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Mahayana Tripitaka - Northern Transmission 24 - Lotus Sutra

Thich Nhat Hanh · January 16, 1992 · Plum Village, France

Chapter 24 speaks about the Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound, whose name means “wondrous sound,” the third Bodhisattva in the action dimension of the Lotus Sutra. He continues the path of faithfulness of Medicine King but goes even further, practicing two main samadhis:

The samadhi of manifesting all forms – having the ability to appear in countless forms, including manifesting countless lotus flowers;
The samadhi of understanding the languages of all beings – dwelling in mindfulness in order to understand the language and the hearts of all species.
Wonderful Sound comes from another realm, and has used wondrous music to make offerings to Cloud Thunder Sound King for 12,000 years, together with 84,000 bowls of jewels to express joy and liberation, and thus is named Wonderful Sound.

Chapter 25, called Universal Gate, introduces the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara – “the universal door” open for all beings to enter the Buddha’s realm. He makes the vow, “every time you need me, I’ll be there,” listening deeply to suffering in order to offer the weapon of compassion coupled with understanding, bringing peace, fearlessness, and transforming craving, anger, and ignorance. Avalokiteshvara can manifest in any form – a child, a lay friend, a monk, a woman, a dragon king, an asura, a hungry ghost… – to rescue all beings in the very instant of invoking his name.

Previous Talk January 13, 1992

1h 52m

The Lotus Sutra

Next Talk January 19, 1992

1h 39m