I take refuge in the most holy Guanyin, Born from a lotus, with a face like a full moon, Who grants fearlessness to all beings— Now I praise that holy one’s merit:

“Perfect in every wholesome quality, Crowned with the great wisdom of all Buddhas, Adorned with blessings and wisdom, the highest lord— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

Your cheeks are full, red and white; Your nose is straight, fine, and noble; Your teeth are like white snow, close and even; Your four canines are flat and complete.

Your voice is pure, clear, and profound; All who hear it feel love in their hearts; Everything you say is gentle, kind, and sweet. Always with compassion and skillful means, You rescue all suffering beings. Teacher who benefits self and others— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

Your eyebrows are like the new moon; Your body is like true purple gold. Adorned with jewel garlands, All who see you never tire.

Seated on a deerskin mat, The highest lord among all beings, All your physical features are perfect— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

Fine cloth covers your shoulders; Jeweled earrings hang from your ears. Adorned with worldly and transcendent jewels, You are the highest, most noble lord.

Perfect in all good qualities, Great Dharma King of all worlds, You open countless skillful doors— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

Countless beings burdened by karma Wander in samsara for endless ages, But the Bodhisattva always shows compassion, Guiding them to gather wisdom.

You shine compassionate light on all, Give the highest Dharma to beings, And lead all to enlightenment— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

In the deepest Avīci hells, The Bodhisattva compassionately appears, Destroying those realms completely; The hell-guards tremble in fear.

All beings suffering karmic retribution Are freed from pain, their sins dissolved, Evil realms burned away by wisdom-fire— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

With perfect compassion, wisdom, practice, and vows, You appear in the realms of desire and form; Free in Dharma, you benefit all, And the Lord of Death’s retinue rejoices.

You destroy all realms of karma, So suffering never arises again; Beings find relief and coolness— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

Now I praise the Great Saint, Whose form is supreme and matchless, Free and unrestrained, lord of the Three Realms, Granting fearlessness to all beings.

You rescue beings from suffering’s ocean, Cut the root of the three poisons, And let all dwell in peace— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

All the hungry ghosts— With needle-throats, swollen bellies, foul hair— Countless in number, Suffer hunger and thirst day and night.

Tormented by the fires of hunger and thirst, They devour each other in agony; Held by the Bodhisattva’s compassion, You appear among them to save them.

First you manifest delicious food, Filling each one, nourishing their bodies; Then you teach them the true Dharma, Freeing them from all suffering.

With compassion, wisdom, and skillful means, You enter all realms of being, Guiding beings through common practice— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

Your body bears a great jewel That emits pure, beautiful light, Illuminating all the world’s darkness, Outshining sun and moon.

All yakṣas and rākṣasas Who see this light take refuge in you; You see beings’ minds and end their doubts— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

The mighty Asura kings, Fierce in battle, hard to tame— You appear even in their realm, Teaching and guiding with skillful means.

Hearing the Dharma, they end their doubts, Each developing compassion in their heart; You offer the wonderful Dharma-door— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

The Bodhisattva once visited the heavens, Entering the palace of a prince; Guiding him skillfully to practice giving, But the prince had nothing to give.

Then the prince grew distressed, So the Bodhisattva showed him treasures, Fulfilling his wish to give— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

All those consumed by desire Are burned by the fire of afflictions; Seeing the Bodhisattva’s noble face, They turn their minds to the true Dharma.

Those overwhelmed by greed, anger, and ignorance Bow in homage to the Great Saint; The three poisons dissolve away— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

The realms of beings are limitless— Countless insects, ants, tiny creatures— Yet the Bodhisattva compassionately guides them, Using skillful means everywhere.

In times of famine in the world, You transform food to save beings, Quenching their hunger and thirst— Therefore I take refuge in the Lotus-Handed One.

Seeing beings in the great ocean, Their boats broken, about to drown, The Bodhisattva appears as a horse, Letting them hold on and cross safely.

When beings sail the vast sea, The Bodhisattva guides the wind— Favorable or contrary, to save them all, Freeing them from every fear.

The Bodhisattva has transcended the Three Realms’ suffering, Perfecting samādhi’s teachings, Yet still guides countless beings, Numberless as space itself.

The Bodhisattva has overcome all fears— Rākṣasas, bhūtas, Piśācas, ḍākinīs, All types of evil ghosts—

Great floods, great fires, bandits, Tigers, wolves, insects, weapons, Disease, poison, evil magic, Royal punishment and imprisonment.

Having freed yourself from all these, You now free all beings too; You are the great teacher of self and others, The highest one, free from fear.

The Bodhisattva has perfected all pure practices, Shining on the world like sun and moon; Humans and gods praise the Great Saint, Supreme master of true purity.

The Bodhisattva abides in samādhi, Supported by infinite merits, Dwelling wherever needed, With Mount Potalaka as your home.

That mountain is vast, sublime, Adorned with various jewels; Countless jewel-trees grow there— Eragrostris and campaka—

With rare birds perched upon them, Ever singing clear, beautiful songs. Such is the Bodhisattva’s holy dwelling; Venerating it brings blessings.

The Lords of Death and Desire, Lord of Heavenly Dancers, Lord of Asuras, Yakṣa kings and Nāga lords, And all types of spirits—

Gods and spirits, every king, Day and night with reverent hearts, Take refuge and praise the true Saint. Having thus praised him, all their wishes are fulfilled.

Great wealth, happiness, long life, Courage, diligence, dignity— Countless sufferings cease; Even in dreams, no fear arises.

When life draws to its close, The Bodhisattva appears to comfort them.”

The ocean of Guanyin’s merits Is boundless, endless, inexhaustible; Even with a hundred tongues for a thousand ages, One could never fully praise it.