Recite Guanyin's Name to Save Those Who are
Suffering
Selected Excerpts by Venerable Hsuan Hua
Let
me pass on a secret to you today. What secret? In moments of
crisis, maintain calm and do not be nervous. Forget about your life
and recite Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name with a singleness of mind.
With that, you will definitely turn danger into safety and survive
that test.
When
you are in the severest of dangers, contemplate, "Since I am going
to die soon, I might as will give it my all and recite Guanshiyin
Bodhisattva's name before I die. Maybe there is still a ray of hope
that way." Think like that and your problems will reduce to
something auspicious.
For
example, the plane you're on suddenly experiences mechanical
problems and is about to crash, recite Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's
name, because Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is a Bodhisattva who rescues
those in pain and difficulty. She is a Bodhisattva who responds to
every plea. "If I do not recite Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name, my
life will be in grave danger; there will be no hope for me." Think
that way and you will definite recite with utmost sincerity,
thereby getting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva to respond to you with
compassion, saving the lives of every passenger on the
plane.
Another
example would be if I were on a train that is derailing. At that
critical juncture, if I do not recite Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's
name, all the passengers on the train may die. Reciting Guanshiyin
Bodhisattva's name is to ask for help. The Bodhisattva will hear
you and come before you instantaneously no matter how far away you
are. She will come and rescue you, getting you out of your misery.
It works really well.
Another
example, the ferry that I am riding on is about to sink into the
bottom of the ocean. At this moment of grave danger, I recite
Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name, even if it is the last minute or
second, I still recite Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name. If so, I will
definitely turn misfortune into fortune.
Another
example, the car that I am riding on is speeding along, but
suddenly some mechanism malfunctions and the car is up in the air.
Below it is a steep cliff. If the car falls over, the passengers
will definitely be crushed into powder; everything will be
finished. At this time, if you do you darnest and recite Guanshiyin
Bodhisattva's name, the car will safely fall and land at the bottom
of the cliff. You will only experience shock but no harm. This will
be a response from reciting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's
name.
The
power of reciting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name in an emergency
situation surpasses the power of reciting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's
name millions and millions of times. Why? It is because you are not
so sincere when you recite Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name in times
of safety. Hence, when we recite Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name, we
must recite it sincerely and honestly so that inconceivable
responses happen.
I
told Guo Qian just now, "If you can recite Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's
name as sincerely as you do when you are on a boat, then you will
definitely get a response. When you were on that boat in the middle
of giant waves and storm, things were so dangerous that the
possibility of capsizing was imminent. If you hadn't recited
Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name, there wouldn't have been a bit of
hope, but because you recited Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name, there
was one in a million chance that you were rescued. So you recited
with all your might and finally survived that difficulty. The storm
calmed and the waves quieted down, and you reached the seashore.
Now you want to rest when you recite Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name
because you are not in that kind of danger." "The day has passed
and life is on the decrease, like the fish in a drying pond, what
joy is there? Everybody, be diligent as if your head were on fire.
Be mindful of impermanence and be careful not to be
lax!"
Reciting
Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name means that you recite it at all
places and at all times. In other words, you may recite whether you
are walking, standing, sitting and lying down. There is the same
merit whether you recite out loud or in silence. Do not
discriminate; let everything accord with conditions. You should
know that you will have no opportunity to recite Guanshiyin
Bodhisattva's name when you're dead. "Be mindful of impermanence,
be careful not to be lax."
