Guanyin

Guanyin (Chinese观音/观音, Pinyin Guanyin, W.-G. Kuan -yin ) is in the East Asian Mahayana Buddhism is a female Bodhisattva of compassion, but is worshiped in folk belief as a goddess, where she was the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara originally male.

Guanyin is the Chinese version of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. In Japan it is known as Kannon (観 音), known in Vietnam as Quan Am or Quan Thế AM Bó Tát; in Korea Kwan Seum Bosal (also: Kwan- order or Kwan- se- um). Another, older name for it is Guānzìzài (观 自在/观 自在, Japanese Kanjizai ).

As one of the most revered figures of the East Asian Buddhism they found numerous in iconography, texts and the practice of religion. Kannon is the most popular deity in the Buddhist pantheon. Since the arrival of the cult in Japan at the end of the 6th century, people look at her comfort and happiness.

Etymology

观/观, GUAN the character is " look, look, look at throwing something " for, or " intuition, View"音yin, is "sound, sound, sound ". The name is the short form of Guanshiyin (观世音/观世音, Japanese Kanzeon ), meaning " the sounds of the world perceiving ".

Origins

The Lotus Sutra of the Mahayana Buddhism has been repeatedly translated into Chinese. The most important translation is by Kumarajiva and was completed in 406. Put the name of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit in the Chinese name Guanshiyin was translated.

Plays a central role in a Guanyin Heart Sutra.

In China created many statues. First, Guanyin was prepared according to the translation as a man. With the spread in the land of content of the sutra was often mixed with existing religious beliefs and practices.

In the Tang Dynasty ( 618-907 ), there was tolerance and there was intense encounters of many religions. The Lotus Sutra was very popular because of the emphasis of compassion. But just in popular piety there was a great need for a deity with feminine attributes. A popular goddess of that time was Xīwángmǔ (西 王母), the Queen Mother of the West (English Queen Mother of the West, Old Grandmother of the Mount Taishan ) from the Daoism. By mixing these and other religious ideas arose in the course of time, the " goddess " Guanyin, which can take 33 different roles in the Lotus Sutra, seven of which are female.

In the 9th and 10th centuries Guanyin was more frequently represented in Northwest China as a woman. In the 12th century, old stories of goddesses and heroes with Guanyin were also associated in the religious centers.

As Portuguese Jesuits in the late 16th century came to China, Chinese artists observed the Madonna statues as a representation Guānyīns and started new statues based on this model to produce.

Other representations of Guanyin based on Avalokiteshvara. She has many eyes, so she can see the suffering all over the world, and many of the poor so that they can help anywhere. Literally it is described with 1,000 eyes and 1,000 arms. Most statues of " 1000händigen " Kannon ( Japanese: senju kannon ) only have 42 arms. Underlying basis is the belief that there would be 25 "worlds". The Kannon has two "normal" arms and 40 arms, save in the worlds creatures ( each in a world, and 24 of them therefore not visible). 40 × 25 = 1000, which explains the name. ( There are a few statues that actually have 1000 arms. )

In Japan, she is often depicted as Juichimen Kannon with eleven heads. These symbolize the ability to see in all directions ( to be all-seeing. ) The 11-member Kannon of Yakushi -ji in Nara is one of the most famous.

These images are intended to express the ideal of a deity who sees everything and helps everyone and is therefore extremely busy.

Myths and legends

There are countless stories about the power and miraculous aid, which will come of Guanyin. The individual stories are told again in different versions. The most important stories can be divided into three groups:

Guanyin as the creator

In this story, the need for a wise and benevolent ruler for the coexistence of a people is described.

At the beginning of time Guanyin lived with all creatures on earth. She showed them how they had to live and how to deal with others. Under her tutelage all lived together happily. In case of disagreement, they asked Guanyin for advice and found a good solution.

But the day came, had to return to the Guanyin in the sky. Now many hostilities broke out in the living world. Your wailing was so loud that it was eventually heard of Guanyin ...

The Legend of Miao Shan

This story is the most famous and has contributed the most to their popularity.

The story is about the princess Miao Shan (妙善). Then the king and his wife are bad people, they do not see the good in her daughter. Through the harassment of their parents, they can not be diverted from the right path. Miao Shan renounced the world and enters the monastery. In the end, the parents realize the true size of their daughter and become better people.

In some representations of Miao Shan is described as an earlier incarnation of Guanyin.

Guanyin and the sea

On the coast of China, there were many cults to sea goddesses who often have only regional importance. Many stories tell of travelers or sailors who were miraculously saved. The old stories are told today with Guanyin as a helper.

On the island Pǔtuó, 110 km in Ningbo, on the shipping route from Japan to Taiwan, the mountain is Pǔtuóshān. This used to be a sacred mountain of Taoism. In the late 14th century it became a center of worship and Guānyīns to a sacred mountain of the Buddhists.

Psychological interpretation

The analytical psychology in the tradition of Carl Gustav Jung applies Guanyin as particularly significant expression of the mother archetype.