The Prose & Verse of the Lotus Sutra

The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra

Chapter 25
The Universal Door of the Bodhisattva
Observing the Sounds of the World

Page 1

First, there is the explanation of the chapter’s title:

‘The Universal Door of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World’
(C. Kuan-Shi-Yin P'u Sa Pu-Wen, J. Kanzeon Bosatsu Fumon)

This chapter is one of the most influential in the Sutra and there have been many lecturers on it. This interpretation is not the same as others. I wrote a specific account of it in two volumes¹, but we will now briefly touch on it in order to explain the meaning of the title.

This explanation of the title has a general section and a specific section.

The general explanation of the title is in the form of ten pairings, which explain the relationship between ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ (C. Kuan-Shi-Yin, J. Kanzeon) and ‘The Universal Door’ (C. Pu-Wen, J. Fumon).
The specific explanation is in five single parts, each describing one word of the title (C. Kuan-Shi-Yin Pu-Wen, J. Kanzeon Fumon).

A. In the general explanation, the ten pairs start with ‘The Person & the Dharma’ and end with ‘Wisdom & Detachment’.

1. The Person & The Dharma²

The Person is ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ and the Dharma is ‘The Universal Door’. There are many kinds of people and there are many kinds of Dharmas.

The explanation of the person called ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ is based on the chapter’s first question & answer.
The explanation of the Dharma called ‘The Universal Door’ is based on the chapter’s last (second) question & answer.

The Person and the Dharma are joined together in the title of the chapter, and so we speak of ‘The Universal Door of Observing the Sound of the World’.

2. Compassion & Mercy

With ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ there is the great compassion that roots up suffering. Based on the chapter’s first question & answer, there is liberation from the hundreds and thousands and millions of different kinds of suffering and distress³.
With ‘The Universal Door’ there is the great mercy that is the giving of the medicine. Based on the chapter’s later question & answer, through mercy there is the teaching of the Dharma and attainment of deliverance to the other shore⁴.

3. Wisdom & Virtue

With ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ there are the spiritual adornments of wisdom and insight. Wisdom is able to eliminate confusion, just as with illumination there is no longer any darkness.
With ‘The Universal Door’ there are the spiritual adornments that are the blessings of virtue. These blessings are able to transform one’s life and are like the raining of precious gems. They are the treasures of enlightenment.

4. The Spiritual Body & the Body of Manifestation & Response

With ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ there is observation of the invisible object that is the Spiritual Body.
With ‘The Universal Door’ there is adapting and responding to living beings and manifesting the Buddha’s life, which is the Body of Response and Manifestation⁵.

5. The Medicine Tree & The Wish Fulfilling Gem

‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ is like The Medicine Tree, the King of Trees, whose body⁶ everywhere cures all sickness and disease.
‘The Universal Door’ is like the Wish Fulfilling Gem, the King of Gems⁷, which adapts to the wishes of living beings and gives them what they seek.

6. The Hidden Benefits & the Revealed Benefits

With ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ there are the hidden benefits. Nothing is seen or heard, and yet everywhere living beings are free of both the three poisons and the seven hardships⁸ and the vows of mercy and compassion are fulfilled.
With ‘The Universal Door’ there are the revealed benefits. The eyes see the 33 incarnations that appear in this world⁹ and the ears hear the 19 different kinds of teachers¹⁰, all as described in this Chapter.

7. Real Wisdom & Provisional Wisdom

With ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ there is the illumination that is following one’s own thoughts, which is the real wisdom.
With ‘The Universal Door’ there is the illumination that is following the thoughts of others, which is the provisional wisdom.

8. The Source & the Manifestation

With ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ there is the unchanging original source.
With ‘The Universal Door’ there are the manifestations that are around one everywhere

9. The Revealing Cause & the Conditional Cause

With ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ there is the fundamental seed of enlightenment that is the revealing cause of wisdom and illumination.
With ‘The Universal Door’ there is the fundamental seed of enlightenment that is the conditional cause, that is, the teachings, vows, practice, ranks, etc., that are the conditions for development of merits & virtues and good spiritual roots.

10. Wisdom & Detachment

With ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’ there is the ultimate virtue of wisdom, like the light of the full moon on 14^th night of the month.
With ‘The Universal Door’ there is the ultimate virtue of detachment, like the light of the new moon on the 29^th night of the month. The glare of falsehood is completely extinguished.

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Outline of Title Outline of Prose Outline of Verse & Coda

Footnotes:

1. The explanation of the title of this chapter is elaborated in Chih-I's Hidden Meaning of Observing the Sound (C. Kuan-Yin Hsuan-I, J. Kannon Gengi)

2. Person & Dharma: Some analogies:

Person	Buddha	Faith	Intent	Cause	Self
Dharma	Teaching	Religion	Truth	Conditions	Ten Spiritual Realms

3. The Great Compassion penetrates the truths of suffering & origination and entails the Practice of Faith

4. The Great Mercy penetrates the truths of the path & extinction and entails the practice of the Dharma and the paramitas. Deliverance to the Other Shore Reaching Nirvana

5. The Spiritual Body (S. Dharmakaya): The embodiment of truth or spiritual reality which is beyond all individual manifestations. The ultimate principle, the will and intent of the truth. The Body of Response and Manifestation (Nirmanakaya): The actual appearance of the Buddha in this world that appears in response to needs of living beings in this world and can be perceived by them. The relationship between the Spiritual Body and the Body of Response and Manifestation is analogous to the relationship between principle and phenomenon.

6. The Medicine Tree, the King of Trees, whose body everywhere cures all sickness and disease: The one that gives all of oneself to heal living beings.

7. The Wish-Fulfilling Gem, the King of Gems (S. Cintamani): The magical gem that grants any wish to the one that possesses it..

8. The Three Poisons: Of the thinking mind - #1 greed #2 hatred & #3 stupidity The Seven Hardships: That can be overcome by invoking the name of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World with the mouth - #1 Fire #2 Water # Raksasas #4 Knives & Clubs #5 Demons #6 Stocks and Chains #7 Bandits

9. The 33 Manifestations: Manifestations of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World that one sees, appearing in this chapter

10. The 19 different kinds of teachers: Manifestations of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World that one hears, appearing in this chapter

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