3. Partial Content Analysis:

The opening question of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and the Buddha's answer clearly stated:

At that time, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara immediately stood up from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder, clasped his hands toward the Buddha and said: "World-Honored One! What is the cause of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara's name Avalokitesvara?"

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara: "Good man! If there are countless hundreds of thousands of millions of sentient beings who suffer, and hear Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and wholeheartedly call out his name, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara will immediately examine that reputation and will all be liberated.

According to the Sutras we read and see that there are Four Characters: the Historical Buddha, that is, Shakyamuni Buddha, and three Bodhisattvas, Avalokitesvara, Avalokitesvara, and Dhyana, whom we only find in the sutras, and also only in a few sutras. Classics, not all classics mention them and certainly not in the Nikaya canon.

Reading this Universal Gate chapter (as well as reading the classics of the Northern and Mahayana traditions), there are usually two ways of thinking, one side believes that these Bodhisattvas are real, the other side does not believe in the existence of these two Bodhisattvas, they are just symbols, representing the profound thoughts and meanings hidden behind, their nature is abstract, personified with a specific name but without substance, physicality, a living body, physical form like Buddha Shakyamuni and the Buddha's disciples such as Sariputra, Kasyapa, Maudgalyayana... The names of the Bodhisattvas are only seen as a means to convey the profound meaning that needs to be aimed at.

No matter which attitude or way of thinking we choose, nothing prevents us from understanding the meaning of the sutra. Are the Bodhisattvas real or not real, they are just personified transformation, there are still questions and the Buddha's teachings need to be understood. What the Buddha teaches through those questions is what is important. So, first of all, as the sutra presents, there are three Bodhisattvas with three clear names that follow their Bodhisattva "positions": Bodhisattva Vô Tận Ý, Bodhisattva Quán Thế Âm and Bodhisattva Trì Địa. They are actually present beside the Buddha Shakyamuni and the Buddha is answering questions for one to understand the other, and the other is only heard at the end of the sutra, but this voice is really important, has the power of a concluding sentence that enhances the value of the entire sutra and makes a deep impression on the reader. In the next part, we will try to understand the symbolic meaning. Do the two understandings have any obstacles or how do they complement each other?

According to the sutra, Bodhisattva Vô Tận Ý asked the Buddha why Bodhisattva Quán Thế Âm was named Quán Thế Âm, and the Buddha answered: because living beings suffer and calling the name of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, means to turn your mind to Him, to ask for help, to express the suffering you are enduring, and He hears that cry for help, using your ears to listen and also using your mind, to examine, observe and make, to help you escape suffering.

In the verse where Bodhisattva Boundless Intention repeats the Buddha's teachings, clearly stating this meaning:

The One with all good features
Replied the verse in response:
You hear the practice of Avalokitesvara
Responding in body everywhere
Vows as vast and deep as the ocean
Many kalpas cannot be thought of
Serving many thousands of billions of Buddhas
Making a pure Great Vow.
I will briefly explain for you
Hearing the name and seeing the body
Do not forget in your mind
To eliminate the suffering of the three realms.

Thus the sutra clearly teaches that Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara manifests in body everywhere, from many kalpas, with countless Buddhas who have made vows to save sentient beings. The Bodhisattva comes to sentient beings to save them from suffering after having observe, consider, clearly hear the cries for help of living beings. Living beings of all three realms of Desire, Form and Formless. Of course, there is a condition that living beings call His name, direct their minds to Him. If there is no cry, there will be no response. That is what is called response.

In this Universal Gate Chapter, we read about the inconceivable supernatural power of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, hearing, seeing, with the eye of wisdom, all sounds, appearing everywhere, at the same time giving Dharma, giving Fearlessness, fearlessness. And if we understand correctly according to the spirit of the Lotus Sutra, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara has entered the Buddha's Knowledge or Buddha Nature, He has the Three Bodies, so He has enough miraculous powers, enough supernatural powers, perfect communication with saints and mortals, without obstacles, freely entering and exiting the realms in the Dharma Realm. As we have learned, according to the Great Compassion Heart Dharani Sutra, the Buddha taught Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara "in the past he became a Buddha, named the Right Dharma Bright Tathagata. Because With the great compassion and vow power, he manifested as a Bodhisattva because he wanted to give rise to all Bodhisattvas to be at peace in the maturation of all sentient beings. » So it is not surprising that a Bodhisattva can act like a Buddha.

As we have learned, when Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment, he attained the Three Knowledges and Six Supernatural Powers. Let me repeat, the Three Knowledges:

1. Pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇa, is the knowledge of remembering one's past lives.

2. Cutūpapātañāṇa, is the knowledge of clearly knowing the birth and death of sentient beings according to karmic conditions. This knowledge has another name, Dibbacakkhuñāṇa.

3. Āsavakkhayañāṇa, is the knowledge of eliminating the asavas or, attaining the knowledge of the cessation of defilements, is the achievement of the fruit of Arhat.

Six Supernatural Powers:

1. The supernatural power of transformation (Iddhividhi), the supernatural power of performing extraordinary things such as ascending to heaven and entering the earth, walking on water, going through cliffs, manifesting objects, etc.

2. The supernatural power of hearing special sounds such as the voices of the gods, voices from far away...

3. The supernatural power of knowing and understanding the minds of others when they only have thoughts that have not yet been spoken.

4. The supernatural power of knowing past lives (Pubbenivāsānussati), the supernatural power of knowing one's past lives, knowing one's previous lives.

5. The supernatural power of seeing the lives of living beings, seeing the subtle physical forms of beings who are born spontaneously, seeing the karmic conditions that lead sentient beings to birth death. The divine eye is also called the knowledge of birth and death (Cutūpapātaññāṇa).

6. The knowledge of the end of the outflows (Āsavakkhayañāṇa), the superior wisdom that eliminates the outflows and afflictions and attains the fruit of Arhat.

The first five types of supernatural powers are worldly supernatural powers, the sixth supernatural power is transcendental supernatural power. (According to the Treasury of Dharma Studies, Bhikkhu Giac Gioi)

Thus, we are not surprised to see that Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara can hear sounds, see living beings where they appear, because he was once a Buddha, with the Three Knowledges and Six Knowledges, and if he only had the fruit of Arhat, he would have attained the Three Knowledges and Six Knowledges.

Living beings who come to Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara include many components, many layers, many levels of understanding. The first level is only knowing through the teachings of the sutras, literally, when encountering suffering and misfortune, they call out His title is to escape suffering, escape disaster. The sutra teaches so clearly, it cannot be said that it does not exist. The Buddha fully understands the nature of sentient beings, he cannot say anything just to entice sentient beings, say things that are not true, but say things that are in accordance with the nature of sentient beings. Even at the first level, the beginning, not understanding the profound meaning of the words, but will still be opened to wisdom to understand further, to understand more deeply.

The door of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Universal Gate opens wide here for the masses, to welcome the masses, the masses because the majority of sentient beings are immersed in the Eight Sufferings: the suffering of separation from loved ones, the suffering of meeting with hated ones, the suffering of not getting what they want, the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, death, carrying the body of the Five Aggregates is suffering, and also clinging to the body as me, as mine, as my self, so suffering even more, and also encountering adverse situations, misfortunes, sudden disasters, unjust deaths, unexpected, untimely, unwaited, unwaited, in general, immeasurable sufferings that force the body and mind, although immeasurable, are fundamentally within the three types of suffering that constantly burn sentient beings: Suffering, Action, and Change. Even the state of Happiness and non-suffering is within these three types of suffering. Because Happiness will eventually end, it is not eternal, it will only lead to suffering. Having been born into this world of birth and death, having a human body, one must endure these three types of suffering. In that state of suffering, being shown how to call the name of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is like a person about to drown who grabs a buoy to drift to safety.

Directing the mind to Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, calling his name is the first necessary step. Response will come. Bodhisattva will listen, consider the sound of people calling his name and immediately appear. That is the reason why Bodhisattva is called Avalokitesvara.

We can delve deeper into the meaning of this word Quan. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, in the chapter Ly The Gian, we read:

Buddhist disciples! Great Bodhisattvas use ten methods to observe living beings and give rise to Great Compassion:
Observing living beings without support or reliance, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Observing living beings whose nature is not in accordance with the law, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Observing living beings who are poor and without good roots, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Observing living beings who are forever asleep, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Observing living beings who commit unwholesome acts, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Observing living beings who are bound by desires, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Observing living beings drowning in the sea of birth and death, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Observing living beings who are forever suffering from illness and suffering, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Observing living beings who do not want wholesome acts, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Observing living beings who have lost the Buddha Dharma, they give rise to Great Compassion.
Bodhisattvas always use this mind to observe living beings.

Buddhist disciples! Great Bodhisattvas have ten universal observation methods:
Universally observing all Even those who come to beg, because they use a mind that is not contrary to satisfy their wishes.
Universally observes all living beings who break the precepts, because they are established in the pure precepts of the Tathagata.
Universally observes all living beings with harmful minds, because they are established in the forbearance power of the Tathagata.
Universally observes all living beings who are lazy, because they advise them to be diligent and not abandon their burden, to take up the burden of the Mahayana.
Universally observes all living beings with disturbed minds, because they are made to abide in the unshaken ground of the Tathagata's all-knowing wisdom.
Universally observes all living beings with evil wisdom, because they are made to eliminate doubts and destroy the view of defilements.
Universally observes all good friends equally, because they follow the teachings of good friends and abide in the Buddha Dharma.
Universally observes all Dharmas that have been heard, because they quickly realize the ultimate meaning.
Universally observes all limitless living beings, because they always do not abandon the power of the Mahayana. compassion.
Universally observe all Buddha Dharma, for the quick attainment of the One Mind.

We clearly see that Bodhisattvas do not observe superficially or shallowly when hearing the voices of living beings. Bodhisattvas observe with the Great Compassionate Mind, with Wisdom, encompassing all sublime and sublime meanings, aiming at a noble goal, ultimate liberation, not a narrow, short-sighted view, covered by a veil of ignorance like us ordinary people. Our view is a view that does not see. Bodhisattvas' view is a view that sees throughout the three periods of the Past, Present, and Future, throughout Cause, Condition, and Effect. We ordinary people only see the suffering before our eyes, ask Bodhisattvas to save us from the suffering and the disaster we are enduring without understanding, without seeing anything further, without expecting anything other than to be rescued and freed from the disaster, but Bodhisattvas do not stop here, do not stop at the suffering and the disaster before our eyes. His vision is so lofty that we ordinary people have to go through hundreds of thousands of lifetimes to reach it.

Once we understand the profound and noble contemplation of the Bodhisattva, then we will realize that reciting the Bodhisattva's name, even if it is only for small, ordinary, petty, petty wishes, or for troubles, physical suffering, mental suffering, dissatisfaction, or for hardships, obstacles, big or small, even if they are insignificant, is still a Cause, a Condition to connect with the Bodhisattva, and then He will use all means to guide us further, to raise us to a higher level, to reach the noble goal of Compassion, Wisdom, Omniscience, Buddha Knowledge. It is no different from the Lotus Flower rising from dirty mud and dirty water to spread the pure fragrance of True Suchness, Buddha Nature. Just as the title of the sutra states: Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower.

Some Buddhists ask, sentient beings are immeasurable and cannot be counted, sentient beings calling for help from Bodhisattva are the same, how can Bodhisattva hear all at the same time to appear and help everywhere?

Bodhisattva has entered into Buddha Nature, the pure nature, Formless, Selfless, so it encompasses everything, without any hindrance, without division of space and time, without division of physical, psychological, concrete or abstract like this world. Not seeing little, not seeing much, One is All, All is One. What belongs to the Dharma of Conditioned Conditionedness is limited, restricted, completely dependent, must have conditions, have enough causes and conditions, depending on circumstances, depending on the time. Bodhisattva enters the Dharma of Non-action, Coming as well as Going, Seeing as well as Hearing, Free and Unhindered.

Just like talking about the world of Mind, the invisible, formless world cannot be grasped completely through the brain, thinking, through language, but can only feel one thought connecting with another, which is instantaneous, just like saying Mind transmits Mind, saying spiritual response is like that. When our mind thinks of someone, that person immediately appears in our mind and the object of thought also feels it. People often call it telepathy. The more focused the mind, the higher the response. Bodhisattva is in Right Concentration, unlike the wavering and polluted mind of ordinary people, so the response is even easier and stronger. Even in daily life, being close to, meeting, contacting people who hate us or love us, who are angry or happy, who have evil intentions to harm us or good intentions to help us, we can all feel how that "electric current of the heart" is emitted. The power of Mind transmitting Mind is real. Everyone can experience this feeling in life.

Chanting the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara also carries the power of Mind transmitting Mind. Each person experiences it for themselves, it is difficult to explain it to others.

When reading the Shurangama Sutra, when we reach the chapter of Mind-to-Mind transmission of Buddha by Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, we understand more clearly the power of this mind-to-mind transmission of Buddha:

The Dharma Prince Mahasthamaprapta, together with fifty-two Bodhisattvas who were practicing the Pure Land Dharma-door, immediately stood up from his seat, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha: I remember countless previous lives, there was a Buddha born, named Infinite Light. In one life, there were twelve Tathagatas who successively became Buddhas, the last one to become Buddha was named Super Sun-Moon-Light. That Buddha taught me the Buddha-to-Mind Samadhi. For example, there is a person, one who remembers, one who forgets, two people like that, if they meet, it is as if they have not met, even if they see each other, it is as if they have not seen. If two people both remember each other, the more they remember, the more deeply they engrave it in their hearts. Like this, from this life to the next, like a form and a shadow, they are not far apart. The Tathagatas of the ten directions, long for sentient beings, as a mother longs for her child. If you run away, even though thinking about them is useless? If you long for your mother, as a mother always longs for her child, mother and child will never be far apart from each other in life after life. If the minds of sentient beings remember and recite the Buddha, in the present or in the future, they will definitely see the Buddha, not far from the Buddha, without needing to use any other method, then their own minds will be enlightened. It is like a person who is perfumed, whose body has a fragrant scent, this is called Fragrant Light Adornment. My method of cultivating the cause ground is to concentrate on reciting the Buddha's name, to attain the Dharma of Non-Birth-Endurance. Now in this Saha world, I widely save those who recite the Buddha's name, to be reborn in the Pure Land. The Buddha asked me about attaining perfect penetration, I did not choose, all restrained the six senses, pure thoughts followed, and entered Samadhi, this is the most excellent.

For more information, see https://thuvienhoasen.org/a14993/dai-the-chi-bo-tat-niem-phat-vien-thong-chuong

According to the explanation of Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta as above: If a child remembers his mother, as the mother often remembers her child, mother and child will never be far apart from each other in life after life. If the mind of sentient beings, remembers Buddha and recites Buddha, in the present or in the future, will definitely see Buddha, not far from Buddha, no need to use any other method, then the mind will be enlightened.

Through that we can understand that when reciting the name of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the effect will be the same, once our mind is directed towards Him, connected with Him, then we and He will never be apart, no matter where we sink in the sea of suffering, no matter how many hundreds of thousands of eons, the name of Bodhisattva will not be lost, we will always remember and recite Him and He will always be by our side to continue to guide and transform us until we attain enlightenment. Although the first step is only to save the suffering we are facing. And as we have learned, His observation is not limited, shallow, or ordinary, but profound and noble, aiming at ultimate liberation. He constantly observes and listens, as long as we are still drowning in the sea of suffering, He is still ready to appear to save us because saving sentient beings is His Vow.

Talking about karma, if past karma has matured and produced results, then Bodhisattva would not use supernatural powers to disrupt the law of cause and effect, and would be helpless like the case of Buddha not being able to rescue the Sakya clan under the hands of King Virudhaka. We ordinary people only know how to painfully endure karma and give rise to resentment and blame, without understanding that accepting karma means karma is paid off, like a person who pays off a debt is free of debt, and although one suffering must be endured, it can be to avoid another greater suffering. Furthermore, in suffering, there are always positive or optimistic lessons that can be learned. When our wishes are not fulfilled, we often think that Bodhisattva does not help, our prayers are not effective, in fact it is because we do not have the profound vision of Bodhisattva.

According to the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara has a thousand hands and a thousand eyes. There are still people who think that the number of sentient beings is countless, immeasurable in the Six Paths, in the Three Realms, then that number of hands and eyes is not enough!

Similar to the answer above about Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara's hearing, seeing and manifesting everywhere, he is not like us ordinary people, but has entered Buddha nature, into the pure nature, Formless, Selfless, so he is unhindered like that, so his actions are no different from a Buddha. But to thoroughly understand a Buddha as well as to think about the realm of Buddhas is certainly not easy for us. So this is what Buddha taught is inconceivable, trying to think too much can also cause confusion!

We do not forget that the Buddha taught that Karma is also an inconceivable thing for our ordinary minds. We often tend to think one-sidedly, everything is determined by past karma, cause and effect are immutable, karma cannot be changed or transformed. If it were necessarily so, then practicing would be of no use. It cannot be like that, although it is difficult to transform and change karma and karma also depends on conditions and fate, but it is not impossible, so we should not retreat in the journey of practice, create good karma, redeem sins with merit, repent, transform the mind, do not wait too late, when karma has matured it is difficult to transform, do not be pessimistic and fall into the trap of fatalism. Understanding this, we can see that in practice we cannot be lazy but must always be diligent, not letting precious time pass by in vain, in vain.

First is the fire disaster, encountering a fire, you can imagine being scorched by fire, in a house, in the forest, anywhere, on fire, in a place where there is fire but the fire cannot burn, maybe the fire is put out, a downpour comes, the fire truck arrives in time... or running away from the place where the fire is raging.

The second is the disaster of water, drifting on a river or on the sea, being submerged somewhere in the water but the water does not carry it away but lets it drift to a shallow place or can cling to something, be rescued by people or boats.

The third is the disaster of wind and storms that blow boats and boats into the water of the Rakshasa demons but still safely escape.

The fourth is the disaster of knives and sticks of people who intend to harm (or be executed) but cannot harm because the knives and sticks naturally break into pieces.

The fifth is the disaster of Yaksha and Rakshasa demons coming to cause trouble but then do not dare to look at people, let alone cause trouble.

The sixth is the disaster of shackles and chains, due to committing crimes as well as not committing crimes, but then the shackles dissolve by themselves, one is freed.

The seventh is the disaster of robbery, bandits cannot harm.

Reading further in the Verses section, in addition to the 7 disasters mentioned above, We have other disasters such as: being pushed off a high mountain peak but not being able to fall, not being injured; being cursed with poison but not being able to harm ourselves; being surrounded by wild animals with fangs and claws but all running away; encountering poisonous snakes and scorpions but they do not spray poison to bite or sting; encountering clouds gathering, thunder exploding, heavy rain all stopping by themselves, dissipating. (Other calamities are not mentioned here because they are classified into the 7 calamities mentioned above)

And in another verse we read:

In the evil path of all beings
Hell, ghosts, animals
The suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death
Are gradually eliminated.

….

The heart of compassion is as strong as thunder
The mind of compassion is like a cloud
Pours down the rain of Dharma nectar
Eliminates the fire of afflictions.

Requesting a lawsuit at the court
In the battle of fear
Due to the power of recitation, Avalokiteshvara
All grudges and hatreds are dissipated.

Thus, the calamities are not limited to the 7 calamities. We can also deduce that the calamities mentioned are only symbolic numbers because it is impossible to count all the sufferings of living beings and if Bodhisattva can save some calamities, he can also save all calamities, not just limited to a certain number of calamities. If there is a limit, it is not true to the vast, immense meaning of the Great Compassionate Mind and the Universal Door that opens to the entire Dharma Realm to observe, listen and save the suffering and the victims of the Bodhisattva.

Facing disasters like the above, if you wholeheartedly recite the name of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the disasters will not be able to harm you. Only those who are in trouble and are practicing correctly as the sutra teaches, focusing on reciting the name of Bodhisattva will have a vivid experience of the Bodhisattva's miraculous response and rescue. We can only collect what is told by witnesses and it is often not the same, each person has a different way of rescuing. But it can be affirmed that there is a miraculous response, otherwise this Universal Door chapter could not have existed from the 3rd century AD until now. The image of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is built everywhere not for the wrong purpose of seducing people, gathering followers and promoting a cult. Surely there must be true response and benefit for sentient beings that Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara has been worshiped like that from ancient times until now.

Furthermore, if we refer to the Great Compassion Heart Dharani Sutra, we see that Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara not only saves from the 7 disasters mentioned in the Lotus Sutra, but also saves from many other disasters, including illness, poverty, war, rebellion, natural disasters... and when talking about wishes, there are not only the Two Wishes but also many other wishes, including being born in Heaven, Pure Land, receiving Prophecy... therefore, when sentient beings pray to Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, they do not only pray for the Seven Disasters, nor do they only pray for the Two Wishes but countless wishes, broadly speaking, there is only an increase, not a decrease, praying for all matters, big or small! It is also due to the fearful mind because it clings to this body of the Five Aggregates as me, as mine, because this body is controlled and subject to the laws of Impermanence, birth, death, transformation and decay, so it always causes insecurity, forcing us to always find ways to protect it, but then easily falls into the mind of greed and selfishness. We ordinary people will hastily mock, despise, criticize, and condemn the tendency to beg and pray, considering it a folk belief, a low and base foundation, but with the Great Compassionate Mind of Bodhisattva, He will certainly only have mercy and not reject.

We can also think like this, a mother has a child who is rebellious, lazy, not diligent in studying, not obedient, and another child who is the opposite, obedient, diligent, and hardworking. If the mother only cares for and loves the child with a good temperament, but hates and ignores the child with a bad temperament, then the mother does not truly have the tolerance of a mother. The rebellious and ignorant are the ones who deserve more pity and must find every way to help, teach and transform them.

The same goes for Bodhisattva, with his boundless Great Compassion, he will find every means to approach and sow affinity, because he cannot help those who have no affinity, he will create opportunities, create affinity and then help, Bodhisattva does not hesitate to teach beginners, who have not yet met the Buddha Dharma, have never known who the Three Jewels are, do not understand Karma, Cause and Effect, Reincarnation, let alone the profound meaning, the path to liberation. Most sentient beings when falling into suffering will seek the simplest and fastest solution, which is to cling to those who have more power and authority than humans. That is called worship. Religions other than Buddhism all have an Almighty Being, God or Spirit to protect them, but perhaps the mistake is that these religions are too dependent on those who have more power than humans and forget themselves.

Buddha Shakyamuni advised the Bhikkhus to rely on the Dharma, to take the Dharma as their Teacher after the Buddha's death, and during his lifetime he avoided using supernatural powers. Although there were still a few cases where he had to use them, he usually used his own teachings, from his way of life and behavior to set an example of teaching or teaching supernatural powers, using words to instruct and advise his disciples to make their own efforts, to light their own torches and walk, to be their own islands:

Be diligent and not negligent
Be skillful in self-control
A wise person builds an island
Waves hardly overwhelm. (Dhammapada, Non-Negligence Chapter)

But through the lesson of the Jewel Sutra, we see that the Buddha did not radically reject worship. The Buddha taught people to rely on themselves but also taught people to rely on the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. If the Buddha had not been born, the Dharma had not been propagated, and the Sangha had not been able to guide them, then surely people would have been forever immersed in ignorance, the cycle of birth and death, and would have found it difficult to escape. We are grateful to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, we print, cast, and cast Buddha images, practice, and disseminate the Dharma, protect, and make offerings to the Sangha. This means that we have respect and worship, but not to the extreme of only knowing how to worship, pray, and beg without practicing ourselves. Along with respect, respect, and worship, there are legitimate and moderate wishes, and it is necessary to practice the Dharma to be considered correct, and to be reminded and encouraged.

Also through the Jewel Sutra, we know that the Buddha advised the Devas to protect the people of Vesali during the epidemic, so it is not that the Other Power does not exist. However, we should not forget the importance, the essentiality, and the foundation of Self-Power. When the Buddha preached the Jewel Sutra to show the path to ultimate liberation for sentient beings, this was also Other Power. Other Power is teaching and advising, but practice must be Self-Power. For example, when you are thirsty, another person can give you water, but if you do not drink it, you will not be able to quench your thirst.

The Buddha, Bodhisattva, Sangha, and Good Friends are all Other Power. No one can be enlightened or liberated for you; you yourself must make an effort to practice, but Other Power can protect, protect, give spiritual strength, guide, and show the way for Self-Power to be more clear-minded, more steadfast, and not be discouraged or disheartened.

Amitabha Buddha helps those who recite his name to be reborn, but this person must also continue to practice on his own to reach the final goal of enlightenment and liberation. Going to the Pure Land does not mean entering Nirvana or becoming a Buddha immediately. Without Self-Power to wholeheartedly recite the Buddha's name, according to the Pure Land Sect, or recite the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara's name according to the Universal Gate Chapter, Other-Power will not bring any results. If Self-Power does not continue to practice, there will be no journey to continue reciting the Buddha's name, reciting the Bodhisattva's name.

Bodhisattva does not reject the common psychology of sentient beings to seek a place to rely on, due to the habit and custom of worship and adoration that has been deeply ingrained in life. With a Great Compassionate Heart, Bodhisattva accepts to be a support for sentient beings to reduce suffering, but He does not stop there. He never wants sentient beings to worship Him in vain. Therefore, He gives Dharma to lead sentient beings to the place of true, ultimate peace and happiness. If sentient beings give Him their hands to hold, and concentrate on reciting His name, then those sentient beings will be liberated from the suffering of the relative world of Conditioned Beings and will gradually attain the absolute happiness of the Unconditioned world. That is the profound purpose of Bodhisattva. But when encountering suffering beings, one must help them escape the suffering that is tormenting them, and then preach the Dharma to ultimately save them from suffering.

Relying on Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is simultaneously relying on the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Relying on the Three Jewels, sentient beings are shown the path to liberation. Relying on Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is no different, so the sutra teaches:

Never doubt
Avalokitesvara, the Pure Saint
In times of suffering and death
He is a place of refuge.

Like a kind mother who does not abandon her spoiled, ignorant child but always supports him with care, the Bodhisattva also cares for and sympathizes with sentient beings who do not yet have enough wisdom to liberate themselves. He is the support, the place of refuge for sentient beings.

The Lotus Sutra has profound meanings that only those of the highest capacity, as well as those who have been taught, explained, and interpreted, but have not yet realized, can make them realize, thereby comprehending them. But through the Universal Gate of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the door is opened to all mortals and saints. Anyone, enlightened or not, can pass through this door without any hindrance. Pain and suffering are the messengers that show the way for sentient beings to find the door of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Once they enter this door, they will be welcomed by other messengers to guide, teach, and instruct them until they enter the door of Suffering and Extinction and, according to the spirit of the Lotus Sutra, will be enlightened and enlightened to enter the Buddha's knowledge.

Another detail that we need to analyze and understand clearly is the meaning of the disaster of being shackled and chained and being rescued, whether guilty or not.

Many Buddhists wonder, being rescued when guilty is absurd. If we meet a murderer and let him go, this evil person may continue to kill people, which is a disaster. So how should we understand it correctly?

The first thing we can trust is that when someone calls the name of Bodhisattva and asks for help, Bodhisattva will hear the voice and will contemplate, observe, and examine. He will clearly recognize whose voice it is, why they are asking for help, and certainly with His Wisdom Eye, not the physical eye like a mortal, He can clearly know the truth, the actions from the past, present, and future of that person, and also understand the mind, sincerity or falsehood, good or evil of the person asking for help.

The second thing is that Bodhisattva's help is certainly equal. The Avatamsaka Sutra, the chapter of Leaving the World teaches: Bodhisattva has Pure Compassion, an equal mind, because he embraces all living beings without choosing. Thus, when he knows that a guilty person as well as a innocent person calls for help, he will not have a one-sided reaction like us ordinary people who only help the innocent person and do not bother to listen to the guilty person's call for help. With his great compassion, he listens to all those who are shackled and chained. For the innocent, it is natural that he will rescue them. For the guilty, after he has fully considered as stated in the first thing that can be trusted above, and if he is sure that the guilty person's mind knows how to repent and will not re-offend, then he will certainly rescue them. Just as what has happened in life is the story of prisoners having their sentences reduced, from death penalty to life imprisonment or being released before their term of imprisonment, exile...

We have heard or read articles about innocent people who testified that thanks to praying to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara they escaped from prison, but perhaps none of us have heard about a guilty person being rescued! If we think further, we will see that it is impossible to find a guilty witness who then declares to everyone that he is guilty and is pardoned. Of course, this is so because otherwise, this prisoner will not be able to have a safe life afterwards, even if he has truly repented and is determined not to re-offend! Except in cases where the criminal is pardoned, reduced in sentence, or forced to perform certain acts to atone for his crime by the King, the monarch, the head of state, or high-ranking officials, judges, or chief justices, after a retrial, by order of the King, the monarch, the head of state, or the chief justice, then everyone knows and cannot object.

According to the above thoughts, we can conclude that the rescue of the guilty or the innocent can happen.

We Buddhists still wonder: Does Bodhisattva disturb the law of Karma? Buddhism does not believe in an almighty being who bestows blessings or inflicts disasters. If you create karma, you must suffer the consequences, so how can you escape? No one can take the blame for anyone else. The Buddha also taught in the Dhammapada, Evil Chapter:

Or in the sky, under the sea
Or hiding in a mountain cave
There is no place in the world
where one can escape the consequences of evil karma.

That is true, Bodhisattva cannot help when Karma has ripened, one must suffer the consequences. Therefore, we see that some wishes are fulfilled, some wishes are not fulfilled because Karma has ripened. Bodhisattva does not use supernatural powers to do the opposite, going against the law of Cause and Effect. Buddha Shakyamuni could not save the Shakyamuni family from being murdered by King Virudhaka, Venerable Maudgalyayana used supernatural powers to save some people but also failed, he himself was beaten to death by heretics because of the karma he created in the past. You all understand that karma has matured into fruit, it cannot be stopped, but paying off karma will also end the karma.

However, we have learned about Karma, the law of Cause and Effect, Karma must have enough conditions to become fruit. Thus, Bodhisattva can support this condition, can create opportunities, sow good conditions for sinners to transform their evil minds, know how to cultivate their bodies and minds, know how to repent, repent of their mistakes, know how to create good karma, create merit, know how to use merit to redeem their sins, thus the evil conditions that lead to evil results will be transformed, heavy crimes can become lighter, punishments can be reduced, or cases can be solved, and karmic creditors can also be resolved. So the important thing is in this part of Fate, practicing to change karma is through Supporting Fate, although nothing is easy, we know that there are Favorable Fate but also Adverse Fate...

A sentence of reciting the name of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is truly a good Fate, a Favorable Fate, a good karma that has just been practiced, turning towards Him is turning towards a good mind, a compassionate mind, a calm mind, pushing back the evil mind, the greedy and selfish mind and the fearful and wavering mind. Practicing good karma will certainly lead to good results, but there must also be enough Fate for the Results to manifest, so we understand the reason when we see that there are no good results of the good karma that has been sown. It is not enough Fate, not the right time. The cause has its own result, but it also depends on Fate, so it is said that the Results are not immutable. Fate can change the Results. If we cannot change our bad karma and pay for all the mistakes we have made, then there is no way to practice and attain liberation.

There are Buddhists who still wonder, reciting the Bodhisattva's name also requires time, diligence, and concentration, thanks to which the Fate will have enough elements to be effective. But in cases of unexpected disaster, urgent and urgent prayers, does reciting the Bodhisattva's name have enough power to save us?

There are many ways to answer as follows:

First, yes, if we have time to practice the method of reciting the Bodhisattva's name, the Supporting Conditions, thanks to the good karma we have created, will be more effective, repelling bad karma and easily bringing about the desired results.

Second, as we have learned above, when reciting the Bodhisattva's name, our energy and power are connecting with the pure, fearless energy and the strong, unobstructed power of the Bodhisattva, so we are calmer, more clear-headed and will be able to deal better with the external circumstances and calamities we are facing.

Third, when reciting the Bodhisattva's name, even in a time of urgency, but with utmost sincerity and concentration, our good karma that has been sown can also arise strongly to overwhelm and repel bad, evil, unwholesome karma in the past or unexpected events.

Fourth, no matter what the situation, urgent or not, the Bodhisattva's energy covers everything, connecting with his energy only adds strength, and has the unimaginable ability to rescue, and if we cannot rescue, we should understand that the karma has matured, the Bodhisattva does not disturb the law of Cause and Effect, and perhaps he has a vision that is further than ours, when the karma is paid off, the burden is lighter, we will move on to a better path that our mortal eyes cannot recognize. Sometimes, suffering this disaster can help us avoid a bigger disaster. Sometimes we have to leave this world to be born into a better world.

Fifth, studying the Avatamsaka Sutra, we are taught:

Sins arise from the mind, repent with the mind,
When the mind is pure, sins will disappear;
Sins disappear, the mind is pure, all is empty,
That is true repentance.

Karma or actions created must have a strong intention, the power of this intention, also the mind, creates karma and karma will lead to karmic consequences that the owner of the karma must receive, that is natural, natural, inevitable according to the law of Cause and Effect. Don't forget that the stronger the mind that creates karma, the stronger the karma will follow, so saying that changing karma is not an easy thing to do. So creating karma comes from the mind, if you want to end karma, you must repent with this mind. A mind that knows how to repent will change karma, change the evil mind of the past. Without repentance, the karma of the evil mind will continue on the path leading to karma, receiving retribution, no one can be blamed. The Patriarchs composed the repentance sutras and the repentance rituals only to help reduce the effectiveness of karma, which was created in the Mind. If the Mind is transformed from evil to good, then karma can also be transformed. "Sin arises from the Mind, bring the Mind to repent, the Mind is purified, the sin is immediately eliminated." Repentance is repenting the Mind, the source of sin and karma.

We need to clearly understand the operation of Karma, of sin coming from the Mind, so that we do not wonder about the verse:

Being cursed with poison
The enemy wants to harm you
Due to the power of chanting Quan Am
You harm the mastermind.

Does Bodhisattva Quan Am have compassion and save one person and then harm another? In our folklore, we have a saying: "The stick beats the owner's back" which also expresses the meaning of the verse "Returning harm to the mastermind". Evil karma (or good karma) has been created, the result will naturally come, will return to the owner who created the karma, but Bodhisattva does not harm anyone! The person who is chanting the name of Bodhisattva is the master of his own mind, not allowing evil thoughts to arise, it is like a person with armor protecting him, no one can harm him. On the contrary, the person who wants to harm but continues to nurture the evil mind of wanting to harm others will naturally bring disaster upon himself.

Sutra 42 Chapters, Chapter Seven has the following passage: "The Buddha taught: There was a person who heard me keep the Dharma, do very kind deeds, intentionally came to insult the Buddha. The Buddha was silent, did not respond. The person who insulted stopped, the Buddha asked: You brought a gift to someone, that person did not accept the gift, did you take it back? The other person replied: I took it back! Buddha taught: Now you insult me, I do not accept, you bring disaster upon yourself, it will come back to you. Such actions are like echoes, shadows follow the form, it is absolutely unavoidable. So, be careful, do not do evil. »

And in Chapter Eight: « An evil person harming a good person is like spitting up to the sky, spitting does not reach the sky, it falls back on you. Throwing dust against the wind, the dust does not fly to the other person, the dust rolls back on you. A good person cannot be destroyed, but disaster will definitely destroy you. »

The above sutra passages have clarified the meaning of the verse « Returning harm to the mastermind ». Thinking that a Bodhisattva would return to harm others is impossible.

We read in the sutra: « If there are sentient beings with much lust, always reverently recite the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, they will immediately be free from lust. If a person is often angry and resentful, and often reveres Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, he will be freed from anger. If a person is often ignorant and often reveres Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, he will be freed from ignorance. »

The three poisons are often understood as Greed, Anger, and Delusion, three afflictions or Asavas, also known as Cosamuppada, which have existed in humans since birth. These three afflictions are also called three fires because they burn day and night, causing internal irritation and anger, according to the definition of Bhikkhu Giac Gioi, through the document Kho Tang Phap Hoc:

1. The fire of greed (Rāgaggi), the affliction of love and greed, and the attachment to sexual desires are burning fires.

2. The fire of anger (Dosaggi), the affliction of anger, resentment, and hatred are burning fires.

3. The fire of ignorance (Mohaggi), ignorance, ignorance is the root of all evil and unwholesome dharmas, like fire.

These three fires are the fires of ignorance that need to be extinguished.

The Sutra we read, the translation of the late Venerable Thich Tri Tinh, emphasizes lust, although there are other monasteries that use the sutra to only talk about Greed, not about lust, the attachment to the feelings that bring pleasure to the body, the touching and contact between men and women. Lust also belongs to Greed, craving, craving for pleasure. Greed is generally the desire, seeking, attachment, and infatuation with the enjoyment of pleasure from material things, from the body to the psychological part. Greed arises from the Six Senses coming into contact with six objects, namely the Six Dusts. Greed for food, greed for seeing beauty, greed for hearing beautiful sounds, greed for smelling fragrances, greed for soft touches, greed for possessing objects, wealth, money, and greed for good reputation, status, power, greed for being loved, respected... It is impossible to tell all, the greed, the bag of greed of human beings is often compared to bottomless, endless...

Here, the Sutra emphasizes lust because it is the greed for physical pleasure, between men and women, that is truly difficult to eliminate, difficult to end, is the source of rebirth, the cycle of birth and death. The pleasure brought about by sexual acts is the most difficult to eliminate, the most difficult to destroy because it is attached to, directly originating from the physical body, as natural as the nose breathes, the mouth eats, speaks, the ears hear, the eyes see, no one wants to stop a feeling, a sensation that naturally arises in the body like that, seeing it as a normal thing, not sinful at all, not going against the natural nature of human beings. Naturally, why deny, refuse, and oppose, it is absurd! Going against it can cause physical illness and the state of psychological inhibition will also cause mental illness!

But the Buddha clearly saw the danger of lust, a monk cannot maintain lust, all the scriptures warn and the precepts clearly prohibit sexual misconduct. For lay people, the limit is not to commit adultery. However, for a non-monk, regardless of whether he is a lay person or not, if lust is strong, it is not easy to live, always being demanded, pressured, craving unsatisfied, unable to control, it will cause suffering and trouble, loss of balance in life. Therefore, the Sutra teaches that people with much lust, regardless of whether they have become monks or nuns, should recite the name of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara to be free from lust.

It is when we make an effort, concentrate, and focus on reciting the name of Bodhisattva that the energy of lust will gradually decrease and disappear. The energy of reciting the name of Bodhisattva has overcome the energy of lust. Reciting the name of Bodhisattva can be seen as an effective method, a method like the Pure Land School's method of reciting Buddha's name, as well as the method of focusing on breathing, will help us enter into Right Concentration. When the mind is not disturbed, we can be self-controlled, and a clear mind will subdue and control what disturbs the body and mind.

Even in daily life, there are also practical methods to transform energy, for example, to treat fatigue, laziness, and sleepiness, we relax our arms and legs in an open space, breathe fresh air, or when teaching children, they begin to lose concentration and cannot sit still, we let them sing, dance, and draw to transform energy.

In prisons and detention camps, criminals are allowed to work, learn more, exercise, play sports, and entertain themselves like normal people to transform their negative energy. Science, in the fields of Psychology and Psychoanalysis, has treatment methods for patients to treat mental illnesses, anxiety, and nervous disorders, all with the aim of transforming negative energy. With modern, civilized society, developed technology, rich economy, people are well fed and clothed, not lacking, have a lot of freedom, indulgence but morality is degraded, people worship the ego, run after satisfying material needs, sexual satisfaction is promoted, promoted, the energy to seek pleasure is strong, fast, easy but the spiritual part, talking about morality, ethics, spirituality is not at the same speed, almost not cared about, free media networks provide all classes, including children, movies, books, documents related to sex, love affairs between men and women, social evils are increasing day by day, and crimes caused by lust, such as rape, kidnapping, prostitution, trafficking of women and girls, pedophilia, jealousy, leading to violence, murder, murder, abortion can be said to be almost at the top of social evils, including developed or undeveloped countries. development.

Transforming this lustful energy is really necessary. The Buddha had a far-reaching vision for us ordinary people.

The sutra teaches us that if we want to control our lust, we must practice the method of reciting the Bodhisattva's name. With a sincere and focused mind, we can transform this lustful energy.

The difference between the two ways of controlling and transforming the world and the Bodhisattva's is that the Bodhisattva has spiritual power, the transformation is directed towards enlightenment and liberation, not temporary or limited. The worldly method, belonging to the Dharma of Conditioned Action, even though it brings happiness and joy, still lingers in the cycle of birth and death. The Bodhisattva guides sentient beings to the Dharma of Non-Action, true happiness and peace, ultimate liberation.

The mind of Greed in general, if not controlled and subdued, easily leads to the mind of Anger, resentment, anger, and dissatisfaction. Greed and Anger become stronger and deeper because of Ignorance, lack of correct understanding, insincerity, lack of morality, stubbornness, wrong views, and perversion that interfere with the body and mind, causing wrong thoughts and wrong actions.

Reciting the name of Bodhisattva has the power to control the mind of Greed and Anger and helps Wisdom and Compassion to arise, then Ignorance automatically retreats.

We do not see Bodhisattva appear before our eyes, but it is Bodhisattva who supports us with strong energy to save ourselves, to subdue ourselves, to control ourselves. How do we know that Bodhisattva supports us? What is the evidence?

When we recite Bodhisattva's name, we are connecting with Bodhisattva, our energy is connected with Bodhisattva's energy, like two electric currents meeting, only adding energy, complementing each other. The energy of Bodhisattva is strong because it is in Samadhi, has entered Buddha Nature, while we ordinary people have not entered Samadhi and cannot enter Buddha Nature, so our energy certainly cannot be compared to Bodhisattva, but thanks to connecting with Bodhisattva's energy which is pure and unpolluted, we become strong and subdue, subduing the polluted energy of Greed, Anger and Delusion.

Surely only those who are practicing the method of reciting Bodhisattva's name as taught in the sutra can feel what is happening inside their mind, only they themselves know, just like saying everyone practices and attains it. Others can only read or hear stories, there are witnesses who clearly see Bodhisattva appearing before their eyes, in the sky, in the ocean, as well as in dreams, there is real help, guidance, and rescue, however there are also practitioners who recite Bodhisattva's name but do not see His image nor do they get their wish fulfilled. We will learn through the next sections.

Let's stop here and continue the content analysis next time: Are the two wishes definitely fulfilled? How can the merit of reciting the name and making offerings to Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara be compared to the merit of reciting the name and making offerings to 62 billion Ganges of Bodhisattvas? What are the manifested bodies? Why is Bodhisattva called the Fearless Giver? Why should we bow and make offerings to Bodhisattva? What are the Five Contemplations and Four Sounds that are the best in the world? How should sentient beings who hear the Universal Gate Chapter and develop the mind of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi understand?

Let me reiterate, we are studying the Universal Gate Chapter just as the sutra is read and presented with the wish not to commit the mistake that the Patriarchs have warned: "According to the sutra, the meaning of the Buddha's grievances of the three times is explained; if one word is different from the sutra, it is the same as the devil's theory." In the following sections, we will try to understand the metaphorical or symbolic meaning of the sutra. As we know, when studying the Northern or Mahayana sutras, we need to pay attention to the essential part, which is the profound metaphorical meaning in the sutras, not just stop at the literal meaning.

Namo Sakyamuni Buddha

Nhat Duyet LKTH