The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra

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

Page 5

b. The Specific Answer, which is in three parts:
   1.  The Mouth, Spiritual Capacity and Response
   2.  The Thinking Mind, Spiritual Capacity and Response
   3.  The Body, Spiritual Capacity and Response¹

1. The Part on the Mouth is further in two parts:
   A.  First, clarifying the seven hardships
   B.  Next the conclusion

A. The Seven Hardships

1. The Hardship of Fire² is in four parts:
   a.)  Embracing the name that is good
   b.)  Experiencing the fire that is evil³
   c.)  The response⁴
   d.)  The conclusion⁵

“If they embrace the name of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World upon entering into a great fire, the fire will not be able to burn them because of the Bodhisattva's awesome spiritual power.”

Each of the seven hardships has examples in three parts. In generally discoursing on the spiritual capacity and the response:
* With the fire that is the fruit and retribution of hell having ceased, there is the return of the first meditation.
* With the fire that is the karmic cause of hell having ceased, there is the return of the heaven that is beyond thoughts.
* With the fire that is emotional desire and distress having ceased, there is the return of the universal enlightenment.⁶

The seven hardships, the three poisons and the two things that are sought all have examples like this.⁷

This meaning has already been elaborated upon. It may be understood with the thinking mind and may not be accounted for in words.

2. The Hardship of Water⁸

“If they are tossed about in a great ocean and call on the Bodhisattva’s name, they will find a shallow place.”

3. The Hardship of Raksasas⁹

“Suppose that hundreds, thousands and millions of living beings enter into the great ocean seeking gold, silver, lapis lazuli, agate, carnelian, coral, amber, pearls and other treasures, and a black wind blows their ships into the lands of the raksasa demons. If among all these living beings there is one that calls on the name of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World, they will all become free from the raksasas. For this reason this Bodhisattva is called Observing the Sounds of the World.”

4. The Hardship of Knives and Clubs¹⁰

“And if there are people that are being attacked or harmed who call on the name of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World, the knives and clubs of their assailants will be broken into pieces and they will be set free.”

5. The Hardship of Demons¹¹

“Suppose that people are tormented by enough yaksas and raksasas to fill three thousand million-fold realms. Upon hearing them call on the name of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World, all these evil demons will not even be able to stare at them with their evil eyes, much less do them any further harm.”

6. The Hardship of Stocks and Chains¹²

“And if there are people that are bound to handcuffs, leg irons, stocks or chains, whether they are guilty of a crime or not, upon calling on the name of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World, all their fetters will break apart and they will be set free.”

7. The Hardship of Bandits¹³

Suppose that there were enough bandits to fill three thousand million-fold realms that are lying in wait along a dangerous road, and a head merchant leads a caravan of merchants along this road who were in possession of prized treasure, and suppose that this merchant said:
‘Good sons, you need not fear. You should call on the name of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sound of the World with a single mind. This Bodhisattva is able to bestow fearlessness upon living beings. If you call on the name of this Bodhisattva, you will be set free from these bandits.’
Upon hearing this, suppose that these merchants called out:
‘We turn our lives over to the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World’¹⁴
Upon calling on the name of this Bodhisattva, they would be set free from these bandits.”

B. The Conclusion on the Part on the Mouth

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 Footnotes:

1. The three karmas: The creators of spiritual destiny - the body, the mouth & the mind
    Spiritual capacity: Inspiring good in the face of evil - worship, prayer & meditation
    Sympathetic response: The answer to prayers that comes from the Three Treasures

2. Fire: Fire is Hell; Fire broadly refers to suffering, the first of the Four Truths that burns, destroys, and causes pain. In the 'Commentary of Observing the Sounds of the Word' (C. Kuan-Yin I-Se, J. Kannon Gise), Chih-I explains the seven hardships in much greater depth, explaining them as metaphors for the ten spiritual conditions of living beings.

3. Embracing the name: Prayer, which is in one sense crying out in pain, but is also calling out for help, reaching out to the Three Treasures and inspiring new spiritual capacity Experiencing the fire: Suffering, hardship - the first of The Four Truths.

4. The Response: The answer to prayer - the spiritual influence of the Three Treasures

5. The Conclusion: Encouragement to practice

6. The Three Obstacles: The threefold cycle that is the origination of suffering is ceased.
a. The Retribution of Suffering - Upon stopping the effects of suffering (S. duhkha), there is the ability to enter into the first stage of meditation. This is getting past the symptoms of the disease (suffering).
b. The Karmic Cause - Upon no longer creating new causes of attachments to self-existence in the threefold realm (S. karmas) one is able to reach the deep stages of meditation, up to the meditation that is beyond thoughts and cares. This is getting past the cause of the disease (origination).
c. Emotional Desire & Distress - Upon extinguishing emotional desire & distress (S. Klesa) everywhere one is able to reach beyond the threefold realm, onto the spiritual path that eventually leads to the universal enlightenment (the path & extinction).

7. The Spiritual Capacities that are Inspired:
a. Inspiring the spiritual capacity of the mouth to overcome The Seven Hardships: #1 Fire #2 Water #3 Raksasas #4 Knives & Clubs #5 Demons #6 Stock and Chains #7 Bandits
b. Inspiring the spiritual capacity of the thinking mind to overcome The Three Poisons: #1 Greed #2 Hatred #3 Ignorance
c. Inspiring the spiritual capacity of the body to attain The Two Things That are Sought: Sons & Daughters of wisdom & virtue

8. Water: The currents of the four asravas, which are ignorance, desire for sensory gratification, craving for self existence, and attachment to views. One sinks and floats and is tossed about by these waves and currents without grounding in enlightenment and the nature of spirituality (Dharma). Whereas fire represents the truth of suffering, here water is characterized as the truth of origination.

9. Raksasas: Originally a term referring to the cannibals who were the original inhabitants of Sri Lanka and other remote places. Shipwrecked mariners were terrified of being kidnapped by these tribes. Those kidnapped rarely if ever were heard from again. In fact, marriage by capture was known as a raksasa marriage. More broadly, raksasas were cannibals, vampires, and the demons of hunger that captured, devoured the flesh and consumed the vitality of living beings. They were said to wander the earth at night, in the darkness.

10. Knives and Clubs: Weapons of brutality that coerce and punish

11. Demons: Generally, malignant Asuras that are hostile to the interests of living beings; hostile spiritual forces that torment and haunt the living. Yaksas are the spirits of the dead. Raksasas are described above.

12. Stocks and Chains: Fetters, Attachments that bind the body and the five limbs, take away one's freedom, whether one is guilty or not.

13. Bandits: seek to steal the wealth (material or spiritual) of living beings; devils

14. ‘We turn our lives over to the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World (C. Namo Kuan-Shi-Yin P’u Sa, J. Namu Kanzeon Bosatsu): The Sanskrit 'Namah' here can be variously translated as 'Save me', 'I take refuge in', 'I turn myself over to', 'I devote my life to'. It is involves a personal dedication and submission to something greater than oneself.

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