Do you have to uphold five percepts strictly in order to...?

[Lazy_eye]

Sorry if this is a dumb question -- I've been wondering about it for awhile. Generally when I think about help from Kuanyin, it means that contemplating her helps me become more compassionate. That is, it is listening to Kuanyin the way one would listen to a good teacher. And then if I act more compassionately as a result, my karma will be improved. So I have received help in that sense.

that's more or less how I've been taught. When we chant chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra, which is dedicated to Kannon--and this is per the translation that we use at Tendai Buddhist Institute--we are exhorted to "contemplate the power of the cry regarder" again and again, and that this has the power to transform different kinds of situations one might find oneself in. Contemplating the power of the cry regarder is contemplating and nurturing compassion in oneself--becoming capable of hearing and responding to the sufferings of others. Potent stuff.

Ok, glad to know I wasn't completely missing the point. Based on this, with regard to the OP, my thought is that Kuanyin is always there for us, but when we break the precepts we are not necessarily listening. At the time of breaking the precepts we may be guided by delusion or at least a narrower perspective; we are not hearing or have decided to tune out the cry regarder. Remembrance or contemplation can thus give us the power to transform situations, as you say.

Also, if the help of Kuanyin/Avalokitesvara was conditional, as implied by the OP, then only Buddhas (who do not need it) would be eligible for this help, since the rest of us have not reached the unconditioned. Kuanyin herself would fail the eligibility test.

[Ervin]

Hi everyone,

I am sorry, but I haven't read all of the replies. I will read them after I write this post.

Many years ago, I got into Buddhism, the Fo Guang Shan order. I wanted to learn meditation since I believed it will help me quit the drugs. Eventually , I bought some books from the temple written by Hsing Yun. The books where brilliant, I was in love with Buddhism. I quit smoking, drinking and drugs. But one nigh, after about four months I decided to go out after work and take drugs( the craving took over), and the next day I had the police searching my bedroom in relation to a serious crime which I have comitted, but unfortunately, I denied to the police that I have done it. I admited to taking drugs, since they found them in my room but denied the rest. I continued to go to the temple, and to cut the story short I told reverend( Buddhist bun) what I have done. I continued to lie to the police and at the same time I was reading every day the Sutra of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasatva.

It didn't work, I started getting sick with scizhoeffective disorder( a mixture of schizophrenia and a specific form of bipolar where I only get manic and not depressed). Eventually, I owned up to everything, but only because I was sick. While psychotic I admited out of fear, the fear that I otherwise didn't have. To cut the long story short I have done four years in prison and have been out for six and a half years.

While on medication, I developed strong side effects( some sort of anxiety attacks) and the other day I was tempted not to take the tablets since they are a part of the cause of the anxiety attacks, but I told my friend, Hsing Yun wouldn't let me lie so I have to take ten mgs. So I took it and the anxiety attacks just vanished( remember, the medication is what causes anxiety attacks). A few days before I was listening to Avalokitesvara mantra on YouTube.

So people, please follow the precepts if you want Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva' s help. All you need to do when you call on Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is to make a sincere decision to uphold the precepts and then stick to it

Thanks

[kirtu]

Hi everyone.

My question is: Do you have to uphold five precepts strictly in order for Avalokitesvara bodisattva mahasatva to help you when calling on His name, or, reciting his chapter from the Lotus sutra?

Thanks

No. You just have to try to do your best. Traditionalists *WILL* assert that you need to uphold them strictly but actually intention and capacity are big factors.

Do your best to not harm beings in any way and to try to always be compassionate.

Kirt

[rory]

Can't anyone bother to actually read and quote the sutra or some worthy material instead of offering their uninformed opinion?
Lotus Sutra, Ch. 25:

"If a person, whether guilty or not, who has been put in stocks or bound with chains calls out the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, his fetters will break apart and he will immediately be freed.

"If living beings who have much sexual desire constantly and reverently recite the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, they will be separated from desire.

"If those who have much hatred constantly and reverently recite the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, they will be separated from hatred.

"If those who are very stupid constantly and reverently recite the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, they will be separated from stupidity.

http://www.fodian.net/world/0262_25.html

Let's be clear: guilty people, sexually obsessed people, angry people, and ignorant people, who have faith in Kannon sama (Guanyin) will get help.

This is exactly my situation, I am a regular person but I had great faith in Kannon sama and she helped me in a number of situations. Here is one: I was living in Ireland, a cool rainy climate and went to train in the US at a Tendai monastery in order to spread the dharma (I'd made a vow). It would be hot (the summer) and I was weak and aenemic. I prayed to Kannon sama each night: Kannon sama you must get me through this day! I cannot. And every day I was there it was unseasonablly cool and overcast until the final day of training at the final temple service, the sun came out and it was hot and horrible...
The essence is really to build a strong unshakeable faith. And it takes hard work! So get going.....
gassho
Rory

[Taco_Rice]

Can't anyone bother to actually read and quote the sutra or some worthy material instead of offering their uninformed opinion?
Lotus Sutra, Ch. 25:

If a person, whether guilty or not, who has been put in stocks or bound with chains calls out the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, his fetters will break apart and he will immediately be freed.

Kannon has your back whether you did it or not! That's what it means to be a Bodhisattva who saves all beings.

[Fortyeightvows]

If a person, whether guilty or not, who has been put in stocks or bound with chains calls out the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, his fetters will break apart and he will immediately be freed.

Kannon has your back whether you did it or not! That's what it means to be a Bodhisattva who saves all beings.

that is great....
that is reason to praise the bodhisattva...
praising the bodhisattva plants seeds....

[Taco_Rice]

that is great....

But wait, Forty! It gets better! Not only is the Bodhisattva the good friend, ally, advocate and even savior of the the misguided, ignorant, and malicious, but he constantly develops his supernatural powers by even reaching out to fiends in low places. Behold these words of scripture:

http://www.fodian.net/world/1050_01.html

The Bhagavan then told Eliminate-Obstructions Bodhisattva: "Virtuous man, all of you should listen attentively, and I am going to analyze and expound for you. This great brilliant light is caused by Arya(sage) Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva-Mahasattva, because he had just entered into Great Avichi hell to rescue all the sentient beings who were suffering from extreme afflictions and ferry them to the shore of liberation. Having saved those sentient beings, he then entered into a big city to rescue and ferry all the hungry ghosts who were suffering there"

"That Buddha said to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Mahasattva: 'Why do you now manifest such sacrosanct power, sublime merits and virtues?' Avalokitesvara said: 'I do it for saving and ferrying all the sentient beings from the evil destinies, including the hungry ghost realms, the Avichi hell, the Black rope hell, the hell of the repetition of painful life, the burning hell, the roasting hell, the caldron hell, the icy water hell, etc. For all the living being in those great hells, I will save all of them and pull them up from the evil destinies, and make them achieve Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi.' When Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva finished saying that, he bowed at the feet of the Buddha, and then suddenly disappeared, like a flame vanishing into the space."

The Bodhisattva saves even beings in hell who cannot keep even a single precept!

[Ervin]

Ok, thanks for your response.

I would like to ask everyone to read my last post. And those of you who believe that you don't have to uphold the 5 precepts I have a question.

The question is: Why did I get mental illness, and,why did I end up in prison, if all you need to do is think of Avalokitesvara a Bodhisattva? Like, I said, my last post will give you an explanation of why I think it didn't work. And that is because I didn't uphold the precepts strictly.

Now, if you are going to say again that you don't have to uphold the precepts, I have a question and that is: Why it didn't work for me?

Thanks

[Dharma Flower]

Hi everyone.

My question is: Do you have to uphold five precepts strictly in order for Avalokitesvara bodisattva mahasatva to help you when calling on His name, or, reciting his chapter from the Lotus sutra?

Thanks

The Lotus Sutra promises that, by calling on the name of Avalokitesvara, she will help us to control the three poisons of passion (greed, lust) aversion (anger, hate) and stupidity.

Instead of thinking that you must follow the precepts first, the truth is that you call on her name first, and then she helps you to follow the precepts.

[Ervin]

Thanks Dharma flower, that makes more sense.

So the lotus sutra chapter of Avalokitesvara Boddhisatva, is,or could be maybe metaphorical.

Thanks

[Dharma Flower]

Thanks Dharma flower, that makes more sense.

So the lotus sutra chapter of Avalokitesvara Boddhisatva, is,or could be maybe metaphorical.

Thanks

I don't know whether or not it's metaphorical, but this is the passage of the Lotus Sutra I am referring to:

"If any living beings much given to carnal passion keep in mind and revere the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, they will be set free from their passion. If any much given to irascibility keep in mind and revere the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, they will be set free from their irascibility. If any much given to infatuation keep in mind and revere the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, they will be set free from their infatuation. Infinite Thought! Such are the abundant benefits conferred by the supernatural power of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World. Consequently, let all the living ever keep him in mind.
http://www.rk-world.org/publications/lo ... a_B25.html

This is promising that, if you call on the name of Avalokitesvara, she will empower you to follow the precepts. I started another thread on this topic here:
https://dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=77&t=25724