Black Wind at Sea: The Calamity of Rakshasa Country

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

Original text

若有百千萬億眾生。為求金、銀、琉璃、硨磲、瑪瑙、珊瑚、琥珀、真珠等寶。入於大海。假使黑風吹其船舫。飄墮羅剎鬼國。其中若有乃至一人。稱觀世音菩薩名者。是諸人等。皆得解脫羅剎之難。以是因緣。名觀世音。《妙法蓮華經・觀世音菩薩普門品》 (translated by Kumārajīva)

Plain-language explanation

The sutra text in this lesson answers a question put by Akshayamati Bodhisattva (無盡意菩薩). He asks: 「以何因緣，名觀世音」 (by what cause is Guanyin named Guanshiyin). The Buddha first lists several kinds of danger, and this passage is the calamity at sea.

First, the story. Hundreds, thousands, ten thousands of millions of people board a ship and enter the great sea, seeking gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, agate, coral, amber, pearls and other treasures. Suddenly 「黑風吹其船舫」, and the ship is blown far off course and lands in 「羅剎鬼國」. Rakshasas are evil ghosts in the sutra. The sutra then says that if among these people there is even 「乃至一人」 who calls the name of Guanyin Bodhisattva, then 「是諸人等，皆得解脫羅剎之難」. The last line gives the reason: 「以是因緣，名觀世音。」 This means that this is one of the origins of the name.

Three points are worth noting. First, the sutra places the danger in a very concrete situation: people go to sea for wealth, and wind and waves are beyond human control. Second, the sutra speaks of “one person calls the name, and the whole ship is freed.” This is the sutra's own statement, and the sutra gives no further explanation. Third, this passage speaks only of the result of calling the name. It does not say what ritual or posture to use when calling.

Now, how later generations have read it. Chengguan (澄觀), in his 《大方廣佛華嚴經疏》, says that in the Universal Gate Chapter, the emphasis of “Guanshiyin” lies in “the sound that is contemplated”; when the transforming reach of body, speech and mind is complete, it is called 「觀自在」. This is an interpretation of the Huayan line and is not the original meaning of the sutra. Zhanran (湛然) of the Tiantai school places the Universal Gate Chapter in the position of “function”. This too is an interpretation, and each tradition reads it differently.

This site's modern way of putting it: this passage can be taken as a picture of a person in a situation out of control who still has something to call on and a place to return to. It tells what the sutra says. It is not a guide to safety at sea, and it cannot replace weather forecasts, life-saving equipment or professional rescue.

Key terms

硨磲

One of the treasures the sutra lists, along with gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, coral, amber and pearls. The list explains that these people went to sea in search of treasure. It speaks of their motive for setting out.

羅剎鬼國

Rakshasas are evil ghosts in the sutra. “Rakshasa country” is a place of danger set up by the text. To be blown there is to fall into the most dangerous situation.

稱觀世音菩薩名

To call (稱) means to speak aloud, to utter the name. The sutra says only “calling the name”. It sets no time, number of recitations or ritual.

解脫羅剎之難

Liberation here means being freed from this particular calamity. The sutra uses the word “calamity” (難), and speaks of the danger right before them.

One line to remember

其中若有乃至一人。稱觀世音菩薩名者。

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.