🙏 Avalokiteshvara

🙏

Avalokiteshvara (观音 / སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས།)

The Lord Who Looks Down with Compassion

Avalokiteshvara (Sanskrit: "The Lord Who Looks Down"), known as Guanyin in China, Kannon in Japan, and Chenrezig in Tibet, is the bodhisattva of infinite compassion (karuna). He embodies the compassionate activity of all Buddhas, hearing the cries of suffering beings throughout the universe and responding with skillful means to liberate them. He has vowed not to enter final nirvana until all sentient beings are freed from Samsara.

Attributes & Manifestations

Sanskrit Names
Avalokiteshvara, Padmapani (Lotus-Bearer), Lokeshvara (Lord of the World)
Chinese/Japanese Names
Guanyin (觀音), Guanshiyin (觀世音), Kannon (観音), Kanzeon (観世音)
Tibetan Name
Chenrezig (སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས།) - "The One Who Looks with Clear Eyes"
Primary Quality
Karuna (Compassion), Loving-kindness, Universal mercy
Sacred Mantra
Om Mani Padme Hum (ॐ मणि पद्मे हूँ)
"The Jewel in the Lotus"
Symbols
White Lotus, Prayer Beads (mala), Wish-Fulfilling Jewel (cintamani), Water Vase (amrita)
Buddha Family
amitabha's family (Lotus Family - Padma Kula)
Sacred Realm
potalaka (mythical island paradise)
Colors
White (purity and compassion), Red (active compassion), sometimes Green
Associated Elements
Water (purification, healing), Lotus (purity rising from suffering)

Forms and Iconography

The Thousand-Armed Form

The most iconic manifestation features 1,000 arms radiating like a sun, each hand bearing an eye in its palm, representing Avalokiteshvara's ability to see and respond to suffering throughout all realms simultaneously. The 1,000 arms symbolize his limitless capacity to help beings, while the eyes represent wisdom seeing the true nature of suffering. This form arose from his vow to help all beings—when he realized the immensity of suffering, his head split into eleven pieces from anguish. His spiritual father amitabha reconstructed him with eleven heads (representing the ten perfections plus enlightenment) and 1,000 arms to fulfill his vast compassionate vow.

Four-Armed Form (Shadakshari)

The most common form in Tibetan Buddhism shows four arms:

Often depicted in the lalitasana posture (royal ease), with one leg extended and one folded, wearing princely ornaments and silk garments, crowned with an image of Amitabha Buddha.

Two-Armed Form

The simplest representation shows Avalokiteshvara with two arms in the Anjali mudra (prayer gesture), holding a lotus blossom, emphasizing accessibility and intimate connection with devotees.

Eleven-Headed Form

Features eleven faces arranged in tiers:

Gender Manifestations

In Indian and Tibetan traditions, Avalokiteshvara appears primarily as male, embodying the masculine principle of active compassion (upaya - skillful means). In East Asian Buddhism (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam), the deity gradually transformed into the feminine Guanyin/Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, demonstrating the bodhisattva's teaching that ultimate compassion transcends gender. This feminine form became especially popular during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE) in the manifestation of White-Robed Guanyin (白衣觀音), often depicted holding a willow branch and water vase, granting children, healing, and protection to sailors.

📚 Primary Sources: Avalokiteshvara in Buddhist Texts

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Lotus Sutra - Universal Gateway

Lotus Sutra:Chapter 25:Universal Gateway:1-5
"At that time, the Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent rose from his seat and, baring his right shoulder, joined his palms toward the Buddha and said: 'World-Honored One, for what reason is the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara called Avalokiteshvara?' The Buddha said: 'Good son, if innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of sentient beings, experiencing pain and suffering, hear of this Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and wholeheartedly call upon his name, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara will immediately perceive their voices and rescue them from their suffering.'"
Source: Saddharma Pundarika Sutra (Lotus Sutra), Chapter 25: Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva Universal Gateway, c. 1st century CE
Lotus Sutra:Chapter 25:Universal Gateway:15-18
"If there are sentient beings beset by manifold sorrows and suffering, who hear of this Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and wholeheartedly call upon his name, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara will immediately perceive their voices, and all will be liberated from their suffering. If those who uphold the name of Avalokiteshvara enter a great fire, the fire will not be able to burn them because of the awesome spiritual power of this bodhisattva."
Source: Lotus Sutra, Chapter 25, demonstrating Avalokiteshvara's power to rescue from dangers
Lotus Sutra:Chapter 25:Universal Gateway:33-35
"If sentient beings in any land must be saved by the body of a Buddha, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva manifests as a Buddha and expounds the Dharma for them. If they must be saved by a pratyekabuddha, he manifests as a pratyekabuddha and expounds the Dharma. If they must be saved by a shravaka, he manifests as a shravaka... If they must be saved by a layman or laywoman, he manifests accordingly. He takes on thirty-three different forms to save beings according to their needs."
Source: Lotus Sutra, Chapter 25, describing the thirty-three manifestations of Avalokiteshvara

Heart Sutra

Heart Sutra:Opening:Verses 1-3
"When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practicing the profound Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom), he illuminated the Five Skandhas and saw that they were all empty, thus overcoming all suffering and distress. Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form."
Source: Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra (Heart Sutra), c. 1st-4th century CE

Karandavyuha Sutra

Karandavyuha Sutra:Chapter 1:Verses 7-12
"The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara descended to the hell realms. As his feet touched the ground of Avici Hell, it became as cool as a lake with blooming lotuses. All beings in hell, who had been suffering for countless eons, were immediately liberated. He spoke to them: 'Recite Om Mani Padme Hum, and you shall be freed from this suffering.' Upon hearing this mantra, they were reborn in the realm of the gods."
Source: Karandavyuha Sutra, earliest source of Om Mani Padme Hum mantra, c. 4th-5th century CE
Karandavyuha Sutra:Chapter 3:The Great Vow
"Avalokiteshvara made this vow before all the Buddhas: 'I shall not enter final Nirvana until I have liberated every single sentient being from the ocean of Samsara. If I should ever become discouraged in this task, may my body be shattered into a thousand pieces.' So great was his compassion that even contemplating the vastness of suffering, his head split into eleven parts. Amitabha Buddha appeared and blessed him, giving him eleven heads to see in all directions, and one thousand arms to reach all beings."
Source: Karandavyuha Sutra, origin story of the eleven-headed, thousand-armed form

Tibetan Sources

Mani Kambum:Book 1:The Descent of Chenrezig
"In ancient times, when Tibet was covered by a great lake, Chenrezig looked down with compassion and saw that this land would become a place where the Dharma would flourish. From his right eye came a tear that became the goddess Tara. From his left eye came a tear that became the goddess Bhrikuti. Together they helped drain the lake and prepare Tibet to receive the Dharma. Every Tibetan being is said to be under the special care of Chenrezig."
Source: Mani Kambum (The Book of Mani), Tibetan treasure text, 11th-12th century CE
Mani Kambum:Book 5:The Six Syllables
"The six syllables OM MANI PADME HUM contain the essence of the entire 84,000 sections of the Buddha's teachings. OM closes the door to rebirth in the god realms, MA closes the door to the jealous gods, NI closes the door to the human realm, PAD closes the door to the animal realm, ME closes the door to the hungry ghost realm, and HUM closes the door to the hell realms. By reciting this mantra with faith and compassion, one progresses toward enlightenment while purifying the suffering of all six realms."
Source: Mani Kambum, explanation of the six-syllable mantra

Chinese Sources

Great Compassion Dharani Sutra:Opening Prayer
"Namo Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, with great kindness and mercy, responds to sentient beings in a myriad of forms. His is the vow: 'If any being who sincerely recites my Great Compassion Dharani does not obtain birth in any Buddha Land, I vow not to attain perfect enlightenment. If any being who recites my Dharani does not obtain limitless eloquence and wisdom, I vow not to attain enlightenment.'"
Source: Dabei Zhou Jing (Great Compassion Dharani Sutra), Tang Dynasty, 8th century CE
Legend of Miaoshan:Princess Miaoshan's Sacrifice
"Princess Miaoshan, the earthly manifestation of Guanyin, was ordered by her father the king to marry, but she refused, wishing only to help suffering beings. She was sentenced to death, but even the executioner's blade could not harm her. She descended to the hell realms, where her presence transformed hell into paradise. The King of Hell sent her back to the world of the living. When her father fell mortally ill, only the eyes and arms of a living person could cure him. Miaoshan offered her own eyes and arms. Upon being cured and learning the sacrifice, the king wept and vowed to follow the Dharma. Miaoshan was revealed as Guanyin with one thousand arms and eyes, showing that true compassion involves willing self-sacrifice."
Source: Legend of Miaoshan (妙善公主), Chinese Buddhist legend, Song Dynasty, 12th century CE

The Great Compassion Vow

Avalokiteshvara's defining characteristic is his bodhisattva vow to postpone his own final enlightenment until every sentient being across all realms and time is liberated from suffering. This vow represents the Mahayana ideal that individual liberation is incomplete while others suffer.

The Legend of the Shattered Vow

According to the Karandavyuha Sutra, after eons of tireless work liberating beings, Avalokiteshvara looked out across the universe and saw that despite his efforts, the ocean of suffering remained as vast as ever. For every being he freed, countless more fell into Samsara. The realization of the seemingly infinite nature of his task caused his head to explode into eleven pieces from the anguish of compassion.

His spiritual father amitabha appeared and reassembled him with:

This transformation symbolizes that true compassion grows stronger, not weaker, when confronted with the magnitude of suffering. It also teaches that bodhisattva compassion is not naive optimism but clear-eyed recognition of suffering combined with unwavering commitment to alleviate it.

The Sacred Mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum

ॐ मणि पद्मे हूँ (Om Mani Padme Hum) is perhaps the most famous mantra in Buddhism, inseparable from Avalokiteshvara. It is said that all the teachings of the Buddha are contained within these six syllables.

Meaning and Interpretation

Benefits of Recitation

According to the Mani Kambum and other texts, reciting this mantra:

Pronunciation and Practice

Tibetan: Om Mani Peme Hung (ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པདྨེ་ཧཱུྃ)
Sanskrit: Om Mani Padme Hum (ॐ मणि पद्मे हूँ)
Traditionally recited 108 times (one mala) or in multiples thereof. The mantra is often inscribed on prayer wheels, carved on mani stones, and written on prayer flags.

Related Figures & Emanations

Spiritual Father
amitabha - Buddha of Infinite Light
Female Emanations
tara (born from his tears of compassion), guanyin (East Asian form)
Wrathful Form
hayagriva - Horse-headed protector deity
Historical Emanations
Dalai Lamas (considered tulkus of Chenrezig), King Songtsen Gampo (first dharma king of Tibet)
Related Bodhisattvas
Manjushri (wisdom), vajrapani (power), maitreya (future Buddha)

Practices and Rituals

Meditation Practices

Popular Devotional Practices

Story Themes

Related Content

Cross-Cultural Parallels

  • Guanyin - Chinese feminine manifestation
  • Vishnu - Hindu preserver deity with similar compassion
  • Virgin Mary - Christian maternal compassion parallel
  • Kannon - Japanese manifestation

Related Archetypes

See Also

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