Guanyin Bodhisattva Sutra for Deliverance from Suffering (觀世音菩薩救苦經)

About 觀世音菩薩救苦經

199 · about 1 min

The Sutra of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva’s Salvation from Suffering is one of the important Buddhist scriptures. It is traditionally attributed to the eminent Tang dynasty monk Xuanzang or compiled by devotees among the people, with its exact author unknown. Centered on Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, this sutra proclaims his great compassion and vow-power to relieve beings from suffering and distress. Its content largely extols the merits of Guanyin and the supreme benefits of reciting his holy name. Historically, it is closely linked to the spread of Guanyin devotion in China, especially during the Tang and Song dynasties, when it circulated widely and became an essential scripture for popular prayers to avert calamities. The sutra emphasizes that reciting the name of Guanyin can liberate one from adversity, embodying the bodhisattva’s universal manifestation of “responding to the cries of the world” to rescue the suffering. In terms of its standing in Buddhism, although this sutra is not of Indian origin, it is deeply rooted in Chinese folk belief and serves as a complement to the “Universal Gate Chapter” of the Lotus Sutra. It remains one of the practical guides for Guanyin practice in Chinese Buddhism and is still widely recited today.