觀音玄義記 1.11

1.11

二、「故娑」下，兼明本跡，二：初、示諸名，二：初、今昔因名。今堪忍土稱無畏者，此經兩出。怨賊難中，一人唱言：「諸善男子！勿得恐怖。汝等應當一心稱觀世音名號，是菩薩能以無畏施於眾生。」乃至云「稱其名故即得解脫。」又勸供養中，佛自歎云：「是觀世音菩薩摩訶薩，於怖畏急難之中能施無畏。」是故此娑婆世界皆號之為施無畏者。「寶藏」等者，《悲華經》云「過去散提嵐界善持劫中，時有佛出名曰寶藏。有轉輪王名無量淨，第一太子三月供佛及比丘僧，發菩提心：『若有眾生受三途等一切苦惱，若能念我稱我名字，為我天耳天眼聞見，不免苦者，我終不成無上菩提。』寶藏佛云：『汝觀一切眾生欲斷眾苦，故今字汝為觀世音。』」二、「已成」下，過未果號。「已成」等者，《千手眼大悲經》云「此菩薩不可思議威神之力，已於過去無量劫中已作佛竟，號正法明如來，大悲願力安樂眾生故現作菩薩。」又《觀音三昧經》云「先已成佛，號正法明如來。釋迦為彼佛作苦行弟子。」「次當」等者，《觀音授記經》云「觀世音菩薩，次阿彌陀後當成正覺，名普光功德山王如來。」「補處」者，猶儲君之義也。二、「其本」下，結難測。如上經說，或已成如來、或現為菩薩，往世正法曾作釋迦之師，今日觀音仍補彌陀之處。亦如妙德元是能仁九代祖師，孫已果圓、祖猶因位，本跡高下安可測量？然須用其高下四句，以顯諸聖難思之相。二、「今言」下，敘人法標題，二：初、敘人兼經字，二：初、敘人，二：初、對梵翻名。諸神呪經先稱梵名，今文稍略，而其華語名多互出，此云觀世音、餘云觀自在。唯《千手眼大悲經》中云「觀世音自在菩薩」，其義似足。然約境智而明感應，則今三字詮顯無虧。若依今解，已彰自住。

Second, from "Therefore in the Sahā [world]" onward, [the text] additionally clarifies the original and trace, which has two parts: first, displaying the various names; second [is the conclusion]. The first has two parts: first, the names in cause, both present and past. As for being called the Bestower of Fearlessness in this Sahā world at present, this appears twice in this sūtra. In the peril of hostile bandits, one person calls out, saying: "Good sons! Do not be afraid. You should with wholehearted devotion recite the name of Avalokiteśvara; this bodhisattva is able to bestow fearlessness upon sentient beings," and so forth, down to: "Because they call his name, they immediately attain liberation." Furthermore, in the exhortation to make offerings, the Buddha himself praises [him], saying: "This Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara is able to bestow fearlessness in the midst of dread and urgent distress." Therefore, in this Sahā world, everyone designates him the Bestower of Fearlessness. As for "Ratnagarbha" and so forth, the *Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka-sūtra* states: "In the past, during the Dhāraṇī-kalpa in the Sandhira realm, there was at that time a Buddha who appeared named Ratnagarbha. There was a wheel-turning king named Amitanirmala, whose eldest prince offered to the Buddha and the saṅgha of monks for three months and generated the bodhicitta: 'If there are sentient beings who suffer all afflictions such as the three evil destinies, if they can be mindful of me and recite my name, and being heard and seen by my divine ears and divine eyes, fail to escape suffering, I shall never attain unexcelled bodhi.' The Buddha Ratnagarbha said: 'Because you contemplate all sentient beings wishing to sever their multitude of sufferings, I now name you Avalokiteśvara.'" Second, from "Having already attained" onward treats the past and future fruit designations. As for "Having already attained" and so forth, the *Sahasrabhuja-sahasranetra-mahākāruṇika-sūtra* states: "The inconceivable spiritual power of this bodhisattva has already, in countless kalpas in the past, completed Buddhahood, titled the Tathāgata Dharmaprabhāsa-samyak; out of the power of great compassionate vows to bring peace and joy to sentient beings, he now manifests as a bodhisattva." Moreover, the *Avalokiteśvara-samādhi-sūtra* states: "He previously attained Buddhahood, titled the Tathāgata Dharmaprabhāsa-samyak. Śākyamuni served as that Buddha's ascetic disciple." As for "Next destined to" and so forth, the *Avalokiteśvara-vyākaraṇa-sūtra* states: "Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, next after Amitābha, will attain correct enlightenment, named the Tathāgata Samantaprabhāsa-guṇaparvata-rāja." "One who occupies the next stage" has the meaning of an heir apparent. Second, from "His original [nature]" onward concludes that it is difficult to fathom. As stated in the sūtras above, either he has already attained Buddhahood as a Tathāgata, or he presently manifests as a bodhisattva; in a past world, [as the Buddha of] Correct Dharma, he once served as the teacher of Śākyamuni, yet today Avalokiteśvara still succeeds to the place of Amitābha. This is also like Mañjuśrī originally being the nine-generation ancestral master of Śākyamuni: the grandson has already perfected the fruit, while the ancestor remains in the causal stage. How could the high and low of the original and trace be measured? However, one must employ the four propositions of high and low to manifest the inconceivable characteristics of the sages. Second, from "Now speaking of" onward narrates the title with respect to person and dharma, which has two parts: first, narrating the person together with the word "sūtra"; [second, narrating the dharma together with the word "chapter"]. The first has two parts: first, narrating the person; [second, narrating the sūtra]. The first has two parts: first, translating the name against the Sanskrit. Various dhāraṇī-sūtras first cite the Sanskrit name. The present text is slightly abridged, while its Chinese names mostly alternate: here it is called Guanshiyin ("Avalokiteśvara"), elsewhere it is called Guanzizai ("Avalokiteśvara"). Only in the *Sahasrabhuja-sahasranetra-mahākāruṇika-sūtra* does it say "Guanxiyin Zizai Bodhisattva" (Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara-īśvara), whose meaning seems complete. However, when explaining stimulus and response in terms of object and wisdom, then the present three characters are entirely adequate in their exposition and manifestation. If one relies on the present interpretation, his self-abiding is already revealed.