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 8

"Inexhaustible Will - The Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World has attained merits and virtues such as these, and has appeared in different forms and traveled to different lands to deliver living beings and set them free."

2. From "...has attained merits and virtues..." - The specific part of the answer is finished and this is the general part of the answer

In the specific part of the answer, the words are elaborate but the idea is presented narrowly

In the general part of the answer, the idea is expanded but the words on it are sparing.

3. From "Therefore you should offer service..." - Encouragement to offer service. In this one sees the shapes and hears the sounds of the Dharma and so is encouraged to offer service. First there is the encouragement.

"Therefore you should offer service to the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World with a single mind.

This Bodhisattva Mahasattva Observing the Sounds of the World is able to bestow fearlessness to those suffering the hardship of anxiety and dread. For this reason this Bodhisattva is known everywhere in the Saha World as The Grantor of Fearlessness¹."

Next, there is accepting the Buddha's command, in six parts²:
1. The offering
2. Not accepting it
3. Offering it again
4. The Buddha's encouragement
5. Accepting it
6. The conclusion
They are all explained the words of the Sutra itself.

"The Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Will spoke to the Buddha saying:
"World Honored One - I will now offer service to the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World."

He took off his necklace of pearls, worth a hundred thousand taels of gold, offered it to the Bodhisattva and made these words:
"Benevolent one, accept this necklace of rare and precious pearls as an offering to the Dharma."

When the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World declined to accept it, Inexhaustible Will offered it again, saying:
"Benevolent one, have pity on us and accept this necklace"

At this time the Buddha spoke to the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World, saying:
"Accept this necklace. Have pity on this Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Will, the four groups of believers as well as all the gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras and mahoragas, whether they are human or not."

This time the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World had pity on the four groups of believers as well as the gods, dragons and the rest that are both human and not human, and accepted the necklace. Dividing the necklace into two parts, the Bodhisattva offered one part to the Buddha Sakyamuni and one part to the tower of the Buddha Abundant Treasures.

Inexhaustible Will - the mastery and spiritual powers of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World are like this in traveling throughout the Saha World."

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Footnotes:

1. Fearlessness: In the part on encouragement, the Bodhisattva is explained as being the one who relieves others of the debilitating suffering of fear in the Saha World, the realm of pain, mortality and death

2. The Six Parts of the Offering: Explaining the pure spirit of offering service
A. The initial offering is impure, as the one giving it has characterized the gift in terms of its material value. The true gift is from the heart and transcends any material value
B. The gift is refused when given in these terms
C. The gift is offered again with more humility ("Have pity on us")
D. The Buddha's encouragement, properly characterizing the spirit of the offering as being for all living beings
E. The pure offering is accepted
F. The conclusion - the offering is given to the Buddhas who have revealed the Sutra

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