NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Guan Yin

Guan Yin (Simplified Chinese: 观音; Traditional Chinese: 觀音; Hanyu Pinyin: Guānyīn) is the bodhisattva of compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. She is also known as the Chinese Boddhisattva of Compassion. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (960 Ã— 1280 pixel, file size: 445 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Bodhisattva Guan Yin Sculpture Song Dynasty... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (960 Ã— 1280 pixel, file size: 445 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Bodhisattva Guan Yin Sculpture Song Dynasty... Not to be confused with the neighboring province of Shaanxi Shanxi (Chinese: 山西; pinyin: Shānxī; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal System Pinyin: Shansi) is a northern province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Traditional Chinese (Traditional Chinese: æ£é«”å—/ç¹é«”å—, Simplified Chinese: æ£ä½“å—/ç¹ä½“å—) refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), commonly called Pinyin, is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... Wade-Giles, sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration) system for the Chinese language based on Mandarin. ... This article is on all of the Yue dialects. ... Hakka is one language in the family of languages known as Chinese. ... Mǐn N n (Chinese: 閩南語), also spelt as Minnan or Min-nan; native name B ; literally means Southern Min or Southern Fujian and refers to the local language/dialect of southern Fujian province, China. ... Shanghainese (ä¸Šæµ·è¨€è¯ [] in Shanghainese), sometimes referred to as the Shanghai dialect, is a dialect of Wu Chinese spoken in the city of Shanghai. ... Japanese writing Kanji Kana Hiragana Katakana Hentaigana ManyÅgana Uses Furigana Okurigana RÅmaji ) are the Chinese characters that are used in the modern Japanese logographic writing system along with hiragana (å¹³ä»®å), katakana (ç‰‡ä»®å), and the Arabic numerals. ... Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Romaji ローマ字 The title given to this article lacks diacritics because of certain technical limitations. ... Jamo redirects here. ... The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. ... AvalokiteÅ›vara or Avalokiteshvara (Sanskrit, lit. ... Chen Dynasty é™³æœ (557-589) was the fourth and the last of the Southern dynasties in China, eliminated by the Sui Dynasty. ... Empress Shen Wuhua (æ²ˆå©ºè¯), later Buddhist nun name Guanyin (è§€éŸ³), was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Chen Dynasty. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Traditional Chinese (Traditional Chinese: æ£é«”å—/ç¹é«”å—, Simplified Chinese: æ£ä½“å—/ç¹ä½“å—) refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Pinyin (拼音, Pīnyīn) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to Hànyǔ Pīnyīn (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Veneration is a religious symbolic act giving honor to someone by honoring an image of that person, particularly applied to saints. ... East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ...

In Japanese, Guan Yin is pronounced Kannon (観音) or more formally Kanzeon (観世音); the spelling Kwannon, based on a pre-modern pronunciation, is sometimes seen. In Korean, this incarnation of Buddha is called Gwan-eum or Gwanse-eum, In Thai, the name is called Kuan Eim (กวนอิม) or Prah Mae Kuan Eim (พระแม่กวนอิม),and in Vietnamese, the name is Quan Âm or Quan Thế Âm Bồ Tát. Media:Example. ...

It is widely believed that Guan Yin originated as the Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara (अवलोकितेश्वर), which is her male form. Another story says she originated from the Taoist Immortal "Ci Hang Zhen Ren" (慈航真人). Commonly known in the West as the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin is also revered by Chinese Taoists as an Immortal. The name Guan Yin, also spelt Kuan Yin, is short for Kuan-shih Yin (Py.: Guānshì Yīn, 觀世音) which means "Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of the World". Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... AvalokiteÅ›vara or Avalokiteshvara (Sanskrit, lit. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ... This article is about living for infinite period of time. ... Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), commonly called Pinyin, is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... VipassanÄ (PÄli) or vipaÅ›yanÄ (Sanskrit) means insight. While it is often referred to as Buddhist meditation, the practice taught by the Buddha was non-sectarian, and has universal application. ... The Wheel of Life as portrayed within Buddhism, showing the cycle of Samsara, or reincarnation. ...

Depiction

Guan Yin is the Chinese name for the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. However, folk traditions in China and other East Asian countries have added many distinctive characteristics and legends. Avalokiteśvara was originally depicted as Buddha when he was still a prince, and therefore wears chest-revealing clothing and may even sport a moustache. However, in China, Guan Yin is usually depicted as a woman. Additionally, some people believe that Guan Yin is neither man nor woman. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... AvalokiteÅ›vara or Avalokiteshvara (Sanskrit, lit. ...

In China, Guan Yin is usually shown in a white flowing robe, and usually wearing necklaces of Indian/Chinese royalty. In the right hand is a water jar containing pure water, and in the left, a willow branch. The crown usually depicts the image of Amitabha Buddha, Guan Yin's spiritual teacher before she became a Bodhisattva. Species About 350, including: Salix acutifolia - Violet Willow Salix alaxensis - Alaska Willow Salix alba - White Willow Salix alpina - Alpine Willow Salix amygdaloides - Peachleaf Willow Salix arbuscula - Mountain Willow Salix arbusculoides - Littletree Willow Salix arctica - Arctic Willow Salix atrocinerea Salix aurita - Eared Willow Salix babylonica - Peking Willow Salix bakko Salix barrattiana... Amitabha Buddha and his two acolytes, Mahasthamaprapta and Avalokitesvara AmitÄbha is a celestial Buddha described in the scriptures of MahÄyÄna Buddhism. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

In some Buddhist temples and monasteries, Guan Yin images are occasionally depicted as a young man dressed in Northern Song Buddhist robes sitting gracefully. He is usually depicted looking or glancing down, symbolising that Guan Yin continues to watch over the world.

There are also regional variations of Guan Yin depictions. In the Fukien region of China, for example, a popular depiction of Guan Yin is as a maiden dressed in Tang dynasty style clothing carrying a fish basket. A popular iamge of Guan Yin as both Guan Yin of the South Sea and Guan Yin With a Fish Basket can be seen in late 1500s Chinese encyclopedias and in prints that accompany the novel Golden Lotus. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2304 Ã— 3456 pixel, file size: 940 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) fair use I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 400 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2304 Ã— 3456 pixel, file size: 940 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) fair use I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Fujian (Chinese: 福建; pinyin: Fújiàn; Wade-Giles: Fu-chien; Postal System Pinyin: Fukien, Foukien; local transliteration Hokkien from Min Nan Hok-kiàn) is one of the provinces on the southeast coast of China. ...

In Chinese art, Guan Yin is often depicted either alone, standing atop a dragon, accompanied by a bird, flanked by two children, or flanked by two warriors. The two children are her acolytes who came to her when she was meditating at Mount Putuo. The girl is called Long Nü and the boy Shan Tsai. The two warriors are the historical character Guan Yu who comes from the Three Kingdoms period and the mythological character Wei Tuo who features in the Chinese classic Canonisation of the Gods. The Buddhist tradition also displays Guan Yin flanked with the two said warriors, but as bodhisattvas who protect the temple and the faith itself. View of Putuoshan island from the peak Mount Putuo (Chinese æ™®é™€å±±; pinyin pu tuo shan) or Putuo Shan is an island located to the south-east of Shanghai, in Zhoushan prefecture of Zhejiang province, China. ... Sudhana (translated as Good Wealth) is the main protagonist in the next-to-last and longest chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Guan (é—œ) Guan Yu (é—œç¾½) (160â€“219) was a Chinese military general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ... The Three Kingdoms period (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties. ... Skanda (Wei Tuo) Bodhisattva Skanda Bodhisattva (Ch. ...

Veneration

In Chinese Buddhist iconography, Guan Yin is often depicted as meditating or sitting alongside one of the Buddhas and usually accompanied by another bodhisattva. Which buddha or bodhisattva usually depends upon which school it represents. In the Pure Land school, for example, Guan Yin is frequently depicted as standing alongside Amitabha Buddha and bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta. Temples that revere the bodhisattva Ksitigarbha usually depict him meditating alongside the Buddha and Guan Yin. This altar display at a temple in Taiwan shows Amitabha in the center, flanked by Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva on the viewers right and Avalokitesvara on the right. ... Bodhisattva (åœ°è—è©è–©), often known by the Japanese name JizÅ (åœ°è”µ) or the Chinese name Dizang (åœ°è— DÃ¬zÃ ng), is a popular Mahayana Buddhist Bodhisattva, usually depicted as a monk. ...

Along with Buddhism, Guan Yin's veneration was introduced into China as early as the 1st century CE, and reached Japan by way of Korea soon after Buddhism was first introduced into the country in the mid-7th century. Korea (Korean: í•œêµ or ì¡°ì„ , see below) is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. ...

More recently in Europe and America, a new wave of believers are spreading a devotional cult beyond buddhism, taoism and folk traditional beliefs. Guan Yin is not only a bodhisattva or a goddess but a focus of devotion by some Eastern New Age movements.

Guan Yin's representation

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, Guan Yin is most often represented as a beautiful, white-robed woman, a depiction which derives from the earlier Pandaravasini form. Alternative meaning: Song Dynasty (420-479) The Song dynasty (Chinese: 宋朝) was a ruling dynasty in China from 960-1279. ... The Lotus Sutra or Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma (Sanskrit: Saddharma Puá¹‡á¸arÄ«ka SÅ«tra; å¦™æ³•è“®è¯ç¶“ Chinese: MiÃ ofÇŽ LiÃ¡nhuÄ JÄ«ng; Japanese: MyÅhÅ Renge KyÅ; Korean: Myobeomnyeonhwagyeong) is one of the most popular and influential MahÄyÄna sutras in East Asia and...

Legends

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1960x480, 124 KB) Summary Guan Yin mountain in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1960x480, 124 KB) Summary Guan Yin mountain in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Dongguan (Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, Peoples Republic of China. ...

Guan Yin and the Thousand Arms

One Buddhist legend presents Guan Yin as vowing to never rest until she had freed all sentient beings from samsara, reincarnation. Despite strenuous effort, she realized that still many unhappy beings were yet to be saved. After struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, 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, Avalokitesvara 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 appointed her a thousand arms with which to aid the many. Many Himalayan versions of the tale include eight arms with which Avalokitesvara skillfully upholds the Dharma, each possessing its own particular implement, while more Chinese-specific versions give varying accounts of this number. The Wheel of Life as portrayed within Buddhism, showing the cycle of Samsara, or reincarnation. ... The Big Buddha in Kamakura, an image of Amitabha Amitābha (阿彌陀佛 Ch. ... (Sanskrit) (Devnagari: à¤§à¤°à¥à¤®) or Dhamma (Pali) is the underlying order in nature and human life and behaviour considered to be in accord with that order. ...

In China, it is said that fishermen used to pray to her to ensure safe voyages. The titles Guan Yin of the Southern Ocean (南海觀音) and 'Guan Yin (of/on) the Island' stem from this tradition. Statue of Kannon, Mt. ... Statue of Kannon, Mt. ... Konpon Daito, the central point of Mt. ...

Legend of Miao Shan

Another story describes Guan Yin as the daughter of a cruel king who wanted her to marry a wealthy but uncaring man. The story is usually ascribed to the research of the Buddhist monk Chiang Chih-ch'i in 1100AD. The story is likely to have a Taoist origin. Chiang Chih-ch'i, when he penned the work, believed that the Guan Yin we know today was actually a Buddhist princess called Miao Shan (妙善), who had a religious following on Fragrant Mountain. Despite this, however, there are many variants of the story in Chinese mythology. For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ...

According to the story, after the king asked his daughter Miao Shan 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. Miao Shan 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, Miao Shan pointed out that a doctor was able to do all 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 labor 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 nun instead of marrying. Her father eventually 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. Temple of Hephaestus, an Doric Greek temple in Athens with the original entrance facing east, 449 BC (western face depicted) For other uses, see Temple (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Nun (disambiguation). ... St. ...

In one version of this legend, when she was executed, a supernatural tiger took Guan Yin to one of the more hell-like realms of the dead. However, instead of being punished by demons like the other inmates, Guan Yin played music and flowers blossomed around her. This completely surprised the head demon. The story says that Guan Yin, by merely being in that hell, turned it into a paradise. Medieval illustration of Hell in the Hortus deliciarum manuscript of Herrad of Landsberg (about 1180) Hell, according to many religious beliefs, is an afterlife of suffering where the wicked or unrighteous dead are punished. ... Paradise, by Jan Bruegel The word paradise is derived from the Avestan word pairidaeza (a walled enclosure), which is a compound of pairi- (around), a cognate of the Greek peri-, and -diz (to create, make), a cognate of the English dough. ...

A variant of the legend says that Miao Shan 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 Miao Shan down with arrows but they all veered off.

Finally in desperation he used his hands. Miao Shan, realising the fate 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 firsthand the suffering and horrors 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 Yanluo, King 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. Tibetan Dharmapala at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois Yama is the name of the Buddhist god and judge of the dead, who presides over the Buddhist Narakas (PÄli: Nirayas), Hells or Purgatories. Although ultimately based on the god Yama of the Hindu Vedas, the Buddhist Yama has developed... Diyu (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ti-yÃ¼; Japanese: åœ°ç„, jigoku, literally earth prison) is the realm of the dead or hell in Chinese mythology. ...

Another tale says that Miao Shan 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 Miao Shan usually ends with Miao Chuang Yen, Miao Shan'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, Miao Shan willingly offered up her eyes and arms. Miao Chuang Yen 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 Miao Shan being transformed into the Thousand Armed Guan Yin, and the king, queen and her two sisters building a temple on the mountain for her. She began her journey to heaven and was about to cross over into heaven when she heard a cry of suffering from the world below. 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. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Adjectives: Terrestrial, Terran, Telluric, Tellurian, Earthly Atmosphere Surface pressure: 101. ...

After her return to Earth, Guan Yin was said to have stayed for a few years on the island of Mount Putuo where she practised meditation and helped the sailors and fishermen who got stranded. Guan Yin 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 Guan Yin returned to Fragrant Mountain to continue her meditation. View of Putuoshan island from the peak Mount Putuo (Chinese æ™®é™€å±±; pinyin pu tuo shan) or Putuo Shan is an island located to the south-east of Shanghai, in Zhoushan prefecture of Zhejiang province, China. ...

Guan Yin and Shan Tsai

Legend has it that Shan Tsai (also called Sudhana in Sanskrit) was a disabled boy from India who was very interested in studying the Buddha Dharma. When he heard that there was a Buddhist teacher on the rocky island of Putuo he quickly journeyed there to learn. Upon arriving the island, he managed to find Bodhisattva Guan Yin despite his severe disability. Sudhana (translated as Good Wealth) is the main protagonist in the next-to-last and longest chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra. ... Sudhana (translated as Good Wealth) is the main protagonist in the next-to-last and longest chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra. ... Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ...

Guan Yin, after having a discussion with Shan Tsai, 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. Guan Yin took off and dashed off to the edge of a cliff, the three illusions still chasing her.

Shan Tsai, seeing that his teacher was in danger, hobbled uphill. Guan Yin then jumped over the edge of the cliff, and soon after this the three bandits followed. Shan Tsai, still wanting to save his teacher, managed to crawl his way over the cliff edge.

Shan Tsai fell down the cliff but was halted in midair by Guan Yin, who now asked him to walk. Shan Tsai 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, Guan Yin taught Shan Tsai the entire Buddha Dharma.

Guan Yin and Lung Nü

Many years after Shan Tsai became a disciple of Guan Yin, a distressing event happened in the South Sea. The sons of one of the Dragon Kings (a ruler-god of the sea) was caught by a fisherman while taking 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, Guan Yin quickly sent Shan Tsai 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 Shan Tsai was easily outbid.

Shan Tsai begged the fish seller to spare the life of the fish. The crowd, now angry at someone so daring, was about to prise him away from the fish when Guan Yin 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. Shan Tsai brought the fish back to Guan Yin, who promptly returned it to the sea. There the fish transformed back to a dragon and returned home. Paintings of Guan Yin today sometimes portray her holding a fish basket, which represents the aforementioned tale.

But the story does not end here. As a reward for Guan Yin saving his son, the Dragon King sent his granddaughter, a girl called Lung Nü ("dragon girl"), to present to Guan Yin with the Pearl of Light. The Pearl of Light was a precious jewel owned by the Dragon King that constantly shone. Lung Nü, overwhelmed by the presence of Guan Yin, asked to be her disciple so that she might study the Buddha Dharma. Guan Yin accepted her offer with just one request: that Lung Nü be the new owner of the Pearl of Light.

In popular iconography, Lung Nü and Shan Tsai are often seen alongside Guan Yin as two children. Lung Nü is seen either holding a bowl or an ingot, which represents the Pearl of Light, whereas Shan Tsai is seen with palms joined and knees slightly bent to show that he was once crippled. [[Image:[[Gold bars|Gold ingots. ...

Guan Yin and Vegetarianism

Due to her symbolising compassion, in East Asia Guan Yin is associated with vegetarianism. Chinese vegetarian restaurants are generally decorated with her image, and she appears in most Buddhist vegetarian pamphlets and magazines. Kwan Yin devotees additionally encourage others to not eat beef, because of one of her forms, Nilakantha, equates to an incarnation of the Hindu god Harihara. East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. ... Vegetarianism is the practice of not consuming the flesh of any animal (including sea animals) with or without also eschewing other animal derivatives, such as dairy products or eggs[1]. Some vegetarians choose to also refrain from wearing clothing that has involved the death of animals, such as leather, silk... Buddhist cuisine is known as 齋菜 (pinyin: zhāi ca ) among Chinese. ... Harihara is a term used to denote the unity of Vishnu and Shiva as one and the same with Hari being the name of Vishnu and Hara that of Shiva. ...

Guan Yin in Chinese Buddhism

In Chinese Buddhism, Guanyin/Kuan Yin/Kannon/Kwannon is synonymous with the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the pinnacle of mercy and compassion. Among the Chinese, Avalokitesvara is almost exclusively called Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa. The Chinese translation of many Buddhist sutras has in fact replaced the Chinese transliteration of Avalokitesvara with Guan Shi Yin. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1536x2048, 399 KB) Status of Kuan Yin, Ming Dynasty, By Chaozhong He, photoed by Mountain at Shanghai Museum File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Kuan Yin Dehua... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1536x2048, 399 KB) Status of Kuan Yin, Ming Dynasty, By Chaozhong He, photoed by Mountain at Shanghai Museum File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Kuan Yin Dehua... For other uses, see Ming. ...

In Chinese Buddhism, the popular myth and worship of Guan Yin 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 Guan Yin as a "Goddess of Mercy and Compassion" is seen as the boundless salvific nature of bodhisattva Avalokitesvara at work. 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 and the Surangama Sutra to have appeared before as a woman or a goddess to save beings from suffering and ignorance. Some Buddhist schools refer to Guan Yin both as male and female interchangeably. Dukkha (PÄli à¤¦à¥à¤•à¥à¤– ; according to grammatical tradition from Sanskrit uneasy, but according to Monier-Williams more likely a Prakritized form of unsteady, disquieted) is a central concept in Buddhism, the word roughly corresponding to a number of terms in English including sorrow, suffering, affliction, pain, anxiety, dissatisfaction, discomfort, anguish, stress... The Lotus Sutra or Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma (Sanskrit: Saddharma Puá¹‡á¸arÄ«ka SÅ«tra; å¦™æ³•è“®è¯ç¶“ Chinese: MiÃ ofÇŽ LiÃ¡nhuÄ JÄ«ng; Japanese: MyÅhÅ Renge KyÅ; Korean: Myobeomnyeonhwagyeong) is one of the most popular and influential MahÄyÄna sutras in East Asia and... The , usually spelled Shurangama Sutra or Surangama Sutra in English is a Mahayana sutra and one of the main texts used in the Chan school in Chinese Buddhism. ...

Also in Mahayana Buddhism, to which Chinese Buddhism belongs, gender is no obstacle to Enlightenment. The Buddhist concept of non-duality applies here. The Vimalakirti Sutra in the 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. That bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is also the goddess Guan Yin is not seen as contradictory.

Given that bodhisattvas are known to incarnate at will as living people according to the sutras, the princess Miao Shan is generally viewed as an incarnation of Avalokitesvara.

Guan Yin 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 savior. In her bodhisattva vows, Guan Yin promises to answer the cries and pleas of all beings and to liberate all beings from their own karmic woes. Based upon the Lotus Sutra and the Shurangama sutra, Avalokitesvara is generally seen as a savior, 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 Pure Land Buddhism, Guan Yin is described as the "Bark of Salvation". Along with Amitabha Buddha and the bodhisattva Mahastamaprata, 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.

Even among Chinese Buddhist schools that are non-devotional, Guan Yin is still highly venerated. Instead of being seen as an active external force of unconditional love and salvation, the personage of Guan Yin is highly revered as the principle of compassion, mercy and love. The act, thought and feeling of compassion and love is viewed as Guan Yin. A merciful, compassionate, loving individual is said to be Guan Yin. A meditative or contemplative state of being at peace with oneself and others is seen as Guan Yin.

In the Mahayana canon, the Heart Sutra is ascribed entirely to the bodhisattva Kuan Yin/Kwannon. This is unique, as most Mahayana Sutras are usually ascribed to Shakyamuni Buddha and the teachings, deeds or vows of the bodhisattvas are described by Shakyamuni Buddha. In the Heart Sutra, Guan Yin/Avalokitesvara describes to the Arhat Sariputra 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. The Heart of Perfect Wisdom Sutra or Heart Sutra or Essence of Wisdom Sutra (Sanskrit: à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤œà¥à¤žà¤¾à¤ªà¤¾à¤°à¤®à¤¿à¤¤à¤¾à¤¹à¥ƒà¤¦à¤¯à¤¸à¥‚à¤¤à¥à¤° PrajÃ±ÄpÄramitÄ Hridaya SÅ«tra; Chinese: èˆ¬è‹¥æ³¢ç¾…èœœå¤šå¿ƒç¶“, BÅrÄ›bÅluÃ³mÃ¬duÅ XÄ«njÄ«ng; Japanese: èˆ¬è‹¥å¿ƒçµŒ, Hannya ShingyÅ; Korean: Pannya ShimgyÅng) is a well-known MahÄyÄna Buddhist sutra that is very... ÅšÄriputra (Sanskrit) or SÄriputta (PÄli); Chinese: èˆåˆ©å¼— Shelifu was one of two principal disciples of the Buddha. ...

Guan Yin and Chinese Folk Belief

Guan Yin is an extremely popular Goddess in Chinese folk belief and is worshipped in Chinese communities throughout East and South East Asia. Guan Yin is revered in the general Chinese population due to her unconditional love, compassion and mercy. She is generally regarded by many as the protector of women and children. By this association she is also seen as a fertility goddess capable of granting children. She 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. Due to her association with the legend of the Great Flood where she sent down a dog filled with rice grains in its tail after the flood, she is worshipped as a rice goddess. In some quarters, especially among business people and traders, she is looked upon as a Goddess of Luck and Fortune. In recent years there have been claims of her being the protector of air travellers. This article is on mythology involving great floods. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Brown basmati rice Terrace of paddy fields in Yunnan Province, southern China. ...

Guan Yin and the Virgin Mary

Some Christian and Roman Catholic observers have commented on the similarity between Guan Yin and the Blessed Virgin Mary of Christianity, the mother of Jesus. The Tzu-Chi Foundation, a Taiwanese Buddhist organization, also noticing the similarity, commissioned a portrait of Guan Yin and a baby that resembles the typical Madonna and Child painting. Guanyin and Child Potrait Painting of Guanyin and a child found in the Tzu-chi Foundation Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan. ... Guanyin and Child Potrait Painting of Guanyin and a child found in the Tzu-chi Foundation Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Our Lady redirects here. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Tzu Chis logo, representing a lotus. ... In JÃ¶rg Breu the Youngers painting, the Madonna and Child fix the spectator with a gaze that invites the pious to contemplation and prayer The Madonna and Child is one of the central icons of Christianity. ...

Some Chinese of the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic Philippines, in an act of syncretism, have identified Guan Yin with the Virgin Mary. It is true that the picture is very similar to Madonna but the meanings are totally different, so who identifies Guan Yin with the Virgin Mary makes a mistake. Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate, even opposing, beliefs and to meld practices of various schools of thought. ...

During the Edo Period in Japan, when Christianity was banned and punishable by death, some underground Christian groups venerated the Virgin Mary disguised as a statue of Kannon; such statues are known as Maria Kannon. Many had a cross hidden in an inconspicuous location. The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Edo Period. ...

Guan Yin in popular culture

The four heroes of the story, left to right: SÅ«n WÃ¹kÅng, XuÃ¡nzÃ ng, ZhÅ« BÄjiÃ¨, and ShÄ WÃ¹jÃ¬ng. ... Gensōmaden Saiyūki (Japanese: 幻想魔伝最遊記, Demonic Account of an Extreme Journey), published in English as simply Saiyuki, is a popular manga series created by Kazuya Minekura and loosely based on the famous Chinese novel Xī Yóu Jì (Journey to... The four heroes of the story, left to right: SÅ«n WÃ¹kÅng, XuÃ¡nzÃ ng, ZhÅ« BÄjiÃ¨, and ShÄ WÃ¹jÃ¬ng. ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... Revanche (Real Name: Kwannon) was originally an assassin for the Japanese crime syndicate, The Hand, and the lover of crime boss, Matsuo Tsurayaba, who was transformed into a telepathic mutant. ... Canon Inc. ... The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, akin to the Hebrew calendar & Hindu Calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ... Taipei Lantern Festival in the Chiang-Kai Shek memorial hall in Taipei, Taiwan. ... Adam Warren, a self Portrait Adam Warren is an American comic book illustrator and writer who is most famous for his adaptation of the The Dirty Pair into comic book form. ... Gotenks is a fictional character in the Dragon Ball Z anime and manga. ... Dragon Ball Z logo (English manga). ...

References

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