【Description】
Guanyin Bodhisattva is known as the highest deity in the Heavens who has transcended human forms and is able to appear in whatever incarnation is needed by those who cry for help. Does this have anything to do with the Bodhisattva’s cultivation and great vows? Find out in this teaching.
【Timestamp】
00:00:00 The Many Manifestations of Guanyin Bodhisattva
00:00:09 Who is Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara) Bodhisattva?
00:07:26 What is “Perfection of the Ear Root”?
00:12:54 Is the “listening” in “observe, listen, ask questions, and examine” the same as “listening” in the context of studying Dharma?
00:17:42 The differences between Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
※ Malaysia: For non-Muslims only
【You will learn】
- Get to know Guanyin Bodhisattva
【Content】
Guanyin Bodhisattva is not human. So, who is she? She is actually nonhuman, you could say she is a deity. Previously, we’ve talked about the realms of Heaven and Divine beings. Guanyin Bodhisattva might be above all those gods. She is also considered a buddha, because she practices compassion.
Our universe, in its cycle of reincarnation, also operates on compassion to a certain extent. However, it is not purely a compassionate existence. It has its own corresponding principles of yin and yang, good and bad, life and death, rise and fall.
Guanyin Bodhisattva believes in and practices compassion. Because of this, Her wisdom, vision, mental state, and compassion have reached a state of perfection. There is a sutra called Sutra of the Vast, Perfect, Unimpeded Great-Compassionate Heart of the Thousand-Handed Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara’s Dharani. This scripture describes Guanyin Bodhisattva as a being with inconceivable Divine powers.
Countless eons in the past, which means a very, very long time ago, Guanyin Bodhisattva had already attained buddhahood and was bestowed the name “The buddha who clearly understands the true law.” All buddhas have a holy name. This is Guanyin Bodhisattva’s. But people are more accustomed to calling her Guanyin Bodhisattva. Her power comes from her great compassionate vow, which allows her to bring peace to all beings. In order to fulfill the mission of liberating all sentient beings, she takes the form of a bodhisattva.
What does “bodhisattva” mean? It is a state that is neither a buddha nor a monk. So, what kind of form is that? It’s a form born to meet the needs of all beings, a form that can be easily accepted. Most of the places that worship Guanyin Bodhisattva worship the White-Robed Guanyin Bodhisattva. She wears a white robe and a white headscarf. In China, most Guanyin Bodhisattva statues are made of white porcelain. In the past, one in two or three homes would offer to such a statue. That’s how her white-robed image became widely accepted.
What’s even more interesting is that in ancient times, more than 1,000 years ago, Guanyin Bodhisattva was originally depicted as a male with a small mustache. How did it later become a female image? Actually, it is related to Guanyin Bodhisattva’s vows. The scriptures say Guanyin Bodhisattva’s form is ever-changing. If people are more fond of a motherly figure, then they shall see such a form. But in some situations, such as encountering bandits in the mountains, a heroic figure is more needed. A heroic figure would appear, maybe one manifestation of the Bodhisattva. If you’re in distress at sea, you might need a strong and powerful fisherman. The Bodhisattva will take that form.
She takes the forms that people easily accept. Why? Because Guanyin Bodhisattva is a Divine being. Helping out humans is just a small part of her mission. There are countless beings in various worlds. Even the celestial beings need Guanyin Bodhisattva’s help. Guanyin Bodhisattva helps all beings. Again, she takes the forms that best fit the situations. For what? For easier communication. That’s how it is. Due to the state of her original life combined with her compassion, her form is not fixed.
In temples in Korea, the gilded statues of Guanyin Bodhisattva have a beard, as depicted since the Tang dynasty. The statues have the appearance of a young man. There are male and female versions of Guanyin Bodhisattva in Asia. However, in reality, Guanyin Bodhisattva’s forms go beyond human-like. When different needs arise, for example, on the ocean, or even just a small river, if you are drowning, about to die, perhaps a large log would appear. A log has no gender; that’s how Guanyin Bodhisattva operates.
Because of her great vows, she’s able to appear in all kinds of forms to help all beings. This is also why she’s so powerful and has helped so many beings. So, when we have various needs, she’ll appear and come to our aid. But first, we need to form a connection with her. It’s like registering your name so that she knows you. Maybe you’ve offered incense or an apple to her before. To put it simply, there needs to be this initial connection. After registering, when you have needs, just pray and Guanyin Bodhisattva will come to you and help you resolve your pain, disasters, and troubles. That’s roughly how it works.
(Q: Guanyin Bodhisattva practiced perfection of the “ear root” and achieved enlightenment, what is that?)
Speaking of that, in the Buddha’s teachings, we are always told about the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Thanks to our five senses plus our consciousness, we have emotions and feelings such as good or bad, hot or cold, hunger, jealousy, and happiness. Emotions, non-emotions, and all sensations can be felt because of our five senses and consciousness. This is what the Buddha said.
Now, about Guanyin Bodhisattva’s perfection of the ear root. We know that ears are used for listening. When Guanyin Bodhisattva’s compassion arises, she uses her ears to listen to the calls of sentient beings, as well as to their needs and the cries of suffering. She goes where the sounds are.
When she started practicing, perhaps she only heard some sounds that appear in daily life, such as couples arguing, children crying, etc. These are more ordinary calls for help, such as someone with leg or lower-back pain or the sounds of people dying from diseases. Also, sounds of family disputes due to lack of money. People are sick and have no money for treatment, or people have money but no cure. You know, all kinds of human suffering. She hears them and will help them out. This is just at the beginner’s level.
At a more advanced level, Guanyin Bodhisattva could hear the sounds of the sufferers even before they make a prayer to her. If you’ve formed a connection with her before, and you have suffering in your heart, then she’ll see your needs with her Divine-Eye and resolve the troubles on the spot. The thousand-handed form of hers also has a thousand eyes, how does it relate to her perfection of the ear root?
We know Guanyin Bodhisattva attained enlightenment through perfection of the ear root. My understanding is that it starts with hearing. Hearing is the entry point. It’s like entering an ordinary-looking set of doors but stepping out the other side into the heart of the great Mount Tai. The door cannot define the great vastness beyond it. The ear-root perfection was attained through the compassion and love for all beings.
A loving mother would always keep herself half-awake if she had a newborn baby. Not many qualified mothers are able to sleep soundly with a newborn baby. They wake up many times a night: feeding, changing, and attending to the child. That’s what a qualified mother does, always listening and caring. Why listening? When we sleep, do our eyes close? Yes. But do our ears close? No. I’ve never heard of anyone’s ears closing when they sleep. That’s impossible. Ears don’t close. So, a bodhisattva stays alert 24/7 to look after their children. To watch over, protect, and love her children. It feels like that.
So, it starts with hearing. From there, with great compassion, wisdom, and dharma abilities, Guanyin Bodhisattva is able to provide the best help that suits our needs. So, it starts with hearing our troubles. The abilities that come after that would inspire us to study harder. The perfection of ear root allows Guanyin Bodhisattva to listen to the sounds of the vast world. Being the highest level of Divine being, it’s too easy for her to understand our needs. Of course, her powers are boundless and infinite.
(Q: Is Guanyin Bodhisattva’s listening similar to the diagnostic methods in Traditional Chinese Medicine?)
That’s listening at the beginner’s level. At the advanced level, listening is not just picking up sounds with your ears. Your brain becomes a comprehensive receiver. I’m not talking about a sensory-transmission process through your hearing. It’s about understanding. Think about sounds ordinary humans can’t hear, such as sonar. Why? Because we haven’t developed such ability yet.
In TCM, we have the four steps: Observe, listen, ask questions, and examine thoroughly. Observe with our eyes the person’s complexion, energy, facial features, posture, and movements. Next is to listen, what do we listen to? Not the sound of the ocean. We can listen to footsteps to judge how healthy a person is. Think about it, can an elderly, sick person walk like a healthy 20-year-old? What’s your opinion? The elderly person might drag his feet while walking. His steps might be heavy, and the stepping sound is not crisp. The 20-year-old will walk briskly. This should tell you how healthy he is. He can lift his feet while walking, so there’s no dragging sound.
Also, there’s the sound of breathing. Now, when you’re in an elevator with a weak, 80-year-old person, you might be able to hear his heavy breathing. It’s obvious, right? Walking is hard for them; it’s often due to their overall physical decline, so their breathing becomes very loud. They might even have hypoxia and high blood pressure. That explains their heavy breathing, probably due to their weakened cardiopulmonary function. This is just a bit of common knowledge.
And there’s the voice too. When you have a call with a young lady, and her voice is clear and crisp, what does it mean? (She’s healthy.) Right, a person’s clear voice actually indicates good health. Now, if a young person’s voice sounds rough and hoarse to you, is that person healthy? When someone is young but has a somewhat old and hoarse voice, especially if it’s a female, then she might have a tragic fate. She might be lacking a father or a mother. Or, maybe both of her parents are gone. If a person has all these signs, then I would question her mental state. In the end, many sorrowful things will happen to this person.
This is just a sharing from me; it might not always be true, but it’s not totally groundless. My master taught me this. But it can be fixed through self-cultivation. A rough and hoarse voice can become clear and crisp. This is a sign of improved health and fate. Maybe the buddhas have healed them.
Now, back to Guanyin Bodhisattva. She is a representative figure of compassion in Buddhism. She practices the Way of Bodhisattva. Why is it called the Way of Bodhisattva? The biggest difference between a bodhisattva and a buddha is not their appearance. Buddhas and bodhisattvas are quite similar to the extent that they shouldn’t be differentiated. Most think they’re different based on their appearance. In fact, they are not that different.
Let’s talk about the appearance of a buddha. As you know, Sakyamuni Buddha was born a human. He went into the uninhabited deep mountains to practice. He sat in meditation and practiced the state of no-thoughts, a state of purity. That image of him is often depicted, him sitting in meditation, with his eyes shut. This is how the Buddha’s enlightenment came about. Bodhisattvas seldom meditate; they do it when they’re free. Why do I say that?
Most of their time is spent on helping people. They help people on a full-time basis; meditation is their part-time job. This is what makes a bodhisattva. A bodhisattva is someone who diligently helps all beings. What about the buddhas? Guanyin Bodhisattva has two identities. One, she has the identity of a beautiful bodhisattva. But she is also one of the most ancient buddhas. Does this sound complicated and contradictory?
The reason for these two identities is because in people’s minds, a buddha sits there unaffected by any force. What is a buddha then? A buddha meditates to achieve enlightenment to benefit all sentient beings. That is what a buddha has to do. But after thousands of years, people got the idea that a buddha is always motionless and in meditation. So, two identities came to be. A bodhisattva and a buddha are the same.
There’s an image of the Bodhisattva sitting with one leg extended or stepping on a lotus. It represents that she’s always ready to help. Bodhisattva or not, a commoner who helps people every day for many years should be considered a buddha. What makes a buddha? Having great compassion makes one a buddha.