Guanyin In Mahayana Buddhism

Guanyin, the deity of mercy who is worshipped by the Chinese and East Asian society, the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion in Mahayana Buddhism, is the most popular and influential Buddhist bodhisattva originated as the Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara introduced from India (Guang, 2012). It is believed that Chinese people are not surprised with the Guanyin beliefs and the traditional Guanyin worshipping activities as Guanyin always appears in the Chinese History and culture. Another familiar Chinese names of Guanyin are Guanzizai and Guanshiyin, which represent the original meaning of Avalokiteśvara of “Buddhist rejection of the doctrine of any creator god” and “sound perceiver and lamentation” respectively (Pine, 2004). Even though the history of Guanyin

Jiuku tianzun (the Heavenly Venerable Savior from Suffering) was created by the imitation of the Buddhist Guanyin in the Daoists of the Lingbao texts (Guang, 2012). Since Guanyin is still the most popular worship idol nowadays, the Bodhisattva 's birthday and renunciation (Lunar New Year on February 19, June 19, September 19) are still China's Buddhist worshiped day. Even in the Theravada Buddhist countries, such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and India, least people believed in Guanyin and among them most are the Chinese people, and Buddhist countries in the North especially in China worshiping Guanyin becomes an everlasting faith (Irwin, 1990). Why Guanyin become so popular in Chinese society? Why every family worships Guanyin? Why other mainstream Chinese thoughts would also accept and include the Guanyin’s belief? Reasons for the enduring popularity and the influential power of Guanyin in Chinese society are going to be examined in this essay by the following

This enables Guanyin to maintain its long-lasting kind image and faith in Chinese people’s heart years by years. Looking into the inner personalities of Guanyin – kindness, enlightenment and hearing from the sufferings of people of the Guanyin not only embodies the spirit of entering into the humanity of Mahayana Buddhism, but also echoes the Chinese thought of the cultivation of virtue as Guanyin is actually an intrinsic moral beauty (Yu, 2001). Then, the outer appearance of Guanyin is most unique and has variety of styles according to the Buddhist Bodhisattva supernatural magical introduction like thirty-two methods of convenience and based on the introduction and folk legends Buddhist such as a large number of ancient sculptures, paintings on view of the world the image of Buddha gave full expression, as among the major caves and temples can be seen Avalokiteśvara, comfortable Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy ten side, forty-eight arm Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy island, Yoji Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy in white, has ever been, and so the image of the Goddess of Mercy as many as dozens of hundreds of species Lorne; Rösch & Scheurleer, 2002). For examples, from