Mindfulness of Guanyin's Power: The First Eight Calamities in the Verses

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

Original text

假使興害意，推落大火坑，念彼觀音力，火坑變成池。或漂流巨海，龍魚諸鬼難，念彼觀音力，波浪不能沒。或在須彌峯，為人所推墮，念彼觀音力，如日虛空住。或被惡人逐，墮落金剛山，念彼觀音力，不能損一毛。或值怨賊繞，各執刀加害，念彼觀音力，咸即起慈心。或遭王難苦，臨刑欲壽終，念彼觀音力，刀尋段段壞。或囚禁枷鎖，手足被杻械，念彼觀音力，釋然得解脫。呪詛諸毒藥，所欲害身者，念彼觀音力，還著於本人。《妙法蓮華經・觀世音菩薩普門品》 (Lotus Sutra, Universal Gate Chapter of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, translated by Kumārajīva)

Plain-language explanation

This lesson reads the first half of the verses of the 〈普門品〉. The verses use one and the same pattern, calamity after calamity: first they state what danger is met, then follow with 「念彼觀音力」, and finally state the result.

The first two calamities are fire and water. Someone 「假使興害意，推落大火坑」, and the result is 「火坑變成池」. Someone 「漂流巨海」 and meets the harms of dragons, fish and ghosts, and the result is 「波浪不能沒」. Next come high places and mountains: 「或在須彌峯，為人所推墮」, and the result is 「如日虛空住」; one who is chased by wicked people and falls from the Diamond Mountain, and the result is 「不能損一毛」.

In the later calamities, the source of harm shifts from natural disasters to human harm. When surrounded by bandits with blades drawn, the result is 「咸即起慈心」; when meeting the calamity of the king's law and facing execution, the result is 「刀尋段段壞」; when bound by shackles, the result is 「釋然得解脫」; when someone uses curses and poisonous drugs to harm another, the result is 「還著於本人」.

This is the original meaning of the scripture, and it is only a listing. How the scripture holds true has been read in different ways through the generations: some read it as rescue in outward events, others as liberation of the mind. Later in the same chapter the calamities are also brought back to the inner heart: those with much greed, hatred and delusion who constantly recite and revere Guanyin Bodhisattva (Avalokiteśvara) are then freed from greed, hatred and delusion. This shows that the calamities here are not only outer disasters but also include the fire and water within the heart.

This site's modern way of putting it: these verses are an expression of faith, not a guarantee of any outcome. If you truly face fire, flood or danger, first call 119 / 110 for help and take care of yourself. The benefit of calling the name can be seen from the other end: a person who calls once in fear finds the mind easier to settle, and remembers that compassion is listening in the world. The scripture itself says that when suffering beings 「一心稱名」, Guanyin Bodhisattva (Avalokiteśvara) 「即時觀其音聲」.

Key terms

念彼觀音力

The fixed line at the end of each stanza of the verses, which joins the danger before it to the result after it. The emphasis is on mindfulness (念), that is, calling the name with a single mind and resting the mind on Guanyin.

火坑變成池

The pit of fire refers to someone who deliberately intends harm and pushes a person into a great fire. The text says that through the power of mindfulness of Guanyin, the pit of fire turns into a pool. This is how the scripture puts it; it is not a guarantee of how any situation will turn out.

咸即起慈心

When bandits surround a person with swords, the text says they all give rise to a compassionate heart. The change in this calamity happens in the minds of the others, which shows that the scripture also places the resolving of calamity in the transformation of the human heart.

釋然得解脫

For people bound in shackles, with hands and feet restrained, the text says they are loosened and gain release. The word “釋然” carries the sense of letting go and loosening, and it can be read as referring to both body and mind.

One line to remember

念彼觀音力，火坑變成池

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.