Kwan-yin -南无观世音菩萨 - 南無觀世音菩薩

Kwan-yin

南无观世音菩萨 - 南無觀世音菩薩

Kwan-yin (often referred to as Guan-yin) is a Mahayana Bodhisattva. She (although some people see Kwan-yin as a he) is an infinitely merciful Bodhisattva in the Chinese heart. Kwan-yin always looks after and helps people who are having a hard time or are suffering in their lives. This belief is very deep in the Chinese mind. When you get into trouble, are unhappy, or are ill, you can call on the infinitely merciful Kwan-yin Bodhistattva. Kwan-yin will come to help you soon. Kwan-yin shows the people who believe in her to be kind to everyone and to keep doing the right things to other people.

Whenever Kwan-yin Bodhistattva does anything it is from an infinitely merciful mind. She embodies egality, she cherishes all beings, she never has and end to almsgiving. So mercy is the essence of Kwan-yin Bodhistattva’s will, merits and virtues.

In China most Buddhism monasteries have statures of Kwan-yin. Also, many Chinese homes have statues of her. People often go to the monasteries to make a wish. They go in the morning before breakfast and at the night before dinner. They burn joss sticks and make wishes to Kwan-yin hoping the whole family is happy.

In China Kwan-yin is very famous. In the early times her name was “Kwan shi yin”. In the China Tang dynasty, the emperor’s name was “Li shi min”. In Chinese culture nobody can have the same sounding name as the emperor, so “Kwan shi yin” became “ Kwan yin”.

In Chinese Buddhism, Kwan-yin is one of the head Bodhisattvas. And in the Chinese people’s heart she is a female. She is perfect. Currently, in Buddhism, Kwan-yin has different xing xiang (images, forms, figures). They are: Kwan-yin with Ru Yi，absorbing human troubles and sufferings; Kwan-yin with Lotus in hand，symbolising the fully enlightened mind，away from all delusions; Kwan-yin with Joint Palms，with a smile, who listens to all cries with great patience; Kwan-yin with Sutra，who helps beings attain wisdom and enlightenment through the Dhama.

In the Tang dynasty, most Chinese people believed in Kwan-yin. They grew up to respect Kwan-yin and worship her in the three lunar calendar festivals: the 19th of February is Kwan-yin’s Birthday: the 19th of June is when Kwan-yin became a Bodhisattva; the 19th of September was when she became a monk. In Chinese popular tradition all three days are called kwan-yin’s Birthday.

During these festivals the monks in the monasteries chant Bodhisattva’s name, sing songs like ‘da bei zhou, Kwan-yin da shi zan and others.

Pu Tuo mountain is the center for Kwan-yin festivals and there is much pageantry.

People give Kwan-yin adoration and hope her benevolence in everywhere.

I believe in Kwan-yin and recite the following poem to her everyday:

Nan wu guan shi yin,
shi zi wu wei yin
da ci rou ruan yin
da fan qing jing yin
da guang pu zhao yin
tian ren zhang fu yin
neng shi zhong sheng le
jing du sheng si an

These words are chanted and cannot be directly translated.

TERMS:

Bodhisattva = in Tibetan Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is anyone who is motivated by compassion and seeks enlightenment not only for him/herself but also for everyone...

Dharma = Sanskrit; dhamma (Pali); the central notion of Buddhism; it is the cosmic law underlying all existence and therefore the teaching of the Buddha; it is considered one of the three "jewels" of Buddhism; it is often used as a general term for Buddhism

Mahayana  = Oxford English Dictionary Online - noun one of the two major traditions of Buddhism (the other being Theravada), practised especially in China, Tibet, Japan, and Korea — ORIGIN Sanskrit, ‘great vehicle’.

pu sa = bodhisattva; the bodhisattva guan yin; Buddha, deity, god; kind hearted person

Further Research

Guanyin (觀音, pinyin guānyīn, Wade-Giles: kuan-yin) is the bodhisattva of compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. She is also known as the Chinese Bodhisattva of Compassion. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshi'yin (觀世音, pinyin: guānshì yīn, Wade-Giles: kuan-shih yin) which means "Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of the World".

It is generally accepted that Guanyin originated as the Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara (अवलोकितेश्वर), which is her male form. Commonly known in the West as the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin is also revered by Chinese Taoists as an Immortal. It should be noted that in Taoist mythology, Guan Yin has other origination stories which are unrelated to Avalokiteśvara.

It should be noted that Guanyin's origin is still debated among scholars. The official Buddhist view is that Guanyin originated with the male Avalokiteshvara. While it is certain that this is where the name "Guanshi'yin" originated, the image of the Chinese Bodhisattva (along with her femininity) may be partly derived from other sources. Indigenous to the region where Guanyin first appeared was a local Goddess: the Queen Mother of the West. There is also some historical evidence to indicate that Guanyin's imagery was influenced by early Christian images of Mary, the Mother of Christ.

Bodhisattvas in Theravada Buddhism

The term Bodhisatta (Pali language) was used by the Buddha in the Pali Canon to refer to himself both in his previous lives and as a young man in his current life, prior to his enlightenment, in the period during which he was working towards his own liberation. When, during his discourses, he recounts his experiences as a young aspirant, he regularly uses the phrase "When I was an unenlightened Bodhisatta...". The term therefore connotes a being who is 'bound for enlightenment', in other words, a person whose aim it is to become fully enlightened. Some of the previous lives of the Buddha as a bodhisattva are featured in the Jataka Tales.

Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism, on the other hand, regards the Bodhisattva as a person who already has a considerable degree of enlightenment and seeks to use their wisdom to help other human beings to become liberated themselves. In this understanding of the word the Bodhisattva is an already wise person who uses skillful means to lead others to see the benefits of virtue and the cultivation of wisdom.
The Mahayana encourages everyone to become bodhisattvas and to take the bodhisattva vows. With these vows, one makes the promise to work for the complete enlightenment of all sentient beings. Indelibly entwined with the Bodhisattva Vow is parinamana (Sanskrit; which may be rendered in English as "merit transference").

 
Kuan Yin - Compassionate Saviouress

There is still much scholarly debate regarding the origin of devotion to the female Bodhisattva Kuan Yin (also know as Quan Shi Yin and Kwan Yin). Quan means to inquire or look deeply into, Shi means the world of people, or generations, Yin means cries. The Boddhisatva of Compassion was inquiring into the suffering (cries) that has come down the generations. Kuan Yin is considered to be the feminine form of Avalokitesvara(Sanskrit), the bodhisattva of compassion of Indian Buddhism whose worship was introduced into China in the third century.

LINKS:

Wikipedia - Guan Yin

Guan shi yin Pusa 南無觀世音菩薩