Kwan-Yin Ritual

[Will]

Samuel Beal, the 19th century translator included in his Catena an abstract of a Kwan-Yin rite from 1412. Perhaps it is older; at any rate, around page 400 (the book is online in various places) is a Preface, which Beal translates the beginning of, thusly:

Imperial Preface to the Liturgical Services of the Great
Compassionate Kwan-yin. [Written by Yung Loh, of the
Ming Dynasty, 1412 A.D.]

It is reported that Kwan-Tseu-Tsai-Bodhisatwa, prompted
by his great compassionate heart, has engaged himself by a
great oath to enter into every one of the innumerable
worlds, and bring deliverance to all creatures who inhabit
them.
For this purpose he has enunciated the Divine sentences
which follow, which, if properly recited, will render all crea
tures exempt from the causes of sorrow, and so render
them capable of attaining Supreme Reason....

Does anyone know of another full translation in English of this sadhana-ritual? Is it still in use in Chinese temples? In the 19th century it was, says Beal.

[Huifeng]

Samuel Beal, the 19th century translator included in his Catena an abstract of a Kwan-Yin rite from 1412. Perhaps it is older; at any rate, around page 400 (the book is online in various places) is a Preface, which Beal translates the beginning of, thusly:

Imperial Preface to the Liturgical Services of the Great
Compassionate Kwan-yin. [Written by Yung Loh, of the
Ming Dynasty, 1412 A.D.]

It is reported that Kwan-Tseu-Tsai-Bodhisatwa, prompted
by his great compassionate heart, has engaged himself by a
great oath to enter into every one of the innumerable
worlds, and bring deliverance to all creatures who inhabit
them.
For this purpose he has enunciated the Divine sentences
which follow, which, if properly recited, will render all crea
tures exempt from the causes of sorrow, and so render
them capable of attaining Supreme Reason....

Does anyone know of another full translation in English of this sadhana-ritual? Is it still in use in Chinese temples? In the 19th century it was, says Beal.

Will,
Given what is written above, in particular the "Divine sentences" statement, I would say that this liturgy is almost certainly what we now call the Great Compassion Repentance. An English version may be found here:

Great Compassion Repentance.pdf

(170.42 KiB) Downloaded 86 times

I hope to one day have a newer version with the Pinyin done properly. No doubt you've encountered this at CTTB, where it is practiced every day, after the noon offering.

[Will]

Greatful prostrations Venerable!

I have your translation of the Repentance, but the 1412 long preface and the first few pages done by Beal did not match, so I wrongly assumed it was not the one. Now that I look more closely I see they are the same.

What I have been looking for is the source of this vow of Kwan-Yin that I have seen popping up on the Web:

NEVER WILL I SEEK NOR RECEIVE PRIVATE, INDIVIDUAL SALVATION; NEVER WILL I ENTER INTO FINAL PEACE ALONE; BUT FOREVER AND EVERYWHERE WILL I LIVE AND STRIVE FOR THE REDEMPTION OF EVERY CREATURE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD FROM THE BONDS OF CONDITIONED EXISTENCE.

The Repentance does have Kwan-Yin giving vows, but they are more in praise of the Mantra's power. Chapter 25 of the Lotus does not seem to have any pledge or vow like this. Of course there are several gazillion passages of Quan-Yin rites, sadhanas, sutras & shastras in the Dharma, so it is probably a fool's errand to try and find the Kwan-Yin Pledge.

[Huifeng]

Greatful prostrations Venerable!

I have your translation of the Repentance, but the 1412 long preface and the first few pages done by Beal did not match, so I wrongly assumed it was not the one. Now that I look more closely I see they are the same.

What I have been looking for is the source of this vow of Kwan-Yin that I have seen popping up on the Web:

NEVER WILL I SEEK NOR RECEIVE PRIVATE, INDIVIDUAL SALVATION; NEVER WILL I ENTER INTO FINAL PEACE ALONE; BUT FOREVER AND EVERYWHERE WILL I LIVE AND STRIVE FOR THE REDEMPTION OF EVERY CREATURE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD FROM THE BONDS OF CONDITIONED EXISTENCE.

Keep in mind that Beal is notorious for his creativity in translation.

The Repentance does have Kwan-Yin giving vows, but they are more in praise of the Mantra's power. Chapter 25 of the Lotus does not seem to have any pledge or vow like this. Of course there are several gazillion passages of Quan-Yin rites, sadhanas, sutras & shastras in the Dharma, so it is probably a fool's errand to try and find the Kwan-Yin Pledge.

It's not from the Lotus sutra, but much of the content is from the 千手千眼觀世音菩薩廣大圓滿無礙大悲心陀羅尼經 Nīlakaṇṭha(ka)(sūtra).

I'll see what I can dredge up, guessing a back translation from Beal, above.

[Will]

I went through every Kwan-yin mention in Beal and this Pledge wording is not there. So wherever it came from, Beal is probably innocent. So do not waste too much time Ven. Huifeng.

As far as this English version goes, the atheist Robert Ingersoll quoted it in one of his lectures. A Moncure Conway in his Sacred Anthology, 1874 edition quotes it as from Kwan-Yin, but no other specific source:

Never will I seek nor receive private individual salvation--never enter into final peace alone; but forever and everywhere will I live and strive for the universal redemption of every creature throughout all worlds. Until all are delivered, never will I leave the world of sin, sorrow and struggle, but will remain where I am.