Bodhisattva Guanyin (Kuan-yin)

• Avalokitesvara (India), Lokesvara (Cambodia), Lokanatha (Burma), Natha Deviyo (Sri Lanka), Chenresig (Tibet)

• Kennon or kwannon (Japan)• Kwanse’um (Korea)• Quan-am (Vietnam)

Avalokitesvara in Angkor, Cambodia: Lokesvara

Tibetan form of Avalokiteśvara ( Four-armed Chenrezig)

Vietnam, Hanoi region

Avalokiteshvara in South Vietnam (8th and 9th century Bronze, Museum of the history of Ho Chi Minh City),

Seated statue of Senju-Kannon, Kyoto, Sanjusangen-do

Avalokitesvara Originally a minor figure in some major

Mahayana scriptures such as the Vimalakirti Sutra

Figured prominently in the Huayan Sutra and the Lotus Sutra.

Most prominent in the Pure Land Sutras, – Chief attendant to Amitabha Buddha

another is Mahathamaprapta

– Prominent in Chinese Buddhist art Water-moon, White-robed, Fish-basket, Clam-

dwelling, Wife of Mr. Ma

Avalokitesvara in Major ScripturesAvalokitesvara in Major Scriptures

In the ascending order in terms of the In the ascending order in terms of the importance of his roleimportance of his role– The The Sutra on the Mental Fixation of Integral Sutra on the Mental Fixation of Integral

IlluminationIllumination– The The Vimalakirti SutraVimalakirti Sutra– TheThe Longer/Larger Sutra Longer/Larger Sutra– The The Sutra of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’s Receiving Sutra of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’s Receiving

Prediction [Prophesy]Prediction [Prophesy]– TheThe Sutra on the Original Cause for Guanshiyin Sutra on the Original Cause for Guanshiyin

Bodhisattva’s Rebirth in the Pure LandBodhisattva’s Rebirth in the Pure Land

Guanyin (Kuan-yin) Guanyin (Kuan-yin) Assumes Assumes

the Role of a Saviorthe Role of a Savior

The Lotus Sutra (chap. “Universal Gateway”)

The Contemplation Sutra (or The Sutra of Visualization on Amitayus Buddha)

The Surangama Sutra The Karandavyudha

SutraBy Wu Daozi, Tang Dynasty

Guanyin and Indigenous Guanyin and Indigenous Chinese Scriptures Chinese Scriptures

Reasons for the making of indigenous Reasons for the making of indigenous Chinese scriptures:Chinese scriptures:– Promoted the interest of the ruling authorityPromoted the interest of the ruling authority– Criticized policies of the ruling authorityCriticized policies of the ruling authority– Reconciled differences between Buddhism Reconciled differences between Buddhism

and traditional Chinese thoughts, both and traditional Chinese thoughts, both Confucianism and TaoismConfucianism and Taoism

– Advocated/proselytized a specific faithAdvocated/proselytized a specific faith– Enhanced a cult of a national hero/heroine Enhanced a cult of a national hero/heroine – Promised cures, blessings and other miraclesPromised cures, blessings and other miracles

Guanyin in Indigenous Guanyin in Indigenous Scriptures Scriptures

The The Sutra of Guanshiyin (Kuan-Sutra of Guanshiyin (Kuan-shih-yin) Samadhishih-yin) Samadhi

TheThe King Kao’s Guanshiyin King Kao’s Guanshiyin (Kuan-shih-yin) Sutra(Kuan-shih-yin) Sutra

The The Sutra of the Bodhisattva Sutra of the Bodhisattva Guanshiyin (Kuan-shih-yin) [who Guanshiyin (Kuan-shih-yin) [who explains] the Conditions to be explains] the Conditions to be Reborn in the Pure LandReborn in the Pure Land

Dharani of Great Wish-Dharani of Great Wish-fulfillmentfulfillment

Dharani Sutra of Five Mudras of the Dharani Sutra of Five Mudras of the Great Compassionate White-Robed Great Compassionate White-Robed GuanyinGuanyin

Sutra of the Great Merit of Foremost Rarity Sutra of the Great Merit of Foremost Rarity Spoken by the Buddha Received by the Empress Spoken by the Buddha Received by the Empress Renxiao (Jen-hsiao) of the Great Ming in a Renxiao (Jen-hsiao) of the Great Ming in a DreamDream

Exalted Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on the Exalted Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on the Incarnation of the Great Compassionate and Incarnation of the Great Compassionate and Supreme Holy Nine-lotus Bodhisattva to Save Supreme Holy Nine-lotus Bodhisattva to Save the Worldthe World

The Sutra of Guanshiyin Samadhi

Guanyin grants the wishes of all who carry out a seven-day meditation

Sakyamuni acknowledges that he was a student of Guanyin when Guanyin was tathagata

Buddha acknowledges the recitation of the Sutra as the cause of his enlightenment

Meditation method: Sit upright for seven days & nights and

recite this sutra. On the seventh day, the Bodhisattva will reveal himself

recite dharani Rewards of reciting the Sutra and the

dharani Good life, end of transmigration, rebirth in

a buddha land, no rebirth in any of the evil paths, not be born with a female body

Southern Sea Guanyin

King Gao’s (Kao’s) King Gao’s (Kao’s) Guanshiyin SutraGuanshiyin Sutra

Has only ten sentencesHas only ten sentencesCentral idea: Sins could be expiated by Central idea: Sins could be expiated by calling on the name of Guanyin, reciting a calling on the name of Guanyin, reciting a sutra, and chanting a sutra, and chanting a dharanidharaniBenefits similar to those described in the Benefits similar to those described in the “Universal Gateway” chapter of the “Universal Gateway” chapter of the Lotus Lotus SutraSutra: : – Be saved from seven perils (fire, water, wind or Be saved from seven perils (fire, water, wind or

raksasa, knives, ghosts, shackles, enemies), raksasa, knives, ghosts, shackles, enemies), three poisons (greed, delusion, and hatred)three poisons (greed, delusion, and hatred)

– Get two wishes (for a son and a daughter)Get two wishes (for a son and a daughter)

Sutra of the Bodhisattva Guanshiyin [Who Explains] the Conditions to be

Born in the Pure Land

The Sutra provides a story about Guanyin’s past family life and spiritual journey–His father was Sakyamuni

Buddha,his mother Amitabha Buddha, and his younger brother Mahasthamaprapta

Guanyin took vows to – save those who have no parents,

have no eminent teacher, are poor

– Save/help kings, ministers, merchants, householders, rulers, Brahmans, four assemblies, eight groups of living beings, and various kinds of living beings

Dharani of Great Wish-fulfillment

Content: three texts–1st text has dharani

–2nd text is a talisman against difficulties in childbirth

–3rd text is about Guanyin’s manifestations, e.g., as a layman wearing a white garment appearing in 3 miracle stories

Benefits derived from copying, chanting, and upholding the dharani– Bodhisattvas appear upon one’s death,

touch one’s head, and promise one’s rebirth in the Pure Land

– Practitioner is protected from loss of money, bad dreams, chronic illnesses, demon’s attack

– See Guanyin, the Buddha and enjoy blessings

– Woman gives birth to a wise boy or a beautiful girl

Dharani Sutra of Five Mudras of the Great Compassionate White-Robed Guanyin

Also known as the White-robed Guanyin Sutra

Content: A feminized White-robed Guanyin presented as a fertility goddess, or “Child-giving Guanyin,” in miracle tales

Chanting the scripture with sincerity, a wife would give birth to a handsome baby boy wrapped in a white caul

Perform good deeds:print and distribute 500-1000 copies of the sutra for free; make image(s) of Guanyin; build a shrine for Guanyin

Sutra of the Great Merit of Foremost Rarity

Content: discussion of true nature of mind and nature; dharanis spoken by various bodhisattvas

Benefits of chanting this sutra:– Free from all worries and suffering– Saved from fire, weather, robbers, poison,

and wild animals– Dead ancestors of 9 generations back

receive deliverance– Heirless persons given intelligent sons– Won’t go to Avici Hell – Obtain unmeasured blessings and virtues

Exalted Sutra Spoken by the BuddhaExalted Sutra Spoken by the Buddha

Content: Content: – Guanyin asks the Buddha Guanyin asks the Buddha

to help relieve people who to help relieve people who suffer because of suffer because of ignorance and evil deedsignorance and evil deeds

– The Buddha prophesizes The Buddha prophesizes the appearance of the the appearance of the Nine-lotus BodhisattvaNine-lotus Bodhisattva

– Urges people to chant the Urges people to chant the sutra and sutra and dharanidharani revealed revealed thereintherein

Benefits not clearly Benefits not clearly detaileddetailed

Wood sculpture, Ming Dynasty