Description
Guanyin, Kwanyin, Guanshiyin, or Guanyin Pusa is the Chinese interpretation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (the goddess of comfort and mercy). In Taoism, she is also considered immortal. The sacred scripture dedicated to her is the Dabeizhou. Guanyin is the goddess of compassion and the sea. Guanyin is also one of the Three Saints of the Western Paradise, along with Mahasthamaprapta and Amitabha Buddha. The Three Saints are primarily worshipped to save deceased loved ones from hell and grant them access to the Western Paradise with the help of the Three Saints. In traditional Chinese religion, Taoism, and Chinese Buddhism, Guanyin is primarily invoked in prayers during times of danger, as the story goes that Guanyin saves people in danger. The goddess was actually a god when she first gained popularity in China, but when statues of her were created and she took on an increasingly feminine appearance, she became a goddess. In Korea and Japan, the image of Guanyin was adopted and also depicted as a goddess. Guanyin is often depicted in paintings with a child in her arms. It therefore resembles a Buddhist version of the Catholic Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. Another common painting of her depicts Guanyin holding a vase. This vase contains saving water, which she pours onto the earth, saving people from danger. Guanyin also appears in the Chinese novel "Journey to the West." In it, she plays the role of savior of Sun Wukong, a brutal and vicious monkey whom Guanyin transforms into a peaceful monkey. The largest statue of this bodhisattva stands on the Chinese island of Hainan and is called Sanya's Guanyin of the Southern Sea.
