The
Dharani Sutra includes a section devoted to Kuan Yin's forty-two
principal hands. The
Dharani Sutra includes a section devoted to Kuan Yin's forty-two
principal hands.
To attain the ends they signify use her hands holding these symbols or forming these mudras, each with its appropriate mantra (dharani).
How does The Dharani Sutra work? This question bring to mind Case 54 in the Soto Zen koan collection the Book of Serenity:
Yunyan asked Daowu, "What does the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion do with so many hands and eyes?"
Daowu said, "It's like someone reaching back for the pillow at night."
The case ends with Daowu's clarifying remark, "Throughout the body is hands and eyes." The commentary on the case explains that when reaching for a pillow at night, there's an eye in the hand; when eating there's an eye on the tongue, when recognizing people on hearing them speak there's an eye in the ears.
Bestowing Fearlessness Hand and Eye
For subduing fear, one hand held out with fingers and thumb pointing upwards so that it somewhat resembles a bowl.
Mantra: Nwo la jin chr pan chye la yeIf your whole body were an eye, you still wouldn't be able to see it. If suddenly you had no eyes, how would you see?
For causing the ten direction Buddhas to quickly come and confer predictions.
Mantra: Fwo la she liIf your whole body were mind, you still wouldn't be able to preceive it. Without a mind, how would you preceive?
For causing all living beings to be always respectful and loving towards one another.
Mantra: Syi li syi li
Transformation Buddha on the Palm and Eye
For never being apart from the Buddhas throughout all successive lives.
Mantra: E la shenIf your whole body were an ear, you still wouldn't be able to hear it. If suddenly you had no ears, how would you hear?
Uniting and Holding Thousand Arms Hand and Eye
For subduing hateful demons in the Three Thousand Great Thousand world.
Mantra: Mwo pe li sheng jye la ye.Here, if you can unfurl a single pathway, then you'd be a fellow student with the ancient Buddhas. But, leaving aside "studying" for the moment, under whom would you study?
Unlinked Eye-Hands in the list were shown in previous issues. They can be found in the ZENmotion archive. For full size illustrations of the mudras see hwy50zen.com/dharani.html.
Vast, Great, Perfect, Full, Unimpeded
Great compassion Heart Dharani
of the
Thousand - Handed, Thousand - Eyed
Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's SoundsA thousand eyes observe;
A thousand ears hear all;
A thousand hands help and support
Living beings everywhere.references
The Blue Cliff Record Thomas Cleary, J.C. Cleary / Hardcover / Published 1992
Bodhisattva of Compassion : The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin John Eaton Calthorpe Blofeld / Paperback / Published 1988
The Dharani Sutra Master Hsuan Hua / Paperback / Published 1976
Recitation
Beads Hand and Eye 
Joined
Palms Hand and Eye