Bodhisattva Guanyin (Kuan-yin)

1. 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)

2. Avalokitesvara in Angkor, Cambodia: Lokesvara

3. Tibetan form of Avalokiteśvara ( Four-armed Chenrezig) Vietnam, Hanoi region

4. 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

5. 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

6. Avalokitesvara in Major Scriptures • In the ascending order in terms of the importance of his role • The Sutra on the Mental Fixation of Integral Illumination • The Vimalakirti Sutra • The Longer/Larger Sutra • The Sutra of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’s Receiving Prediction [Prophesy] • The Sutra on the Original Cause for Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’s Rebirth in the Pure Land

7. Guanyin (Kuan-yin) Assumes the Role of a Savior The Lotus Sutra (chap. “Universal Gateway”) The Contemplation Sutra (orThe Sutra of Visualization on Amitayus Buddha) The Surangama Sutra The Karandavyudha Sutra By Wu Daozi, Tang Dynasty

8. Guanyin and Indigenous Chinese Scriptures • Reasons for the making of indigenous Chinese scriptures: • Promoted the interest of the ruling authority • Criticized policies of the ruling authority • Reconciled differences between Buddhism and traditional Chinese thoughts, both Confucianism and Taoism • Advocated/proselytized a specific faith • Enhanced a cult of a national hero/heroine • Promised cures, blessings and other miracles

9. Guanyin in Indigenous Scriptures • The Sutra of Guanshiyin (Kuan-shih-yin) Samadhi • The King Kao’s Guanshiyin (Kuan-shih-yin) Sutra • The Sutra of the Bodhisattva Guanshiyin (Kuan-shih-yin) [who explains] the Conditions to be Reborn in the Pure Land • Dharani of Great Wish-fulfillment

10. Dharani Sutra of Five Mudras of the Great Compassionate White-Robed Guanyin • Sutra of the Great Merit of Foremost Rarity Spoken by the Buddha Received by the Empress Renxiao (Jen-hsiao) of the Great Ming in a Dream • Exalted Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on the Incarnation of the Great Compassionate and Supreme Holy Nine-lotus Bodhisattva to Save the World

11. 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

12. 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

13. Southern Sea Guanyin

14. King Gao’s (Kao’s) Guanshiyin Sutra • Has only ten sentences • Central idea: Sins could be expiated by calling on the name of Guanyin, reciting a sutra, and chanting a dharani • Benefits similar to those described in the “Universal Gateway” chapter of the Lotus Sutra: • Be saved from seven perils (fire, water, wind or raksasa, knives, ghosts, shackles, enemies), three poisons (greed, delusion, and hatred) • Get two wishes (for a son and a daughter)

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. Exalted Sutra Spoken by the Buddha • Content: • Guanyin asks the Buddha to help relieve people who suffer because of ignorance and evil deeds • The Buddha prophesizes the appearance of the Nine-lotus Bodhisattva • Urges people to chant the sutra and dharani revealed therein • Benefits not clearly detailed Wood sculpture, Ming Dynasty