Chapter 24
Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva

SUMMARY

In the previous chapter, we learned that Medicine King Bodhisattva attained samadhi and could transform himself into any other living being because of his hard practice in his previous lives. In this chapter, Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva can change his body into 34 different forms while in the next chapter; World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva can change his body into 33 different forms. It is very interesting that Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva lives in a pure land in the east while World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva lives in the pure land in the west. They came to this world of ours to save us.

Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva came to greet Sakyamuni Buddha at Mount Sacred Eagle from the Bodhisattva’s pure land in the east. How did he come by? He just meditated without moving, and then his body appeared in front of the Buddha in the Saha World in a matter of moments. How did he gain such a supernatural power? In his previous life, he offered one hundred thousand various kinds of music to Cloud-Thunder-Sound-King Buddha for 12,000 years. 

EXPLANATION

"Thereupon Sakyamuni Buddha [faced the east and] emitted rays of light from the fleshy tuft on his head and also from the white curls between his eyebrows. The light illumined one hundred and eight billion nayutas Buddha-worlds, that is, as many worlds in the east as there are sands in the River Ganges." (P.308, L. 3.):

This chapter begins with Sakyamuni Buddha emitting a ray of light from the tuft on his head and from the hair between his eyebrows, and illuminating countless worlds in the east. The Buddha also emits the light from his head in Chapter 1 and Chapter 11 in the Lotus Sutra. In Chapter One, He illuminated eighteen thousand worlds in the east down to the Avici Hell and up to the Akanistha Heaven of each world. In Chapter Eleven, He emitted a ray of light Five Hundred billion nayutas worlds, that is, as many worlds as there are sands in the River Ganges, in the east. He also illuminated the worlds of the south, west, north, the four intermediate quarters, zenith, and nadir, with rays of light. In Chapter Twenty-four, His light illuminated one hundred and eight billion nayutas Buddha worlds, that is, as many worlds in the east as there are sands in the River Ganges. 

"There was a world called All-Pure-Light-Adornment beyond those worlds. In that world there was a Buddha called Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom. … At that time there was a Bodhisattva called Wonderful-Voice in the All-Pure-Light-Adornment World." (P. 308, L.10.)

At the end of the light’s reach, there was a world called All-Pure-Light-Adornment where a Buddha called Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom lived. There also lived a Bodhisattva called Wonderful-Voice who was lit up with the light of Sakyamuni Buddha. This great Bodhisattva had accumulated many merits, served numerous Buddhas, and attained various samadhi, concentration of the mind on various things, such as samadhi for the Lotus Sutra, samadhi for pure virtue, samadhi for freedom from causality, samadhi for transforming himself to others, and so forth.

"I wish to visit the Saha-World, bow to Sakyamuni Buddha, attend on him and make offerings to him. (P.309, L.10.):

Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva asked his Buddha, Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom, that he wished to visit Sakyamuni Buddha who is expounding the Lotus Sutra in the Saha-World. The world where the Bodhisattva and his Buddha are living is one of pure-land; therefore, no negative thing exists there. The Buddha warned Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva never to despise the people in the Saha-World.

"Do not despise that world! Do not consider it to be inferior to our world! Good Man! The Saha-World is not even. It is full of mud, stones, mountains and impurities." (P.304, L.7):

Judging from that statement, the world, the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas in the east, are superior to Sakyamuni Buddha and Bodhisattvas in this Saha-World. However, the Buddha of the east told his Bodhisattva, Wonderful-Voice, "You may be tempted to feel superior to those people who live in the Saha-World; however, be careful not to denigrate them or the world in which they live." All Buddhists must stand on the Dharma, that is, there is no difference among the superior or the inferior because all of us have the seeds to attain Buddhahood.

"Thereupon Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva entered into a samadhi. He did not rise from his seat or make any other movement. By the power of this samadhi, he caused eighty-four thousand lotus-flowers of treasures to appear in a place not far from the seat of the Dharma situated on Mt. Gardhrkututa." (P.3104, L.3):

As we see Buddhist statues, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas sit or stand on lotus flowers most of the time. Before Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva moved to the place where Sakyamuni Buddha was expounding the Lotus Sutra at Mt. Sacred Eagle, he must prepare the seats for himself and his 84,000 attendants. Then he can transfer his body and attendants with his power of samadhi, just like in the Star Trek movies, when you go into a special chamber and transfer yourself to another place.

"Thereupon Manjusri, the Son of the King of the Dharma, having seen these lotus-flowers, said to Sakyamuni Buddha: ‘World-Honored One! What does this omen mean?’" (P.310, L.10.):

It was really surprising for Manjusri and other attendees at the mountain to see the lotus flowers appear suddenly. Then he asked Sakyamuni Buddha to explain that phenomena. "It is a sign that Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva is coming from the World of Pure-light-Adornment in the east and make offerings to me and the Lotus Sutra," answered the Buddha.

"He came to Sakyamuni Buddha, carrying with him a necklace worth hundreds of thousands. He worshipped the feet of the Buddha with his head, offered the necklace to the Buddha, and said to him: ‘World-Honored One! I bring you a message from Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom Buddha. He wishes to say this; Are you in good health? Are you happy and peaceful or not?" (P.311. L.18.):

Eighty-four thousand attendants accompanied Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva. They appeared in front of Buddha Sakyamuni. The Bodhisattva gave a precious necklace to the Buddha. In the next chapter World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva also gave his necklace of many gems and offered it to the Buddha Sakyamuni. Bodhisattvas are laypersons, so they carry a lot of gems and jewels. After offering the necklace, Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva asked Sakyamuni Buddha’s health and spirit, the worldly affairs, and how the living beings in the Saha-World were doing.

"Thereupon Flower-Virtue Bodhisattva said to Sakyamuni Buddha: ‘World-Honored one! What root of good did this Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva plant and what kind of meritorious deeds did he do in order to obtain this supernatural power?’" (P.312, L.10):

Then a Bodhisattva named Flower-Virtue approached the Buddha and asked, "What kind of practice in his previous lives did Wonderful-Voice do to obtain such a supernatural power?" Sakyamuni replied, "Long ago, there was a Buddha called Cloud-Thunder-Pearl-King Tathagata. Wonderful-Voice made many offerings of beautiful music to this Buddha. Because of his great deeds, he was born in the world of Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom Tathagata, and there he acquired supernatural power. This is the Bodhisattva whom you see here now. He continued practicing and accumulating virtues until he was able to transform himself into thirty-four kinds of living beings, such as a king, a god, a man or woman, a priest or a nun, a boy or a girl, a human being or nonhuman being, and so on. He takes these various shapes according to the capacities of those who are to be saved.

"The Buddha said to Flower-Virtue Bodhisattva: ‘Good man! This is called the samadhi by which one can transform oneself into any other living being. Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva entered into this samadhi and benefited innumerable living beings." (P.314, L.3):

Medicine King Bodhisattva in the previous chapter attained the same samadhi as Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva did; the World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva in the next chapter also attained the same samadhi. The samadhi by which one can transform into other living beings is a power of concentration acquired by practice. Such a miraculous phenomenon may sound impossible. However, when we sincerely devote ourselves to the service and welfare of others, we can reach a stage of non-self and become one with them.

In appearance, we may even look like one of them. For example, an adult playing happily with children may look like a child himself. He may feel like a child, too. The children may even consider him to be one of them. Such transformations are far from impossible, but they do require a special state of mind. The samadhi by which one can transform himself into other living things is an expression of the Bodhisattva-spirit of devoting one’s self to others.

"This Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva protects all living beings in this Saha-Word. He transforms himself into one or another of these various living beings in this Saha-World and expounds this sutra to all living beings without reducing his super natural powers, transformation, and his wisdom" (P.313, L.14.):

Although Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva lives in a world of one hundred and eight billion nayuta Buddha-worlds away, he illuminates this Saha-World where we live with the many rays of light of his wisdom and saves all living beings. Some of you who devote yourself to expounding the Lotus Sutra may be the manifestation of Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva’s samadhi.

"Thereupon Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva-mahasattva made offerings to Sakyamuni Buddha and to the stupa of Many-Treasures Buddha, [benefited the living beings of the Saha-World,] and left for his home world." (P.314, L.15.):

Although Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva left this Saha-World where we live, he still illuminates us and tries to save us all with his samadhi.

~ Namu Myohorengekyo ~