The Guanyin The Bodhisattva Of Compassion - 1526 Words

The Guanyin is known as the Bodhisattva of Compassion (â€Å"Fragment of Guanyin of Eleven Heads†). A Bodhisattva is a being â€Å"dedicated to the salvation of everyone; in carrying out this noble task, they choose to become buddhas instead of seeking personal nirvaha [sic]† (Yeu 2). Guanyin is the Chinese name for the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Overmyer 418). The original script describing Avalokitesvara is the Lotus Sutra (Overmyer 419). In the Lotus Sutra, Avalokitesvara is known as â€Å"the Regarder of the Cries of the World† (The Threefold Lotus Sutra 319). The Buddha describes the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara: If there be countless hundred thousand myriad koÈ›is of living beings suffering from pain and distress who hear of this Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, and with all their minds call upon his name, the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World will instantly hear their cries, and all of them will be delivered (The Threefold Lotus Sutra 319). The Buddha gives an example of what the Bodhisattva can do. The Buddha says, If, again, there be any man on the verge of [deadly] harm who calls upon the name of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World, the sword of the attacker will instantly snap asunder and he will be set free [sic] (The Threefold Lotus Sutra 320). The Bodhisattva can also help people from non-physical danger as well. The Buddha said, â€Å"If any living beings much given to the carnal passion in mind and revere the Bodhisattva Regarder ofShow MoreRelatedSeated Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara ( Guanyin )982 Words   |  4 PagesSeated Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Guanyin). Both these pieces which are statues were sculpted in china. The earliest statue was made during the Tang dynasty. While, the later statue was made during the Northern Song dynasty. These statues were chosen because the same deity is depicted and were made in a similar geographic and cultural location. This allows for the comparison of the different styles between the 2 periods. The statue made during the Northern Song dynasty depicts the Bodhisattva AvalokitesvaraRead MoreReclining Pan in the St. Louis Art Museum2701 Words   |  11 Pagesthat it is now virtually impossible to determine Guanyins true origin. The official Buddhist view is that Guanyin originated with the male AvalokiteÅ›vara, though Guanyins origin may be more complex than this simple, linear derivation. While it is certain that the name Guanshiyin is derived from the name Avalokitesvara.5 According to Mahayana doctrine, Avalokitesvara is the bodhisattvas who has made a great vow to listen to the prayers of all sentient beings in times of difficulty, and to postponeRead MoreFeminism in Chinese Buddhism: Patriarchy versus Non-Duality1271 Words   |  5 PagesThe Bodhisattva of infinite compassion Guanyin (ironically adopted from a male, Indian deity) exemplifies positive feminine values. Bodhisattvas are Buddhist deities who decide to remain in the world to help other beings achieve Enlightenment, in contrast to Buddhas who have attained a total state of Enlightenment and left the world and the endless cycle of birth and rebirth known as samsara. One example of such a story from the Chinese Buddhist tradition showing the compassion of Guanyin is thatRead MoreAlicia Parker. 4/30/17. Exploring Asia . Reflection Paper.1247 Words   |  5 Pagesto the end of suffering†. The concept of the Bodhisattva plays a huge role in Buddhism. Bodhisattvas are beings that strive towards enlightenment. A Bodhisattva can be anyone that practices the ways of the Buddha. Also, Buddhists also believe in the existence of the Celestial Bodhisattva. This concept involves Guanyin and Maitreya. Guanyin, the â€Å"Goddess of Mercy† is a bodhisattva associated with compassion. Maitreya, the â€Å"Future Buddha† is a Bodhisattva that has not yet achieved enlightenment butRead MoreBuddhism And The Society Of Women2034 Words   |  9 Pagesfounder of the Fokuangshan Buddhist order, to organize a renunciation ceremony to reintroduce a bhikkhuni lineage in those countries currently lacking one.† (Buddhism and Women, 2008). Buddha previously said that it was impossible for a woman be a Bodhisattva. Neither can the person rebirth as woman. It is seen as if that person has done something wrong in their past life and that is why they are a woman. â€Å"The cons istent male gender of a bodhisatta is illustrated in hundreds of ja Ì„taka stories, whichRead MoreSimilarities Between The Sui And Tang Dynasty1611 Words   |  7 Pagesaspects of the religion were sinicized. For example, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, or Guanyin, became a woman. A bodhisattva was someone who believed in Mahayana Buddhism, a newer kind of Buddhism, who was so enlightened that they could have escaped reincarnation in their current life but decided to stay behind and help others become enlightened first (2,14). Compassion was a feminine characteristic according to Chinese custom, so Guanyin was believed to be a woman (4,48). Mahayana Buddhism wasRead MoreThe Fourth And Fifth Centuries B.c Essay2169 Words   |  9 Pagesin heavy classical fold resembling Roman togas. As centuries pass, Buddhism would extend from its original focus of the Buddha to include various celestial Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as well as other teachers and thinkers. Unlike the Buddha, who is considered to have achieved a state of complete spiritual enlightenment, Bodhisattvas are individuals who are destined for enlightenment but chose to hold themselves back in order to help others achieve the same goal. Gandharan artist also had many representationsRead More The Relationship Between Confucianism And Buddhism Essay2935 Words   |  12 PagesMahayana that holds huge appeal for lay practitioners thanks to its promise of rebirth in a pure land where one can achieve enlightenment. Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, was also introduced to China around this time. The Chinese would call him, or her since the Chinese frequently depict the deity as female, Guanyin or Guanshiyin. These names are rough translations of the Indian meaning â€Å"the god who hears the cry of man† (Saunders 161). Access to a deity who, unlike the BuddhaRead MoreConfucianism in Journey to the West31834 Words   |  128 Pagesfor your mercy and compassion, master. I beg you to give me a personal name to go with my new surname, then it will be much easier to address me.† çÅ' ´Ã§Å½â€¹Ã¥  ¬Ã¨ ¯ ´, æ » ¡Ã¥ ¿Æ'æ ¬ ¢Ã¥â€"Å", æÅ" Ã¤ ¸Å Ã¥  ©Ã¥ ¤ ´Ã© â€œ: â€Å"Ã¥ ¥ ½! Ã¥ ¥ ½! Ã¥ ¥ ½! ä »Å Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¦â€" ¹Ã§Å¸ ¥Ã¥ §â€œÃ¤ ¹Å¸Ã£â‚¬â€šÃ¤ ¸â€¡Ã¦Å"݌ ¸Ë†Ã§Ë† ¶Ã¦â€¦Ë†Ã¦â€š ²! æâ€" ¢Ã§â€ž ¶Ã¦Å"‰å §â€œ, å† Ã¤ ¹Å¾Ã¨ µ Ã¤ ¸ ªÃ¥  Ã¥ ­â€", Ã¥  ´Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥â€˜ ¼Ã¥â€ ¤.†[59] In the series Sun Wukong reacts by kowtowing shortly and shouting: â€Å"Master, master named me! I have a name! Master named me! I have a name!† â€Å"Ã¥ ¸Ë†Ã§Ë† ¶, Ã¥ ¸Ë†Ã§Ë† ¶Ã¥  «Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¥â€¢ ¦, 我æÅ"‰å  Ã¥ ­â€"å• ¦, å˜ ¿Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¥ ¸Ë†Ã§Ë† ¶Ã¥  «Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¥â€¢ ¦.Ã¥ ¸Ë†Ã§Ë† ¶Ã¥  «Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¥â€¢ ¦.† By shortening the dialogue, the retelling omits the reference to mercy and compassion. In contrast, the â€Å"action†