Verse: True Contemplation, Pure Contemplation — Six Ways of Seeing

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

Original text

真觀清淨觀，廣大智慧觀，悲觀及慈觀，常願常瞻仰。無垢清淨光，慧日破諸闇，能伏災風火，普明照世間。悲體戒雷震，慈意妙大雲，澍甘露法雨，滅除煩惱焰。《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

The verse read in this lesson is the latter half of the verses in the 〈普門品〉 (Universal Gate Chapter). The earlier verses speak of all kinds of danger, up to 「眾生被困厄，無量苦逼身，觀音妙智力，能救世間苦」 (beings are trapped in hardship, countless sufferings press upon them; by Guanyin's wondrous power of wisdom, the suffering of the world can be relieved). Then the verse turns: it no longer lists events, but speaks of the way this Bodhisattva looks at the world.

The first line, 「真觀清淨觀，廣大智慧觀，悲觀及慈觀，常願常瞻仰」, lists several kinds of “contemplation” (觀) in one breath: seeing truly, seeing purely, seeing broadly with wisdom, and also seeing with compassion and seeing with loving-kindness. The last phrase is addressed to this Bodhisattva: 「常願常瞻仰」, always hoping, always looking up in reverence.

The second line, 「無垢清淨光，慧日破諸闇，能伏災風火，普明照世間」, compares this seeing to light. The light has no stain; like the sun it opens up the dark places, and it can even subdue calamities such as storm winds and fire. This is metaphor: “wisdom” is spoken of as sunlight, and “ignorance” as darkness.

The third line, 「悲體戒雷震，慈意妙大雲，澍甘露法雨，滅除煩惱焰」, changes to another set of images: compassion is like thunder, using the precepts to awaken; loving-kindness is like a great cloud, sending down the Dharma rain like sweet dew to put out the flames of affliction.

Past commentators have also noticed this turn. Chengguan of the Huayan school held that in the 〈普門品〉, “Guanshiyin” puts the emphasis on the sound that is observed; when the teaching and guidance of body, speech and mind are all complete, it is called “Guanzizai” (Avalokiteśvara, the one who observes freely). This is one school's reading, and it shows that “contemplation” (觀) is not only seeing with the eyes, but also includes hearing and acting.

This site's modern way of putting it: this verse reminds us that the same matter can be seen in different ways. Looking in a hurry to pass judgment, and looking with compassion and wisdom, show different things. This lesson is not about asking for anything; it puts the question of “how to look” back in our own hands.

One more point to keep clear: this verse is the language of metaphor, not a description of some verifiable supernatural event. When reading it, it is enough to take it as a set of ways of looking at the world.

Key terms

真觀

The first “contemplation” (觀) in the verse. It means seeing truly, without being carried off by surface impressions. Here 觀 means seeing clearly how things really are.

悲觀及慈觀

“Compassion” (悲) is feeling for suffering and wishing to remove it; “loving-kindness” (慈) is wishing to give people peace and happiness. The “compassionate contemplation” (悲觀) here is not the modern word for discouragement or pessimism.

慧日

Wisdom is compared to the sun. When the sun rises, dark places become bright; the verse uses this to say that wisdom can dispel “all darkness” (諸闇), that is, ignorance.

澍甘露法雨

“Pour down” (澍) means to send down. The Buddha's teaching is compared to sweet dew and rain that can put out the “flames of affliction” (煩惱焰). The whole line is a metaphor, not real rain.

One line to remember

真觀清淨觀，廣大智慧觀，悲觀及慈觀，常願常瞻仰。

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.