The LOTUS SUTRA
Chapter 25: The Universal Gateway of Kanzeon Bodhisattva
Myōhōrengekyō Kanzeon Bosatsu Fumonbon: Kannon-gyō
妙法蓮華経 観世音菩薩普門品（観音経）
Introduction
By Rev. Issan Koyama
(edited by M. Seizan Sevik)
The Lotus Sūtra is one of the most important and influential of the Mahāyāna sūtras. Its 25th chapter, known as Kannon-gyō in Japanese (Avalokiteśvara Sūtra), is the most widely known and revered portion of the Lotus Sūtra. Its significance is so great that it has often been treated as an independent sūtra. Across East Asia, statues and images of Kannon or Kanzeon Bodhisattva (Skt. Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva) are so popular they can be found in nearly every neighborhood. Dōgen was deeply influenced by the Lotus Sūtra and he quoted from it extensively throughout his writings. To this day, morning services in Sōtō Zen temples begin with a recitation of the verse section of Kannon-gyō, and on days of the month ending in three, both the prose and verse sections are chanted. The meaning and relevance of Kannon-gyō differs enormously depending on one’s understanding of what Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva (Kannon or Kanzeon Bodhisattva) - represents. Some envision Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva as a beautiful feminine figure who perceives our cries of distress and miraculously appears to rescue us. For Dōgen and his descendants, Buddhist salvation in times of disaster does not come in the form of supernatural intervention. Instead, freedom from distress comes when we are able to escape the catastrophic suffering fabricated by our delusional thinking and realign ourselves with reality as it actually is, here and now. Although at first, Kannon-gyō might sound like a fantastical science fiction horror story, when read with this understanding in mind, its true purpose -- as a vivid reminder of the liberating power of prajñā and practice -- becomes clear. No matter how dreadful and terrifying our circumstances might seem, Kannon-gyō is a genuine source of support we can rely on in difficult and challenging times. While there are very few commentaries on Kannon-gyō in English, I will often refer to the incisive and detailed commentaries left behind by Sawaki Rōshi, Uchiyama Rōshi, and other teachers of our lineage, to explain how Dōgen understood this sūtra and why he cherished it. So central is Kannon-gyō for students of Dōgen, that the very first book Okumura Rōshi lent me when we met was Sawaki Rōshi’s commentary on Kannon-gyō. It transformed my understanding of Buddhism. I think it has the potential to do the same for others.
Recommended Additional Reading
The Five Invitations:
Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully
By Frank Ostaseski
How Can I Help?
Stories and Reflections on Service
By Ram Dass and Paul Gorman
The Sound That Perceives the World
Calling Out to the Bodhisattva
By Kōshō Uchiyama
Translated by Howard Lazzarini, Foreward by Shohaku Okumura
These lectures are recordings of the ongoing Wednesday Lecture Series offered by Rev. Issan Koyama. All materials may be accessed free of charge. Please do not use any written or audio-visual materials for commercial purposes. For permission to use these resources for educational purposes, kindly contact us in writing at: infor@nyzcfordogenstudy.org.
© 2026 New York Zen Community for Dōgen Study
Lectures
In this introduction to Kannon-gyō and its influence on Buddhism and Dōgen Zenji's teachings, Rev. Koyama recounts why he and many others initially hesitated to read the Lotus Sutra because of its exotic reputation in post-war Japan and how surprised he was when the first book Okumura Rōshi lent him after their first meeting turned out to be Kōdō Sawaki Rōshi’s Commentary on Kannon-gyō. (Recorded 8/13/25)
Following the lead of teachers in our lineage, Rev. Koyama begins each new lecture series with a review of the fundamental teachings of Gotama Buddha. In this lecture, he explains how Buddhism differs from other world religions and the essential principles common to all Buddhist schools. He reviews the meaning of Buddhadharma and Buddha Way and explains why they are the key to understanding all Buddhist texts. (Recorded 8/20/25)
Rev. Koyama begins by carefully examining the meaning and significance of each word in the title of the Lotus Sutra (Skr. Saddharma-pundarīka-sūtra) and the symbolism of the white lotus. He recounts this sutra’s history, its translation into Chinese by Kumārajīva and its recognition by 4th-century Chinese scholars as the foremost of all sutras. He also describes the sutra’s most influential chapters, including those on skillful means, peaceful practice and the eternal life of the Tathāgata. (Recorded 8/27/25)
Beginning with a careful exploration of the origins and significance of Kannon Bodhisattva’s names – Avalokiteśvara, Kanzeon, and Kanjizai -- Rev. Koyama clarifies the deep meaning of “seeing the sounds of the world.” He examines the 5 Skandhas and the source of human suffering as depicted in the Sutta Nipāta’s “Chapter of Eights” and concludes by explaining why Kanzeon Bodhisattva may be understood as the personification of shikantaza practice and of “opening the hand of thought”. (Recorded 11/12/25)
As Rev. Koyama embarks on a meticulous, word-by-word exploration of the text, he uncovers the richness of the dharma woven into every word, phrase and gesture -- from the simple act of baring the right shoulder, to the respectful folding of the hands in gasshō. He examines the meaning of the name of Mujin-i Bodhisattva and explains how each character in this sutra symbolizes and illuminates a facet of the Buddha’s teachings. (Recorded 11/19/25)
This lecture opens with a detailed exploration of the Ten Epithets of the Buddha, tracing the origins of each one and unpacking their meanings and significance. Examining the four types of questions posed to the Buddha, Rev. Koyama describes the many different kinds of dukkha experienced by human beings and reflects on what it actually means to call upon Kanzeon Bodhisattva in moments of suffering and distress.