Today’s show celebrates the birthday of the Worshipped Quan Yin Bodhisattva (vegan), also known as Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. We are pleased to present selections from “Meditation on the Organ of Hearing,” in the Surangama Sutra translated into English by Upsaka Lu K’uan Yu, in which Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva expounds on how She acquired four absolute virtues, derived from the Sound meditation.
Meditation on the organ of hearing
“[…] I used one penetrating organ which led to my realization through the faculty of hearing, my body and mind embrace the whole Dharma-realm in which I teach all living beings to concentrate their minds on calling my name. The merits that follow are the same as those derived from calling on the names of all these Bodhisattvas. World Honored One, my single name does not differ from those uncountable ones, because of my practice and training which led to my true enlightenment. […] World Honored One, because of my Perfect Understanding, which led to my attainment of the Supreme Path, I acquired four inconceivable absolute virtues. 1. When I first realized the hearing mind which was most profound, the Essence of Mind (namely the Tathagata store) disengaged itself from hearing and could no longer be divided by seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing, and so became one pure and clean all-pervading precious Bodhi. This is why I can take on different wonderful forms and master a countless number of esoteric mantras. I can appear with one, three, five, seven, nine, eleven and up to 108, 1,000, 10,000 and 84,000 sovereign (cakra) faces; with two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, sixteen, eighteen, twenty, twenty-four and up to 108, 1,000, 10,000 and 84,000 arms making various gestures (mudras); and with two, three, four, nine up to 108, 1,000, 10,000 and 84,000 clean and pure precious eyes, either merciful or wrathful, and in a state either of still imperturbability (dhyana-samadhi) or of absolute wisdom (prajna) to save and protect living beings so that they can enjoy great freedom. 2. Because of my meditation by means of the (organ of) hearing, which resulted in my disengagement from the six sense data, like a sound going through a wall without hindrance, I can, with each appearance and with the aid of each mantra, bestow fearlessness upon (suffering) beings in countries as countless as dust in the ten directions in which I am regarded as the Giver of Dauntlessness. 3. Because of the perfection which I won by sublimating the appropriate organ, living beings in countries which I visit (lay down their desires and attachments and) offer their bodies and treasures to implore my compassion. 4. As I have realized the Buddha mind and attained Ultimate (Reality) I can make offerings to the Tathagatas in ten directions and satisfy living beings in the six worlds who seek […] samadhi, long life and even Parinirvana
As the Buddha now asks about the best means of perfection, my method, which consists in regulating the organ of hearing so as to quiet the mind for its entry into the stream of meditation leading to the state of Samadhi and the attainment of Enlightenment, is the best. World Honored One, that Buddha praised my excellent method of perfection and gave me, in the presence of the assembly, the name of Avalokitesvara. Because of my all-embracing (absolute function of) hearing, my name is known everywhere.’ Thereupon, the Buddha, from His lion-seat, sent out from the five members of His body, rays of Light which reached and shone on the heads of the Tathagatas and Bodhisattvas countless as dust in the ten directions. In return, countless Tathagatas sent back rays of Light which shone on the heads of the Buddha, great Bodhisattvas, and Arhats in the assembly, causing the groves and streams to intone the Dharma and uncountable rays of Light to interlace in precious nets, a spectacle never seen before. As a result, all (the Bodhisattvas and Arhats in the assembly) realized the Diamond Samadhi. At the same time, showers of green, yellow, red, and white lotus blossoms turned the whole of space into a seven colored expanse and caused mountains, rivers, and the great Earth to disappear and all the countless other realms to merge into one universe filled with songs and recitations.”
