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The Chinese edition of The Sutra of the Vast, Great, Perfect, Full, Unimpeded, Great Compassion Heart Dharani of the Thousand-Handed, Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds includes a section devoted to Kuan Yin's forty-two principal hands. Use her hands holding these symbols or forming these mudras, each with its appropriate mantra (dharani), to attain the ends they signify.
To attain the ends they signify? How does The Dharani Sutra work? This question brings to mind a remark made in Case 89 of the Blue Cliff Record.
Ungan asked Dogo, "How does the Bodhisattva Kanzeon use all those many hands and eyes?"
Dogo answered, "It is like a man in the middle of the night reaching behind his head for his pillow."
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Kuan Yin's 42 Eye Hands
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The Wish Fulfilling Gem, signifying attainment of all wholesome wishes.
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A rope, wherewith she binds all harmful circumstances.
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A jewelled bowl, containing cures for maladies.
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A sword, for subduing water spirits.
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A vajra or two-headed adamantine sceptre, sometimes wrongly called a thunder-bolt, for subduing demons.
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A vajra-dagger, for bringing about the capitulation of enemies.
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One hand held out with fingers and thumb pointing upwards so that it somewhat resembles a bowl, for subduing fear.
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A solar disc containing a bird, for banishing darkness.
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A lunar disc containing a rabbit, for counteracting poison.
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A bow, signifying a glorious career.
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An arrow, to bring friends nigh.
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A willow branch, for driving away sickness.
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A white brush or flag-shaped duster, for banishing hardships.
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A 'long-life' vase, siginfying all that is virtuous and loving.
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A dragon-headed tablet, for subduing wild beasts.
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An axe, signifying protection against oppressive authorities.
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A jade bracelet (somewhat rounded and yet roughly triangular), to obtain filial service from sons and daughters.
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A white lotus, signifying the attainment of merit.
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A blue lotus, signifying rebirth in the Pure Land.
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A precious mirror, signifying prajna, wisdom.
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A purple lotus, signifying that one will behold the Bodhisattvas.
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A jewelled bowl of fruit, for escaping from pits.
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A cloud of five colours, for entering upon the way of the immortals.
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A water-bottle resting on the palm, for rebirth in a Brahma-loka (nebulous heaven).
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A red lotus, for attaining rebirth in a deva-loka (a heaven less abstract than a Brahma-loka).
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A halberd, for counteracting the effects of people's dishonesty.
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A conch-shell, for summoning devas (gods) and beneficent spirits.
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A club, to win command of spirits.
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A rosary, wherewith to call upon the Buddhas of the Ten Quarters to come swiftly to one's succour (i.e. to welcome one to the Pure Land).
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A vajra-topped bell, wherewith to achieve marvellous musical accomplishments.
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A precious seal, wherewith to obtain the gift of eloquence.
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A hook, wherewith to command the protection of benevolent devas and dragon-kings.
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A monk's iron-tipped staff, signifying a compassionate desire to protect others.
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Two hands palm to palm but not quite touching, signifying capacity to revere and love all sentient beings.
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A Buddha figure surrounded by a nimbus and seated on a lotus, signifying spending life after life with the Buddhas always at one's side.
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A palatial pavilion, signifying that one dwells life after life in the palace of the Buddhas.
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A precious volume, wherewith to achieve great learning.
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A golden wheel, signifying that from this very life until the attainment of Buddhahood, the Wheel of Enlightenment will never cease to turn for us.
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Two hands wrist to wrist with the fingers nearly horizontal and pointing to right and left, and with a Buddha figure floating just above, for summoning the Buddhas of the Ten Quarters to bestow empowerment and to predict certain success in attaining Enlightenment.
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A bunch of grapes, for ensuring bountiful harvests of fruit and crops.
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The hand held open, fingers pointing downwards with the nectar of wisdom and compassion (known as sweet dew) pouring from the eye in the centre of the palm, wherewith to assuage hunger and thirst.
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Right hand resting on the left, palms upward, signifying power to subjugate vengeful spirits in all the innumerable universes.
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references
- The Blue Cliff Record
- Thomas Cleary, J.C. Cleary / Hardcover / Published 1992
Read more about this title...
- Bodhisattva of Compassion : The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin
- John Eaton Calthorpe Blofeld / Paperback / Published 1988
Read more about this title...
- The Dharani Sutra
- Master Hsuan Hua / Paperback / Published 1976
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