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the doomed shall live

Original Preface of the High King Sutra

During the Five Dynasties period (907-960), there was a king named High Pleasure. He was the leader of the state of Hsiang and took pleasure in killing. At that time, an official in charge of the treasury, named Sun-jin-deh, involuntarily committed a serious crime. (Textual research showed that it was Sun’s brother who committed the crime and, as the criminal’s relative, Sun was implicated.) Awaiting death while imprisoned, Sun recited the Universal Gateway Article of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Guan Yin) day and night without resting.
 
Suddenly one day he dreamt of a monk, speaking to him, “You cannot escape the death sentence by reciting this sutra. I advise you to recite instead the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra one thousand times, and then your death sentence will be lifted.”
 
“How can I obtain this sutra while I am in prison?” asked Sun.
 
The monk said, “I will teach you orally and you can memorize it in your dream.”
 
After learning it, Sun sincerely recited the sutra nine hundred times.
 
Then the time came for Sun to be taken to the market to be executed in public. In fear, Sun asked the prison official how far away was the market. The official asked Sun why he wanted to know. Sun then told him about the monk appearing in his dream and how the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra was supposed to help him from dying. Sun begged the official to slow down so that he could finish the remaining one hundred recitations. Sun managed to complete the recitations by the time they arrived at the market. When the executioner sank his sword into Sun’s neck, the sword broke into three pieces, leaving Sun unscathed.
 
Being informed of this event, the king was in awe and asked what kind of magic Sun had employed. Sun told the king that he had not used any magic, but how he had been afraid of dying while in the prison and had recited the Universal Gateway Article of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Then he told how a monk had appeared suddenly to him in a dream and taught him to recite the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra a thousand times, thus obtaining the blessing.
 
The king spoke to Sun, “You are stronger than I am; I regard you as I regard the Buddhas.”
 
The king then ordered the prison officer to write down the sutra and he ordered all the prisoners, including the ones waiting for execution, to recite this sutra one thousand times. He then tried the sword on them. Everyone survived. Thus the king decreed that everyone in the state should recite this sutra to receive the fruits of blessing.
 
That is how it came to be known as the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra. It is unprecedented for a sutra to have such spiritual power. Therefore, the author writes this preface to record how it originated and how powerful it is, so that sincere reformed persons have a way to follow.
 
Editor’s footnote: The High King Sutra went on to be widely practiced around East Asia. It is found in the Chinese Tripitaka at Taisho Tripitaka 2898 and in the Korean Buddhist canon. Copies of the High King Sutra were found in the Dunhuang caves and the versions in circulation today follow their format, which differs slightly from the earliest versions that were inscribed in monuments from the Wei dynasty (547CE) and the Leiyin cave of the Fangshan Stone Sutra in Hebei Province around 616CE. There are ancient temples in Japan which enshrine not just the High King Avalokitesvara, but also her transformations including the Great Wisdom Avalokitesvara, the Observant Avalokitesvara, the Noble Avalokitesvara, and the Expansively Minded Avalokitesvara. Although the sutra became a lesser practiced text during the times leading up to World War Two, and became popular again thanks to True Buddha School emphasising its importance, these many religious sites dating back over a thousand years verify that this was indeed a widespread and highly revered practice that predates True Buddha School by over 1,500 years. Anyone can practice it. You do not need to be a student of True Buddha School, nor even a Buddhist. So long as one has a heart of pure sincerity, responses will happen.

True Buddha School's Great Reverence For the High King Sutra

The High King Avalokitesvara Sutra was once revealed by a great tathagata, who told a convicted criminal about the sutra. After hearing about this sutra from the tathagata, the prisoner chanted it and received an amazing spiritual response. As a result, the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra became widespread. It has been acknowledged as a genuine sutra which means it is an authentic transmission of the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions and three times.

When Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Grandmaster Sheng-yen Lu became enlightened and turned the dharma wheel for the first time, he realized that the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra has infinite, boundless, and incredible merit. This sutra was manifested by Guru Padmasambhava as an expedient means to deliver all sentient beings. It completely fulfills dharma marks and universally saves all sentient beings. It enables a perfect understanding of Sutrayana and Vajrayana teachings and it allows sentient beings to obtain great wisdom and achieve the indestructible vajra body. In addition to reciting the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra, if a practitioner also chants 108 recitations of the Six Syllable Mantra “om。ma-ni。pad-me。hum” and performs the Four-Armed Avalokiteshvara visualization practice, then 36 celestial deities will protect the practitioner day and night. All the ghosts and gods will respectfully obey the practitioner’s orders. The merit of reciting this sutra is truly infinite.

  • The first scripture that I (Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu) received at the Jade Emperor Temple was the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra.
  • The first scripture that I memorized completely was the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra.
  • The first scripture from which I received spiritual response was the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra.
  • The first scripture that I widely transmitted was the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra.
  • I therefore state, ”The True Buddha School reveres the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra.”


I believe in the words written in this sutra: “One is liberated from the suffering of birth and death and freed from all poisonous physical and mental harm.” I therefore recited this sutra over a long period of time, and did indeed receive spiritual response.

  • The High King Avalokitesvara Sutra has the purest dharma benefit.
  • The High King Avalokitesvara Sutra is the most highly revered pure land of the buddha.
  • The High King Avalokitesvara Sutra is the highest dharma banner.
  • All disciples of the True Buddha School revere the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra.


Disciples should complete 1,000 recitations of this sutra, and continue to chant it throughout their lifetime. By reciting this sutra, one will transform into a pure land which is merged with oneself. One must treasure this sutra in one’s heart forever.

According to historical records, During the Xixia Dynasty, everyone recited the High King Sutra. At that time, the words ”Great White High Country” were engraved on the royal seal of the Xixia Dynasty. Emperors Jing Zhong, Ren Zhong and Mo Di of the Xixia Dynasty (Great White High Country) were all past reincarnations of Living Buddha Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu.

Mr. Ding Fubao (editor of the Dictionary of Buddhist Studies) was a great master of Buddhism. He considered the High King Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva to be the highest, the most superior, and supreme, like a king. Since there is no one higher than a king, this sutra is called the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra. This explanation was noted by Mr. Ding Fubao. Actually, Great White High Country was the High King Avalokitesvara Country created by the White Padmakumara.

I urge everyone to recite the High King Avalokitesvara Sutra not just 1,000 times but the more the better, because, by chanting the sutra, one creates an affinity with buddhas, bodhisattvas, and mahasattvas of the ten directions and three times. Consequently, one will attain enlightenment in the future.

In addition to reciting the Seven Buddhas Mantra to Extinguish Transgressions, one must also invoke the Eight Great Bodhisattvas. It is of utmost importance to invoke the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, therefore one must include this invocation.

~ Extract from the High King Avalokitesvara Dharma Character Treasury of True Buddha School transmitted by His Holiness Living Buddha Lian Sheng