Verses: Vast Vows Deep as the Sea

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

Original text

爾時無盡意菩薩。以偈問曰：世尊妙相具，我今重問彼，佛子何因緣，名為觀世音？具足妙相尊，偈答無盡意：汝聽觀音行，善應諸方所，弘誓深如海，歷劫不思議，侍多千億佛，發大清淨願。我為汝略說，聞名及見身，心念不空過，能滅諸有苦。Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra, Chapter on the Universal Gate of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva (translated by Kumārajīva)

Plain-language explanation

In the prose section earlier, Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent asked once: 「世尊，觀世音菩薩，以何因緣，名觀世音？」 In this lesson we enter the verses. He asks again in verse: 「佛子何因緣，名為觀世音？」

The World-Honored One also answers in verse. The first line is 「汝聽觀音行，善應諸方所」. It means: listen to Guanyin's conduct; he responds to the needs of every place.

Next come the four core lines of this lesson: 「弘誓深如海，歷劫不思議，侍多千億佛，發大清淨願。」

Taking these four lines apart by their literal meaning:

1. 「弘誓深如海」. 弘 means vast, 誓 means a firmly set vow. This vow is deep and wide, and the sea is used as a comparison.

2. 「歷劫不思議」. This vow is not a matter of a short time; the time that has passed is too long to imagine.

3. 「侍多千億佛」. 「侍」 means to attend and be close to. He studied and practiced beside many Buddhas.

4. 「發大清淨願」. The vow he made is vast and pure.

These four lines tell of Guanyin's causal ground: long practice, and vows made before many Buddhas. The second half of the verses first says 「我為汝略說」, showing that this is only a brief account; then it says: 「聞名及見身，心念不空過，能滅諸有苦。」 「不空過」 means that hearing the name, seeing the manifestation, and holding it in mind: this single thought does not pass in vain. The text attributes this function to 「能滅諸有苦」.

This lesson states only the original meaning of the text and adds no predictions. Statements of the kind “if someone recites, then it will surely turn out a certain way” are not in the original.

One example of traditional interpretation: Chengguan of the Huayan school held that in the Universal Gate Chapter, the emphasis of “Guanshiyin” is on the sound that is contemplated; when the guiding and transforming work of body, speech and mind are all complete, it is called “Guanzizai.” This is a traditional interpretation, not wording of the scripture itself.

This site's modern way of putting it: these four lines are like an account of origins. The origin of the name is not the matter of a moment, but of a long-standing vow. Turning back to the one who reads the scripture, one can ask oneself: reading these four lines, is there a vow in my heart that I want to hold to for a long time?

Key terms

Great Vow (弘誓)

弘 means vast, 誓 means a vow that has been set. “弘誓深如海” uses the depth and breadth of the sea as a comparison for the depth and breadth of Guanyin's vow.

Passing through kalpas (歷劫)

A kalpa (劫) is an extremely long unit of time. “歷劫不思議” says that the time passed is too long to imagine; it is not a matter of a short period.

Pure vow (清淨願)

The content of the vow is vast and pure. Placed in the verses, these four lines tell of the causal ground of Guanyin's practice.

Not passing in vain (不空過)

Hearing the name, seeing the manifestation, and holding it in mind: this single thought does not pass in vain. This is the wording of the verses; the text links it to “能滅諸有苦”.

One line to remember

弘誓深如海，歷劫不思議

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.