Chapter 25. The Universal Gateway of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva
Following the causal conditions of the previous chapter, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara makes his appearance. At that time, Bodhisattva Infinite Intent rose from his seat and asked Shakyamuni Buddha, “World-Honored One, by what causes and conditions is Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara so named?”
Shakyamuni Buddha replied to Bodhisattva Infinite Intent: “Good son, if countless hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of sentient beings who are suffering various tribulations hear the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and call upon it single-mindedly, the Bodhisattva will immediately perceive their voices and deliver them to liberation.” This is what we mean when we say Avalokiteshvara “hears the cries and rescues those in suffering.”
This chapter uses a great deal of space to explain that if someone upholds the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, they will not be burned if they fall into a great fire, they will reach shallow ground quickly if swept away by great waters, and they will be saved from violent winds or any other hardship. Many examples are given: if someone attempts to kill you with a sword, and you recite the Bodhisattva’s name, the blade will break into pieces and you will be freed. If you are bound in shackles or chains, calling upon his name will cause the restraints to break apart, liberating you. Furthermore, if sentient beings plagued by great desire constantly and reverently recite his name, they will be freed from desire. If they are filled with anger or hatred, constant recitation will free them from anger. If they suffer from great ignorance, constant and reverent recitation will remove their delusion.
The “Universal Gate Chapter” is very familiar to many, yet many still harbor doubts about it. We have long placed our faith in Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, but when we encounter actual suffering —if we were truly bound in chains or facing someone with a sword —we might wonder: will the sword really shatter if I call out to the Bodhisattva?
Throughout this chapter, the Buddha repeatedly introduces the miraculous deeds of Avalokiteshvara. In truth, the Bodhisattva does hear the cries and rescue the suffering. When you recite his name, he will certainly come! This is determined by his merit and the power of his vows. However, what he rescues is your mind. Because we sentient beings are attached to appearances, we believe this physical body is our true self, but it is not. This flesh is not you.
When you recite his name while facing a threat, he still comes to save you, but he does so within your consciousness. In our future transmigrations, it is our consciousness—our mind—that wanders through rebirth, not this physical body. As your mind transmigrates, it carries various imprints, which are your karma. These are layers of information. Within those imprints, regardless of the physical hardship or death you face, if your final thought is the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in a moment of extreme suffering, an imprint of his rescue will be forged in your mind. Avalokiteshvara saves you by leaving a trace in your consciousness—such as the image of the sword shattering. The Bodhisattva helps you by saving the transmigrating mind! This is why, throughout history, so many people have experienced various spiritual responses from reciting his name. If you practice the recitation with the unity of body, speech, and mind, miraculous events will occur. While saving your mind, your body may also be saved. However, if your body, speech, and mind are not in harmony, he will prioritize saving that discordant mind over the physical body. That mind is what truly matters. Even though that mind is a stream of arising and ceasing information—a “false mind”—he still saves it. If you do not see the rescue, it is simply because your body, speech, and mind are not unified.
Thus, some practitioners experience physical rescue while others do not, yet in truth, all are saved. It is just that those who are more purified, whose body, speech, and mind are unified at the moment of recitation and who have a foundation of practice, are able to witness the miracle. It appears as though Avalokiteshvara has physically arrived to pull them out of danger. In reality, Avalokiteshvara saves everyone; as long as you recite his name and “the thought of him is not in vain,” rescue is guaranteed.
Furthermore, in this chapter, the Buddha specifically recommends Avalokiteshvara to his disciples: if sentient beings reverently bow to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, their blessings will not be in vain; therefore, all should uphold his name. The Buddha tells Infinite Intent: “If someone were to uphold the names of Bodhisattvas as numerous as the sands of sixty-two billion Ganges Rivers and provide them with lifelong offerings of food, clothing, bedding, and medicine, what would you think? Would the merit of that good man or woman be great?” Infinite Intent replied, “Very great, World-Honored One.” Shakyamuni Buddha then said, “If another person upholds the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and bows or makes offerings even for a brief moment, their blessings would be exactly equal to the former, and these blessings would not be exhausted even in hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of eons.” This is the Buddha’s praise for this great Bodhisattva.
This means that making offerings to Avalokiteshvara is equal to making offerings to Bodhisattvas as numerous as the sands of sixty- two billion Ganges Rivers. Why? It is not that this Bodhisattva is “special” in a worldly sense, but that his vows and merit make it so. He vowed to hear the cries and rescue the suffering; his merit accumulated through eons of practicing the Bodhisattva path allows him to help you.
The text then discusses how the Bodhisattva manifests in whatever form is necessary to save a being. If you need an enemy to be liberated, an enemy will appear before you to teach you. If you are a practitioner, you can view that enemy as a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara. This is what it means to “manifest whatever form is necessary to preach the Dharma.” Do not think Avalokiteshvara always appears with a kind and gentle face. He may manifest as someone you find repulsive—someone who lingers before you every day—just to allow you to practice patience. Because you need it. Because your patience is insufficient and your compassion has not yet arisen, an unpleasant person is placed before you to help you achieve perfection.
Think about how long we have lived; we have the same lifespan as the Tathagata. We have followed him in practice since he was a novice monk. If we have not yet attained enlightenment, there must be a specific “knot” or obstacle we haven’t overcome. Here we are again, listening to the Lotus Sutra and the highest Ultimate Truth. We have likely heard it countless times in past lives and simply forgotten it, just as Bodhisattva Maitreya once forgot it because he sought fame and gain. In this life, as we hear it again and practice the Bodhisattva path, there is certainly a knot we haven’t untied. Deep down, everyone knows what their own obstacle is. Once you pass that hurdle, you may reach completion.
Shakyamuni Buddha then tells Infinite Intent: “This Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara manifests whatever body is needed to save a being and preaches the Dharma accordingly. Because he has achieved such merit and can travel through various lands in many forms to save beings, you should single-mindedly make offerings to him. This Bodhisattva can bestow fearlessness upon sentient beings in times of terror and peril; therefore, in this Saha world, he is known as the Bestower of Fearlessness.” In our most helpless and bitter moments, Avalokiteshvara appears to save us.
Praising the great Bodhisattva, Infinite Intent says to the Buddha, “World-Honored One, I must now make an offering to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.” He then removes a necklace of pearls and jewels from his neck, worth hundreds of thousands of pieces of gold, and presents it to Avalokiteshvara, saying, “Benevolent One, please accept this offering of jewels and ornaments.” At first, Avalokiteshvara— being a great Bodhisattva—refuses to accept it. Infinite Intent asks again, “Benevolent One, out of compassion for us, please accept these.” At this point, Shakyamuni Buddha intervenes to mediate: “Avalokiteshvara, you should accept these ornaments out of compassion for Bodhisattva Infinite Intent, the fourfold assembly, and the gods, dragons, humans, and non-humans.”
Within the assembly of the Lotus Sutra and the teaching of the Ultimate Truth, Shakyamuni Buddha personally advises Avalokiteshvara to accept the offering. This is the compassion of a great Bodhisattva—accepting an offering is itself an act of compassion! It is not that you lack these things, but rather out of pity for them and for the sake of their spiritual merit, you must accept.
Thus, out of compassion for the assembly, Avalokiteshvara accepts the ornaments. He then divides them into two parts: one part he offers to Shakyamuni Buddha, and the other he offers to the Buddha Prabhutaratna (Many Treasures). Do not look for something overly mystical here; these are the very normal, ordinary, and practical actions of a Bodhisattva practicing in the human realm.
The Buddha’s wisdom is profound. Sometimes we struggle to understand “the non-duality of form and emptiness,” but in action, it is very ordinary and grounded. It is about doing human things and speaking human words in the human realm. If one day you become a Dharma teacher and receive offerings, you must observe your own thoughts! If you stand there to teach the Lotus Sutra and beings offer you the things they love, what is your intention? Do you accept out of compassion for them, or has greed, anger, ignorance, or pride arisen in your heart? If you think, “Wow, what a beautiful thing!” and put it in your pocket under the pretext of “fulfilling the donor’s merit,” then you are not acting as Avalokiteshvara. You must examine the deepest movements of your mind; every being should practice in this way.
Finally, Shakyamuni Buddha says: “Infinite Intent, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara possesses such sovereign transcendental power that he can travel freely through the Saha world to save beings.” I hope everyone will read the details of these great Bodhisattvas’ deeds upon returning home. Due to time constraints, we will conclude our brief discussion here.