Chapter 22 : The Open Response to All Sides of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World

At that time, the Bodhisattva Infinite Thought instantly rose up from his seat, and baring his right shoulder and joining his palms towards the Buddha, spoke thus, “O, World-honoured One! For what reason is the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World (Avalokitesvara) named Regarder of the Cries of the World?”

The Buddha answered the Bodhisattva Infinite Thought, “O, good man! If there are countless hundred thousand myriad kotis of living beings from the ten directions of the world at the same time suffering from misery and distress who hear of the name of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World who possesses great strength, and with one mind call upon his name, the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World will instantly regard their cries, and all of them at once shall gain deliverance.

“If there is any who keeps the name of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, though they fall into a great fire, the fire will not be able to burn them, by virtue of the supernatural power of the Bodhisattva's majesty. If any, carried away by a flood, call upon his name, they will immediately reach the shallows.

“If there are hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of living beings who in search of gold, silver, lapiz lazuli, moonstones, agate, coral, amber, pearls, and other treasures, enter the great sea and if a black wind blows their ships to drift upon the lands of the rakshasa demons, and if amongst them there is even a single person who calls upon the name of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, all those people will be delivered from the throes of the rakshasas. It is for this reason that the Bodhisattva is named Regarder of the Cries of the World.

“If, again, there is any man on the verge of harm who calls upon the name of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, the knives and staves of the attacker will instantly be broken into pieces and he shall gain deliverance. Even if the three-thousand-great-thousandfold world were full of yaksas and rakshasas intending to harm people, hearing them call upon the name of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, these wicked demons would not be able to see them with wicked eyes, how much more to hurt them.

“If, moreover, there is anyone, guilty or not guilty, loaded with manacles, fetters, cangues, or chains, who calls upon the name of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, they shall be snapped and broken off and he shall gain deliverance.

“If the three-thousand-great-thousandfold world is full of enemies and robbers, and there is a merchant chief who leads many merchants having charge of costly jewels along a perilous road, and among them one man speaks forth, ‘You all, do not be afraid! With one mind do you invoke the title of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, for this Bodhisattva is able to confer fearlessness upon living beings. If you invoke his name, then from these enemies and robbers, you shall contrive to be delivered.’ On hearing this, all the merchants together with one voice cry, ‘Namah, Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World!’ Then, by invoking his name, they straightaway gain deliverance. O, Infinite Thought! Such is the awe-inspiring supernatural power of the Bodhisattva-mahasattva Regarder of the Cries of the World. That is why the Bodhisattva is named Regarder of the Cries of the World.

“If any living beings, much given to crave for lust, keep in mind and revere the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, they will be set free from the lust. If any, much given to irascibility, keep in mind and revere the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, they will be set free from their irascibility. If any, much given to folly, keep in mind and revere the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, they will be set free from their folly.

“O, Infinite Thought! Such are the abundant benefits conferred by the majestic supernatural power of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World. Consequently, let all the living beings ever keep this Bodhisattva's name in mind.

“If any woman desiring a son, worships and pays homage to the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, she will bear a son with merit, virtue and wisdom. If she desires a daughter, she will bear a daughter of good demeanour and looks. They have long planted virtuous roots, will be loved and respected by all.

“O, Infinite Thought! Such is the power of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World. If any of the living beings revere and worship the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, merits will not be falsified, till they become Buddhas. Therefore, let the living beings cherish the title of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World.

“O, Infinite Thought! Suppose anyone cherishes the names of the bodhisattvas numerous as the sand of sixty-two kotis Ganges rivers, who all his life makes them offerings of food, drink, garments, beddings, and medicaments - what is your opinion, are not the merits of that good man or good woman abundant?”

Infinite Thought replied, “Extremely abundant, O, World-honoured One!”

The Buddha proceeded, “But if anyone cherishes the title of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, or only for a moment worships and reveres this Bodhisattva, the merits of the two men will be exactly equal without difference, and cannot be exhausted in hundreds of myriads of kotis of kalpas, what if any cherishes forever?

“O, Infinite Thought! Such are the immeasurable, boundless merits and virtues he will obtain if one who cherishes the name of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World. This Bodhisattva-mahasattva Regarder of the Cries of the World is able to make fearless those in anxiety and distress. For this reason all in the ten directions of the world give him the title Bestower of Fearlessness.”

The Bodhisattva Infinite Thought said to the Buddha, “O, World-honoured One! How is it that the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World wanders in this Saha World? How does the Bodhisattva preach the Dharma to the living beings? What is the characteristic of his tactfulness?”

The Buddha replied the Bodhisattva Infinite Thought, “O, good man! If the living beings in any realm must be saved by the body of a Buddha, the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World appears as a Buddha and preaches to them the Dharma.

“To those who must be saved by the body of a pratyekabuddha, he appears as a pratyekabuddha and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of a sravaka, he appears as a sravaka and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of a Brahma, he appears as a Brahma and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of Sakra, he appears as Sakra and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of Isvara, he appears as Isvara and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of Mahesvara, he appears as Mahesvara and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of the Great Divine General, he appears as the Great Divine General and preaches to them the Dhama.
“To those who must be saved by the body of the Vajra-holding God, he appears as the Vajra-holding God and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of Vaisravana, he appears as Vaisravana and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of a minor king, he appears as a minor king and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of an elder, he appears as an elder and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of a householder, he appears as a householder and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of a minister, he appears as a minister and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of a Brahman, he appears as a Brahman and preaches to them the Dhama.

“To those who must be saved by the body of a bhikshu, bhikshuni, upasaka, upasika, he appears as a bhikshu, bhikshuni, upasaka, upasika, and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of the wife of an elder, householder, minister, or Brahman, he appears as a woman and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of a youth or a maiden, he appears as a youth or a maiden and preaches to them the Dharma. To those who must be saved by the body of a god, dragon, yaksa, gandharva, asura, garuda, kinnara, mahoraga, human-like being and the like, he appears in every such form and preaches to them the Dharma.

“O, Infinite Thought! Such are the merits acquired by this Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World and the various forms in which he rambles through many lands to save the living beings. Therefore, do you all with one mind pay homage to the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World.”

The Bodhisattva Infinite Thought said to the Buddha, “O, World-honoured One! Let me now make an offering to the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World.”

Thereupon he unloosed from his neck a necklace of pearls worth a hundred thousand pieces of gold and presented it to the Bodhisattva, saying, “O, good Sir! Accept this dharma-gift of pearl necklace.” But the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World would not accept it.
Again the Bodhisattva Infinite Thought said to the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, “O, good Sir! Out of compassion for us, accept this necklace.”

Then the Buddha said to the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, “Out of compassion for this Bodhisattva Infinite Thought and the fourfold multitude, and for the gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, human-like beings, and others accept this necklace.” Then the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, out of compassion for the fourfold multitude and the gods, dragons, human-like beings, and others accepted the necklace, and dividing it into two parts, offered one part to Sakyamuni Buddha and offered the other to the stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasures.

“O, Infinite Thought! With such sovereign supernatural powers does the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World wander through the ten directions of the world. If there be earnest preachers of the Sutra of the Dharma Blossom, one should think of him as the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World.”