The origin of the Great Compassion Mantra, Meng Bashan clothing. The Great Compassion Mantra is a representation of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva's great compassion and unsurpassed enlightenment as well as the main mantra for saving sentient beings and cultivating the way to become a Buddha. Each word of this mantra embodies true practices of equal and correct awakening without any falsity. This mantra is an important part of the "Great Compassion Heart Dharani Sutra" of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, consisting of eighty-four sentences. Its full name is: "Thousand Hands Thousand Eyes Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Vast Perfect Unobstructed Great Compassion Heart Dharani Sutra Great Compassion Mantra." The reason it is called this is because once the Buddha told Venerable Ananda: "This divine mantra has various names: one name is vast perfection, one name is unobstructed great compassion, one name is relieving suffering dharani, one name is longevity dharani, one name is eliminating evil destinies dharani, one name is breaking evil karmic obstacles dharani, one name is fulfilling wishes dharani, one name is following one's heart freely dharani, one name is swiftly surpassing the ten stages dharani."
Its name as the "Thousand Hands Thousand Eyes Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva" comes from when he was at the abode of Pure Abiding Thus Come One, and Pure Abiding Thus Come One specially taught him the "Vast Perfect Unobstructed Great Compassion Dharani," saying to him: "Good man, you should uphold this mind mantra and widely benefit all sentient beings in future evil worlds." According to the sutra records, at that time, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, upon hearing this mantra, advanced from the first ground to the eighth ground - the Immovable Ground. He then made a vow saying: "If I can bring joy to all sentient beings in future worlds, may I instantly manifest with a thousand hands and eyes completely." After making such a vow, he indeed manifested with a thousand hands and eyes, causing the earth in the ten directions to tremble, and the Buddhas of the ten directions also emitted boundless light, universally illuminating the limitless worlds of the ten directions.
As for why this mantra has many different names, the Buddha Shakyamuni once told Ananda that it was due to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva's grand vow. The bodhisattva had once made a vow before the World Honored One saying: "If all gods and humans sincerely recite my name, they should also recite the name of my original teacher, Amitabha Tathagata, and then chant this dharani divine mantra. If one can hold and recite it five times in one night, then one can eliminate heavy sins of hundreds of millions of eons of birth and death. If all gods and humans recite and uphold the Great Compassion verses, then at the time of their life ending, the Buddhas of the ten directions will all come and extend their hands to guide them, and according to their wishes, they will be reborn into the lands of the Buddhas. If all gods and humans recite and uphold the Great Compassion Mind Mantra, they will attain fifteen kinds of good births and not suffer fifteen kinds of bad deaths."
Therefore, the Great Compassion Mantra not only eliminates all calamities and various illnesses but also accomplishes all virtuous practices and distances oneself from all fears. Hence, we should hold it with utmost sincere belief and purity of heart to align with the bodhisattva's great compassion and gain incomparable benefits. Sentient beings trapped in the three realms and five paths, if they can regularly recite the Great Compassion Mantra, it will not only cure all mental and physical diseases but also transcend the cycle of birth and death. May all sentient beings together recite this mantra and jointly achieve Buddhahood.
(Note: The rest of the text would continue translating the specific verses and further explanations of the mantra, which are omitted here for brevity.)