Special Topics

Q5: How do sentient beings resonate with Bodhisattva Guanyin?

A: The Universal Gate Chapter emphasizes that even if all people, whether virtuous or not, have committed the Five Deadly Sins and the Ten Evil Deeds, as long as they have faith in Bodhisattva Guanyin (Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, in Sanskrit) and recite his name wholeheartedly, he will instantaneously hear their voices, respond to their prayers, and liberate them from suffering and danger. Furthermore, according to the gathas in the Universal Gate Chapter, Shakyamuni Buddha encouraged all sentient beings to frequently pray to, revere, and contemplate the epithet, virtues, and figures of Bodhisattva Guanyin with unwavering faith.
 
In the text The Praise and Admiration of Bodhisattva Guanyin, Ven. Yin Shun explained that, if we admire Bodhisattva Guanyin's spirit and compassion in rescuing the world, abide by the Dharma, and practice accordingly, Bodhisattva Guanyin will certainly protect and save us. This is because, in our lives, when we encounter difficulties that are hard to solve, we can always pray to Bodhisattva Guanyin for help. Unless the problem represents an irreversible determined karma, and, provided that what we ask for does not go against the law of causality, we can naturally receive the Bodhisattva's inconceivable spiritual response with our sincere faith.

 
To practice the Dharma method of Bodhisattva Guanyin, one can start by chanting his name, prostrating to him, and contemplating on his compassion. Through these physical, verbal, and mental methods, we prostrate to Guanyin with reverence, chant his name with admiration, and learn from his original intents with aspiration. We will then naturally accomplish Bodhisattva Guanyin's compassion, wisdom, temperaments, and great virtues, as well as induce boundless resonance with Guanyin.


Extended reading:

Q1: Why is Guanyin known as "Guan-shi-yin" in Chinese Buddhism?

Q2: From which kinds of suffering does Bodhisattva Guanyin liberate us from?

Q3: How does Bodhisattva Guanyin hear sentient beings' cries for help?

Q4: How does Bodhisattva Guanyin rescue sentient beings?

Q5: How do sentient beings resonate with Bodhisattva Guanyin?

Q6: Why does Bodhisattva Guanyin often manifest into a female form, if he has a myriad amount of manifestations?

Q7: Is it especially efficacious to pray and ask Bodhisattva Guanyin for a child?

Q8: Why didn't Bodhisattva Guanyin accept Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent's offerings?

Q9: What is the meaning of the term "Universal Gate" from the Lotus Sutra's Universal Gate Chapter on Bodhisattva Guanyin?

Resource: Humanity Magazine #386 (人生雜誌第386期)
Translation: Ariel Shen (沈純湘)
Edited by: Keith Brown, Olivia
Photo: Quan Tsai (蔡全)