Vajra Hand: What Is Being Subdued

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

Original text

若為降伏一切魍魎鬼神者。當於寶劍手。《千手千眼觀世音菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼經》 (Thousand-Hand Thousand-Eye Guanyin Bodhisattva Vast, Perfect and Unobstructed Great Compassion Dharani Sutra; translated by Bhagavaddharma of the Tang dynasty, T1060)

Plain-language explanation

The original text of this lesson is a single line: 「若為降伏一切魍魎鬼神者。當於寶劍手。」 The preceding lines give the names of the hands; this line gives the use: to subdue goblins and spirits, look to the Precious Sword Hand (寶劍手).

First, the name. In the 《大悲心陀羅尼經》, this hand is called the Vajra Hand (跋折羅手). This site places it in the Vajra division (金剛部), in the practice of subduing (調伏法), with the Vajra Avalokiteśvara (金剛觀自在菩薩) as its principal deity. Another scripture, the 《千光眼觀自在菩薩祕密法經》, also has this hand, and says 「若欲降伏大魔神者」; in its image, the right hand holds a three-pronged vajra. The two scriptures do not describe this hand in exactly the same way. Here we follow the original text of each and do not force them together.

Next, “subduing.” In the sutra's original meaning, the objects are goblins, spirits, heavenly demons and the like. Elsewhere in the same sutra it is also said that by reciting the Great Compassion Dharani, spirits that disturb meditation in the mountains and wilds are restrained. This is the sutra's worldview, not something this site asks readers to do.

The site's modern reading is a separate layer: it reads this hand as “standing up to stop a grave injustice,” and its way of helping is called “overcoming hardship.” This is a modern interpretation, not the sutra's original meaning; the sutra does not mention streets, train cars or any contemporary setting. On the Compassion Map this site has compiled one published good deed for this hand: on a metro train, when someone attacked others with a knife, four people worked together to restrain him.

Two things to keep in mind when reading this lesson. First, in the sutra “subduing” is said of demons and spirits; this site does not read it as telling anyone to go against another person. Second, when facing violence in real life, the first concern is one's own safety and calling for help. This is not the sutra's answer, nor advice this lesson is giving.

So this lesson is one line of scripture with two readings. The original is the subduing of demons and spirits; this site's modern reading is not standing idly by when a grave injustice is seen. Keeping the two layers apart prevents the modern reading from being mistaken for the meaning of the ancient sutra.

Key terms

寶劍手

The name of the hand in this line of the sutra. In the 《大悲心陀羅尼經》 (Great Compassion Dharani Sutra), this hand is also called the Vajra Hand (跋折羅手), and its stated use is to subdue goblins and spirits.

魍魎鬼神

The object of subduing in the sutra belongs to the sutra's own worldview. This site's modern reading does not apply it to any particular person.

降伏

The core verb of this lesson's original text. In the sutra's original meaning it is aimed at demons and spirits; this site also offers a modern reading: standing up to stop a grave injustice.

One line to remember

若為降伏一切魍魎鬼神者。當於寶劍手。

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.