English (machine translation)

Language: English
Extent: 186 passages, 28,206 words
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Source: pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-21) of in.bauddha.taisho.1728 · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…

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2 — 98 parts

Text

1.1

Expounded by Great Master Zhizhe of Tiantai under the Sui; recorded by his disciple Guanding.

Since this text is also circulated separately from the great work, some also divide the text into three sections, maintaining: from the initial question onward is the prologue, from the Buddha's answer onward is the main body, and from Dharaṇīṃdhara onward is the dissemination. Others say: "The compiler's prologue is the prologue, from Akṣayamati addressing the Buddha onward is the main body, and from Dharaṇīṃdhara onward is the dissemination." The present master sometimes also makes three sections, and at other times does not use the label of three sections, but simply divides it into three chapters: first, Akṣayamati's question; second, the Buddha's answer; third, Dharaṇīṃdhara's praise. Or he makes four chapters: the three as before, and the fourth is gaining benefit upon hearing the chapter. Or he makes two sections, which are the preceding and succeeding two questions and answers. The various ways of dividing chapters may be adopted according to one's purpose.

1.3

If dividing the chapters by questions and answers, there are two questions and answers. The first question and answer clarifies the meaning of Avalokiteśvara, the hidden benefit of the king of trees, and so forth; the second question and answer clarifies the meaning of the Universal Gate, the manifest benefit of the wish-fulfilling jewel king, and so forth. Regarding the first question and answer, there are two parts: first, the question; second, the answer. Regarding the question, there are four parts: first, the time; second, identifying the person; third, the respectful deportment; fourth, the question proper.

1.4

First, as for "at that time" (er shi): "er" means "then." That is to say, when Gadgadasvara of the eastern quarter had finished propagating the sūtra, it was next time to explain Avalokiteśvara of the western quarter propagating the sūtra, hence it says "at that time." Alternatively, the great assembly having already heard Gadgadasvara propagate the sūtra and having rejoiced, it was then the time suitable to hear of Avalokiteśvara to arouse their minds and produce wholesome roots, hence it says "at that time." Alternatively, the assembly at that time doubted Gadgadasvara: "How does he bring benefit?" When the preceding discourse had already dispelled the assembly's doubts, the assembly at that time had doubts concerning the virtue of Avalokiteśvara, and it was the very time to dispel these doubts, hence it says "at that time." Alternatively, the capacity of the assembly at that time lay in Gadgadasvara, and upon hearing they attained the Way—just as the bodhisattvas of the two lands had already attained the Way, at the time when eighty-four thousand awakened to the principle, they needed to hear of Avalokiteśvara, hence it says "at that time." The buddhas and tathāgatas do not preach the Dharma in vain; having the causes and conditions of the four siddhāntas, only then do they preach it. It is precisely the time to expound the four siddhāntas, hence it says "at that time."

1.5

Second, identifying the person: that is Akṣayamati (Inexhaustible Mind). He is named "Inexhaustible" because it is neither exhaustible nor inexhaustible; in contrast to the Hīnayāna, which is called "exhaustible," it is called "inexhaustible." The Hīnayāna explains "exhaustion" in contrast to the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising, which extinguish form and grasp emptiness; therefore it is named "inexhaustible." Furthermore, why "inexhaustible"? Because emptiness cannot be exhausted, conventionality cannot be exhausted, and the middle cannot be exhausted, it is therefore called "inexhaustible." The Dapin jing says: "Form itself is emptiness, not that form is extinguished to become emptiness." Because it is empty, it is inexhaustible.

1.6

Furthermore, the Daji jing explains "Akṣayamati": "In the eastern quarter, beyond worlds of dust motes numbering ten sands of the Ganges, there is a land named Unblinking, where the Buddha is titled Samantabhadra. It consists solely of bodhisattvas, with no names of the two vehicles. They cultivate only mindfulness-of-the-Buddha samādhi, which is non-extinguishing, non-arising, and non-emerging, with mental practice equal like space; this is mindfulness of the Buddha. When one sees the Buddha, one immediately possesses the six pāramitās and attains the receptive tolerance of the non-arising of dharmas, which means: not grasping form is dāna; eliminating the marks of form is śīla; contemplating the exhaustion of form is kṣānti; contemplating the quiescence of form is vīrya; not engaging in form is dhyāna; not playfully proliferating form is prajñā. Śāriputra asked: 'Who gave you this appellation, naming you Akṣayamati?' He answered: 'The causes, conditions, fruits, and retributions of all dharmas are inexhaustible; all dharmas cannot be exhausted. The initial arousal of the aspiration for unexcelled awakening cannot be exhausted, like empty space which cannot be exhausted; how could arousing the aspiration for awakening for the sake of all-knowledge ever be exhausted? The buddhas' precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, knowledge and vision of liberation, the ten powers, fearlessnesses, and so forth are inexhaustible; because the mind is aroused on the basis of such as these, it cannot be exhausted. The nature of sentient beings is inexhaustible, transforming sentient beings is inexhaustible, and knowing that the nature of all dharmas is inexhaustible, it is therefore inexhaustible: this is called the bodhisattva's arousal of aspiration being inexhaustible. Furthermore, the dāna-pāramitā is inexhaustible, up to skillful means being inexhaustible—in all, there are eighty inexhaustibles. These eighty inexhaustibles can all contain and receive all buddhadharmas. From this he obtained his name, being named Akṣayamati.'" Furthermore, the Jingming jing says: "What is meant by exhaustible? It means not exhausting the conditioned. What is meant by inexhaustible? It means not abiding in the unconditioned." The Huayan jing has ten inexhaustible dharma gates. Sūtras such as these all rely on conventional designations to distinguish the causes, conditions, fruits, and retributions of all dharmas, in order to clarify the meaning of inexhaustible.

1.7

Furthermore, as the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra says: "The Tathāgata's form is inexhaustible, wisdom is likewise so, and all dharmas are permanently abiding." Furthermore, the Dapin jing says: "All dharmas tend toward mind, and this tendency does not exceed it." The mind is the dharma realm; the mind is neither exhaustible nor inexhaustible. Such inexhaustibility is analogous to being neither permanent nor impermanent, which is true permanence. Furthermore, the Jingming jing says: "Whether dharmas are exhaustible or inexhaustible, both are the mark of inexhaustibility. The mark of inexhaustibility is itself emptiness, and in emptiness there is neither exhaustibility nor non-exhaustibility. Therefore, know that being neither exhaustible nor inexhaustible is the true meaning of inexhaustible." Furthermore, the Dapin jing says: "Delusion, like empty space, cannot be exhausted; up to old age and death, like empty space, cannot be exhausted; form cannot be exhausted, up to consciousness cannot be exhausted." Sūtras such as these all rely on the principle of the middle way to designate inexhaustibility: completely penetrating the dharmas of the three truths—emptiness, conventionality, and the middle—cannot be exhausted; therefore he is named the Bodhisattva Akṣayamati. It also signifies the inexhaustibility of the mind, wisdom, consciousness, form, sensation, perception, formations, and so forth, which is ineffable and ineffable, and cannot be recorded in full.

1.8

As for "bodhisattva," in the foreign language it is called mahābodhicittasattva, which is translated here as "sentient being with the mind of the Great Way." A practitioner of initial mind is born of afflictions; the two vehicles are born of the fivefold dharma body; the bodhisattvas of the six perfections are born of merit; those of the Separate and Perfect [teachings] are born of the middle way. Hence the Dapin jing says: "The body of the Tathāgata is not born from a single cause or a single condition." A bodhisattva is born from manifold practices, hence called a "sentient being" (sattva); arousing the mind to seek the Buddha, he is therefore said to be "for the Great Way" (bodhi). Benefiting all, he perfects others through the path of the Dharma, or it is said he perfects sentient beings. The broad explanation of the meaning of bodhisattva is as in the separate record.

1.9

Third, the respectful deportment consists of three: first, rising; second, baring [the shoulder]; third, joining the palms. As for rising, the Rites says: "Rise to request instruction, rise to request guidance in learning." The bodhisattva is fully equipped with both deportments toward the Buddha, hence it says "rose." In contemplative interpretation, because the bodhisattva constantly cultivates the practice of detachment, it says "rose"; it is also according with the emptiness of all dharmas, emptiness itself being the seat, and being without defiled attachment to this emptiness, it therefore says "rose." Furthermore, the bodhisattva dwells securely in the principle of emptiness, and the principle originally has no rising; out of pity for sentient beings, riding upon their capacity to bring benefit, it therefore says "rose." Furthermore, the quiescence of the middle way is neither rising nor non-rising, yet able to rise and able not to rise. Rising of non-rising, rising is itself the true mark, and it also raises the true mark of sentient beings; hence it says "rose."

1.10

As for "baring the right shoulder," in foreign lands baring is considered respectful. Exposing the right shows convenience for carrying out service, expressing the disciple's deportment of serving the teacher and fulfilling duties; therefore, baring is used for reverence. In this land, baring is considered insolent; however, in antiquity Xu Jia bared his flesh to apologize to Zhang Yi, exposing both thighs, so in this land it is not uniformly insolent. In contemplative interpretation, covering and exposing represent the two truths of emptiness and conventionality; they also represent the provisional and the real. The real cannot be spoken, like covering the left represents having hidden benefit; the provisional is convenient for transformation, like exposing the right represents having manifest benefit.

1.11

As for "joining the palms," in this land clasping hands is considered respectful, while in foreign lands joining palms is respectful. The hands are originally two sides; now joined as one, this expresses not daring to be scattered or lax, but being devoted to a single mind; a single mind is appropriate, hence this is used to express respect. In contemplative interpretation, formerly the provisional and the real were not joined, but now they are joined. Furthermore, the five fingers represent the aggregates. The Renwang jing says: "The dharma nature has form, sensation, perception, formations, and consciousness." This means that the true body of real wisdom also has the five aggregates; manifestation through causes and conditions also has the five aggregates; the principle of sentient beings' inherent virtue also has the five aggregates; and sentient beings' fruits and retributions of birth and death also have the five aggregates. For the sake of transforming sentient beings, the sages manifest the five aggregates of the manifestation body; thus the aggregates of the provisional and real are distinct. If sentient beings' principle of dharma nature is revealed, the sages also cease transformation and return to the real. The provisional and the real being non-dual, joining the palms represents returning to the origin and reverting to the source, entering the neither-provisional-nor-real, phenomena and principle harmoniously according; therefore one joins the palms.

1.12

As for "facing the Buddha," it represents the causes of myriad good deeds facing the fruit of myriad virtues; it is also the practitioner's partial realization of the unity of provisional and real facing the ultimate unity of provisional and real; therefore it says "facing the Buddha."

1.13

Fourth, asking the question: below this there are two rounds of questions and answers; the first round asks about Avalokiteśvara, and the second round asks about the Universal Gate. The preceding question has three parts: first, praise; second, identifying the person being asked about; third, the question proper. The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: "You are equipped with the two adornments and are able to ask this meaning; I am equipped with the two adornments and am able to answer this meaning." Now Akṣayamati is equipped with the two adornments, and wishing to reveal Avalokiteśvara's two kinds of adornments, he consults and addresses the Tathāgata; the Tathāgata is ultimately equipped with the two adornments and will answer this meaning. The Treatise says: "There are many kinds of questions: questions out of non-understanding, test questions, and questions responding to capacity. Now Akṣayamati's is precisely a question responding to capacity." "World-Honoured One" is precisely praising the honored title, with all ten titles being implied. The Treatise: "Using that to explain this. 'Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara' is precisely identifying the person being asked about." It is fully as explained before.

1.14

As for "by what causes and conditions," causes and conditions are very numerous; briefly speaking, there are the causes and conditions of object and wisdom. If in terms of sentient beings, the two capacities of wholesomeness and unwholesomeness are the cause, and the sage's marvelous wisdom and compassion are the condition; if in terms of the sage, contemplative wisdom and compassion are the cause, and sentient beings' capacity and resonance are the condition. By these causes and conditions, he is named Avalokiteśvara, as explained above.

1.15

Second, the Buddha's answer comprises three parts: first, general answer; next, specific answer; third, exhorting upholding.

1.16

Regarding the initial general answer, there are two parts: first, clarifying the capacity; second, clarifying the response. Regarding the capacity, there are four parts: first, stating the number of persons; second, encountering suffering; third, hearing the name; fourth, reciting the title.

1.17

Regarding the number, the capacities of the ten dharma realms are truly boundless in themselves, but saying "hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis" is a general estimate.

1.18

Regarding "shared karma," taking for example the single realm of hells, in general it is the same, yet within it what measure is there to the gradations of superiority and inferiority? A single hell further has hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of distinct categories, and each category further has hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sinners. Because their sinful karma is precisely identical, they together undergo the bitter punishment of one grade. Applying this understanding broadly through the hungry ghosts, animals, asuras, humans, and devas, all are likewise so. Therefore, know that this number indicates the meaning of shared karma. The reason for citing a vast number is to clarify that when hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of kinds of karma encounter suffering and recite the name, simultaneously possessing capacity, they can simultaneously be responded to and all attain liberation. How much more so could a single person with a single karma and a single capacity coming alone not be saved? This cites the vastness of objects, multitudes, and capacities to reveal the depth of contemplation and the greatness of response.

1.19

Second, explaining "encountering suffering": this refers to experiencing various afflictions. These words fulfill the meaning above: the hundreds of thousands above referred to commonality of karma, while here it says "various afflictions." If one affliction corresponds to one karma, and there are altogether hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of them, one therefore knows that there are various hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis. The preceding explained the commonality of the number, whereas the subsequent explains the distinctness of the karma. Applying this meaning across the myriads of capacities in the ten dharma realms, they are unspeakable and unspeakable. Now when it says "experiencing afflictions," this refers precisely to presently encountering distress and suffering; this suffering is due to the multiplicity of results from bound karma, and therefore the causes are also manifold. This is the general reply: its phrasing is concise yet its meaning is broad, universally encompassing the ten realms rather than stopping at the human realm alone. Later, in the specific reply, the phrasing is broad yet the meaning is narrow, specifically singling out only the seven disasters of the human world; therefore, here is the general reply.

1.20

Third, "hearing the name": the preceding explained encountering suffering, and next explains generating goodness. Good and evil together constitute the capacity [for response]. This text clearly indicates that hearing has four meanings, as [explained] in a separate record. If one can thus penetrate the four meanings of hearing, this is the wisdom of hearing; the mind being without reliance, without abiding, and without clinging is the wisdom of contemplation; single-mindedly reciting the name is the wisdom of cultivation. Although this passage is brief, the meaning of the three wisdoms is clearly displayed.

1.21

Fourth, "reciting the name": reciting the name has two aspects: first, the phenomenal; second, the principle. If one uses the mind to maintain mindfulness, thought following thought in uninterrupted succession without other thoughts intervening, it is therefore called "single mind." Or, as in the *Qing Guanyin [jing]*, it may refer to binding mindfulness to count the breaths: ten breaths without distraction is called "one mindfulness." Or it may refer to immeasurable breaths unmixed with disparate thoughts: though the mental conception is protracted, it is also called "single mind." Turning to and relying upon [the bodhisattva] with a single mind, with no second intention whatsoever, is therefore called the phenomenal single mind. As for reciting the name, one may recite it in brief as in this text, or recite it extensively as in the text below.

1.22

"Namo" is an expression of taking refuge and entrusting one's life; these are all the phenomenal single mind reciting the name. As for the principle single mind: one realizes that this mind cannot be grasped as self, other, both, or without cause; it is without mind and without thought, corresponding with empty wisdom. This is being without "one" and without "mind"; knowing that the mark of sound is empty and that calls and echoes are unreal, both the agent of recitation and the object of recitation are ungraspable. This is called "non-recitation," and this is reciting the name with the principle single mind.

1.23

Second, the response: first explaining the response, and next explaining liberation. There are many kinds of response: the responses of the three teachings are not simultaneous; Avalokiteśvara of the Perfect Teaching simultaneously and perfectly responds to the manifold capacities—when distress is urgent, the response is swift. Hearing and immediately reciting at one time is swiftness of capacity; reciting and immediately being responded to is swiftness of response; "all obtain liberation" refers to receiving the benefit of the response. "All" not only demonstrates the multiplicity of capacities and the multitude of benefits, but also demonstrates the perfect and pervasive response; or at that time it constitutes swiftness of capacity, swiftness of response, and swiftness of equal benefit. Following the text:

1.24

Question: The sentient beings of the ten dharma realms are immeasurable, and since their capacities are immeasurable, how can they be caused to obtain liberation at one time?

1.25

Answer: Take, for example, parents whose affection for their children is deep, who possess great wisdom and ability, and are endowed with great power: when all their children are in distress, they can deliver them all at once. The bodhisattva is also like this: the compassion without conditions is profound, the dual wisdoms of the provisional and real are deep, the noble wealth is immeasurable, and the power of supernatural penetration is vast; though the ten realms are manifold, the capacity to respond is more than ample. The "Comfortable Conduct" chapter states: "Endowed with the great power of patience and the jewel treasury of wisdom, with great compassion one transforms the world in accordance with the Dharma." It has precisely this meaning. Furthermore, just as a poisonous dragon, through karmic retribution, can still view everything pervasively with a single eye, and all that it gazes upon die, how much more so with the bodhisattva whose wisdom of all aspects is perfectly luminous? Moreover, it is like a lodestone, and also akin to a clear mirror. It is also the power of the Wang Samādhi, simultaneously benefiting all beings in ten turns; this meaning is fully set forth in the *Great Text's Profound Meaning*.

1.26

Question: Single-mindedly reciting the name, all obtain liberation. Now we see people chanting and reciting who, over repeated years, do not receive an inch of efficacy—why is this?

1.27

Answer: The sūtra states "single-mindedly reciting the name"; there is phenomenal oneness and principle oneness. If one attains neither of these two paths, how could one move the noble one? For instance, facing a mirror with one's back turned, or confronting an echo-valley with one's mouth shut: how could one bring about an image or an echo?

1.28

Second, the specific reply has three parts: first, the resonance of the oral capacity; second, the resonance of the mental capacity; third, the resonance of the physical capacity. Regarding the oral capacity, there are two parts: first, explaining the seven disasters; next, concluding the oral capacity. Someone says: "As for the sequence of the three capacities, the oral is manifest and placed first; sound is produced through intention; and mental consciousness produces the body." Speaking generally, the oral capacity also frees one from three kinds of suffering: it merely removes the suffering of the result first, next removes the cause of suffering, and next fulfills vows to bestow joy.

1.29

Question: Here it explains the elimination of suffering; why does it suddenly bestow joy?

1.30

Answer: Bestowing a small portion of joy is to guide and receive them.

1.31

Question: For what reason does it not bestow the cause of joy?

1.32

Answer: Because the cause does not serve to guide and receive, it is not bestowed. Furthermore, that text comes later: expounding the Dharma is the bestowing of the cause of joy.

1.33

Question: Since the gate of compassion (karuṇā) bestows a small portion of joy, the gate of loving-kindness (maitrī) ought to remove a small portion of suffering.

1.34

Answer: The preceding compassion has already completely removed suffering; the subsequent merely bestows joy, and there is no suffering to be removed, so why speak of a small portion? Someone explains the seven disasters as two pairs and one single: fire and water lack consciousness, forming one pair; ghosts are a different species, forming one single; kings and bandits are of the same species, forming one pair; ghosts are divided into leaving and coming, while kings are discussed in terms of light and heavy; thus they form the seven disasters.

1.35

Regarding the sequence: fire and water lack consciousness, so their disaster is heavy; though ghosts have consciousness, being a different species, they are next; kings and bandits have consciousness and are of the same species, hence they are light. Yet ghosts and kings are alternated: first comparing ghosts to kings, kings are light and ghosts are heavy; then comparing kings to ghosts, kings are heavy and ghosts are light. These two resemble each other, and are therefore presented alternately. A certain master took wind to make eight disasters, but someone criticized this, saying the text states: "Reciting the name, all obtain liberation from the disaster of rākṣasas," and does not say wind is a disaster. Now we clarify: when the noble one responds to capacities, why must it follow such human conjectures of sequence? And why must it not have a sequence? What is said now differs from the former: this fundamentally explains responding to capacities to eliminate suffering, so how could one interpolate it with bestowing joy?

1.36

Now as for the sequence: first entering a country and following its customs, responding to the oral capacity comes first, while taking the mental to be hidden and the physical to be manifest comes next. If one examines the intention of the sūtra, by viewing their sounds at one time all obtain liberation; the sūtra does not speak of contemplating capacities in sequence, so how could one explain it sequentially? Since others have already made a sequence of the seven disasters, we now merely formulate a counterpart to it. Entering fire immediately brings the peril of scorching the body and ending life, which is most sudden and severe, hence it is placed first. Floating and sinking in water is slightly less urgent than fire. Although rākṣasas are violent, as a sūtra says: "There were five hundred rākṣasīs who took five hundred castaway men as husbands, bore children, and enjoyed pleasure; the span of time was still long, and only afterward did they devour them all at once." This is again less urgent than water. The disaster of kings does not mean that one is executed immediately upon capture; they investigate the truth or falsity of the crime: if true, one is punished; if false, one is pardoned; this differs from ghosts who consume everything indiscriminately, hence it comes next after rākṣasas. As for ghosts coming to seize one, they have no specific target; one meets harm only when in decline, and can escape by fleeing; this differs from royal law which definitively determines life or death, hence it comes next after the disaster of kings. Fetters and chains merely confine the body without the peril of losing one's life; there is only the suffering of imprisonment, which is slightly less urgent than ghosts. Hostile bandits seek wealth: once the wealth is surrendered, it is over; if one can use humble words and skillful means, one can escape. This is merely a preliminary sequence; as for fierce bandits suddenly attacking, how does that differ from burning fire?

1.37

Question: Disasters are numerous; for what reason are seven selected?

1.38

Answer: This has a symbolic meaning: humans use six elements to form the body, and in turn use these six to harm themselves. Just as humans dwell together with the seven disasters, they also take seven as disasters; now the seven disasters and so forth are broadly used to symbolize the six elements. Fire, water, and wind symbolize the three elements within the body; swords, staves, fetters, and chains symbolize the earth element; ghosts, bandits, kings, and so forth symbolize the consciousness element; the trichiliocosm symbolizes the space element. How can space become a disaster? Just as the human body has internal space surrounded by the four great elements, within which consciousness abides, how does this differ from the trichiliocosm enclosing earth, water, fire, wind, kings, ghosts, bandits, and so forth abiding within it? Space being a disaster means that space is the source from which disasters arrive. For instance, if the body is solid and firm, external illnesses do not invade; if the body is hollow and porous, numerous diseases afflict it. Again, like a human dwelling: if a house has no surrounding walls, thieves and bandits enter; because it can bring about disasters, space also constitutes a disaster. The consciousness element being a disaster means: false calculations of the mental consciousness arbitrarily give rise to craving and views, destroying the dharma body and the life of wisdom. Just as kings, ghosts, and bandits plunder wealth and sever life, so the consciousness element is a disaster. Therefore, not selecting many is precisely meant to symbolize this; even if many disasters were cited, they would still symbolize this. First, the disaster of fire has four parts: 1. upholding the name, which is goodness serving as the capacity; 2. encountering suffering, which is evil serving as the capacity; 3. the response; 4. the conclusion.

1.39

Above, it generally said "experiencing various afflictions" without yet determining their specific marks; now, in the specific reply, it therefore cites water, fire, and so forth. Explaining the various disasters is patterned into three considerations: first, following the text; second, adducing phenomenal evidence; third, contemplative interpretation.

1.40

As for following the text: "upholding" means reciting and upholding with the mouth, and grasping and upholding with the mind; grasping and upholding means not losing the principle. Although not an oral upholding, investigation and reflection can also be oral activity, so it is broadly subsumed under the capacity of oral karma. Phrases such as "if there are," "supposing there are," and "furthermore if there are" are all expressions indicating uncertainty and unforeseen occurrence. In all the rest, the disaster arises and only then does one recite the name; here, one upholds the name beforehand and then encounters the disaster—this is perhaps an alternating presentation of before and after. Now, because the disaster of fire is sudden and violent, one must remember and uphold [the name] beforehand; if one remembers and upholds, one will certainly not have this disaster. Supposing one encounters it, this is entirely due to relinquishing what was upheld, turning one's back on good and following evil, and is termed "supposing." As in the story of the maiden Maitrīkanyakā: if she had been able to cultivate filial piety with supreme sincerity, she would not have encountered the iron wheel of fire; because she disobeyed her mother and tore her hair, she suffered the agony of hell. This was holding to filial piety without purity, as fully explained in the story. A practitioner upholding the name should not originally encounter disaster, but through discordant conditions suddenly forgets; supposing they enter a great fire, if they can recall what was previously upheld, they will immediately escape disaster. Since the disaster of fire is severe, the capacity must also be profound; hence upholding first and escaping later, the meaning of which can be seen. "Majestic spiritual power" concludes the disaster of fire.

1.41

Next, regarding verification: In the Jin dynasty, Xie Fu composed the *Records of Avalokiteśvara's Responses and Verifications*, and Lu Gao of the Qi dynasty continued it. That record states: "Zhu Changshu was overtaken by spreading fire in Luoyang during the Yuankang era of the Jin. Being downwind in a thatched cottage, how could there be any principle of escape? He single-mindedly recited the name, and the wind turned, the fire shifted toward the neighboring house, and went out. The villagers, being of shallow view, said it was naturally so. On a dry, windy day, they threw fire to burn it; three times they threw fire and three times it went out, whereupon they kowtowed and repented. Fali built a monastery in Lu Commandery and begged a cart of hemp in Shanggu; encountering a wildfire in an open wasteland, Fali was exhausted and took a short nap; by the time he awoke, the fire's force had already reached him; he therefore raised his voice and recited 'Guan,' but before he could recite 'Shiyin,' the fire was extinguished at the sound. Furthermore, Fazhi encountered a wildfire, bowed his head to the ground, and with utmost sincerity recited the name; all other places were burned, but the spot where Zhi stood was unharmed." Moreover, there was the clerk of Wuxing Commandery: these are all illuminated in records and chronicles, and should truly be believed not to be empty talk. Third, explaining in terms of contemplative practice: there are many kinds of fire—there is retribution fire, karma fire, and affliction fire. Retribution fire reaches up to the first dhyāna, karma fire extends throughout the three realms, and affliction fire extends to practitioners of the three vehicles.

1.42

Regarding the peril of the fire of retributive result: from hell-existence upwards to the first dhyāna, all possess the peril of fire. For instance, the eighty-four thousand compartments of Avīci Hell are fully illuminated inside and out, with flames crossing above and below. Among hungry ghosts, smoke rises from their limbs and their entire bodies are scorched. Animals are boiled in cauldrons and [scalded on] coals. Asuras also have the peril of fire, and among humans, burning is directly seen. When the end of the kalpa arrives, Mount Sumeru blazes through, the palaces of all the devas are completely exhausted, and below the first dhyāna none escape the disaster of fire. For the hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of suffering afflictions of karmic result among sentient beings of all fifteen realms of existence, if they keep this name of Avalokiteśvara, fire cannot burn them—why should an explanation be restricted solely to the people of Jambudvīpa? Directly considering the retributive results of the fifteen realms of existence in comparison to the old explanations of fire, [those older interpretations] are truly laughable; the remaining nine turns are not known to them. Next, explaining the fire of evil karma cultivated as cause: wherever there is reforming evil and cultivating good—such as the five precepts and ten good deeds—they are mostly obstructed by evil karma. Therefore a sūtra says: 'In burning the roots of goodness, nothing surpasses anger; though one be born in the Peak of Existence, fire burns atop one's head.' Subhaga was burned by the fire of desire. The Suvarṇaprabhāsa says: 'The blazing fire of sorrow and grief now comes to burn me.' What can destroy good karma and cause one to regress from above and fall below is in all cases called fire. If one is able to recite the name, one attains freedom from evil karma; therefore the Qing Guanyin jing says: 'Those who violate the pure life and commit the ten evil deeds have their dung and filth washed away and now attain purity, through the awe-inspiring spiritual power of this bodhisattva.'

1.43

Next, explaining the fire of affliction: when śrāvakas detest birth and death, they view the causes and effects of the three realms as like a burning house; with the four inversions and karmic fetters, smoke and flames rise together, and as they revolve and fall, burned by fire, birth and death spread on ceaselessly day and night. Diligently seeking skillful means, vying and jostling with one another to escape the burning house, they recite [the name of] Avalokiteśvara. When the spiritual capacity matures, resonance occurs; mounting the goat-drawn cart, they swiftly exit the burning house and enter nirvāṇa with remainder or without remainder, thereby attaining liberation. Next, this is explained for pratyekabuddhas; next, for practitioners of the six perfections; next, for the Shared teaching; next, for the Separate teaching; next, for the Perfect teaching; next, for people of dull faculties in the land of transformational [birth and death]; and next, for people of sharp faculties in the land of transformational [birth and death]. In all, there are nine turns of practitioners: when cultivating the path, they are all burned and harmed by the fire of delusion and affliction of the five entrenchments; each cultivates skillful means, but before their skillful means are perfected, the peril of fire constantly presses upon them; reciting [the name of] Avalokiteśvara, their skillful means are immediately perfected and they thereupon attain liberation. One should elaborate the meaning of spiritual capacity and resonance in detail according to each respective dharma gate.

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Question: In what dharma gate does the bodhisattva abide to be able to act like this?

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Answer: The bodhisattva's dharma gates are immeasurable, but they do not go beyond the two contemplations of the Separate and Perfect. Because compassion originally arose, [the bodhisattva] is able to descend in resonance across the ten turns. Why is this? When the bodhisattva initially aroused the aspiration for awakening, seeing the fire of retributive result burning sentient beings, compassion arose immediately and [the bodhisattva] vowed to deliver them. When receiving and upholding the prohibitive precepts, compassion also arose to rescue them from all fires of karma. When cultivating the contemplation of the uncontaminated—when the white bones shed light and produce the fire-light samādhi, or within the fire master-station among the eight stations of mastery, or within the fire totality-station among the ten totalities—compassion arose in all cases to extinguish the fire of affliction for sentient beings. Furthermore, contemplating that all fires are phenomena produced by causes and conditions, realizing their substance is emptiness; then from the emptiness of fire contemplating the provisional nature of fire to discern causes and conditions; and then contemplating within fire to see the true mark of fire—in this manner, at each successive stage there is compassion and a vow to benefit beings. Now abiding as a Candidate for Buddhahood, their functioning power is inexhaustible; perfuming sentient beings with the power of their original vows, never abandoning them, they descend in resonance whenever there is a spiritual capacity that evokes them. If a concrete fire arises and one recites the name seeking rescue, [the bodhisattva] responds with the compassion on the level of result from the original time to eradicate suffering and grant joy; if the fire of evil karma arises, [the bodhisattva] uses the compassion within upholding precepts and cultivating concentration; if the fire of affliction arises, [the bodhisattva] uses the compassion of uncontaminated entry into emptiness, entry into the provisional, and entry into the middle. Each stage is interrelated. If numerous capacities arise simultaneously and evoke [the response] all at once, compassion responds universally and all attain liberation. As the fortieth fascicle of the Huayan jing says: 'Sudhana went to the country of Jinqiu and saw the brāhmaṇa Jayoṣmāyatana practicing austerities in search of all-knowledge. There was a great sword-mountain with fires blazing on all four sides, and from atop the sword-mountain he threw himself into the fire, saying to Sudhana: "One who can enter this is practicing the bodhisattva path." Sudhana gave rise to doubt, thinking this was a false teaching. A voice in the sky said to Sudhana: "Do not think this; this is a person of adamantine great wisdom who wishes to dry up the ocean of craving." The Parinirmita-vaśavartin deva said: "When this bodhisattva scorches his body with the five fires, he causes me to extinguish wrong views and leave behind all māras in my mind." It also says: "When the bodhisattva scorches his body, our palaces become like heaps of ink, and I thereupon arouse the aspiration for awakening—up to Parinirmita-vaśavartin devas attaining the dharma gate of sovereignty within afflictions, and even dragons, ghosts, and Avīci [beings] all arousing the aspiration for awakening and abandoning their original evil thoughts." After Sudhana heard the voice in the sky, he immediately repented his fault, ascended the sword-mountain, and entered the great heap of fire. Before reaching it, he attained the bodhisattva's secure-abiding samādhi; upon entering the fire, he attained the bodhisattva's peaceful, joyful, illuminating samādhi. This fire-mountain is named the inexhaustible dharma gate; if one enters this gate, one can know all dharmas.' Thus, citing that sūtra's dharma gate of fire in this way proves the Avalokiteśvara dharma gate of fire, which rescues from suffering through compassion with tenfold benefits.

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Next, explaining the compassion arisen from the bodhisattva's original cultivation of the perfect contemplation: one simply contemplates that a single fire contains the ten dharma realms, and all dharmas enter the gate of the syllable fire. Although within the single fire-gate there is no differentiation, one clearly recognizes all fires of retributive result, fires of karma, fires of affliction, and so on; clearly understanding and penetrating them, compassion without conditions covers all universally. This is entering the king samādhi through the fire-gate. If the fire of the dharma realm arises, the bodhisattva universally responds to sentient beings with original vows, like a magnet drawing iron. Though there is no differentiation, speaking with differentiation: with fifteen samādhis, the fire of retributive result is rescued; with twenty-four samādhis, the fire of cultivated causes is rescued; with twenty-five samādhis, the fire of affliction entering emptiness is comprehensively rescued for the two vehicles, the Shared teaching, the six perfections, the Separate, and the Perfect; again using twenty-five samādhis, the provisional fire of the mountain of the Separate teaching is rescued; and again using twenty-five samādhis, the fire of affliction entering the middle for people of the Perfect teaching is rescued perfectly. Although responding by entering all fires, [the bodhisattva] is not burned by them. The Daji jing says: 'Just as empty space cannot be burned when the disaster of fire arises, the bodhisattva is also like this: with inconceivable compassion universally responding to all, all attain liberation.' The ordinary interpretations of the seven perils only understand the rescue of suffering among humans, missing the suffering in the twenty-four realms of existence and transformational [birth and death]; they only attain a small portion of the illusion-like samādhi, completely losing the vast functioning of the twenty-five samādhis.

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Second, the peril of water also has three senses: first, following the text; second, adducing proofs; third, contemplative interpretation. Following the text has three parts: first, encountering water is the presence of suffering; second, reciting the name is good; third, reaching a shallow place is the resonance.

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Question: Why does it say 'drifted by great water'?

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Answer: Small water does not constitute a peril, or if entered in play, water likewise does not constitute a peril. Wishing to discuss its peril, it therefore says 'drifted by great water.' The reason why it says 'enter' for the peril of fire is that even a small fire can end life; whether entered intentionally or unintentionally, entering it harms life. Now raising its severe peril: since the severe peril is rescued, how much more so the light? Therefore, it speaks of entering fire, but does not speak of entering water; it speaks of great water, and also speaks of great fire. For water, discussing its shallowness constitutes the resonance; for fire, if a little remains, it does not yet constitute the resonance.

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Second, adducing proofs: The Records of Responses says: 'In Haiyan someone was drowning, and all his companions sank. This person recited [the name of] Avalokiteśvara and encountered a rock. Weary as if asleep, he dreamt of two people riding a boat calling him to get in; opening his eyes, he indeed saw the people in the boat, who carried him to shore, after which he no longer saw the people or the boat. This person became a śramaṇa of great energetic progress. Furthermore, Liu Cheng accompanied Fei Yan, the governor of Guangzhou; when they arrived at Gongting, they encountered a gale. Cheng's mother and two nuns chanted Avalokiteśvara without pause, and suddenly saw two people holding the sides of the boat, whereupon they attained safety. Cheng's wife was in another boat, and neither it nor the other boats were saved. Daojiong and two others walked on ice to cross Mengjin. When halfway across, one person broke through ahead, and the next person sank. Jiong, stepping forward and backward on the ice, was certain of death; with single-minded devotion he recited Avalokiteśvara, his feet felt as if treading on wooden planks, and at night he encountered a red light, reaching the shore directly.' Such instances are very numerous; all received the holy power.

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Third, regarding contemplative interpretation: the water of retributive result reaches up to the second dhyāna, the water of evil karma pervades the three realms, and the water of affliction pervades both the Great and Small Vehicles. For instance, in the hells there are boiling cauldrons, boiling excrement, salty oceans, and the river of ash, drifting and drowning beings; it also exists in the realm of hungry ghosts; filling rivers and damming seas, animals are submerged, with surging waves causing disaster; asuras also have the peril of water, and among humans it is well known. The disaster of water reaches the second dhyāna, overflowing without shore; at that time, if one does not recite the name, one will not even reach a shallow place, how much less be permanently delivered?

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Next, the water of evil karma: all evils that destroy good karma are named waves of evil karma; ruined by causes and conditions of desire and craving, gushing into the three evil destinies, forgetting right mindfulness, casting off the floating buoy, with the rākṣasas of [delusions of] view and thought causing one to regress from good and enter evil—this is drifting in water; why must it only be flooding billows and gigantic waves? If one can single-mindedly recite the name, one immediately reaches a shallow place. Next, explaining the water of affliction: a sūtra says, 'The great river of affliction can sweep away a fragrant elephant.' Pratyekabuddhas contemplate the water of desire and craving increasing the dense forest of the twenty-five realms of existence, with swollen waters churning and troubling my mind, violent winds and huge waves with whirlpools in the river of existence drowning sentient beings, blinded by ignorance and unable to get out—by what means could the other shore of nirvāṇa be mounted? Practitioners of the two vehicles exercise the capacity of the thirty-seven factors [of awakening], moving their hands and feet to cut across the dangerous shores of birth and death; with the journey ahead still far, single-mindedly reciting the name, if they realize the three fruits of seeing the truth, these are all called shallow places, while the non-learner is the other shore. Next, for pratyekabuddhas, eroding habit-energies is the shallow place, and exhausting both direct defilements and habit-energies in the Shared teaching is the other shore. Next, in the Separate teaching, severing the four entrenchments is the shallow place, and severing ignorance is the other shore. Next, explaining the Perfect teaching: the purity of the six sense faculties is the shallow place, and entering the copper wheel is the other shore; within transformational [birth and death], each stage is a shallow place, and only ultimate ignorance [severed] is properly called the other shore.

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Furthermore, the first fruit [of the śrāvaka] escapes the current of views, the third fruit escapes the current of desire, the fourth fruit escapes the current of existence, and only up to the Perfect teaching does one escape the current of ignorance. The reason the Bodhisattva universally responds to the perils of water is entirely because he originally cultivated the compassions of both the Separate and Perfect contemplations, and today has accomplished the power of the king of samādhis. Why is this? When the Bodhisattva cultivated the Separate contemplation, he saw sentient beings drifting in the water of retribution and gave rise to vows to rescue them. When the Bodhisattva cultivated morality and concentration, he used goodness to cure evil; regarding all dhyāna concentrations, the water-radiance samādhi, the water-overcoming bases (abhibhvāyatana), and the water-totality bases (kṛtsnāyatana), he gave rise to compassion in all of them, using goodness to attack evil. Furthermore, entering emptiness from the conventionality of water, he aroused genuine non-outflow [wisdom]; emerging from emptiness into conventionality, he comprehended the causes and conditions of water; entering the middle way of water, he saw the true mark of water. At every single stage of these dharma gates, he gave rise to compassion and perfumed all sentient beings. Now having accomplished the king of samādhis, quiescent yet ever illuminating, when sentient beings are drifted by the water of retribution and invoke his name, this acts as the capacity [that triggers a response]: with phenomenal compassion he saves them from the water of retribution, with morality-and-concentration compassion he saves them from the water of evil karma, and with the three-contemplations compassion he saves them from the water of afflictions, so that all are liberated simultaneously at once. As the thirty-eighth [fascicle] of the Huayan jing explains: 'Sudhana came to the country of Haimen, where the monk Haiyun expounded the Samantamukha Sūtra (Puyan jing) for him, saying: "For twelve years I have constantly contemplated this ocean gradually becoming deeper, inhabited by great bodies and gathering rare treasures. Having contemplated thus, I then saw a great lotus flower growing from the ocean floor, adorned by immeasurable devas, nāgas, and the eightfold pantheon. Upon the flower was a Buddha with boundless marks and signs, who then extended his right hand, rubbed my crown, and expounded the Samantamukha Sūtra for me for one thousand two hundred years. What I received in a single day was immeasurable and boundless across asaṃkhyeya chapters. Even if the ocean water were made into ink and Mount Sumeru gathered into a brush to write this sūtra, it could never be exhausted."' One should know that the dharma gate of water subsumes all dharmas, just as the syllable 'A' gate in the Dapin jing fully possesses all meanings. Avalokiteśvara has long since thoroughly penetrated the dharma gate of water, and therefore is able to respond universally to all perils of water.

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