Avalokiteśvara – the Bodhisattva of compassion

This article is about Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. Who is He? The meaning of His name, His iconography, His mention in ancient literature and the advantages of reciting His name and mantra.

Who is Avalokiteśvara?

Avalokiteśvara is the Bodhisattva who personifies the compassion of all Buddhas. People see him as the emanation of the self-born, eternal Buddha Amitabha and deeply revere him.

Who are Bodhisattvas?

Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings destined to become Buddhas but have deferred their final enlightenment to aid humanity.

Avalokiteśvara- the patron deity of Tibetans

For Tibetans, Avalokiteśvara holds great significance as their patron deity, and his meditative practices are integral to all major Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

The meaning of the word Avalokiteśvara

Avalokiteśvara signifies the lord who gazes upon the world with compassion. The “Sutra of the Noble King of the Qualities of All Dharmas” details the significance of his name.

Once Vajrapani asked Buddha, “Bhagvat, why is Avalokiteśvara named so?” To which Buddha responded, “He is named Avalokiteśvara for He observes, comprehends, fulfills, safeguards, and assures all worlds. His heart is filled with compassion, joy, love, and affection, and He realizes the desires of His followers.”

People recognize and renown Avalokiteśvara’s compassion. Bokar Rinpoche once remarked, “Anyone whose heart love and, who genuinely and earnestly wishes for the welfare of others without concern for fame, profit, social standing, or recognition, embodies the essence of Avalokiteśvara’s activity.”

Iconography of Avalokiteśvara

Avalokiteśvara manifests in numerous forms and styles. The most common form of Avalokiteśvara is of four-armed deity in Vajra Mudra. In his first pair of folded hands, he cradles a jewel, representing “Bodhichitta,” or the pleasure of supreme merits. The act of folding hands near the heart signifies a humble prayer and request to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for their blessings of boundless compassion and zeal to aid all sentient beings.

Avalokiteśvara the Great cosmic being sits in meditation with lowered eyelids gazing inward at the mind and outward to observe the world’s lamentations.

In His second right hand, He holds a crystal rosary, symbolizing the liberation of living beings from cyclic existence through ideal means and aspirations. The white lotus flower in His second left hand represents His deep wisdom in understanding the nature of emptiness.

One teaching of the Avalokiteśvara sadhana states that the four hands of Avalokiteśvara in this depiction represent the four immeasurables: immeasurable loving-kindness, immeasurable compassion, immeasurable joy, and immeasurable equanimity.

At times, He adorns in fluidly carved garments. His chest is interlaced with sashes, scarves and delicately crafted jewels. Amitabha is present on the headdress of Avalokiteśvara. He dons deerskin. The deerskin over His left chest is symbolic of His compassionate heart for all living beings.

The deerskin worn by Avalokiteśvara is extraordinary; it comes from a specific deer that resides in the mountains, amidst rocks and snow. This deer is not only physically robust but also innately compassionate. Hunters exploit this by feigning conflict within its territory. Compelled by concern and compassion, the deer intervenes to mediate, exposing itself to capture. The skin of this deer is said to possess magical qualities, with the mere touch purported to soothe the mind.

Avalokiteśvara is typically depicted in white. His female counterpart is Tara. He is traditionally associated with Mount Potala, and His statues are often found atop hills.

Numerous Manifestations of Avalokiteśvara

Avalokiteśvara transforms Himself into forms that suit the nature of those seeking His aid. His skillful means are boundless, displaying countless manifestations and transformations. He can manifest in any form across all six realms of existence to alleviate the suffering of living beings. The purpose of His transformations is consistent: to assist humanity with compassion and mercy. Some texts consider Him as the source of all deities like Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Devi Saraswati, Lord Brahma etc.

In India, Avalokiteśvara is depicted as male, but in East Asian Buddhism, the figure takes on a female form. Devotees believe that Avalokiteśvara responds to an infinitude of circumstances by acquiring new qualities, putting on new robes and accepting new names – Guanyin in China, Kannon in Japan, Karunamaya in Nepal, Lokesvara and Chenrezig in Tibet.

In my opinion, these numerous manifestations, forms and styles are the result of the geopolitical reach and spread of Buddhism. Some of the popular form of Avalokiteśvara are:

• Padmapani – Avalokiteśvara having one face and two arms.
• Amoghpasha Lokeshvara – Avalokiteśvara having one face and eight arms.
• Avalokiteśvara having thousand hands
• Hayagriva – Avalokiteśvara having one face and four arms.
• Chundi
• Chakrasamvara Etc.

Several forms of Avalokiteśvara are referred to as Lokeshvara. However, not all Lokeshvaras are emanations of Avalokiteśvara.

Avalokiteśvara in ancient literature

The name Avalokiteśvara finds first mention in the Avatamasaka Sutra, a Mahayana scripture that precedes the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra is widely recognized as the initial scripture to teach the doctrine of Avalokiteśvara. This belief originates from its popularity in Japan and the efforts of early Western translators of this scripture.

The chapter twenty-five of this scripture mentions Avalokiteśvara as a compassionate Bodhisattva who works tirelessly to help those who calls upon his name. In the lotus-sutra thirty-three manifestations of Avalokiteśvara are described including female manifestations.

The peak of Avalokiteśvara veneration in North India began between the third and seventh centuries. The Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian visited Mathura around 400 CE and observed monks making offerings to Avalokiteśvara. Xuanzang, a Chinese monk and translator, provided an eye-witness account of Avalokiteśvara statues being venerated by a diverse group of devotees including kings, monks, and laypeople, in the seventh century. Avalokiteśvara was introduced in Tibet in the seventh century. There He quickly attained the status of the most popular figure of the Buddhist pantheon.

Mantras of Avalokiteśvara and advantages of reciting them

The six-syllable mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum,” which means “the jewel is in the lotus,” is the mantra of Avalokiteśvara – the Lord of the Six Syllables. The Karandavyuha Sutra references the link between this mantra and Avalokiteśvara.

The name Avalokiteśvara itself carries immense blessings. According to the Mahayana Sutra, “The White Lotus of the Good Dharma,” the Buddha explains that merely hearing the name of Avalokiteśvara, contemplating Him, or invoking His name can protect beings from various perils, including shipwrecks, fires, drowning, snakes, robbers, assassins, and wild animals. If someone pays homage to Avalokiteśvara they will be freed from desire, anger and ignorance.

Avalokiteśvara is the creator of the fourth world which is the actual universe.

Avalokiteśvara guards the world in the interval between the departure of the historical Buddha and the appearance of the future Buddha Maitreyi.

References

Buddhist Deities and Masters – An introduction by Chandra B Sakya

The iconography of Nepalese Buddhism by Min Bahadur Shakya

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