The Lion's Roar

[Nicholas Weeks]

From Avatamsaka Sutra chapter 38:

Sons of the Buddha. The bodhisattva, mahāsattva, has ten kinds of lion’s roar. What then are those ten? As follows, they are those wherein he proclaims:

“I will certainly achieve realization of the right and universal enlightenment.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the bodhi resolve.

“Among all beings, I shall cause all who have not yet crossed on beyond to cross on beyond, shall cause all who have not yet achieved liberation to achieve liberation, shall cause all who have not yet found peace to find peace, and shall cause all who have not yet reached nirvāṇa to reach nirvāṇa.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the great compassion.

“I shall prevent the lineages of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha from ever being cut off.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with repayment of the Tathāgata’s kindness.

“I shall bring about the purifying adornment of all buddha kṣetras.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the most ultimately solid of vows.

“I shall bring about the elimination of all of the wretched destinies as well as the elimination of all of the stations of existence associated with the difficulties.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with naturally upholding the precepts of moral purity.

“I shall completely fulfill all of the adornments associated with all buddhas’ physical, verbal, and mental karmic deeds culminating in acquisition of the major marks and the associated characteristics.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the tireless pursuit of the creation of karmic merit.

“I shall achieve the complete fulfillment of all buddhas’ wisdom.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the tireless pursuit of the acquisition of wisdom.

“I shall destroy all of the many sorts of demons as well as all of the works of the demons.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with cultivation of right practice in the severance of all afflictions.

“I shall bring about the utterly complete realization that all dharmas are devoid of self, are devoid of any being, are devoid of any lifespan, are devoid of any pudgala, are characterized by
emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and are as pure as empty space itself.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the unproduced-dharmas patience.

The Bodhisattva then, employing the eye of unimpeded wisdom, universally contemplates all beings in the world, realizes, “There are none among them such as myself,” and then straightaway manifests birth into the palace of the King. Of his own accord, he strides seven steps and then roars the great lion’s roar, declaring: “I am the most supreme of all who abide in the world. I shall bring to an eternal end this coursing within the realm of births and deaths.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with carrying out the practice in accordance with the teachings.

These are the ten. If bodhisattvas abide in these dharmas, then they acquire the ability to roar the Tathāgata’s unsurpassably supreme lion’s roar.

[Riju]

From Avatamsaka Sutra chapter 38:

Sons of the Buddha. The bodhisattva, mahāsattva, has ten kinds of lion’s roar. What then are those ten? As follows, they are those wherein he proclaims:

“I will certainly achieve realization of the right and universal enlightenment.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the bodhi resolve.

“Among all beings, I shall cause all who have not yet crossed on beyond to cross on beyond, shall cause all who have not yet achieved liberation to achieve liberation, shall cause all who have not yet found peace to find peace, and shall cause all who have not yet reached nirvāṇa to reach nirvāṇa.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the great compassion.

“I shall prevent the lineages of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha from ever being cut off.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with repayment of the Tathāgata’s kindness.

“I shall bring about the purifying adornment of all buddha kṣetras.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the most ultimately solid of vows.

“I shall bring about the elimination of all of the wretched destinies as well as the elimination of all of the stations of existence associated with the difficulties.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with naturally upholding the precepts of moral purity.

“I shall completely fulfill all of the adornments associated with all buddhas’ physical, verbal, and mental karmic deeds culminating in acquisition of the major marks and the associated characteristics.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the tireless pursuit of the creation of karmic merit.

“I shall achieve the complete fulfillment of all buddhas’ wisdom.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the tireless pursuit of the acquisition of wisdom.

“I shall destroy all of the many sorts of demons as well as all of the works of the demons.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with cultivation of right practice in the severance of all afflictions.

“I shall bring about the utterly complete realization that all dharmas are devoid of self, are devoid of any being, are devoid of any lifespan, are devoid of any pudgala, are characterized by
emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and are as pure as empty space itself.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with the unproduced-dharmas patience.

The Bodhisattva then, employing the eye of unimpeded wisdom, universally contemplates all beings in the world, realizes, “There are none among them such as myself,” and then straightaway manifests birth into the palace of the King. Of his own accord, he strides seven steps and then roars the great lion’s roar, declaring: “I am the most supreme of all who abide in the world. I shall bring to an eternal end this coursing within the realm of births and deaths.” This is the great lion’s roar associated with carrying out the practice in accordance with the teachings.

These are the ten. If bodhisattvas abide in these dharmas, then they acquire the ability to roar the Tathāgata’s unsurpassably supreme lion’s roar.

Wonderful, well said, great, Will it not be interesting for each one of his as to how many roars we have with us? And then give a feed back on this thread. I am sure that many would have gone thorugh the first roar.

[Nicholas Weeks]

From chapter Nine, where a chorus of Manjushris says:

Having cultivated extensive difficult practices,
Diligently working day and night,
Having crossed the hard to cross, with a lion's roar,
Teaching all beings- this is the practice.

Sentient beings whirl in the sea of craving and greed,
Shrouded by the web of ignorance, terribly oppressed;
The Most Benevolent bravely cuts it all away,
We vow to also do so- this is the practice.

Worldlings have no control, attached to sense desires;
Falsely discriminating, they suffer myriad pains.
Practicing the Buddhas' teaching, always control the mind,
Vowing to cross over this- this is the practice.

Sentient beings, attached to self, enter birth and death;
Looking for a limit to this, none can be found.
Serving all the enlightened to obtain the wondrous teaching,
Explain it to others- this is the practice.

Living beings are helpless, wrapped up in sickness,
Forever sunk in evil ways, producing the three poisons,
The fierce flames of a great fire always burning them;
With a pure heart to rescue them- this is the practice.

Sentient beings, confused, have lost the right path;
Always going the wrong way, they enter the house of darkness.
For their sake lighting the lamp of truth,
To be a light forever- this is the practice.

Sentient beings bob and sink in the ocean of existences;
Their troubles are boundless, they have no place to rest.
To make for them an ark of truth
To ferry them over- this is the practice.

Sentient beings are ignorant and do not see the fundamental;
Confused, foolish, crazed, in the midst of danger and difficulty.
Buddhas pity them and set up a bridge of teaching
With right awareness, to let them climb- this is the practice.

Seeing beings on perilous paths,
Oppressed by the pains of age, illness, and death,
Develop unlimited skill in means
And pledge to save them all- this is the practice.

Hearing the truth, believing without doubt,
Comprehending essential emptiness without shock or fear,
Appearing in all realms in appropriate forms,
Teach all the deluded- this is the practice.

[Nicholas Weeks]

From chapter 18, a verse from Truth Wisdom bodhisattva:

As in the past when they first aspired to enlightenment they saw
innumerable beings fallen into evil ways, they made the great lion's
roar and said, "I should by means of various teachings appropriate to
their needs and potentials rescue and liberate them." Bodhisattvas,
replete with such knowledge and wisdom, are able to liberate all sentient
beings.

From chapter 21:

Accomplishing the unhindered liberation of the enlightened,
bodhisattvas are valiants among humans; roaring the lion's roar,
they attain fearlessness, and are able to turn the wheel of the
unimpeded pure Dharma.