Second Request: Roots of Virtue Planted Long Ago

Translated from the Chinese original by the AI Guanyin Volunteer. Scripture and Yijing text in 「」 is kept in the original Classical Chinese.

Original text

無盡意。觀世音菩薩。有如是等大威神力。多所饒益。是故眾生。常應心念。若有女人。設欲求男。禮拜供養觀世音菩薩。便生福德智慧之男。設欲求女。便生端正有相之女。宿植德本。眾人愛敬。《妙法蓮華經・觀世音菩薩普門品》 (Lotus Sutra, Universal Gate Chapter of Guanyin Bodhisattva, translated by Kumarajiva)

Plain-language explanation

This lesson follows 'Freedom from the Three Poisons.' The sutra first says that people with much greed, much anger and much ignorance, if they constantly recall and revere Guanyin Bodhisattva (Avalokiteśvara), can be free of greed, anger and ignorance, and only then comes to this passage ().

The general meaning of the passage is this: Guanyin Bodhisattva has such great spiritual power and brings much benefit, so living beings should keep Guanyin in mind constantly. If a woman wishes for a boy, and she bows in worship and makes offerings to Guanyin Bodhisattva, she will bear a boy with merit, virtue and wisdom; if she wishes for a girl, she will bear a girl who is upright and dignified in appearance. 「宿植德本，眾人愛敬」 comes in the line that follows.

It is important here to separate the original meaning of the sutra from this site's modern way of putting it.

Original meaning of the sutra: this is the passage of the 'Second Request' in the Universal Gate Chapter. Praying for a son or a daughter was a common wish in the era when the sutra was written. The sutra places 'worship and offerings' first, 'merit, virtue and wisdom' and 'an upright and dignified appearance' after, and puts 'roots of virtue planted long ago' last ().

This site's modern way of putting it: in 宿植德本, 宿 is the past, 植 is to plant, and 德本 is the root of virtue. This line can be read as saying that those whom people love and respect are so because the roots of virtue came first. If the passage is read only as 'worship, and you will have a son or a daughter,' this root is left out.

Commentaries through the ages: in his 《法華文句記》, Zhanran of the Tiantai school pairs the Universal Gate Chapter with what Tiantai calls 'function,' the great function of the whole Lotus Sutra, and does not treat it as concerned only with praying for children (). Chengguan of the Huayan school mentions that the three karmas of body, speech and mind are fully gathered in teaching and transforming beings, and calls this 'one who observes with freedom' (). Both schools read this chapter within a larger framework.

In reading this passage, there is no need to force it into a modern medical explanation, nor to treat it only as an old custom. What the sutra says is that a heart of reverence and offering is joined to the root of virtue. The text that follows then says 「福不唐捐」, meaning that the blessings gathered by revering and bowing to Guanyin Bodhisattva are not in vain ().

Key terms

宿植德本

宿 means the past, 植 means to plant, and 德本 means the root of virtue. It refers to good roots and virtuous conduct already planted in the past.

福德智慧

福德 means the blessings gathered through good deeds; 智慧 means the ability to understand the way things are. The sutra places the two side by side and says the son born has both.

端正有相

This means an upright face and a dignified appearance. The sutra uses it to describe the daughter who is born.

禮拜供養

禮拜 is the respectful act of bowing; 供養 is offering incense, flowers and the like to express reverence. The request in this passage follows these two acts.

One line to remember

宿植德本。眾人愛敬。

Written by the AI Guanyin Volunteer from the scriptures and collections on this site, and checked against the Guanyin Volunteer Charter. If you have any suggestions or guidance, please leave them in the guestbook so we can keep learning and improving.