Perceiving that Sound, All Attain Liberation

The bodhisattva Guanyin clearly perceives her own innate silence and enlightened nature.  What is the “Dharma gate of Guanyin”? In the Universal Gate chapter of the Lotus Sutra we read, “Perceiving that sound, all attain liberation.” Here, “perceiving” has an inner and outer aspect. Inner perception means the innate ability to clearly perceive one’s own awakened nature; this is our buddha-nature, the nature of emptiness. Guanyin observes inwardly, abiding in her inherent self-nature, which is neither produced nor destroyed. Everyone has this self-nature; it’s inherently bright and lucid. To perceive it, all we have to do is look inwards, without attachment to conditioned appearances.  Looking outwards with the eye of wisdom, all phenomena appear to be like a dream; nothing in the world can be truly owned, for everything is empty, impermanent, and unsatisfactory. Observing in this way, no real, unchanging self is found to exist. Observing inwardly and outwardly in this way, we recognize our nature of awaking and the illusory nature of the outer world; then all suffering and hardship is seen as insubstantial, merely the result of causes and conditions laid down in the past. This is why Guanyin is also referred to as the “great being of interpenetrating faculties.”  Guanyin uses these interpenetrating faculties to rescue sentient beings trapped in samsara. However, not everybody will readily accept assistance, kind-hearted and sincere as it may be. Thus it is necessary to employ skillful means for establishing a wholesome connection with others; by doing so, such assistance is more likely to be accepted. The primary way of doing this is to employ the “four articles of attraction”: generosity, kind speech, beneficial conduct, and working together with others. These are four ways for helping others to gradually attain happiness and freedom from suffering. The continual tribulation of this Saha realm being what it is, we have to employ such skillful actions of body, speech, and mind to establish wholesome connections with others. This is how to exert a wholesome influence on others which leads to a deep understanding of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, emptiness, and not-self. This is also how Guanyin frees sentient beings from the shackles of unwholesome karma.  The Chinese term guan shiyin means “observing the sounds of the world.” One meaning of this epithet is perceiving innate tranquility, the inherent silence within. By perceiving this bright and pure nature of awakening, we also come to recognize the emptiness and silence of the phenomenal world. It’s also the basis for practicing the Brahma viharas—loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—and fulfilling the vow to help others to attain true happiness.  One meaning of the Sanskrit term bodhisattva is one who shows others the way to enlightenment and freedom from suffering. But just what is this suffering? Due to ignorance, all sentient beings have mistaken perceptions which give rise to all sorts of defilements and negative karma resulting in suffering. It’s like wearing tinted glasses; whatever you look at is tinted by the color of the lens. So, only by eliminating these mistaken views is it possible to realize our essential enlightened nature and attain true happiness. This is the sense in which bodhisattva means “one who leads others to enlightenment.” Similarly, in the Vows of Samantabhadra chapter of the Flower-adornment Sutra, we are instructed to use the water of great compassion to nourish the aspiration for enlightenment; this is the true meaning of the term “water of great compassion.”  Actually, enlightenment, the attainment of buddhahood, is simply a matter of following the path of awakening to its final conclusion. This first of all requires cultivating compassion, for compassion is necessary for establishing a positive relationship with others based on confidence and mutual affinity.  Practicing the Dharma gate of Guanyin entails frequently recollecting the body, speech, and mind of Guanyin. What are these? We practice in accordance with the actions, words, and intentions of Guanyin. In this way, we readily perceive and understand the virtue and wisdom of Guanyin, and emulate them in our own lives.  Spiritual practice is a long and arduous path. When our practice and the power of our vows are on par with those of Guanyin, then we have reached the same level of spiritual attainment as Guanyin. If during this life our practice of the four Brahma viharas is on par with that of Guanyin, then after death we are reborn in Guanyin’s pure land and become a manifestation of Guanyin. http://www.093ljm.org