Nevertheless if you read Lotus Sutra 25 you will know that
Avalokitesvara out of his great compassion is able to save beings
in distress and need of help... cars are miraculously turned over
(i've heard lots of such instances including from my relative) when
they almost died from accidents, their car can just turn 360
degrees and completely avoid the disaster. This is just an example.
Lots of other life saving miracles. see chapter 25: http://www.kalavinka.org/jewels/shakmuni/pumen01.htm
So Mahayana Buddhism particularly Lotus Sutra has more teachings on
aspects of Buddhism that may require faith, otherwise its hard to
believe...
But there are also lots of parts of Lotus Sutra that are
metaphorical, with deep meanings in it. For example I once asked
how can Lotus Sutra recommend people to immolate their own bodies
as an offering to the Buddha? Actually its not really what it
appears to be... there's a deeper meaning behind it. It is to be a
selfless service the triple gems and all sentient beings that is
known as body immolation offering, and that is the highest offering
according to Lotus Sutra. Lotus Sutra is full of metaphors.
I posted this 2 years ago.
If anyone wants to hurt you and
pushes you into a great fire-pit, if you contemplate the power of
Avalokitesvara, the fire-pit will change into a pond. - Lotus
Sutra
So, this is what the translation says. But my master explained
that, the "great-fire-pit" refers to the fires of hatred and anger,
while the pond, clear and pure, refers to our Buddhamind. This
relates to a true story, or experience, back in Taiwan.
My master had once observed that one of his disciples will meet a
tribulation in the coming days... He called him up, and advised him
not to be moved away from the triple jems (buddha, dharma, sangha),
CHANT Guan-Shi-Yin frequently, and never to be affected by any
anger. Just next day, this disciple was working at the construction
site (he is a construction worker). Then, he got into an argument
with someone on who should use the machine first. Tension rose, and
finally they decided to "settle it" outside. Suddenly, this person
remembered my master's words, and began to truly regret his earlier
harshness. He chanted Namo Guanshiyin Pusa, and became very
peaceful and calm, and smiled happily. The other person then went
there to "settle" the issue, but seeing that he was smiling, he
walked away. He threw a vegetable knife he was hiding onto the
table. On seeing this, the person (who chanted guanshiyin) was
extremely shocked, and realised what could have happened if he had
continued the conflict. He was without any weapons, how could he be
able to survive, fighting him with a fist?
From this, we should chant, pay reverence, learn, and most
importantly, Be Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. We should learn to be
compassionate in all situations, a Bodhisattva's compassion is
selfless.
This is the testimonial to the "power of Avalokitesvara", of
course, testimonials are really a lot, many people meeting
disasters, car accidents, those that one definitely could not have
survived, are saved miraculously by the Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva.
Those who suffers from bad temper and strong hatred can try
chanting regularly.. perhaps, 108 times a day. Most importantly,
when we chant, we must not let our mind wander, and practice
Samadhi (concentration, one-pointedness) on the chanting. In this
way, chanting works best to remove our minds of sentient, samsaric
thoughts.
We should all learn to be compassionate like Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva.
The ultimate goal of teaching is that Emptiness whose essence is
Compassion. - Great Pandita Atisha
