Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion, is a manifestation of the Divine Mother and serves mankind in much the same way as Mother Mary. Many think of her as the Buddhist Madonna and Saviouress of the East. Her names are as numerous as those of Mother Mary and her title and office as a Goddess denotes her level of attainment as a Cosmic Being. To the people of Japan she is known as Kannon and in China her name is Guanyin. You may have heard of her as Miao Shan, a legendary Chinese Princess known for her great compassion or by her popular Tibetan and Mongolian name of Tara. Kuan Yin is a bodhisattva, a being of wisdom destined to become a Buddha. She has taken the vow of a bodhisattva to save all beings from suffering by forgoing the final state of Buddhahood. Scholar Robert Thurman explains these celestial saviors saying: Kuan Yin is called the Goddess of Mercy because she embodies the flame of mercy and compassion. We can pray to her not only for comfort, healing, guidance and succor but also for mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. She shows us through the flame of forgiveness how to free ourselves from all hardness of heart and teaches us to have compassion for all. She comes as the Mother to dispel all illusion. There are many legends surrounding this celestial bodhisattva. One particularly beautiful one illustrates how Kuan Yin, more appropriately known as Kuan-shih-yin, came to be known as such. Her name means “one who regards, looks on, or hears the sounds of the world.” The legend says Kuan Yin paused on the threshold of heaven as she was about to enter when she heard the anguished cries of the world. Out of compassion for the suffering of others, she turned and vowed to remain and help those in need for however long this may take. The bodhisattva vow is a sacred and holy vow and not one to be taken lightly. Kuan Yin is a nurturing Mother and the love and compassion she has for all is truly great.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Jun 2013 01:45:48 +0000
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