怎麼叫大悲觀世音菩薩呢?他是慈能與樂,悲能拔苦。悲能拔苦,就是眾生所歡喜的他能幫助你成就。「觀自在菩薩」:《心經》上不是說「觀自在菩薩行深般若波羅蜜多時」嗎?你要「觀自在」,不要觀他在。你自己常常能不打妄想那就是觀自在,你要盡打妄想那就是觀不自在。「在無量劫前」,在很久、很久以前啊!數不出來多少時候以前,「已成佛果」,他已經證成佛果了,「號正法明如來」,那一位佛的名字叫正法明佛。 Why is he called the Greatly Compassionate Bodhisattva Who Observes the World's Sounds? He practices "kindness, which can give others bliss, and compassion, which can eradicate their suffering." That is to say, whatever living beings like, he helps them to attain. Bodhisattva Who Observes with Self-Mastery: Doesn't the Heart Sutra say, "When the Bodhisattva Who Observes with Self-Mastery (Avalokiteshvara) was practicing the profound Prajnaparamita"? You have to observe with self-mastery, not mastery of others. If you never indulge in random thoughts, then you are observing with self-mastery. If you have lots of random thoughts, then you are observing without self-mastery. Limitless eons ago, a very long time ago, too long ago to reckon, he attained Buddhahood and was called the Thus Come One Light of Proper Dharma. That Buddha was called the Buddha Light of Proper Dharma. 「大悲願力」:他又因為發這個大悲的願力,「倒駕慈航」:就是隱大示小,他本來已經成佛了,現在又示現菩薩身,化身來做觀世音菩薩。「重返娑婆」:又到這最苦的五濁世界,堪忍的娑婆這個地方來了。「尋聲救苦」,無論誰有什麼痛苦,你稱念大悲觀世音菩薩,他聽見你的聲音,就來解除你的痛苦。「所謂『千處祈求千處應,苦海常作渡人舟』。」無論什麼地方有人求他,有人念觀世音菩薩,他都一定來救度。苦海常作渡人舟,他在我們這個娑婆世界的苦海裡頭,常常就好像渡人的一隻船似的。「虔誠稱名即得救」:你要很虔誠的,很專一的念他的名號,不說信者得救嗎?這也就是信者得救了。 With a resolve of great compassion, because he made a great compassionate vow, he turned the ship of compassion around, that is, he concealed the great and manifested the small. He has already become a Buddha, but now he m/anifests as a Bodhisattva, transforming into the Bodhisattva Who Observes the World's Sounds (Guanshiyin). And came back to the Saha World. He has returned to this world of five turbidities which is a place of extreme suffering. It is called "Saha," which means "able to endure." Hearing their sounds, he rescues those who are in suffering. No matter who you are and what kind of distress you are in, you can recite the name of the Greatly Compassionate Bodhisattva Who Observes the World's Sounds (Dabei Guanshiyin), and hearing your voice, he will come to alleviate your suffering. As it is said, "Prayers depart a thousand hearts; in a thousand hearts he answers. Sailing the sea of suffering, he constantly crosses people over." Wherever people are praying to him, reciting Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's name, he will surely go to rescue them. In this Saha World, in this sea of suffering, he frequently acts as a ship to take people across. Those who sincerely recite his name are saved. You have to recite his name with great sincerity and concentration. Isn't it said, "Faithful ones are saved"? This is a case where the faithful receive salvation.