二天十神以明呪護持經者難。又觀音念人救難，陀羅尼誦法救難。持經之力已離眾難，若不加以易救之方，恐難修持經之業，故以易功助成難業以勸持經，故此品來。」

Regarding the purpose of its occurrence, the treatise says: "The power to rescue sentient beings from various difficulties is called Avalokiteśvara, which is manifested in the 'Dhāraṇī Chapter.' Avalokiteśvara rescues sentient beings who have not yet aroused the thought [of awakening] from difficulties, causing them to abandon various sufferings and arouse the thought to uphold the sūtra. The dhāraṇīs rescue those who have already aroused the thought and uphold the sūtra from difficulties, causing them to leave suffering and uphold the sūtra. Moreover, Avalokiteśvara uses the three supernormal knowledges of divine eye, divine ear, and knowledge of others' minds to protect those who uphold the sūtra from difficulties; the two sages, two devas, and ten spirits of the dhāraṇīs use spells of light to protect those who uphold the sūtra from difficulties. Moreover, Avalokiteśvara rescues from difficulties by being mindful of the person; the dhāraṇīs rescue from difficulties by reciting the teaching. The power of upholding the sūtra already frees one from various difficulties; if not supplemented with easy methods of rescue, it is feared to be difficult to cultivate the practice of upholding the sūtra. Therefore, by using easy work to assist the completion of the difficult practice, one is encouraged to uphold the sūtra. Hence this chapter comes forth."