Jewel Sutra Hand (寶經手): When You Want to Learn Widely

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

Original text

若為多聞廣學者。當於寶經手。《千手千眼觀世音菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼經》 (Tang dynasty, translated by Bhagavaddharma, T1060)

Plain-language explanation

The scripture for this lesson is a single line: 「若為多聞廣學者。當於寶經手。」 The sentence pattern is the same as in the earlier lessons: first a wish is stated, then the hand that answers it is named. The wish here is “hearing much and learning widely” — hearing a lot and learning broadly.

The scripture itself does not explain further. A more detailed account is in the forty-hand method of the 《千光眼觀自在菩薩祕密法經》, paragraph 37, which reads: 「若人求多聞者，當修般若經法是寶經也。」 This passage says the Jewel Sutra Hand corresponds to the Prajna sutra teachings, and says the principal deity is Prajna Avalokiteśvara, whose image holds the wisdom mudra at the heart with the right hand, giving rise to the Prajna Principle Sutra. Here the “jewel sutra” refers to the Prajna sutras. The scripture does not say that merely owning a book brings wide learning.

This site's Compassion Map places the Jewel Sutra Hand in the Mani division and the method of increase, with Prajna Avalokiteśvara as the principal deity, and marks it ‘direct’, meaning this line of scripture can be matched directly to a present-day good deed.

This site's modern reading is that this hand can be connected to education, tutoring and the promotion of reading. That is, being willing to read and study, and also willing to share the chance to read with others, is in this site's view how this hand appears today. This is this site's own compilation, not the literal meaning of the scripture.

In addition, the surviving Prajna-class scriptures have long had dedicated commentaries. For example, Master Yin Shun's 《般若經講記》 (Lecture Notes on the Prajna Sutras) is a reference book that explains the Heart Sutra from the Madhyamaka standpoint. This is a modern scholar's commentary, not the original meaning of this scripture line. To learn what “prajna” actually means within the sutras, one can begin with commentaries of this kind.

This lesson does not ask anyone to buy books or sign up for courses. The scripture simply lists the wish ‘to hear more and learn more’ among the needs Guanyin can answer.

Key terms

多聞廣學

To hear much and learn widely. This is the wish the hand answers. The scripture uses only these four characters and does not explain further what is to be learned.

寶經手

One of the Forty Hands, corresponding to hearing much and learning widely. This site places it in the Mani division and the method of increase, with the principal deity Prajna Avalokiteśvara (般若觀自在菩薩).

One line to remember

若為多聞廣學者。當於寶經手。

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.