Guanyin () is a
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩ð‘„𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢ð‘†ð‘€¢ð‘†ð‘€¯ (BrahmÄ«), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.
In the Early Buddhist schools ...
associated with
compassion
Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental or emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as being sensitive to the emotional aspects of the suffering of others. When based on n ...
. She is the East Asian representation of
Avalokiteśvara
In Buddhism, AvalokiteÅ›vara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेशà¥à¤µà¤°, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being PadmapÄṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, ...
( sa, अवलोकितेशà¥à¤µà¤°) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including
Chinese folk religion
Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. Vivienne Wee described it as "an empty bowl, which can variously be filled ...
. She was first given the appellation of "Goddess of Mercy" or "Mercy Goddess" by Jesuit missionaries in China. Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means "
he One WhoPerceives the Sounds of the World." On the 19th day of the sixth lunar month, Guanyin's attainment of Buddhahood is celebrated.
Some Buddhists believe that when one of their adherents departs from this world, they are placed by Guanyin in the heart of a
lotus, and then sent to the western
pure land
A pure land is the celestial realm of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism () and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field (Sanskrit ). Th ...
of
SukhÄvatÄ«. Guanyin is often referred to as the "most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity"
with miraculous powers to assist all those who pray to her, as is mentioned in the ''Pumen chapter'' of ''
Lotus Sutra
The ''Lotus SÅ«tra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮è¯ç¶“; sa, सदà¥à¤§à¤°à¥à¤®à¤ªà¥à¤£à¥à¤¡à¤°à¥€à¤•à¤¸à¥‚तà¥à¤°à¤®à¥, translit=Saddharma Puṇá¸arÄ«ka SÅ«tram, lit=SÅ«tra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...
'' and ''
KÄraṇá¸avyÅ«ha SÅ«tra
The ''KÄraṇá¸avyÅ«ha SÅ«tra'' (Tibetan: phags paza ma tog bkod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo; zh, t=佛說大乘莊嚴寶王經, p=Fó shuÅ dà chéng zhuÄngyán bÇŽo wáng jÄ«ng, Vietnamese: Pháºt Thuyết Äại Thừa Trang Nghià ...
''.
Several large temples in East Asia are dedicated to Guanyin, including
Shaolin Monastery
Shaolin Monastery (少林寺 ''Shà olÃnsì''), also known as Shaolin Temple, is a renowned monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin Kung Fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the So ...
,
Longxing Temple
The Longxing Monastery or Longxing Temple () is an ancient Buddhist monastery located in the town of Zhengding in Hebei Province, China, approximately north of the provincial capital of Shijiazhuang. It has been referred to as the ''"Best Temple ...
,
Puning Temple Puning Temple (), may refer to:
*Puning Temple (Hebei)
The Puning Temple (), commonly called the Big Buddha Temple, is a Buddhist temple complex in Chengde, Hebei province, China. It was built in 1755 during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor in t ...
,
Nanhai Guanyin Temple
Nanhai Guanyin Temple () is a Buddhist temple located at the foot of Niugugang (), in Nanhai District of Foshan, Guangdong, China.
History
Nanhai Guanyin Temple was built in the 5th year of Period Chunhua (990) in the Northern Song dynasty (960- ...
,
Dharma Drum Mountain
Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM; ) is an international Buddhist spiritual, cultural, and educational foundation founded by late Chan master Sheng-yen (1931 – 2009). The center focuses on educating the public in Buddhism with the goal of improving t ...
,
Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple () is a traditional Chinese temple situated at 178 Waterloo Street in Singapore. The temple is of significance to the Buddhist community among Chinese Singaporeans, and is believed to bring worshippers good luck a ...
,
ShitennÅ-ji
ShitennÅ-ji ( ja, 四天王寺, ''Temple of the Four Heavenly Kings'') is a Buddhist temple in ÅŒsaka, Japan. It is also known as Arahaka-ji, Nanba-ji, or Mitsu-ji. The temple is sometimes regarded as the first Buddhist and oldest officially-ad ...
,
SensÅ-ji
is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism, it became independent after World War II. It is dedicated to Kann ...
,
Kiyomizu-dera
is a Buddhist temple located in eastern Kyoto, Japan. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site.
History
Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the early Heian period. By 77 ...
,
SanjÅ«sangen-dÅ
is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, Japan.
The temple was founded in 1164 by Taira no Kiyomori for the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa. It is officially known as and belongs to the MyÅhÅ-in temple ...
, and many others. Guanyin's abode and
bodhimaṇá¸a
Bodhimaṇá¸a (Sanskrit and Pali) or daochang () is a term used in Buddhism meaning the "position of awakening". According to Haribhadra, it is "a place used as a seat, where the essence of enlightenment is present".
Bodhimaṇá¸as are regularl ...
in India is recorded as being on
Mount Potalaka
Mount Potalaka (, Japanese: 補陀洛 ''Fudaraku-san''), which means "Brilliance", is the mythical dwelling of the Buddhist bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, said to exist in the seas south of India.
Origins
The mountain is first mentioned in the fi ...
. With the localization of the belief in Guanyin, each area adopted their own Potalaka. In
Chinese Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism or Han Buddhism ( zh, s=æ±‰ä¼ ä½›æ•™, t=漢傳佛教, p=Hà nchuán Fójià o) is a Chinese form of Mahayana Buddhism which has shaped Chinese culture in a wide variety of areas including art, politics, literature, philosophy, ...
,
Mount Putuo
Mount Putuo (, from Sanskrit: "Mount Potalaka") is an island in Putuo District, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China. It is a renowned site in Chinese Buddhism and is the bodhimaṇá¸a of the bodhisattva Guanyin.
Mount Putuo is one of the four sacre ...
is considered the bodhimaṇá¸a of Guanyin.
Naksansa
Naksansa or Naksan Temple is a Korean Buddhist temple complex in the Jogye order of Korean Buddhism that stands on the slopes of Naksan Mountain (also called "Obongsan Mountain"). It is located about midway between Sokcho and Yangyang, Gangwon P ...
is considered to be the Potalaka of Guanyin in Korea. Japan's Potalaka is located at
Fudarakusan-ji
is Tendai temple of the Higashimuro district, Wakayama prefecture, Japan. The name of temple comes from mount Potalaka. It is said to have been founded by RagyÅ ShÅnin, a monk from India.
In 2004, it was designated as part of a UNESCO World ...
. Tibet's Potalaka is the
Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is a ''dzong'' fortress in Lhasa, Tibet. It was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959, has been a museum since then, and a World Heritage Site since 1994.
The palace is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythica ...
.
There are several pilgrimage centers for Guanyin in East Asia. Putuoshan is the main pilgrimage site in China. There is a 33 temple Guanyin pilgrimage in Korea which includes Naksansa. In Japan, there are several pilgrimages associated with Guanyin. The oldest one of them is the
Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage
The is a pilgrimage of thirty-three Buddhist temples throughout the Kansai region of Japan, similar to the Shikoku Pilgrimage. In addition to the official thirty-three temples, there are an additional three known as . The principal image in each ...
, a pilgrimage through 33 temples with Guanyin shrines. Guanyin is beloved by most Buddhist traditions in a nondenominational way and found in most
Tibetan temples under the name Chenrézik (). Guanyin is also beloved and worshipped in the temples in Nepal. The
Hiranya Varna Mahavihar
Hiraṇyavarṇa MahÄvihÄra ( ne, हिरणà¥à¤¯à¤µà¤°à¥à¤£ महाविहार), also Kwa Baha: ( ne, कà¥à¤µà¤¬à¤¹à¤¾:) informally called The Golden Temple with literal meaning "Gold-colored Great Monastery", is a historical vi ...
located in Patan is one example. Guanyin is also found in some influential
Theravada
''TheravÄda'' () ( si, ථේරවà·à¶¯à¶º, my, ထေရá€á€«á€’, th, เถรวาท, km, ážáŸážšážœáž¶áž‘, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...
temples such as
Gangaramaya Temple
Gangaramaya Temple ( Sinhala: à·à·Šâ€à¶»à·“ ගංගà·à¶»à·à¶¸ මහà·à·€à·’à·„à·à¶»à¶º ''Å›rÄ« gangÄrÄma mahÄvihÄraya'', Tamil: ஸà¯à®°à¯€ கஙà¯à®•à®¾à®°à®¾à®® மகாவிகாரம௠''SrÄ« Gaá¹…gÄrÄma MakÄvikÄram' ...
,
Kelaniya
Kelaniya ( si, කà·à¶½à¶«à·’ය ta, களனி) is a suburb of Colombo in the Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is known for the Buddhist temple built on the banks of the Kelani River, which divides the suburb from Colombo District. The templ ...
and
Natha Devale nearby
Temple of the Tooth
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Sri Dalada Maligawa, ( si, à·à·Šâ€à¶»à·“ දළද෠මà·à·…ිගà·à·€) is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which ho ...
in
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, à·à·Šà¶»à·“ ලංකà·, ÅšrÄ« Laá¹…kÄ, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலஙà¯à®•à¯ˆ, Ilaá¹…kai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
; Guanyin can also be found in Thailand's
Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Wat Phra Kaew ( th, วัดพระà¹à¸à¹‰à¸§, , ), commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and officially as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The complex co ...
, Wat Huay Pla Kang (where the huge statue of her is often mistakenly called the "Big Buddha") and Burma's
Shwedagon Pagoda
The Shwedagon Pagoda (, ); mnw, ကျာ်ဒဂုášá€º; officially named ''Shwedagon Zedi Daw'' ( my, ရွှေá€á€á€‚ုံစေá€á€®á€á€±á€¬á€º, , ) and also known as the Great Dagon Pagoda and the Golden Pagoda is a gilded stupa ...
. Statues of Guanyin are a widely depicted subject of
Asian art
The history of Asian art includes a vast range of arts from various cultures, regions, and religions across the continent of Asia. The major regions of Asia include Central, East, South, Southeast, and West Asia.
Central Asian art primarily c ...
and found in the Asian art sections of most museums in the world.
Etymology and Usage
Avalokitasvara
''GuÄnyÄ«n'' is a translation from the Sanskrit ''Avalokitasvara'', the name of the MahÄyÄna bodhisattva. Another name for this bodhisattva is ''GuÄnzìzà i'' (), from Sanskrit ''
Avalokiteśvara
In Buddhism, AvalokiteÅ›vara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेशà¥à¤µà¤°, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being PadmapÄṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, ...
''. It was initially thought that early translators mistook ''AvalokiteÅ›vara'' as ''Avalokitasvara'' and thus mistranslated ''AvalokiteÅ›vara'' as ''GuÄnyÄ«n'', which explained why
Xuanzang
Xuanzang (, ; 602–664), born Chen Hui / Chen Yi (), also known as Hiuen Tsang, was a 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator. He is known for the epoch-making contributions to Chinese Buddhism, the travelogue of ...
translated ''AvalokiteÅ›vara'' as ''GuÄnzìzà i''. However, the original form was indeed ''Avalokitasvara'' which contained
morpheme
A morpheme is the smallest meaningful Constituent (linguistics), constituent of a linguistic expression. The field of linguistics, linguistic study dedicated to morphemes is called morphology (linguistics), morphology.
In English, morphemes are ...
''svara'' ("sound, noise") and was a compound meaning "sound perceiver", literally "he who looks down upon sound" (i.e., the cries of sentient beings who need his help).
[ pg 44–45] This is the exact equivalent of the Chinese translation ''GuÄnyÄ«n''. This etymology was furthered in the Chinese by the tendency of some Chinese translators, notably
KumÄrajÄ«va
KumÄrajÄ«va (Sanskrit: कà¥à¤®à¤¾à¤°à¤œà¥€à¤µ; , 344–413 CE) was a Buddhist monk, scholar, missionary and translator from the Kingdom of Kucha (present-day Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, China). KumÄrajÄ«va is seen as one of the greatest ...
, to use the variant ''GuÄnshìyÄ«n'', literally "who perceives the world's lamentations"—wherein ''lok'' was read as simultaneously meaning both "to look" and "world" (Skt. ''loka''; Ch. 世, ''shì'').
Direct translations from the Sanskrit name ''Avalokitasvara'' include:
* Chinese: Guanyin (), Guanshiyin ()
Avalokiteśvara
The name ''Avalokitasvara'' was later supplanted by the ''Avalokiteśvara'' form containing the ending ''
-īśvara'', which does not occur in Sanskrit before the seventh century. The original form ''Avalokitasvara'' appears in Sanskrit fragments of the fifth century. The original meaning of the name "Avalokitasvara" fits the Buddhist understanding of the role of a bodhisattva. The reinterpretation presenting him as an ''īśvara'' shows a strong influence of
Śaivism, as the term ''īśvara'' was usually connected to the Hindu notion of
Åšiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Åšiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ÉɦaËd̪eËÊ‹É, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
as a creator god and ruler of the world.
While some of those who revered ''Avalokiteśvara'' upheld the Buddhist rejection of the doctrine of any creator god,
Encyclopædia Britannica
The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...
does cite ''AvalokiteÅ›vara'' as the creator god of the world. This position is taken in the widely used ''KÄraṇá¸avyÅ«ha SÅ«tra'' with its well-known mantra
oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ
' ( sa, ॠमणि पदà¥à¤®à¥‡ हूà¤, ) is the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. It first appeared in the Mahayana ''KÄraṇ ...
.
In addition, the Lotus Sutra is the first time the ''AvalokiteÅ›vara'' is mentioned. Chapter 25 refers to him as ''LokeÅ›vara'' "Lord God of all beings" and ''LokanÄtha'' "Lord and Protector of all beings" and ascribes extreme attributes of divinity to him.
Direct translations from the Sanskrit name Avalokiteśvara include:
*
*
Names in other Asian languages
![Liao Dynasty Avalokitesvara Statue Clear](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Liao_Dynasty_Avalokitesvara_Statue_Clear.jpeg)
Due to the devotional popularity of Guanyin in Asia, she is known by many names, most of which are simply the localised pronunciations of "Guanyin" or "Guanshiyin":
* The name is pronounced G(w)Å«n YÄm (
Yale
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
: g(w)un1 yam1,
Jyutping
Jyutping is a romanisation system for Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK), an academic group, in 1993. Its formal name is the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme. The LSHK advocates for ...
: g(w)un1 jam1) in
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣æ±è©±, s=广东è¯, first=t, cy=GwóngdÅ«ng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding are ...
, also encountered as Kwun Yam in Hong Kong or Kun Iam in Macau.
* In
Hokkien
The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages in ...
, she is called Kuan Im (
POJ: Koan-im) or Kuan Se Im (POJ: Koan-sè-im)
* In
Teochew, she is called Kuang Im
*In
Malaysian Mandarin
Malaysian Mandarin () is a variety of Mandarin Chinese spoken in Malaysia by ethnic Chinese in Malaysia. Today, Malaysian Mandarin is the ''lingua franca'' of the Malaysian Chinese community.
Malaysian Mandarin speakers seldom translate ...
, the name is Guanyin Pusa (Guanyin Bodhisattva), Guan Shi Yin Pusa (Guanyin Bodhisattva).
*In
Tibetan
Tibetan may mean:
* of, from, or related to Tibet
* Tibetan people, an ethnic group
* Tibetan language:
** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard
** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...
, the name is Chenrézik ().
*In
Vietnamese
Vietnamese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia
** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam.
* Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam
** Overse ...
, the name is or Quan Thế Âm.
* In
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
, Guanyin is pronounced Kannon (), occasionally Kan'on, or more formally Kanzeon (, the same characters as ''Guanshiyin''); the spelling Kwannon, based on a
premodern
The term premodern refers to the period in human history immediately preceding the modern era, as well as the conceptual framework in the humanities and social sciences relating to the artistic, literary and philosophical practices which preceded t ...
pronunciation, is sometimes seen. This rendition was used for an earlier spelling of the well-known camera manufacturer
Canon Inc.
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in ÅŒta, Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optical, imaging, and industrial products, such as lenses, cameras, medical equipment, scanners, printers, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment.< ...
, which was named for Guanyin.
* In
Korean
Korean may refer to:
People and culture
* Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula
* Korean cuisine
* Korean culture
* Korean language
**Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or ChosÅn'gÅl
**Korean dialects and the Jeju language
** ...
, Guanyin is called Gwan-eum () or Gwanse-eum ().
* In
Khmer, the name is Preah Mae Kun Si Im. (ព្រះម៉ែ គង់សុីអុិម). She is also called Preah Neang Kun Si Im (ព្រះនាង
'princess''គង់សុីអុិម). The word meaning of "Preah" is ''God/Goddess'' and "Mae" means ''Mother.'' Her full name is always used. When referring about her more than once, the name can be shorten down to her title, Preah Mae (Goddess Mother).
* In
Thai
Thai or THAI may refer to:
* Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia
** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand
** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand
*** Thai script
*** Thai (Unicode block ...
the pronunciation is a duplicate from Teochew Kuang Im (), Phra Mae Kuan Im (; ''Phra Mae ''means "goddess") or Chao Mae Kuan Im ( th, เจ้าà¹à¸¡à¹ˆà¸à¸§à¸™à¸à¸´à¸¡; ''Chao Mae ''usually means "madam", but in this terms, means "goddess").
* In
Burmese, the name of Guanyin is Kwan Yin Medaw, literally meaning Mother Kwan Yin (Goddess Guanyin) ().
* In
Indonesian
Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to:
* Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia
** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago
** Indonesian ...
, the name is Kwan Im or
Dewi Kwan Im. She is also called ''Mak Kwan Im'' "Mother Guanyin".
* In
Sinhala, the name is Natha Deviyo ().
* In
Hmong
Hmong may refer to:
* Hmong people, an ethnic group living mainly in Southwest China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand
* Hmong cuisine
* Hmong customs and culture
** Hmong music
** Hmong textile art
* Hmong language, a continuum of closely related to ...
, the name is Kab Yeeb.
* In
Nepali, the name is
Seto Machindranath
Seto Machindranath, also known as Janabaha Dyo, Avalokiteśvara, Karunamaya, Guanyin is a deity worshiped by both Hindus and Buddhists in Kathmandu, Nepal. The temple of Seto Machindranath is located in Jana Bahal (also known as Machhindra Bah ...
In these same countries, the variant ''Guanzizai'' "Lord of Contemplation" and its equivalents are also used, such as in the ''
Heart Sutra'', among other sources.
Depiction
Lotus SÅ«tra
The ''Lotus SÅ«tra'' (Sanskrit ''Saddharma Puṇá¸arÄ«ka SÅ«tra'') is generally accepted to be the earliest literature teaching about the doctrines of AvalokiteÅ›vara. These are found in the twenty fifth chapter of the Lotus SÅ«tra. This chapter is devoted to Avalokitesvara, describing him as a compassionate bodhisattva who hears the cries of sentient beings, and who works tirelessly to help those who call upon his name.
The ''Lotus Sutra'' describes Avalokiteśvara as a bodhisattva who can take the form of any type of god including
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इनà¥à¤¦à¥à¤°) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
or
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, बà¥à¤°à¤¹à¥à¤®à¤¾, BrahmÄ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
; any type of
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
, any type of king or Chakravartin or even any kind of Heavenly Guardian including
Vajrapani
(Sanskrit; Pali: VajirapÄṇi, meaning, "Vajra in ishand") is one of the earliest-appearing bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power.
VajrapÄni is also c ...
and
Vaisravana as well as any gender male or female, adult or child, human or non-human being, in order to teach the Dharma to sentient beings. Folk traditions in China and other East Asian countries have added many distinctive characteristics and legends to Guanyin c.q. Avalokiteśvara. Avalokiteśvara was originally depicted as a male bodhisattva, and therefore wears chest-revealing clothing and may even sport a light moustache. Although this depiction still exists in the Far East, Guanyin is more often depicted as a woman in modern times. Additionally, some people believe that Guanyin is
androgynous
Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression.
When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics i ...
or perhaps without gender.
A total of 33 different manifestations of Avalokitasvara are described, including female manifestations, all to suit the minds of various beings. Chapter 25 consists of both a prose and a verse section. This earliest source often circulates separately as its own sūtra, called the ''Avalokitasvara Sūtra'' (Ch. ), and is commonly recited or chanted at Buddhist temples in East Asia.
[Baroni, Helen (2002). ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Zen Buddhism'': p. 15] The ''Lotus Sutra'' and its thirty-three manifestations of Guanyin, of which seven are female manifestations, is known to have been very popular in Chinese Buddhism as early as in the
Sui and
Tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (å”) b ...
dynasties.
[Tan Chung. ''Across the Himalayan Gap: An Indian Quest for Understanding China.'' 1998. p. 222] Additionally,
Tan Chung notes that according to the doctrines of the
MahÄyÄna sÅ«tras
The MahÄyÄna sÅ«tras are a broad genre of Buddhist scriptures (''sÅ«tra'') that are accepted as canonical and as ''buddhavacana'' ("Buddha word") in MahÄyÄna Buddhism. They are largely preserved in the Chinese Buddhist canon, the Tibetan B ...
themselves, it does not matter whether Guanyin is male, female, or genderless, as the ultimate reality is in emptiness (Skt. ''
śūnyatÄ
''ŚūnyatÄ'' ( sa, शूनà¥à¤¯à¤¤à¤¾, śūnyatÄ; pi, suññatÄ; ), translated most often as ''emptiness'', ''vacuity'', and sometimes ''voidness'', is an Indian philosophical concept. Within Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and other p ...
'').
Iconography
![Eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy edit](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Eleven-faced_Goddess_of_Mercy_edit.jpg)
Representations of the bodhisattva in China prior to the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
(960–1279) were masculine in appearance. Images which later displayed attributes of both genders are believed to be in accordance with the Lotus Sutra, where Avalokitesvara has the supernatural power of assuming any form required to relieve suffering, and also has the power to grant children. Because this bodhisattva is considered the personification of compassion and kindness, a mother goddess and patron of mothers and seamen, the representation in China was further interpreted in an all-female form around the 12th century. On occasion, Guanyin is also depicted holding an infant in order to further stress the relationship between the bodhisattva, maternity, and birth. In the modern period, Guanyin is most often represented as a beautiful, white-robed woman, a depiction which derives from the earlier ''Pandaravasini'' form.
In some Buddhist temples and monasteries, Guanyin's image is occasionally that of a young man dressed in Northern Song
Buddhist robes and seated gracefully. He is usually depicted looking or glancing down, symbolising that Guanyin continues to watch over the world.
In China, Guanyin is generally portrayed as a young woman wearing a flowing white robe, and usually also necklaces symbolic of Indian or Chinese royalty. In her left hand is a jar containing pure water, and the right holds a
willow
Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist s ...
branch. The crown usually depicts the image of
AmitÄbha
AmitÄbha ( sa, अमिताà¤, IPA: ), also known as AmitÄyus, is the primary Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism. In Vajrayana Buddhism, he is known for his longevity, discernment, pure perception, purification of aggregates, and deep awarene ...
.
There are also regional variations of Guanyin depictions. In
Fujian
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...
, for example, a popular depiction of Guanyin is as a maiden dressed in Tang
hanfu
''Hanfu'' () is the traditional styles of clothing worn by the Han Chinese. There are several representative styles of ''hanfu'', such as the (an upper-body garment with a long outer skirt), the (an upper-body garment with a long underskirt ...
carrying a fish basket. A popular image of Guanyin as both Guanyin of the South Sea and Guanyin with a Fish Basket can be seen in late 16th-century Chinese encyclopedias and in prints that accompany the novel ''Golden Lotus''.
In Chinese art, Guanyin is often depicted either alone, standing atop a dragon, accompanied by a
white cockatoo
The white cockatoo (''Cacatua alba''), also known as the umbrella cockatoo, is a medium-sized all-white cockatoo endemic to tropical rainforest on islands of Indonesia. When surprised, it extends a large and striking head crest, which has a sem ...
and flanked by two children or two warriors. The two children are her acolytes who came to her when she was meditating at
Mount Putuo
Mount Putuo (, from Sanskrit: "Mount Potalaka") is an island in Putuo District, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China. It is a renowned site in Chinese Buddhism and is the bodhimaṇá¸a of the bodhisattva Guanyin.
Mount Putuo is one of the four sacre ...
. The girl is called
Longnü and the boy
Shancai
SudhanakumÄra (), mainly known as Sudhana and Shancai or Shancai Tongzi in Chinese, and translated as ''Child of Wealth'', is the protagonist in the last and longest chapter of the ''Avatamsaka Sutra''. Sudhana appears in Buddhist, Taoist and folk ...
. The two warriors are the historical general
Guan Yu
Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...
from the late
Han dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
and the bodhisattva
Skanda, who appears in the Chinese classical novel ''
Fengshen Yanyi
''The Investiture of the Gods'', also known by its Chinese names () and is a 16th-century Chinese novel and one of the major vernacular Chinese works in the gods and demons (''shenmo'') genre written during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Cons ...
''. The Buddhist tradition also displays Guanyin, or other buddhas and bodhisattvas, flanked with the above-mentioned warriors, but as bodhisattvas who protect the temple and the faith itself. In
Pure Land Buddhist traditions, Guanyin is often depicted and venerated with the Buddha
Amitabha and the Bodhisattva
Mahasthamaprapta
MahÄsthÄmaprÄpta is a bodhisattva mahÄsattva who represents the power of wisdom. His name literally means "arrival of the great strength".
MahÄsthÄmaprÄpta is one of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, along with MañjuÅ› ...
as part of a trio collective called the "Three Saints of the West" (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 西方三è–;
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: XÄ«fÄng sÄnshèng).
Guanyin in Ancient India
In Chinese mythology, Guanyin (觀音) is the goddess of mercy and considered to be the physical embodiment of compassion. She is an all-seeing, all-hearing being who is called upon by worshipers in times of uncertainty, despair, and fear. Guanyin is originally based on the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. Avalokiteśvara's myth spread throughout China during the advent of Buddhism and mixed with local folklore in a process known as
syncretism
Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various school of thought, schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or religious assimilation, assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in t ...
to become the modern day understanding of Guanyin. He is the one who is the dharma protector and who restores the peace in the world. His idols and temples are mostly found in mountains and hilly terrain (Kurunji regions). He has arupadai veedu (six war homes) in the modern Indian State of Tamil Nadu, which has nothing but temples and the Murugan (Guhn/Kugan, also called Kandhan) idols, which are made with secret herbs by agasthiyar sitthar, and which can produce cosmic energy and the water/milk after getting down from the idol. They are valuable and considered as sacred (it is believed to contain medical properties to cure many diseases since the idol was made with secret herbs).
Localization of Guanyin in East Asia
Manifestations of Guanyin
According to the twenty-fifth chapter of the
Lotus Sutra
The ''Lotus SÅ«tra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮è¯ç¶“; sa, सदà¥à¤§à¤°à¥à¤®à¤ªà¥à¤£à¥à¤¡à¤°à¥€à¤•à¤¸à¥‚तà¥à¤°à¤®à¥, translit=Saddharma Puṇá¸arÄ«ka SÅ«tram, lit=SÅ«tra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...
, one of the most popular sacred texts in the Buddhist canon, describes thirty-three specific manifestations that Guanyin can assume to assist other beings seeking salvation. These forms encompass a
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
, a
pratyekabuddha, an
arhat
In Buddhism, an ''arhat'' (Sanskrit: अरà¥à¤¹à¤¤à¥) or ''arahant'' (Pali: अरहनà¥à¤¤à¥, ð‘€…ð‘€ð‘€³ð‘€¦ð‘†ð‘€¢ð‘†) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana'' and liberated ...
,
King Brahma,
Sakra (
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इनà¥à¤¦à¥à¤°) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
),
Isvara
''Ishvara'' () is a concept in Hinduism, with a wide range of meanings that depend on the era and the school of Hinduism.Monier Monier Williams, Sanskrit-English dictionarySearch for Izvara University of Cologne, Germany In ancient texts of H ...
,
Mahesvara
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Åšiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ÉɦaËd̪eËÊ‹É, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
(
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Åšiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ÉɦaËd̪eËÊ‹É, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
), a
great heavenly general,
Vaiśravaṇa
(Sanskrit: वैशà¥à¤°à¤µà¤£) or (Pali; , , ja, 毘沙門天, Bishamonten, ko, 비사문천, Bisamuncheon, vi, Äa Văn Thiên VÆ°Æ¡ng), is one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and is considered an important figure in Buddhism.
Names
The n ...
, a
Cakravartin
A ''chakravarti'' ( sa, चकà¥à¤°à¤µà¤°à¥à¤¤à¤¿à¤¨à¥, ''cakravartin''; pi, cakkavatti; zh, 轉輪王, ''ZhuÇŽnlúnwáng'', "Wheel-Turning King"; , ''ZhuÇŽnlún Shèngwáng'', "Wheel-Turning Sacred King"; ja, 転輪王, ''Tenrin'Å'' ...
, a
minor king, an
elder, a
householder, a
chief minister
A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...
, a
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, बà¥à¤°à¤¾à¤¹à¥à¤®à¤£, brÄhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (guru ...
, a
bhikkhu
A ''bhikkhu'' (Pali: à¤à¤¿à¤•à¥à¤–à¥, Sanskrit: à¤à¤¿à¤•à¥à¤·à¥, ''bhiká¹£u'') is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics ("nun", ''bhikkhunÄ«'', Sanskrit ''bhiká¹£uṇī'') are members of the Sangha (Buddhist ...
, a
bhikkhunī
A bhikkhunÄ« ( pi, 𑀪𑀺𑀓ð‘†ð‘€”𑀼𑀦𑀻) or bhiká¹£uṇī ( sa, à¤à¤¿à¤•à¥à¤·à¥à¤£à¥€) is a fully ordained Nun, female monastic in Buddhism. Male monastics are called bhikkhus. Both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus live by the Vinaya, a ...
, a
UpÄsaka
UpÄsaka (masculine) or UpÄsikÄ (feminine) are from the Sanskrit and PÄli words for "attendant". This is the title of followers of Buddhism (or, historically, of Gautama Buddha) who are not monks, nuns, or novice monastics in a Buddhist order, ...
, a
UpÄsikÄ, a
wife
A wife (plural, : wives) is a female in a marital relationship. A woman who has separated from her partner continues to be a wife until the marriage is legally Dissolution (law), dissolved with a divorce judgement. On the death of her partner, ...
, a
young boy
"Young Boy" is a song by Paul McCartney, included as the fifth track on his 10th studio album, ''Flaming Pie'' (1997). McCartney reportedly started working on the song in August 1994. The initial tracks were recorded in February 1995 at Steve Mi ...
, a
young girl, a
deva
Deva may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film
* ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film
* ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film
* Deva (2007 Telugu film)
* ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film
* Deva ...
, a
nÄga
The Nagas (IAST: ''nÄga''; DevanÄgarÄ«: नाग) are a divine, or semi-divine, race of half-human, half-serpent beings that reside in the netherworld (Patala), and can occasionally take human or part-human form, or are so depicted in art. ...
, a
yaksha
The yakshas ( sa, यकà¥à¤· ; pi, yakkha, i=yes) are a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in ...
, a
gandharva
A gandharva () is a member of a class of celestial beings in Dharmic religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, whose males are divine performers such as musicians and singers, and the females are divine dancers. In Hinduism, they are ...
, an
asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असà¥à¤°) are a class of beings in Indian religions, Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, Buddhi ...
, a
garuá¸a
Garuda (Sanskrit: ; PÄli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरà¥à¤³ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garuda is ...
, a
kinnara
A kinnara is a celestial musician, part human and part bird, who are musically paradigmatic lovers, in Hinduism and Buddhism. In these traditions, the ''kinnaras'' (male) and ''kinnaris'' (female counterpart) are two of the most beloved myth ...
, a
Mahoraga
The ''Mahoraga'' (Sanskrit: महोरग) are a race of deities in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Like the nÄga, they are often depicted as anthropomorphic beings with serpentine bodies from the waist down. However, their appearance can diff ...
, a
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
, a
non-human
Non-human (also spelled nonhuman) is any entity displaying some, but not enough, human characteristics to be considered a human. The term has been used in a variety of contexts and may refer to objects that have been developed with human intelligen ...
and
Vajrapani
(Sanskrit; Pali: VajirapÄṇi, meaning, "Vajra in ishand") is one of the earliest-appearing bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power.
VajrapÄni is also c ...
.
The
Śūraṅgama Sūtra
The ''Śūraá¹…gama SÅ«tra'' (Sanskrit: शूरङà¥à¤—म सूतà¥à¤°; ) (Taisho 945) is a Mahayana Buddhist sutra that has been especially influential in Chan Buddhism. The general doctrinal outlook of the ''Śūraá¹…gama SÅ«tra'' is ...
also mentions thirty-two manifestations of Guanyin, which follow closely those in the
Lotus Sutra
The ''Lotus SÅ«tra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮è¯ç¶“; sa, सदà¥à¤§à¤°à¥à¤®à¤ªà¥à¤£à¥à¤¡à¤°à¥€à¤•à¤¸à¥‚तà¥à¤°à¤®à¥, translit=Saddharma Puṇá¸arÄ«ka SÅ«tram, lit=SÅ«tra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...
, with the omission of
Vajrapani
(Sanskrit; Pali: VajirapÄṇi, meaning, "Vajra in ishand") is one of the earliest-appearing bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power.
VajrapÄni is also c ...
, and the substitution of
Vaiśravaṇa
(Sanskrit: वैशà¥à¤°à¤µà¤£) or (Pali; , , ja, 毘沙門天, Bishamonten, ko, 비사문천, Bisamuncheon, vi, Äa Văn Thiên VÆ°Æ¡ng), is one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and is considered an important figure in Buddhism.
Names
The n ...
(Heavenly King of the North) with the
Four Heavenly Kings
The Four Heavenly Kings are four Buddhist gods, each of whom is believed to watch over one cardinal direction of the world. In Chinese mythology, they are known collectively as the "FÄ“ng Tiáo YÇ” Shùn" () or "Sìdà TiÄnwáng" (). In the a ...
.
These manifestations of Guanyin have been nativized in China and Japan to form a traditional list of iconographic forms corresponding to each manifestation.
Guanyin is also venerated in various other forms. In the Chinese
Tiantai
Tiantai or T'ien-t'ai () is an East Asian Buddhist school of MahÄyÄna Buddhism that developed in 6th-century China. The school emphasizes the ''Lotus Sutra's'' doctrine of the "One Vehicle" (''EkayÄna'') as well as MÄdhyamaka philosophy, ...
and
Tangmi
Chinese Esoteric Buddhism refers to traditions of Tantra and Esoteric Buddhism that have flourished among the Chinese people. The Tantric masters Śubhakarasiṃha, Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra, established the Esoteric Buddhist ''Zhenyan'' (, "true ...
and the Japanese
Shingon
file:Koyasan (Mount Koya) monks.jpg, Shingon monks at Mount Koya
is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks suc ...
and
Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天å°æ³•è¯å®— ''Tendai hokke shÅ«,'' sometimes just "''hokke shÅ«''") is a MahÄyÄna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...
traditions, Guanyin can take on six forms, each corresponding to a particular realm of samsara. This grouping originates from the ''
Mohe Zhiguan
The MóhÄ“ zhÇguÄn ( Chinese: 摩訶æ¢è¦³; Pinyin: ''MóhÄ“ ZhÇguÄn''; Wades-Giles: ''Mo-ho Chih-kuan'', Romanji: ''Makashikan;'' Sanskrit: ''MahaÅ›amatha-vipaÅ›yanÄ'') is a major Buddhist doctrinal treatise based on lectures given by the C ...
'' (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 摩訶æ¢è¦³;
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''MóhÄ“ ZhÇguÄn)'' written by the
Tiantai
Tiantai or T'ien-t'ai () is an East Asian Buddhist school of MahÄyÄna Buddhism that developed in 6th-century China. The school emphasizes the ''Lotus Sutra's'' doctrine of the "One Vehicle" (''EkayÄna'') as well as MÄdhyamaka philosophy, ...
patriarch
Zhiyi
Zhiyi (; 538–597 CE) also Chen De'an (陳德安), is the fourth patriarch of the Tiantai tradition of Buddhism in China. His standard title was Śramaṇa Zhiyi (沙門智顗), linking him to the broad tradition of Indian asceticism. Zhiyi i ...
(538–597) and are attested to in various other textual sources, such as the Essential Record of The Efficacy of The Three Jewels (Chinese: 三寶感應è¦ç•¥éŒ„; Pinyin: ''SÄnbÇŽo GÇŽnyìng Yà olüèlù''). They are:
# Guanyin as Great Mercy (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 大慈觀音;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Dà cà GuÄnyÄ«n''), also known as Noble Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: è–觀音;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Shèng GuÄnyÄ«n''), who corresponds to the
preta
Preta ( sa, पà¥à¤°à¥‡à¤¤, bo, ཡི་དà¾à½‚ས་ ''yi dags''), also known as hungry ghost, is the Sanskrit name for a type of supernatural being described in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese folk religion as undergoing suffer ...
realm.
# Guanyin as Great Compassion (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 大悲觀音;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Dà bÄ“i GuÄnyÄ«n''), also known as Thousand-Armed Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: åƒæ‰‹è§€éŸ³;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: Q''iÄnshÇ’u GuÄnyÄ«n''), who corresponds to the
hell
In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...
realm.
# Guanyin of the Universally Shining Great Light (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 大光普照觀音;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Dà guÄng PÇ”zhà o GuÄnyÄ«n''), also known as Eleven-Headed Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: å一é¢è§€éŸ³;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''ShÃyÄ«mià n GuÄnyÄ«n''), who corresponds to the
asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असà¥à¤°) are a class of beings in Indian religions, Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, Buddhi ...
realm.
# Guanyin as The Divine Hero (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 天人丈夫觀音;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''TiÄnrén Zhà ngfÅ« GuÄnyÄ«n''), also known as
Cundī Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 準æ觀音;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''ZhÇ”ntà GuÄnyÄ«n''), who corresponds to the
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
realm.
# Guanyin as MahÄbrahmÄ the Profound (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 大梵深é 觀音;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Dà fà n ShÄ“nyuÇŽn GuÄnyÄ«n''), also known as
CintÄmaṇicakra Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 如æ„輪觀音;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Rúyìlún GuÄnyÄ«n''), who corresponds to the
deva
Deva may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film
* ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film
* ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film
* Deva (2007 Telugu film)
* ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film
* Deva ...
realm.
# Fearless Lion-like Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: ç…åç„¡ç•è§€éŸ³;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''ShÄ«zÇ Wúwèi GuÄnyÄ«n''), also known as
Hayagriva Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 馬é 觀音;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''MÇŽtóu GuÄnyÄ«n''), who corresponds to the
animal
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...
realm.
![Quan Am 1656](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Quan_Am_1656.jpg)
In
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, the Thousand-Armed manifestation of Guanyin is the most popular among her different esoteric forms.
In the
Karandavyuha Sutra, the Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
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**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: åƒæ‰‹åƒçœ¼è§€éŸ³;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: Q''iÄnshÇ’u QiÄnyÇŽn GuÄnyÄ«n'') is described as being superior to all gods and buddhas of the Indian pantheon. The Sutra also states that "it is easier to count all the leaves of every tree of every forest and all the grains of sand in the universe than to count the blessings and power of Avalokiteshvara". This version of Guanyin with a thousand arms depicting the power of all gods also shows various buddhas in the crown depicting the wisdom of all buddhas. In temples and monasteries in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, iconographic depictions of this manifestation of Guanyin is often combined with iconographic depiction of her Eleven-Headed manifestation to form statues with a thousand arms as well as eleven heads. The mantra associated with this manifestation, the
NÄ«lakaṇá¹ha DhÄraṇī
The , also known as the , or Great Compassion DhÄraṇī / Mantra (Chinese: 大悲咒, ''Dà bÄ“i zhòu''; Japanese: 大悲心陀羅尼, ''Daihishin darani'' or 大悲呪, ''Daihi shu''; Vietnamese: ''Chú đại bi'' or ''Äại bi tâm Ä‘Ã l ...
, is one of the most popular mantras commonly recited in
East Asian Buddhism
East Asian Buddhism or East Asian Mahayana is a collective term for the schools of MahÄyÄna Buddhism that developed across East Asia which follow the Chinese Buddhist canon. These include the various forms of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vi ...
.
In Chinese Buddhism, the popularity of the mantra influenced the creation of an esoteric repentance ceremony known as the Ritual of Great Compassion Repentance (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 大悲懺法會;
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Dà bēi Chà nfǎ Huì'') during the
Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
(960-1279) by the Tiantai monk Siming Zhili (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 四明知禮;
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''SìmÃng ZhÄ«lÇ''), which is still regularly performed in modern Chinese Buddhist temples in
Mainland China
"Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...
,
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
and
overseas Chinese communities.
One Chinese Buddhist legend from the ''Complete Tale of Guanyin and the Southern Seas'' () presents Guanyin as vowing to never rest until she had freed all sentient beings from
saṃsÄra
''SaṃsÄra'' (Devanagari: संसार) is a Pali/Sanskrit word that means "world". It is also the concept of rebirth and "cyclicality of all life, matter, existence", a fundamental belief of most Indian religions. Popularly, it is the c ...
or cycle of rebirth. Despite strenuous effort, she realised that there were still many unhappy beings yet to be saved. After struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, her head split into eleven pieces. The buddha AmitÄbha, upon seeing her plight, gave her eleven heads to help her hear the cries of those who are suffering. Upon hearing these cries and comprehending them, AvalokiteÅ›vara attempted to reach out to all those who needed aid, but found that her two arms shattered into pieces. Once more, AmitÄbha came to her aid and appointed her a thousand arms to let her reach out to those in need. Many Himalayan versions of the tale include eight arms with which Avalokitesvara skillfully upholds the
dharma
Dharma (; sa, धरà¥à¤®, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
, each possessing its own particular implement, while more Chinese-specific versions give varying accounts of this number. In Japan, statues of this nature can be found at the
SanjÅ«sangen-dÅ
is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto, Japan.
The temple was founded in 1164 by Taira no Kiyomori for the cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa. It is officially known as and belongs to the MyÅhÅ-in temple ...
temple of Kyoto.
In both
Chinese Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism or Han Buddhism ( zh, s=æ±‰ä¼ ä½›æ•™, t=漢傳佛教, p=Hà nchuán Fójià o) is a Chinese form of Mahayana Buddhism which has shaped Chinese culture in a wide variety of areas including art, politics, literature, philosophy, ...
and
Japanese Buddhism
Buddhism has been practiced in Japan since about the 6th century CE. Japanese Buddhism () created many new Buddhist schools, and some schools are original to Japan and some are derived from Chinese Buddhist schools. Japanese Buddhism has had a ...
, Hayagriva Guanyin (lit. "Horse Headed Guanyin") is venerated as a guardian protector of travel and transportation, especially for cars. His statue is placed at the entrance and exits of some Chinese Buddhist temples to bless visitors. In certain Chinese Buddhist temples, visitors are also allowed to have their license plates enshrined in front of an image of this deity to invoke his protection over their vehicle. He is also counted as one of the 500
Arhat
In Buddhism, an ''arhat'' (Sanskrit: अरà¥à¤¹à¤¤à¥) or ''arahant'' (Pali: अरहनà¥à¤¤à¥, ð‘€…ð‘€ð‘€³ð‘€¦ð‘†ð‘€¢ð‘†) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana'' and liberated ...
s, where he is known as MÇŽtóu ZÅ«nzhÄ› 馬é 尊者 (lit. "The Venerable Horse Head"). In
Taoism
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of Philosophy, philosophical thought (é“家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (é“æ•™; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of China, Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmo ...
, Hayagriva Guanyin was syncretized and incorporated within the
Taoist pantheon as the god Mǎ Wáng 馬王 (lit. Horse King), who is associated with fire. In this form, he is usually portrayed with 6 arms and a third eye on the forehead.
![寶殿 - Lingyin 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/%E5%AF%B6%E6%AE%BF_-_Lingyin_2.jpg)
Guanyin's
CundÄ« manifestation is an esoteric form of Guanyin that is venerated widely in China and Japan. The first textual source of CundÄ« and the CundÄ« DhÄraṇī is the ''
KÄraṇá¸avyÅ«hasÅ«tra'', a sÅ«tra centered around the bodhisattva
Avalokiteśvara
In Buddhism, AvalokiteÅ›vara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेशà¥à¤µà¤°, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being PadmapÄṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, ...
that introduced the popular mantra ''
oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ''. This text is first dated to around the late 4th century CE to the early 5th century CE.
CundÄ« and the CundÄ« DhÄraṇī are also featured in the
CundÄ« DhÄraṇī SÅ«tra, which was translated three times from Sanskrit into
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
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* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
in the late 7th century and early 8th century by the Indian esoteric masters
DivÄkara (685 CE),
Vajrabodhi
Vajrabodhi ( sa, वजà¥à¤°à¤¬à¥‹à¤§à¤¿, , 671–741) was an Indian esoteric Buddhist monk from Kerala and teacher in Tang China. He is one of the eight patriarchs in Shingon Buddhism. He is notable for introducing Vajrayana Buddhism in the te ...
(723 CE), and
Amoghavajra
Amoghavajra ( sa, अमोघवजà¥à¤° ; , 705–774) was a prolific translator who became one of the most politically powerful Buddhist monks in Chinese history and is acknowledged as one of the Eight Patriarchs of the Doctrine in Shingon ...
(8th century).
In iconographic form, she is depicted with eighteen arms, all wielding different implements and weaponry that symbolize skillful means of the Dharma, sitting on a
lotus flower
''Nelumbo nucifera'', also known as sacred lotus, Laxmi lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more often ref ...
. This manifestation is also referred to as the "Mother of the Seventy Million
uddhas (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
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**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 七俱èƒä½›æ¯;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''QÄ«jùzhÄ« fómÇ”''). Her mantra, the MahÄcundi DhÄraṇī (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
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**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 準æ神咒;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Zhǔntà Shénzhòu''), is one of the
Ten Small Mantras (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: åå°å’’;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Shà xiǎo zhòu''), which are a collection of dharanis that are commonly recited in Chinese Buddhist temples during morning liturgical services specifically.
Guanyin's CintÄmaṇicakra manifestation is also widely venerated in China and Japan. In iconographic form, this manifestation is often portrayed as having six arms, with his first right hand touches the cheek in a pensive mudra, his second right hand holds a wish granting jewel (cintamani), his third right hand holds prayer beads, his first left hand holds Mount Meru, his second left hand holds a lotus flower and the third left hand holds a Dharma wheel (cakra). Her mantra, the CintÄmaṇicakra Dharani (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 如æ„寶輪王陀羅尼;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Rúyì BÇŽolún Wáng TuóluónÃ''), is also one of the
Ten Small Mantras.
In China, it is said that fishermen used to pray to her to ensure safe voyages. The titles ''Guanyin of the Southern Ocean'' () and "Guanyin (of/on) the Island" stem from this tradition.
Miaoshan
Another story from the ''Precious Scroll of Fragrant Mountain'' () describes an incarnation of Guanyin as the daughter of a cruel king Miaozhuang Wang who wanted her to marry a wealthy but uncaring man. The story is usually ascribed to the research of the Buddhist monk Jiang Zhiqi during the 11th century. The story is likely to have its origin in Taoism. When Jiang penned the work, he believed that the Guanyin we know today was actually a princess called Miaoshan (), who had a religious following on Fragrant Mountain. Despite this there are many variants of the story in Chinese mythology.
According to the story, after the king asked his daughter Miaoshan to marry the wealthy man, she told him that she would obey his command, so long as the marriage eased three misfortunes.
The king asked his daughter what were the three misfortunes that the marriage should ease. Miaoshan explained that the first misfortune the marriage should ease was the suffering people endure as they age. The second misfortune it should ease was the suffering people endure when they fall ill. The third misfortune it should ease was the suffering caused by death. If the marriage could not ease any of the above, then she would rather retire to a life of religion forever.
When her father asked who could ease all the above, Miaoshan pointed out that a doctor was able to do all of these. Her father grew angry as he wanted her to marry a person of power and wealth, not a healer. He forced her into hard labour and reduced her food and drink but this did not cause her to yield.
Every day she begged to be able to enter a temple and become a bhikkhuni, nun instead of marrying. Her father eventually allowed her to work in the temple, but asked the bhikkhu, monks to give her the toughest chores in order to discourage her. The monks forced Miaoshan to work all day and all night while others slept in order to finish her work. However, she was such a good person that the animals living around the temple began to help her with her chores. Her father, seeing this, became so frustrated that he attempted to burn down the temple. Miaoshan put out the fire with her bare hands and suffered no burns. Now struck with fear, her father ordered her to be put to death.
![Gangaramaya Temple SL2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Gangaramaya_Temple_SL2.png)
In one version of this legend, when Guanyin was executed, a supernatural tiger took her to one of the more hell-like realms of the dead. However, instead of being punished like the other spirits of the dead, Guanyin played music, and flowers blossomed around her. This completely surprised the hell guardian. The story says that Guanyin, by merely being in that Naraka (Buddhism), Naraka (hell), turned it into a paradise.
A variant of the legend says that Miaoshan allowed herself to die at the hand of the executioner. According to this legend, as the executioner tried to carry out her father's orders, his axe shattered into a thousand pieces. He then tried a sword which likewise shattered. He tried to shoot Miaoshan down with arrows but they all veered off.
![Small shrine to Guanyin or Kannon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Small_shrine_to_Guanyin_or_Kannon._Ashikaga%2C_Japan.jpg)
Finally in desperation he used his hands. Miaoshan, realising the fate that the executioner would meet at her father's hand should she fail to let herself die, forgave the executioner for attempting to kill her. It is said that she voluntarily took on the massive karmic guilt the executioner generated for killing her, thus leaving him guiltless. It is because of this that she descended into the Hell-like realms. While there, she witnessed first-hand the suffering and horrors that the beings there must endure, and was overwhelmed with grief. Filled with compassion, she released all the good karma she had accumulated through her many lifetimes, thus freeing many suffering souls back into Heaven and Earth. In the process, that Hell-like realm became a paradise. It is said that Yama (East Asia), Yama, the ruler of hell, sent her back to Earth to prevent the utter destruction of his realm, and that upon her return she appeared on Fragrant Mountain.
Another tale says that Miaoshan never died, but was in fact transported by a supernatural tiger, believed to be the Deity of the Place, to Fragrant Mountain.
The legend of Miaoshan usually ends with Miaozhuang Wang, Miaoshan's father, falling ill with jaundice. No physician was able to cure him. Then a monk appeared saying that the jaundice could be cured by making a medicine out of the arm and eye of one without anger. The monk further suggested that such a person could be found on Fragrant Mountain. When asked, Miaoshan willingly offered up her eyes and arms. Miaozhuang Wang was cured of his illness and went to the Fragrant Mountain to give thanks to the person. When he discovered that his own daughter had made the sacrifice, he begged for forgiveness. The story concludes with Miaoshan being transformed into the Thousand Armed Guanyin, and the king, queen and her two sisters building a temple on the mountain for her. She began her journey to a
pure land
A pure land is the celestial realm of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism () and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field (Sanskrit ). Th ...
and was about to cross over into heaven when she heard a cry of suffering from the world below. She turned around and saw the massive suffering endured by the people of the world. Filled with compassion, she returned to Earth, vowing never to leave till such time as all suffering has ended.
After her return to Earth, Guanyin was said to have stayed for a few years on the island of
Mount Putuo
Mount Putuo (, from Sanskrit: "Mount Potalaka") is an island in Putuo District, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China. It is a renowned site in Chinese Buddhism and is the bodhimaṇá¸a of the bodhisattva Guanyin.
Mount Putuo is one of the four sacre ...
where she practised meditation and helped the sailors and fishermen who got stranded. Guanyin is frequently worshipped as patron of sailors and fishermen due to this. She is said to frequently becalm the sea when boats are threatened with rocks. After some decades Guanyin returned to Fragrant Mountain to continue her meditation.
Guanyin and Shancai
![An Altar of Guanyin Worship](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/An_Altar_of_Guanyin_Worship.jpg)
Legend has it that Shancai (also called Sudhana in Sanskrit) was a disabled boy from India who was very interested in studying the
dharma
Dharma (; sa, धरà¥à¤®, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
. When he heard that there was a Buddhist teacher on the rocky island of Putuo he quickly journeyed there to learn. Upon arriving at the island, he managed to find Guanyin despite his severe disability.
Guanyin, after having a discussion with Shancai, decided to test the boy's resolve to fully study the Buddhist teachings. She conjured the illusion of three sword-wielding pirates running up the hill to attack her. Guanyin took off and dashed to the edge of a cliff, the three illusions still chasing her.
Shancai, seeing that his teacher was in danger, hobbled uphill. Guanyin then jumped over the edge of the cliff, and soon after this the three bandits followed. Shancai, still wanting to save his teacher, managed to crawl his way over the cliff edge.
Shancai fell down the cliff but was halted in midair by Guanyin, who now asked him to walk. Shancai found that he could walk normally and that he was no longer crippled. When he looked into a pool of water he also discovered that he now had a very handsome face. From that day forth, Guanyin taught Shancai the entire dharma.
Guanyin and Longnü
Many years after Shancai became a disciple of Guanyin, a distressing event happened in the South China Sea. The third son of one of the Dragon Kings was caught by a fisherman while swimming in the form of a fish. Being stuck on land, he was unable to transform back into his dragon form. His father, despite being a mighty Dragon King, was unable to do anything while his son was on land. Distressed, the son called out to all of Heaven and Earth.
Hearing this cry, Guanyin quickly sent Shancai to recover the fish and gave him all the money she had. The fish at this point was about to be sold in the market. It was causing quite a stir as it was alive hours after being caught. This drew a much larger crowd than usual at the market. Many people decided that this prodigious situation meant that eating the fish would grant them immortality, and so all present wanted to buy the fish. Soon a bidding war started, and Shancai was easily outbid.
Shancai begged the fish seller to spare the life of the fish. The crowd, now angry at someone so daring, was about to pry him away from the fish when Guanyin projected her voice from far away, saying "A life should definitely belong to one who tries to save it, not one who tries to take it."
The crowd, realising their shameful actions and desire, dispersed. Shancai brought the fish back to Guanyin, who promptly returned it to the sea. There the fish transformed back to a dragon and returned home. Paintings of Guanyin today sometimes portray her holding a fish basket, which represents the aforementioned tale.
As a reward for Guanyin saving his son, the Dragon King sent his granddaughter, a girl called
Longnü ("dragon girl"), to present Guanyin with the Pearl of Light. The Pearl of Light was a precious jewel owned by the Dragon King that constantly shone. Longnü, overwhelmed by the presence of Guanyin, asked to be her disciple so that she might study the dharma. Guanyin accepted her offer with just one request: that Longnü be the new owner of the Pearl of Light.
In popular iconography, Longnü and Shancai are often seen alongside Guanyin as two children. Longnü is seen either holding a bowl or an ingot, which represents the Pearl of Light, whereas Shancai is seen with palms joined and knees slightly bent to show that he was once crippled.
Guanyin and the Filial Parrot
The ''Precious Scroll of the Parrot'' () tells the story of a parrot who becomes a disciple of Guanyin. During the Tang Dynasty a small parrot ventures out to search for its mother's favourite food upon which it is captured by a poacher (parrots were quite popular during the Tang Dynasty). When it managed to escape it found out that its mother had already died. The parrot grieved for its mother and provides her with a proper funeral. It then sets out to become a disciple of Guanyin.
In popular iconography, the parrot is coloured white and usually seen hovering to the right side of Guanyin with either a pearl or a prayer bead clasped in its beak. The parrot becomes a symbol of filial piety in Buddhism, filial piety.
Guanyin and Chen Jinggu
Chen Jinggu is said to be related to Guanyin via the following story.
One day in Quanzhou,
Fujian
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...
, the people needed money to build a bridge. Guanyin turned into an attractive lady and said she would marry any man who could hit her with silver. Many tried, and Guanyin was able to accumulate a lot of silver ingots through this process. Eventually one of the Eight Immortals, Lü Dongbin, helped a merchant hit her hair with some silver.
* Guanyin's hair then floated away and became a white demon female snake. The snake would seduce men and kill other women.
* Guanyin then disappeared, but she let some of her blood from her finger flow down the river. A woman named Ge Furen (葛妇人 Lady Ge), whose husband was from the Chen family, then drank some of Guanyin's blood from the water and became pregnant, giving birth to Chen Jinggu. Later Chen Jinggu would fight and kill the white demon snake.
* As for the merchant, he later reincarnated as Liu Qi (劉æž) and would marry Chen Jinggu.
The story continues with how Chen Jinggu grew up, studied at Lüshan, and eventually saved Northern Fujian from drought while defeating the white demon snake, but at the cost of sacrificing her own child. It is said that she died of either miscarriage or hemorrhage from the self-abortion.
Parallels have also been argued between the tale of Chen Jinggu and another Fujian legend, the tale of ''Li Ji slays the Giant Serpent''.
Quan Am Thi Kinh
''Quan Am Thi Kinh'' () is a Vietnamese verse recounting the life of a woman, Thi Kinh. She was accused falsely of having intended to kill her husband, and when she disguised herself as a man to lead a religious life in a Buddhist temple, she was again falsely blamed for having committed sexual intercourse with a girl named Thi Mau. She was accused of impregnating her, which was strictly forbidden by Buddhist law. However, thanks to her endurance of all indignities and her spirit of self-sacrifice, she could enter into Nirvana and became Goddess of Mercy (Phat Ba Quan Am). P. Q. Phan's 2014 opera ' is based on this story.
Other manifestations of Guanyin
In China, various native indigenous forms and aspects of Guanyin have been developed, along with associated legends, and portrayed in religious iconography. Aside from religious veneration, many of these manifestations also tended to appear in medieval and modern Chinese Buddhist miracle tales, fantasy fiction novels and plays.
Some local forms include:
*Shuiyue Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 水月觀音;
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''ShuÇyuè GuÄnyÄ«n) -'' "Water-Moon Guanyin". A traditionally masculine form of Guanyin who is closely linked to and sometimes regarded as a further manifestation of the Thousand-Armed Guanyin. Is traditionally invoked for good rebirth, safe childbirth as well as enlightenment. Is usually portrayed in statues and painting as a young man or woman in a relaxed lalitasana pose beside a pond or lake with the moon reflected in the water, with the moon in the water being a metaphor for the Buddhist tenet of ŚūnyatÄ.
*Songzi Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: é€å觀音;
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Sòngzi GuÄnyÄ«n)'' - "Child-giving Guanyin". An aspect of Guanyin which is closely linked to another manifestation, Baiyi Guanyin. Is primarily venerated as a fertility goddess and frequently invoked in prayers for children. Usually portrayed in statues and painting as a reclining white-robed young woman with a child sitting on her lap. Iconographic forms of this manifestations were noted by European travelers during the Ming dynasty, Ming and Qing dynasty, Qing dynasties to bear a striking resemblance to depictions of the Mary, mother of Jesus, Virgin Mary as the Madonna (art), Madonna with Child.
This manifestation is also syncretized into
Taoism
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of Philosophy, philosophical thought (é“家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (é“æ•™; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of China, Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmo ...
and
Chinese folk religion
Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. Vivienne Wee described it as "an empty bowl, which can variously be filled ...
as Songzi Niangniang.
*Baiyi Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 白衣觀音;
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''BáiyÄ« GuÄnyÄ«n) -'' "White Robed Guanyin". A traditionally feminine form of Guanyin who is closely linked to another manifestation, Songzi Guanyin. Like that manifestation, Baiyi Guanyin is usually venerated as a fertility goddess and invoked in prayers for children. Is usually portrayed in statues and painting as a young woman dresses in a white robe which sometimes covers the head, acting as a veil. The significance of the color white in this manifestation was influenced by tantric sutras as well as mandalas such as the Mandala of the Two Realms which frequently depict Guanyin as being clad in white.
*Yulan Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: éšç±ƒè§€éŸ³;
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''Yúlán GuÄnyÄ«n'') - "Fish Basket Guanyin". A form of Guanyin that originates from a legend about Guanyin descending as an avatar in the form of a beautiful young fisherwoman in order to convert a town of vicious, evil men into Buddhists. Usually portrayed in statues and painting as a young woman holding a fish-basket.
This manifestation also appears in the popular Ming dynasty novel Journey to the West, Journey To The West, one of the Classic Chinese Novels, Four Classic Chinese Novels, where she uses the fish basket to capture a sea demon.
* Nanhai Guanyin (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: å—海觀音;
Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese for ...
: ''NánhÇŽi GuÄnyÄ«n'') - "Guanyin Of The Southern Seas". A form of Guanyin that became popularized after the establishment of
Mount Putuo
Mount Putuo (, from Sanskrit: "Mount Potalaka") is an island in Putuo District, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China. It is a renowned site in Chinese Buddhism and is the bodhimaṇá¸a of the bodhisattva Guanyin.
Mount Putuo is one of the four sacre ...
as Guanyin's
bodhimaṇá¸a
Bodhimaṇá¸a (Sanskrit and Pali) or daochang () is a term used in Buddhism meaning the "position of awakening". According to Haribhadra, it is "a place used as a seat, where the essence of enlightenment is present".
Bodhimaṇá¸as are regularl ...
and a major Chinese Buddhist pilgrimage center. Is usually portrayed in statues and painting as a young woman in a relaxe
rÄjalÄ«lÄpose meditating on
Mount Putuo
Mount Putuo (, from Sanskrit: "Mount Potalaka") is an island in Putuo District, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China. It is a renowned site in Chinese Buddhism and is the bodhimaṇá¸a of the bodhisattva Guanyin.
Mount Putuo is one of the four sacre ...
, or Mount Potalaka, Potalaka. Certain iconographic details vary from depiction to depiction, with some including a stand of bamboo before the bodhisattva, or a vase with willow branches, or
Shancai
SudhanakumÄra (), mainly known as Sudhana and Shancai or Shancai Tongzi in Chinese, and translated as ''Child of Wealth'', is the protagonist in the last and longest chapter of the ''Avatamsaka Sutra''. Sudhana appears in Buddhist, Taoist and folk ...
and
Longnü standing beside her as attendants.
![Kwan Im statue Pematangsiantar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Kwan_Im_statue_Pematangsiantar.jpg)
Similarly in Japan, several local manifestations of Guanyin, known there primarily as Kannon or, reflecting an older pronunciation, Kwannon, have also been developed natively, supplanting some Japanese deities, with some having been developed as late as the 20th century. Some local forms include:
* Bokefuji Kannon - "Senility-healing Kannon". A 20th century invention by a religious goods manufacturer due to rising concern about senility and dementia. Depicted as a woman with small figures of an elderly man and woman at her feet.
* Jibo Kannon - "Compassionate-mother Kannon". Kannon as a woman holding an infant. Became especially popular in Japan when suppressed Christians used the image to represent the Virgin Mary and Christ Child.
* Koyasu Kannon - "Safe-childbirth Kannon". Kannon as a woman, holding or often nursing an infant. Predates Jibo Kannon by several centuries. Similarly used by Christians.
* Mizuko KuyÅ Kannon - "New-born Memorial-service Kannon". (Mizuko KuyÅ is a memorial service held for children who are born dead or die shortly after birth.) A woman surrounded by or holding several children. A 20th century development in response to aborted pregnancies as well as stillbirths and spontaneous pregnancy terminations.
* Maria Kannon - "Mary Kannon". A statue of the Virgin Mary disguised to look like a statue of Kannon. Often contains a Christian symbol, either obscured on the surface or hidden within the statue. Arose during a time when Christianity was proscribed during the Tokugawa shogunate.
* YÅkihi Kannon - "Yang Gui Fei Kannon" (Yang Guifei, Yang Gui Fei is read as "YÅkihi" in Japan). Yang Guifei was a famed Chinese Tang dynasty era beauty. Despite being depicted as an epitome of feminine beauty YÅkihi Kannon usually sport a moustache designed to desexualise the icon and demonstrate how the capacity for enlightenment does not depend upon a person's sex.
In Tibet, Guanyin is revered under the name Chenrezig. Unlike much of other East Asia Buddhism where Guanyin is usually portrayed as female or androgynous, Chenrezig is revered in male form. While similarities of the female form of Guanyin with the female buddha or boddhisattva Tara (Buddhism), Tara are noted—particularly the aspect of Tara called Green Tara—Guanyin is rarely identified with Tara.
Through Guanyin's identity as Avalokitesvara, she is a part of the ''padmakula'' (Lotus family) of buddhas. The buddha of the Lotus family is AmitÄbha, whose consort is PÄṇá¸aravÄsinÄ«. Guanyin's female form is sometimes said to have been inspired by PÄṇá¸aravÄsinÄ«.
Association with vegetarianism
Due to her symbolization of compassion, in East Asia, Guanyin is associated with vegetarianism. Buddhist cuisine is generally decorated with her image and she appears in most Buddhist vegetarian pamphlets and magazines. In fact there is a soil named after her called "Guanyin Clay". There are many benefits to eating this clay. Chaoqi (Chinese: 炒祺/炒粸) is a traditional Chinese snack. It is the dough pieces covered with Guanyin Clay, a kind of soil. The primary raw materials for making Chaoqi are flour, edible oil, egg, sugar, salt, and sesame. It has various flavors like milk flavor, sesame flavor, and five spices flavor. This vegetarian snack was traditionally taken on long journeys as the clay also helped to preserve the dough.
Role in East Asian Buddhism
In
East Asian Buddhism
East Asian Buddhism or East Asian Mahayana is a collective term for the schools of MahÄyÄna Buddhism that developed across East Asia which follow the Chinese Buddhist canon. These include the various forms of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vi ...
, Guanyin is the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. Among the Chinese, Avalokiteśvara is almost exclusively called ''Guanshiyin Pusa'' (). The Chinese translation of many Buddhist sutras has in fact replaced the Chinese transliteration of Avalokitesvara with ''Guanshiyin'' (). Some Taoist scriptures give her the title of ''Guanyin Dashi'', sometimes informally ''Guanyin Fozu''.
In Chinese culture, the popular belief and worship of Guanyin as a goddess by the populace is generally not viewed to be in conflict with the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara's nature. In fact the widespread worship of Guanyin as a "Goddess of Mercy and Compassion" is seen by Buddhists as the boundless salvific nature of bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara at work (in Buddhism, this is referred to as Guanyin's "skillful means", or upaya). The Buddhist canon states that bodhisattvas can assume whatsoever gender and form is needed to liberate beings from ignorance and dukkha. With specific reference to Avalokitesvara, he is stated both in the ''Lotus Sutra'' (Chapter 25 "Perceiver of the World's Sounds" or "Universal Gateway"), and the ''
Śūraṅgama Sūtra
The ''Śūraá¹…gama SÅ«tra'' (Sanskrit: शूरङà¥à¤—म सूतà¥à¤°; ) (Taisho 945) is a Mahayana Buddhist sutra that has been especially influential in Chan Buddhism. The general doctrinal outlook of the ''Śūraá¹…gama SÅ«tra'' is ...
'' to have appeared before as a woman or a goddess to save beings from suffering and ignorance. Some Buddhist schools refer to Guanyin both as male and female interchangeably.
![Status of Kuan Yin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Status_of_Kuan_Yin.jpg)
Guanyin is immensely popular among Chinese Buddhists, especially those from devotional schools. She is generally seen as a source of unconditional love and, more importantly, as a saviour. In her bodhisattva vow, Guanyin promises to answer the cries and pleas of all sentient beings and to liberate them from their own karmic woes. Based on the Lotus Sutra and the Shurangama sutra, Avalokitesvara is generally seen as a saviour, both spiritually and physically. The sutras state that through his saving grace even those who have no chance of being enlightened can be enlightened, and those deep in negative karma can still find salvation through his compassion.
In Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhism, gender is no obstacle to attaining enlightenment (or nirvana). The Buddhist concept of non-duality applies here. The ''Vimalakirti Sutra''s "Goddess" chapter clearly illustrates an enlightened being who is also a female and deity. In the ''Lotus Sutra'', a maiden became enlightened in a very short time span. The view that AvalokiteÅ›vara is also the goddess Guanyin does not seem contradictory to Buddhist beliefs. Guanyin has been a buddha called the "TathÄgata of Brightness of Correct Dharma" ().
In Pure Land Buddhism, Guanyin is described as the "Barque of Salvation". Along with AmitÄbha and the bodhisattva
Mahasthamaprapta
MahÄsthÄmaprÄpta is a bodhisattva mahÄsattva who represents the power of wisdom. His name literally means "arrival of the great strength".
MahÄsthÄmaprÄpta is one of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, along with MañjuÅ› ...
, she temporarily liberates beings out of the Wheel of Samsara into the Pure Land, where they will have the chance to accrue the necessary merit so as to be a Buddha in one lifetime. In Chinese Buddhist iconography, Guanyin is often depicted as meditating or sitting alongside one of the Buddhas and usually accompanied by another bodhisattva. The buddha and bodhisattva that are portrayed together with Guanyin usually follow whichever school of Buddhism they represent. In Pure Land Buddhism, for example, Guanyin is frequently depicted on the left of AmitÄbha, while on the buddha's right is
Mahasthamaprapta
MahÄsthÄmaprÄpta is a bodhisattva mahÄsattva who represents the power of wisdom. His name literally means "arrival of the great strength".
MahÄsthÄmaprÄpta is one of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, along with MañjuÅ› ...
. Temples that revere the bodhisattva Ksitigarbha usually depict him meditating beside AmitÄbha and Guanyin.
Even among Chinese Buddhist schools that are non-devotional, Guanyin is still highly venerated. Instead of being seen as an active external force of unconditional love and salvation, the personage of Guanyin is highly revered as the principle of compassion, mercy and love. The act, thought and feeling of compassion and love is viewed as Guanyin. A merciful, compassionate, loving individual is said to be Guanyin. A meditative or contemplative state of being at peace with oneself and others is seen as Guanyin.
In the Mahayana canon, the ''
Heart Sutra'' is ascribed entirely to Guanyin. This is unique, since most Mahayana Sutras are usually ascribed to Gautama Buddha and the teachings, deeds or vows of the bodhisattvas are described by Shakyamuni Buddha. In the ''Heart Sutra'', Guanyin describes to the
arhat
In Buddhism, an ''arhat'' (Sanskrit: अरà¥à¤¹à¤¤à¥) or ''arahant'' (Pali: अरहनà¥à¤¤à¥, ð‘€…ð‘€ð‘€³ð‘€¦ð‘†ð‘€¢ð‘†) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana'' and liberated ...
Sariputta the nature of reality and the essence of the Buddhist teachings. The famous Buddhist saying "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form" () comes from this sutra.
Role in other Eastern religions
![Lahad-Datu Sabah Guan-Yin-Temple-01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Lahad-Datu_Sabah_Guan-Yin-Temple-01.jpg)
Guanyin is an extremely popular goddess in
Chinese folk religion
Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. Vivienne Wee described it as "an empty bowl, which can variously be filled ...
and is worshiped in many Chinese communities throughout East and Southeast Asia. In Taoism, records claim Guanyin was a Chinese woman who became an immortal, Cihang Zhenren in Shang dynasty or Xingyin ().
Guanyin is revered in the general Chinese population due to her unconditional love and compassion. She is generally regarded by many as the protector of women and children, perhaps due to iconographic confusion with images of Hariti. By this association, she is also seen as a fertility goddess capable of granting children to couples. An old Chinese superstition involves a woman who, wishing to have a child, offers a shoe to Guanyin. In Chinese culture, a borrowed shoe sometimes is used when a child is expected. After the child is born, the shoe is returned to its owner along with a new pair as a thank you gift.
Guanyin is also seen as the champion of the unfortunate, the sick, the disabled, the poor, and those in trouble. Some coastal and river areas of China regard her as the protector of fishermen, sailors, and generally people who are out at sea, thus many have also come to believe that Mazu, the goddess of the sea, is a manifestation of Guanyin. Due to her association with the legend of the Flood Mythology of China, Great Flood, where she sent down a dog in Chinese mythology, dog holding rice grains in its tail after the flood, she is worshiped as an agrarian and agriculture goddess. In some quarters, especially among business people and traders, she is looked upon as a goddess of fortune. In recent years there have been claims of her being the protector of air travelers.
Guanyin is also a ubiquitous figure found within new religious movements of Asia:
* Within the Taiwan-based Yiguandao, Guanyin is called the "Ancient Buddha of the South Sea" () and frequently appears in their ''fuji (planchette writing), fuji''. Guanyin is sometimes confused with Yuehui Bodhisattva () due to their similar appearance.
* Guanyin is called the "Ancient Buddha of the Holy Religion" () in Zaili teaching and Tiandi teachings. In Zaili teaching, she is the main deity worshipped.
* Ching Hai initiates her followers a meditation method called the "Quan Yin Method" to achieve enlightenment; followers also revere Ching Hai as an incarnation of Guanyin.
* Shinji Shumeikai acknowledges Guanyin or Kannon in Japanese as the deity of compassion or the Goddess of Mercy, who was actively guiding the founder Meishusama and represents a middle way between Zen and Pure Land Buddhism.
* Caodaism considers Guanyin, known as "Quan Am Tathagata" (Quan Âm Như Lai), as a Buddha and a teacher. She represents Buddhist doctrines and traditions as one of the three major lines of Caodaist doctrines (Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism). She also symbolizes utmost patience, harmony, and compassion. According to her Divine messages via seances, her main role is to teach the Tao to female disciples, and guide them towards divinity. Another of her well-known role is to save people from extreme sufferings, e.g. fire, drowning, wrong accusation/ imprisonment, etc. There is even a prayer named "Salvation from sufferings" for followers to cite in dire conditions.
Similarity to the Virgin Mary
![Chinese Madonna](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Chinese_Madonna._St._Francis%27_Church%2C_Macao.jpg)
Some Buddhist and Christian observers have commented on the similarity between Guanyin and Mary, mother of Jesus. This can be attributed to the representation of Guanyin holding a child in Chinese art and sculpture; it is believed that Guanyin is the patron saint of mothers and grants parents filial children, this apparition is popularly known as the "Child-Sending Guanyin" (). One example of this comparison can be found in Tzu Chi, a Taiwanese Buddhist humanitarian organisation, which noticed the similarity between this form of Guanyin and the Virgin Mary. The organisation commissioned a portrait of Guanyin holding a baby, closely resembling the typical Catholic Madonna and Child painting. Copies of this portrait are now displayed prominently in Tzu Chi affiliated medical centres, especially since Tzu Chi's founder is a Buddhist master and her supporters come from various religious backgrounds.
During the Edo period in Japan, when Christianity was banned and punishable by death, some underground Christian groups venerated Jesus and the Virgin Mary by disguising them as statues of Kannon holding a child; such statues are known as ''Kakure Kirishitan, Maria Kannon''. Many had a cross hidden in an inconspicuous location.
It is suggested the similarity comes from the conquest and colonization of the Philippines by Spain during the 16th century, when Asian cultures influenced engravings of the Virgin Mary, as evidenced, for example, in an ivory carving of the Virgin Mary by a Chinese carver.
The statue of Guanyin (Gwanse-eum) in Gilsangsa in Seoul, South Korea was sculpted by Catholic sculptor Choi Jong-tae, who modeled the statue after the Virgin Mary in hopes of fostering religious reconciliation in Korean society.
In popular culture
Guanyin is a central character in the popular Chinese mythological epic ''Journey to the West'' as well as its various derivative fictional works.
In the 1946 film ''Three Strangers'' the titular characters wish for a shared sweepstakes ticket to win before a statue of Guanyin, referred to in the film as Kwan Yin.
For a 2005 ''Fo Guang Shan'' TV series, Andy Lau performed the song "Kwun Sai Yam", which emphasizes the idea that everyone can be like Guanyin.
In her 2008 song, "Flavors of Entanglement#Track listing, Citizen of the Planet", Alanis Morissette refers to Kwan Yin as a global presidential figure in her idealised version of the world.
In the manga series ''Hunter x Hunter'' and its 2011 anime adaptation, the chairman of the hunter's association, Isaac Netero, has the ability to summon a giant statue of Guanyin and use her hundred arms to attack.
In the 2011 Thai movie ''The Billionaire'', also known as ''Top Secret: Wai Roon Pan Lan'' (), Guanyin appears to entrepreneur Top (Itthipat Peeradechapan), founder of Tao Kae Noi Seaweed Snacks, providing him inspiration during his period of uncertainty.
Fantasy author Richard Parks (author), Richard Parks has frequently utilized Guanyin as a character in his fiction, most notably in the short stories "A Garden in Hell" (2006) and "The White Bone Fan" (2009), the novella ''The Heavenly Fox'' (2011), and the novel ''All the Gates of Hell'' (2013).
The ''Guanshiyin'' is Jules-Pierre Mao's space yacht in ''The Expanse (novel series), The Expanse'' novel and TV series.
The 2013 Buddhist film ''Avalokitesvara (film), Avalokitesvara,'' tells the origins of
Mount Putuo
Mount Putuo (, from Sanskrit: "Mount Potalaka") is an island in Putuo District, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China. It is a renowned site in Chinese Buddhism and is the bodhimaṇá¸a of the bodhisattva Guanyin.
Mount Putuo is one of the four sacre ...
, the famous pilgrimage site for Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in China. The film was filmed onsite on Mount Putuo and featured several segments where monks chant the Heart Sutra in Chinese and Sanskrit. Egaku, the protagonist of the film, also chants the Heart Sutra in Japanese.
KÅdai-ji, KÅdai-ji Temple in Kyoto commissioned an android version of Kannon to preach Buddhism, Buddhist scriptures. The android, named Mindar, was unveiled 23 February 2019.
See also
* Cihang Zhenren, Taoist counterpart of Guanyin
* Ká¹£itigarbha
*
Longnü and Sudhana
*
Lotus Sutra
The ''Lotus SÅ«tra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮è¯ç¶“; sa, सदà¥à¤§à¤°à¥à¤®à¤ªà¥à¤£à¥à¤¡à¤°à¥€à¤•à¤¸à¥‚तà¥à¤°à¤®à¥, translit=Saddharma Puṇá¸arÄ«ka SÅ«tram, lit=SÅ«tra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...
* Manjusri
* Queen Mother of the West
* Samantabhadra (Bodhisattva), Samantabhadra
* Tara (Buddhism)
*
Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage
The is a pilgrimage of thirty-three Buddhist temples throughout the Kansai region of Japan, similar to the Shikoku Pilgrimage. In addition to the official thirty-three temples, there are an additional three known as . The principal image in each ...
*
Mount Putuo
Mount Putuo (, from Sanskrit: "Mount Potalaka") is an island in Putuo District, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China. It is a renowned site in Chinese Buddhism and is the bodhimaṇá¸a of the bodhisattva Guanyin.
Mount Putuo is one of the four sacre ...
, sacred ground of Guanyin
* Quan Âm Pagoda (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam
* Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Malacca, Malaysia
*
Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple () is a traditional Chinese temple situated at 178 Waterloo Street in Singapore. The temple is of significance to the Buddhist community among Chinese Singaporeans, and is believed to bring worshippers good luck a ...
, Singapore
* Wat Plai Laem, Ko Samui, Thailand
* Lin Fa Temple, Hong Kong
* Kim Tek Ie Temple, Jakarta, Indonesia
* Guanyin of Nanshan, the List of tallest statues, fourteenth tallest statue in the world
* Tieguanyin, a variety of oolong named after Guanyin
Notes
References
Citations
Sources
*
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External links
Buddhanet: Kuan YinDescription on Kuan Yin
Book on Guan Yin for children
Legend of Miao Shan
Explanation on Kuan Yin and the Heart Sutra
*
Lotus Sutra
The ''Lotus SÅ«tra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮è¯ç¶“; sa, सदà¥à¤§à¤°à¥à¤®à¤ªà¥à¤£à¥à¤¡à¤°à¥€à¤•à¤¸à¥‚तà¥à¤°à¤®à¥, translit=Saddharma Puṇá¸arÄ«ka SÅ«tram, lit=SÅ«tra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...
Chapter 25. The universal door of Guanshi Yin Bodhisattva (The bodhisattva who contemplates the sounds of the world)(Translated by The Buddhist Text Translation Society in USA)
Sinicization of Buddhism – White Robe Guan Yin– explanation of how Avalokiteshvara transformed into Guan Yin in Chinese Buddhism
Surangama SutraEnglish translation of Chapter 5 "The Ear Organ" which mentions Guan Yin.
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra: A New Translationby Buddhist Text Translation Society. Chapter 6 details Kuan Yin's powers.
{{Authority control
Guanyin,
Buddhist goddesses
Childhood goddesses
Chinese goddesses
Journey to the West characters
Mother goddesses