或漂流巨海，
龙鱼诸鬼难，
念彼观音力，
波浪不能没。
— 无尽意菩萨
《观世音菩萨普门品》
Perhaps drifting in the great ocean, with dragons, fish and all ghostly difficulties, with mindfulness of that Guānyīn’s power, the waves will not be able to drown.
— Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva
(Contemplator Of The World’s Sounds Bodhisattva’s Universal Door Chapter)
If a horrifying-looking ghost with the vicious intent to scare appears, and if running away is not an option, what should you do to protect yourself? According to Śākyamuni Buddha (释迦牟尼佛) in the ‘Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sūtra’s Contemplator Of The World’s Sounds Bodhisattva’s Universal Door Chapter’ (妙法莲华经《观世音菩萨普门品》).
‘If the three-thousandfold great-thousandfold world is full within, with yakṣas and rākṣasas, desiring to come to trouble people, hearing them recite that Guānshìyīn Bodhisattva’s name, all these evil ghosts will yet, not be able to, with their evil eyes see them, moreover to do harm.’ (若三千大千国土满中夜叉罗刹，欲来恼人，闻其称观世音菩萨名者，是诸恶鬼尚不能以恶眼视之，况复加害？)
In other words, even if the whole galaxy is filled with many wrathful kinds of ghosts, who have come to give distress, with the faithful mindfulness of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva’s name (观世音菩萨) or ‘[Námó] Guānshìyīn Púsà’ ([南无]观世音菩萨) verbally or only mentally, none of these ghostly beings will be able to see these human beings, much less hurt them.
When the above is practised in the opening scenario, there is an ironical ‘plot’ twist. Although the intention of the ghost was to terrify, and perhaps further harm later, with the ghost now not able to see you, the ghost is likely the terrified one instead. It is as if you, the human, has now become an unseen being, ghostlike! There will also be a ‘protection field’ of the Bodhisattva’s blessings that keeps the ghost at bay.
Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva (无尽意菩萨) reiterated, ‘Perhaps encountering evil rākṣasas, poisonous dragons, all ghosts and others, with mindfulness of that Guānyīn’s power, immediately will all not dare to harm.’ (或遇恶罗刹，毒龙诸鬼等，念彼观音力，时悉不敢害。) Thus reciting the name, even vicious earthy and celestial beings will not be able to harm.
The above principles apply to mindfulness of Āmítuófó’s name (阿弥陀佛: Amitā[bha] Buddha) too, since he is a Buddha and Guānshìyīn Bodhisattva’s teacher. With sincere faith, these practices will definitely and instantly work. Thus, the lack of adequate faith explains why some claim they do ‘not’ work. This contrasts with many devout Buddhists’ testimonies of the great efficacy from ancient times till today.
若有百千万亿众生… 假使黑风吹其船舫，飘堕罗刹鬼国，其中若有乃至一人称观世音菩萨名者，是诸人等皆得解脱罗刹之难…
— 释迦牟尼佛
《观世音菩萨普门品》
If there are thousands of millions of koṭis of sentient beings… if black winds blow their ships, to drift and fall on rākṣasas’ ghost lands, among them, if there is even one person who recites that Guānshìyīn Bodhisattva’s name, all these persons will all equally attain liberation from difficulties of rākṣasas…
— Śākyamuni Buddha
(Contemplator Of The World’s Sounds Bodhisattva’s Universal Door Chapter)
Related Articles:
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https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2021/05/how-to-avoid-supernatural-disturbances-and-curses
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https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2024/05/why-are-there-few-new-buddhist-ghost-stories
