Guan Yin

Statue of Kuan Yin on Mount Putuo

Kuan Yin ( Pinyin: Guān Yīn; traditional Chinese: 觀音) is known as the bodhisattva of infinite compassion by East Asian Buddhists. The name Kuan Yin is short for Kuan Shih Yin (Pinyin: Guān Shì Yīn) which means "Observing the Sounds of the World" refering to Kuan Yin's compassionate listening for pleas of help so she can come to the aid of the needy. Historically, Kuan Yin was first worshipped as the male bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, in India but the name and gender changed after arrival in China duie to partly to Daoit influence. 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. In the modern period, Kuan Yin is most often represented as a beautiful, white-robed woman. is primarly known as the Goddess of Mercy but her role was expanded to granting children and wealth, as these were requests made often by her devotees. As an embodiment of compassion, Kuan Yin is often associated with vegetarianism, and Chinese vegetarian restaurants are generally decorated with her image. In Japan, Kuan Yin is called "Kannon" or more formally "Kanzeon". In Korean, this incarnation of Buddha is called Gwan-eum or Gwanse-eum, and in Vietnamese, the name is Quan Âm or Quan Thế Âm Bồ Tát. The frequency of these names is indicative of Kuan Yin's popularity in East Asia. Kuan Yin is also revered by Taoists as an Immortal sage. Kuan Yin is the Chinese name for the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara.

Depiction

In China, Kuan Yin is usually shown in a white flowing robe, wearing necklaces of Indian/Chinese royalty. In the right hand is a water jar containing pure water, and in the left, a willow branch. With these Kuan Yin is thought to control the weather, heeding the pleas of the desperate and alleviating drought. Her crown usually depicts the image of Amitabha Buddha, who is said to have been Kuan Yin's spiritual teacher. Many images of Kuan Yin depict her with an extraordinary number of arms, hands, and eyes, representing her role as the observer and protector of the needy.

She is occasionally flanked by her two acolytes, Long Nü and Shan Tsai, who appeared to her when meditating at Mount Putuo,. Shan Tsai (Pinyin: Shancai) is especially associated with Kuan Yin's role of granting children and wealth, being thought of as a "God of Wealth" in his own right. A story from the Yuan Dynasty indicates he rejected fifty-three human teachers and was content on being only Kuan Yin's disciple. He is often found on Kuan Yin's left in temple statues and paintings.

History

Kuan Yin originated as the Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara, which is her male form. According to the Chinese classic Journey to the West, which relates the adventures of the Monkey King, the Buddhist monk Xuanzang, and others to retrieve Buddhist scriptures from India. They are sent and subsequently aided by the bodhisattva Kuan Yin, working towards the goal of the flourishing of Buddhism in China. Representations of the bodhisattva in China prior to the Song Dynasty (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. In the modern period, Kuan Yin is most often represented as a beautiful, white-robed woman.

Along with Buddhism in China, Kuan Yin's veneration was introduced to Japan by way of Korea by the mid-7th century.

Legends

Guan Yin Shan (Kuan Yin Mountain) in Dongguan, China

Folk traditions in China and other East Asian countries have added many distinctive characteristics and legends to Kuan Yin.

Kuan Yin and the Thousand Arms

One Buddhist legend presents Kuan Yin as vowing to never rest until she had freed all sentient beings from samsara. Despite strenuous effort, she realized that still many unhappy beings were yet to be saved. After struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, it is said that her head split into eleven pieces. Amitabha Buddha, seeing her plight, gave her eleven heads with which to hear the cries of the suffering. Upon hearing these cries and comprehending them, Kuan Yin attempted to reach out to all those who needed aid, but found that her two arms shattered into pieces. Once more, Amitabha came to her aid and gave her a thousand arms with which to aid the many. Many Himalayan versions of the tale include eight arms with which Kuan Yin skillfully upholds the Dharma, each holding its own particular implement, while more Chinese-specific ones give varying accounts of this number.

Kannon statue in Daienin
Mt. Koya, Japan

Legend of Miao Shan

(Wayne, this section is too long. Please shorten it. Keep what is most important. Thanks.)

Another story, set in the Spring and Autumm period, describes Kuan Yin as the daughter of a cruel father who wanted her to marry a wealthy but uncaring man. She is known as Miao Shan (妙善), and her father is identified as Prince Zhuang of Chu. Miao Shan was shown to be a Buddhist adept at a young age, chanting sutras when old enough to speak. She begged to be able to enter a temple and become a nun rather than enter into a meaningless marriage. Her father allowed her to work in the temple, but asked the monks to give her very hard chores in order to discourage her. The monks forced Miao Shan 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. Miao Shan 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. An attempt to kill her with a sword ended in the blade being shattered and not harming Miao Shan. After she died she was made into the goddess Kuan Yin for all of her kindness and began her journey to heaven. She was about to cross over into heaven when she heard a cry of suffering back on earth. She asked to be sent back and vowed to stay until all suffering had ended.

One version of this legend states that, at the point of Miao Shan's father's execution of her, a supernatural tiger took her to one of the hell realms of the dead. However, instead of being punished by demons like the other inmates, Kuan Yin played music and flowers blossomed around her. This managed to completely surprise the head demon. The story says that Kuan Yin, by being in that hell, turned it into a paradise.

Another version of the same legend goes that upon entering hell Kuan Yin was overwhelmed with grief at the suffering souls must endure in hell. Out of compassion, she freed many of the souls from hell before being stopped by Yanluo, King of Hell. She then returned back alive on Earth and resided at Mount Putuo.

The Legend of Miao Shan usually ends with Prince Zhuang, the father of Miao Shan, falling ill with jaundice. It is said that no physician could cure him. Then a monk appeared saying that the jaundice can be cured by making a medicine out of the arm and eye of one without malice. The monk further suggested that such a person could be found on Fragrant Mountain. Miao Shan, having been released from Hell, offered up her eyes and arms willingly. Prince Zhuang was given her eye and arm as a pill, cured of the illness and went to the Fragrant Mountain to give thanks to the one who lovingly provided a cure for him. When he discovered that his own daughter gave up her arm and eyes for him, he begged for forgiveness. The story concludes with Miao Shan being transformed into the Thousand Armed Kuan Yin.

This story has connections with the depiction and attention Kuan Yin receives in religious practice. The tradition date for Kuan Yin's birthday, celebrated on the nineteenth day of the second lunar month, is also believed to be Miao Shan's birthday. As well, upon learning of the source of his cure, Prince Zhuang requested his artisans to make a statue with "intact eyes and intact hands" to honor his daughter. However, the artisans misheard the request as "one thousand eyes and one thousand hands" (a not unlikely mistake, in Mandarin Chinese) and thus the popular depiction of Kuan Yin came to be.

Significance and Cultural Impact

File:GuanYinTianJin.jpg

Multi-armed Kuan Yin Statue at the Monastery of Deep Compassion in Tianjin, China

Kuan Yin has become an icon in East Asian popular (that is, not entirely religious) literature.

Kuan Yin's importance is also evident in the proliferation of her image in temples throughout Asia, especially in Buddhist temples but also, occasionally, in Taoist temples. Depictions of Kuan Yin can become focal points for temples; for example, the Monastery of Deep Compassion in Tianjin is renowned for it's multi-armed Kuan Yin whose eyes appear to follow the onlooker. Another famous well crafted Kuan Yin statue is found at Dule temple near Tianjin.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Cheng, Manchao, The Origin of Chinese Deities. Foreign Language Press, Beijing, 1995 ISBN 7-119-00030-6
• Martin Palmer, Jay Ramsay, Man-Ho Kwok, Kuan Yin. Myths and Prophecies of the Chinese Goddess of Compassion. Thorsons, San Francisco 1995, ISBN 1855384175

External links

• Kuan Yin, The Compassionate Rebel has a detailed anthropological analysis of the evolution of Kuan Yin, as well as a full explanation of the legend of Miao Shan.

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