Translated By Tony Qin
Looking back at everything we have discussed, it is clear that this extraordinary sutra offers immense benefits. In summary, the Buddha Mother Great Peacock Wisdom King Sutra has four key features:
- With its power to protect nations and quell disasters, this sutra has become an essential method for societies to eliminate both natural and man-made calamities, cure illnesses, prolong life, and fulfill wishes and prayers.
- It calls upon the assembly of twenty-eight divisions of spirits and deities to recite the sutra together, with even malevolent spirits being transformed by the Buddha’s teachings into Dharma protectors.
- Just as the peacock consumes poisonous insects and plants, which do not harm it but instead enhance the brilliance and color of its feathers, the power of this sutra is said to eliminate the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, as well as the afflictions arising from both collective and individual karma.
- The sutra contains over thirty mantras, each imbued with the blessings of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, making it a rare and unique scripture among others
Venerable Guan Cheng gave the following teaching: “When practicing the Peacock Dharma, from the perspective of the ‘Realm of Vessels’ [1], it can eliminate natural disasters and human calamities, bring about favorable weather, and ensure the peace and happiness of all beings. From the perspective of the ‘Faculty Body’ [1], it enables us to seek the protection of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and all gods and celestial beings, helping to eliminate physical and mental toxins, as well as both internal and external afflictions. We should cultivate with Bodhicitta as our cause, compassion and skillful means as our guiding principles, and sincere devotion as our practice. Practitioners should focus on the cultivation of body and speech, while aligning these with the understanding of the mind, so that the effects will be immeasurable and swift.”
So, what mindset should we adopt when practicing this Dharma? Below are my reflections and insights.
- Gratitude to the Three Jewels:
The Buddha, out of deep compassion for the suffering beings in the Saha world, taught the powerful Peacock Dharma to swiftly eliminate toxic obstacles and prolong life. Through this, he gathered many accomplished practitioners to come together, support one another, and protect all beings. Today, we are fortunate to learn this precious Peacock mantra, which has been passed down through the ages. It is through the boundless compassion and dedication of Elder Jian Ru, along with many other great Buddhist masters, who have poured their hearts and efforts into reviving and spreading this Dharma, that it has been brought back into the world.
The Peacock Dharma is renowned for its immediate and effective responses, but our mindset in learning this practice should not be focused on seeking personal gain. Instead, we should be deeply grateful to the Three Jewels for their immeasurable grace and blessings, and constantly keep this gratitude in our hearts.
- Cherishing Virtuous Connections:
In the Buddha Mother Great Peacock Wisdom King Sutra, the various deities, spirits, and protectors, including the Eight Legions of Heavenly Protectors of the Dharma, are invited to gather and participate in the recitation. The Buddha advises these celestial beings, as well as the dragons, gods, and spirits who have come to listen, to uphold the Dharma and cultivate compassion in the world. This unique opportunity allows us to practice the Dharma together, take refuge in the Three Jewels, and promote the ten virtuous deeds, which in turn helps us dissolve past karmic debts and grievances. Through hearing the Dharma, we cultivate joy in our hearts. The celestial protectors, such as the Dragon King and other deities, diligently follow the Buddha’s teachings and continuously offer their support and protection to the world. We should cherish this precious connection, not seeking merely divine protection but focusing on the sincere and diligent practice of the Buddha’s teachings. With the aspiration of Bodhicitta and the wish to benefit all beings, our goal will align with the compassionate intentions of the celestial beings. This harmony will draw the protection and support of the Dragon Kings and other Dharma protectors. - Compassionate Benefit:
This sutra mentions that the past seven Buddhas, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, as well as various river spirits, mountain spirits, star spirits, great immortals, and medicine spirits, all rely on the Buddha Mother Great Peacock Wisdom King to protect beings and their families, ensuring they live for a hundred years free from the harm of poisons. While we receive such blessings, as practitioners of the Peacock Dharma, our hearts must be expansive, and our intentions pure and kind. We must learn the great compassion of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, always viewing all beings through compassionate insight and holding benevolent thoughts in our hearts. Moreover, we should spread this practice—not only for our own peace and happiness but also to share it widely with others, helping those in need and rescuing suffering beings. - Awareness of Conditions in the Heart:
The sutra tells us that greed, anger, and ignorance are the three poisons of the world. We should reflect upon our past actions and diligently cultivate the practices of morality, concentration, and wisdom. By strictly adhering to the precepts, avoiding evil, and cultivating good, we can guard our hearts and eliminate the poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance. We must frequently reflect on the suffering of hell and remind ourselves not to plant the seeds that lead to such torment. - Gratitude and Joy:
We should feel deeply grateful and fortunate, for as the saying goes, “Human life is hard to come by, yet we have obtained it; the Dharma is difficult to encounter, yet we have heard it.” Although the various dragon gods and spirits possess great powers, they too admire the Buddhas, all of whom arise in the human realm. It is only in human form that one can take ordination and practice the path. Therefore, we must cherish this precious opportunity and rejoice, for through the good karma accumulated in past lives, we have been born as humans. We should not squander this invaluable time. Instead, we must quickly engage in practice, progress toward the enlightened path, and strive to transcend the cycle of birth and death in the Three Realms and Six Paths. - Universal Dedication:
As practitioners of the Buddha Mother Great Peacock Wisdom King Sutra, our goal should not be limited to seeking personal rewards but should extend to dedicating the merit of our practice to all beings throughout the ten directions. We must cultivate the bodhisattva path, dedicating all of our merits: from self to others, from the few to the many, and toward the attainment of enlightenment. Today, as we practice the Buddha’s teachings, our thoughts and actions sow the seeds for Buddhahood. In the future, we will undoubtedly be liberated from the cycle of birth, death, and suffering, ultimately achieving supreme enlightenment and the fruit of bodhi.
With heartfelt gratitude, I thank everyone for joining in this virtuous connection. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to write more about the Peacock Dharma and share my humble insights. I pray that we all support each other with the right mindset for practice, dedicating the merit of our practice to the Peacock Dharma so that all sentient beings may be free from suffering. Together, may we all realize the wonderful fruit of enlightenment.
[1] “Realm of Vessels” refers to the world inhabited by all sentient beings. It is also called the Dependent Karmic Outcome. Since the world is shaped like a vessel and can hold sentient beings, as well as being subject to change and decay, it is called the “realm of vessels.”
[2] “Faculty Body” refers to the “Form Faculty Body.” “Form” here refers to physical matter, or objects with shape and form. “Faculty” refers to the five sensory faculties: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body. It also encompasses the functions of the five senses and the physical body as a whole.
