觀音義疏 2.38

2.38

Now it is asked: 'How does he roam this sahā world?' The Buddha answers: 'Through universal manifestation.' The three karmas manifest responses, responding to sentient beings' hidden capacity, and so on, comprising ten meanings. There is one question and two answers. The question has three parts: 'how does he roam' asks about bodily karma; 'how does he speak' asks about verbal karma; 'expedient means' asks about mental karma. These are the sage's three karmas responding universally to everything without premeditation; they are also called the three unfailing qualities, the three wheels of inconceivable transformation, and also the three non-protections. 'Three non-protections' clarifies that Avalokiteśvara abides in the inconceivable, universal, and perfect dharma gate: he truly does not generate deliberate thoughts, calculate, or deliberate, arranging steps sequentially before bestowing this response. Since there is neither discrimination nor before and after, it is accomplished spontaneously. For example, just as a bright mirror immediately reflects whatever faces it, responding equally at once; thus the three karmas are said to have 'no protection'. 'Three unfailing qualities' means: sentient beings' capacities differ in depth; although Avalokiteśvara does not form thoughts to meet capacities, his meeting of capacities never fails, fitting the person before him and hiddenly tallying with phenomena and principle; therefore they are called unfailing. 'Three wheels of inconceivable transformation' means: if he manifests a buddha's body, he also manifests a buddha's mind and a buddha's mouth, and so on up to manifesting the body of a vajra-holding spirit, he also manifests a vajra mind and mouth. Although he universally manifests physical bodies and adapts himself to benefit beings, there is no diminution of his dharma body or wisdom. The Jingming jing says: 'Skilled in distinguishing the characteristics of all dharmas, yet unmoved in the primary truth.' Moving while remaining unmoved—this is precisely because it is an inconceivable transformation.