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132-472: In Chinese Buddhism and Shingon Buddhism , it is believed that the Great Peacock King is an incarnation of either Vairocana Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha . Its main merits include the elimination of poison and disease, the protection of the country, the dispelling of disasters, and the ability to pray for both rain and cessation of rain. The Sanskrit name Mahāmāyūrī means 'great peahen'. Known as

264-467: A householder , a chief minister, a Brahmin , a bhikkhu , a bhikkhunī , a Upāsaka , a Upāsikā , a wife, a young boy, a young girl, a deva , a nāga , a yaksha , a gandharva , an asura , a garuḍa , a kinnara , a Mahoraga , a human, a non-human and Vajrapani . The Śūraṅgama Sūtra also mentions thirty-two manifestations of Guanyin, which follow closely those in the Lotus Sutra , with

396-461: A bath for fellow monks, Sāḍdhi encountered a perilous situation when a large black snake emerged from a hole in a decaying tree and bit him on his right big toe. The venom swiftly spread throughout his body, causing him to collapse unconscious on the ground, foaming at the mouth, with his eyes rolled back. Ananda , witnessing the distressing scene, promptly sought the Buddha's assistance. In response,

528-612: A bodhisattva who can take the form of any type of god including Indra or Brahma ; any type of Buddha , any type of king or Chakravartin or even any kind of Heavenly Guardian including Vajrapani and Vaisravana as well as any gender male or female, adult or child, human or non-human being, in order to teach the Dharma to sentient beings. Local traditions in China and other East Asian countries have added many distinctive characteristics and legends to Guanyin c.q. Avalokiteśvara. Avalokiteśvara

660-543: A bowl or an ingot , which represents the Pearl of Light, whereas Shancai is seen with palms joined and knees slightly bent to show that he was once crippled. In a story first dating to the Ming dynasty, a parrot becomes a disciple of Guanyin. Set during the prosperous Tang dynasty, the story focuses on a family of white parrots who nest in a tree. One young parrot in the family is especially intelligent, and can recite sutras, chant

792-456: A healer. He forced her into hard labour and reduced her food and drink but this did not cause her to yield. Every day she begged to be able to enter a temple and become a nun instead of marrying. Her father eventually allowed her to work in the temple, but asked the monks to give her the toughest chores in order to discourage her. The monks forced Miaoshan to work all day and all night while others slept in order to finish her work. However, she

924-636: A hunter's trap. Bound and facing peril, he remembered the mantra, reciting it and miraculously securing his release, with his consorts emerging unscathed. Recognizing the formidable efficacy of this mantra, the Buddha discerned its capacity to mitigate grave transgressions, eradicate minor wrongdoings, and dispel all forms of suffering. Out of compassion, the Buddha shared this transformative mantra with all sentient beings, envisioning that its constant recitation would empower individuals to transcend fear, surmount suffering, perpetually attract good fortune, evade danger, and live long and contented lives. In China, she

1056-457: A major center for pilgrimage for all Japanese. The Shingon monk Kakuban (1095–1143) was one Shingon scholar who responded to the rise in Pure Land devotionalism. He studied Shingon along with Tendai and also incorporated Pure Land practice into his Shingon system, as well as promoting an esoteric interpretation of nembutsu and Pure Land. Unlike other Pure Land schools, Kakuban held that

1188-411: A mighty Dragon King, was unable to do anything while his son was on land. Distressed, the son called out to all of Heaven and Earth. Hearing this cry, Guanyin quickly sent Shancai to recover the fish and gave him all the money she had. The fish at this point was about to be sold in the market. It was causing quite a stir as it was alive hours after being caught. This drew a much larger crowd than usual at

1320-409: A new school of esoteric Buddhism centered around Jingo-ji and wrote some key works which outlined the main teachings of Shingon. In 818, Kūkai asked emperor Saga to grant him Mount Kōya ( 高野山 Kōyasan ) , in present-day Wakayama province, so that he could establish a true monastic center away from the disturbances of the capital and this was soon granted. Kūkai and his disciples soon began to build

1452-586: A particular realm of samsara. This grouping originates from the Mohe Zhiguan ( Chinese : 摩訶止観 ; pinyin : Móhē Zhǐguān ) written by the Tiantai patriarch Zhiyi (538–597) and are attested to in various other textual sources, such as the Essential Record of The Efficacy of The Three Jewels ( Chinese : 三寶感應要略錄 ; pinyin : Sānbǎo Gǎnyìng Yàolüèlù ). They are: In China ,

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1584-418: A past life where the Buddha existed as a golden peacock king residing on the southern slope of Mount Meru . Engaging in the daily recitation of the mantra, the king experienced perpetual peace in mind and body. However, a lapse occurred when, driven by desire, he neglected the mantra to frolic with his peacock consorts in the forest. Succumbing to intoxication and a loss of mindfulness, he inadvertently fell into

1716-614: A peacock spirit in the Ming Dynasty novel Fengshen Yanyi , is based on the figure of Mahamayuri. Kong Xuan appears as a powerful general under King Zhou of Shang . The 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West includes a story about how the king of the Kingdom of Zhuzi had a hobby of hunting when he was a young prince. One day, he accidentally killed two followers of Mahamayuri. Later on, Mahamayuri said that to pay for this,

1848-578: A pool of water he also discovered that he now had a very handsome face. From that day forth, Guanyin taught Shancai the entire dharma. Many years after Shancai became a disciple of Guanyin, a distressing event happened in the South China Sea . The third son of one of the Dragon Kings was caught by a fisherman while swimming in the form of a fish. Being stuck on land, he was unable to transform back into his dragon form. His father, despite being

1980-622: A popular depiction of Guanyin is as a maiden dressed in Tang hanfu carrying a fish basket. A popular image of Guanyin as both Guanyin of the South Sea and Guanyin with a Fish Basket can be seen in late 16th-century Chinese encyclopedias and in prints that accompany the novel Golden Lotus . In Chinese art, Guanyin is often depicted either alone, standing atop a dragon, accompanied by a white cockatoo and flanked by two children or two warriors. The two children are her acolytes who came to her when she

2112-600: A thousand arms as well as eleven heads. The mantra associated with this manifestation, the Nīlakaṇṭha Dhāraṇī , is one of the most popular mantras commonly recited in East Asian Buddhism . In Chinese Buddhism, the popularity of the mantra influenced the creation of an esoteric repentance ceremony known as the Ritual of Great Compassion Repentance ( Chinese : 大悲懺法會 ; pinyin : Dàbēi Chànfǎ Huì during

2244-533: A thousand arms to let her reach out to those in need. Many Himalayan versions of the tale include eight arms with which Avalokitesvara skillfully upholds the dharma , each possessing its own particular implement, while more Chinese-specific versions give varying accounts of this number. In Japan, statues of this nature can be found at the Sanjūsangen-dō temple of Kyoto. In both Chinese Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism , Hayagriva Guanyin (lit. "Horse Headed Guanyin")

2376-661: A wealthy but uncaring man. The story is usually ascribed to the research of the Buddhist monk Jiang Zhiqi during the 11th century. The story is likely to have its origin in Taoism. When Jiang penned the work, he believed that the Guanyin we know today was actually a princess called Miaoshan ( 妙善 ), who had a religious following on Fragrant Mountain. Despite this there are many variants of the story in Chinese mythology . According to

2508-499: A white human-headed peacock with four arms. She is often seated on a lotus flower or a peacock throne. The right hand holds a lotus flower, which represents the purity of his wisdom. The second right hand holds the fruit of all causes, which represents his ability to fulfill all wishes. The left hand holds a wish-fulfilling fruit, which represents his ability to grant all desires. The second left hand holds three or five peacock tails, which represent his power to dispel poison and disease. In

2640-479: Is Guānzìzài ( traditional Chinese : 觀自在 ; simplified Chinese : 观自在 ; pinyin : Guānzìzài ), from Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara . It was initially thought that early translators mistook Avalokiteśvara as Avalokitasvara and thus mistranslated Avalokiteśvara as Guānyīn , which explained why Xuanzang translated Avalokiteśvara as Guānzìzài . However, the original form was indeed Avalokitasvara which contained morpheme svara ("sound, noise") and

2772-521: Is also depicted holding an infant in order to further stress the relationship between the bodhisattva, maternity, and birth. In the modern period, Guanyin is most often represented as a beautiful, white-robed woman, a depiction which derives from the earlier Pandaravasini form. In some Buddhist temples and monasteries, Guanyin's image is occasionally that of a young man dressed in Northern Song Buddhist robes and seated gracefully. He

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2904-667: Is also one of the Ten Small Mantras . In China, it is said that fishermen used to pray to her to ensure safe voyages. The titles Guanyin of the Southern Ocean ( 南海觀音 ) and "Guanyin (of/on) the Island" stem from this tradition. Another story from the Precious Scroll of Fragrant Mountain ( 香山寶卷 ) describes an incarnation of Guanyin as the daughter of a cruel king Miaozhuang Wang who wanted her to marry

3036-411: Is an all-seeing, all-hearing being who is called upon by worshipers in times of uncertainty, despair, and fear. Guanyin is originally based on the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. Avalokiteśvara's myth spread throughout China during the advent of Buddhism and mixed with local folklore in a process known as syncretism to become the modern day understanding of Guanyin. According to the twenty-fifth chapter of

3168-872: Is known as Kǒngquè Míngwáng (孔雀明王) and her image is enshrined in many Chinese Buddhist temples. In contemporary times, her veneration is thought to be closely related to medical care, public health, environmental protection, and social welfare. In China , some of the temples which venerate her include the Luohan Temple in Chongqing , Wuyou Temple , Baoguang Temple and Fuhu Temple in Sichuan , Shifo Temple in Shaanxi , Jinguangming Temple in Fujian , as well as Qiongzhu Temple in Yunnan . In Taiwan , her veneration

3300-513: Is known as Mǎtóu Zūnzhě 馬頭尊者 (lit. "The Venerable Horse Head"). In Taoism , Hayagriva Guanyin was syncretized and incorporated within the Taoist pantheon as the god Mǎ Wáng 馬王 (lit. Horse King), who is associated with fire. In this form, he is usually portrayed with six arms and a third eye on the forehead. Guanyin's Cundī manifestation is an esoteric form of Guanyin that is venerated widely in China and Japan. The first textual source of Cundī and

3432-519: Is often portrayed as having six arms, with his first right hand touches the cheek in a pensive mudra, his second right hand holds a wish granting jewel (cintamani), his third right hand holds prayer beads, his first left hand holds Mount Meru, his second left hand holds a lotus flower and the third left hand holds a Dharma wheel (cakra). Her mantra, the Cintāmaṇicakra Dharani ( Chinese : 如意寶輪王陀羅尼 ; pinyin : Rúyì Bǎolún Wáng Tuóluóní ),

3564-760: Is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asian Buddhism . It is sometimes also called Japanese Esoteric Buddhism, or Eastern Esotericism ( Dōngmì , 東密). The word shingon is the Japanese reading of the Chinese word 真言 ( zhēnyán ), which is the translation of the Sanskrit word mantra . The Zhēnyán lineage was founded in China (c. 7th–8th centuries) by Indian vajrācāryas (esoteric masters) like Śubhakarasiṃha , Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra . These esoteric teachings would later flourish in Japan under

3696-623: Is one, yet can be many". Guanyin Guanyin ( Chinese : 觀音 ; pinyin : Guānyīn ) is a common Chinese name of the bodhisattva associated with compassion known as Avalokiteśvara ( Sanskrit : अवलोकितेश्वर ). Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin , which means "[The One Who] Perceives the Sounds of the World". Due to sociogeographical factors, Guanyin can be historically depicted as genderless or adorning an androgynous apprentice. On

3828-840: Is promoted by the Chinese Great Peacock Buddha Association (中華世界大孔雀佛協會), which has their main headquarters located at Kaicheng Temple . In Singapore , one temple which venerates her is Hua Gim Si Temple . In Japan she was known as the name Kujaku Myōō (孔雀明王). There is a record stating that she was worshiped during the Nara period , and her image was placed at the newly constructed Saidai-ji Temple Kondo (Saidai-ji Temple Golden Hall). Shingon Buddhism New branches: Tantric techniques : Fourfold division: Twofold division: Thought forms and visualisation: Yoga : Shingon ( 真言宗 , Shingon-shū , "True Word / Mantra School")

3960-486: Is reputed for its ability to safeguard against harm, alleviate ailments, and usher in happiness. Widely embraced by Mahayana Buddhism practitioners, the mantra is frequently chanted as a means of spiritual practice. The Buddha imparted the Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra with the specific intention of addressing the manifold challenges faced by sentient beings. According to the sutra, both the text and

4092-557: Is said that she voluntarily took on the massive karmic guilt the executioner generated for killing her, thus leaving him guiltless. It is because of this that she descended into the Hell-like realms. While there, she witnessed first-hand the suffering and horrors that the beings there must endure, and was overwhelmed with grief. Filled with compassion, she released all the good karma she had accumulated through her many lifetimes, thus freeing many suffering souls back into Heaven and Earth. In

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4224-441: Is said to frequently becalm the sea when boats are threatened with rocks. After some decades Guanyin returned to Fragrant Mountain to continue her meditation. Legend has it that Shancai (also called Sudhana in Sanskrit ) was a disabled boy from India who was very interested in studying the dharma . When he heard that there was a Buddhist teacher on the rocky island of Putuo, he quickly journeyed there to learn. Upon arriving at

4356-539: Is the main pilgrimage site in China. There is a 33-temple Guanyin pilgrimage in Korea, which includes Naksansa. In Japan, there are several pilgrimages associated with Guanyin. The oldest one of them is the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage , a pilgrimage through 33 temples with Guanyin shrines. Guanyin is beloved by most Buddhist traditions in a nondenominational way and is found in most Tibetan temples under

4488-461: Is the possibility of "becoming Buddha in this very embodied existence" (sokushin jōbutsu) , even for the most depraved persons. All beings thus have the potential to become Buddhas through their own effort and through the power / grace ( adhisthana ) of the Buddha. Kūkai thus rejected the idea we lived in an age of Dharma decline and that therefore one had to be reborn in a pure land to attain enlightenment. This also informs his positive view of

4620-659: Is used extensively in Shingon as part of daily recitation and ritual practice. The full Sanskrit title is Mahāsukhavajra-amoghasamaya-sūtra (Ch. Dale jingang bukong zhenshi sanmohe jing , Sutra of the Vow of Fulfilling the Great Perpetual Enjoyment and Benefiting All Sentient Beings Without Exception ). Another important source for the Shingon school is the Awakening of Faith and a commentary on it called

4752-486: Is usually depicted looking or glancing down, symbolising that Guanyin continues to watch over the world. In China, Guanyin is generally portrayed as a young woman wearing a flowing white robe, and usually also necklaces symbolic of Indian or Chinese royalty. In her left hand is a jar containing pure water, and the right holds a willow branch. The crown usually depicts the image of Amitābha . There are also regional variations of Guanyin depictions. In Fujian , for example,

4884-492: Is venerated as a guardian protector of travel and transportation, especially for cars. His statue is placed at the entrance and exits of some Chinese Buddhist temples to bless visitors. In certain Chinese Buddhist temples, visitors are also allowed to have their license plates enshrined in front of an image of this deity to invoke his protection over their vehicle. He is also counted as one of the 500 Arhats , where he

5016-467: Is “the original ground dharmakāya .” (薄伽梵即毘盧遮那本地法身, at Taisho no. 1796:39.580). According to Hakeda, Kūkai identified the Dharmakaya with "the eternal Dharma, the uncreated, imperishable, beginningless, and endless Truth". This ultimate reality does not exist independently of all things, but is immanent in them. Dainichi is worshipped as the supreme Buddha and also appears as the central figure of

5148-722: The Mahāvairocana Sūtra ( 大日経 , Dainichi-kyō ) , the Vajraśekhara Sūtra ( 金剛頂経 , Kongōchō-kyō ) , and the Susiddhikara Sūtra ( 蘇悉地経 , Soshitsuji-kyō ) . Important Mahayana sutras in Shingon include the Lotus Sutra , the Brahmajāla Sūtra and Heart Sutra . Kūkai wrote commentaries on all three. Shingon derives form the early period of Indian Vajrayana (then known as Mantrayana,

5280-487: The Five Wisdom Buddhas . Hakeda also writes that in Shingon, Dainichi is "at the center of a multitude of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and powers; He is the source of enlightenment and the unity underlying all variety. To attain enlightenment means to realize Mahāvairocana, the implication being that Mahāvairocana is originally within man." According to Kūkai, the Buddha's light illuminates and pervades all, like

5412-410: The Lotus Sutra , one of the most popular sacred texts in the Buddhist canon, describes thirty-three specific manifestations that Guanyin can assume to assist other beings seeking salvation. These forms encompass a Buddha , a pratyekabuddha , an arhat , King Brahma , Sakra ( Indra ), Isvara , Mahesvara ( Shiva ), a great heavenly general , Vaiśravaṇa , a Cakravartin , a minor king, an elder ,

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5544-578: The On the Interpretation of Mahāyāna ( Shi Moheyan lun 釈摩訶衍論, Japanese: Shakumakaen-ron , Taisho no. 1668), which was traditionally attributed to Nagarjuna (though it is likely an East Asian composition). Finally, the works of Kūkai are key sources in Shingon Buddhism, including his various commentaries on the key esoteric texts of Shingon as well as original works like his magnum opus,

5676-828: The Song dynasty (960–1279) by the Tiantai monk Siming Zhili ( Chinese : 四明知禮 ; pinyin : Sìmíng Zhīlǐ ), which is still regularly performed in modern Chinese Buddhist temples in Mainland China , Hong Kong , Taiwan and overseas Chinese communities . One Chinese Buddhist legend from the Complete Tale of Guanyin and the Southern Seas ( Chinese : 南海觀音全撰 ; pinyin : Nánhǎi Guānyīn Quánzhuàn ) recounts how Guanyin almost emptied hell by reforming almost all of its denizens until sent out from there by

5808-567: The Sui and Tang dynasties. Additionally, Tan Chung notes that according to the doctrines of the Mahāyāna sūtras themselves, it does not matter whether Guanyin is male, female, or genderless, as the ultimate reality is in emptiness (Skt. śūnyatā ). Representations of the bodhisattva in China prior to the Song dynasty (960–1279) were masculine in appearance. Images which later displayed attributes of both genders are believed to be in accordance with

5940-602: The Ten Kings . Despite strenuous effort, she realised that there were still many unhappy beings yet to be saved. After struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, her head split into eleven pieces. The buddha Amitābha, upon seeing her plight, gave her eleven heads to help her hear the cries of those who are suffering. Upon hearing these cries and comprehending them, Avalokiteśvara attempted to reach out to all those who needed aid, but found that her two arms shattered into pieces. Once more, Amitābha came to her aid and appointed her

6072-481: The Tendai school. During the late Heian, Pure Land Buddhism was becoming very popular and Shingon was also influenced by this popular devotional trend. Mount Kōya soon became the center for groups of wandering holy men called Kōya Hijiri , who merged Pure Land practices focused on Amida Buddha with devotion to Kūkai and were also involved in raising funds for the rebuilding of many temples. Kōya-san soon became

6204-592: The nembutsu along with the popularization and use of the Mantra of Light . During the Heian period, the adoption of Shinto deities into Buddhism became popular, something that became known as Shinbutsu-shūgō (神仏習合, "syncretism of kami and buddhas"). This movement saw local Japanese deities as manifestations of the Buddhas. For example Amaterasu was seen as an emanation of Vairocana in Shingon. This emanation theory

6336-468: The ritual repertoire of Japanese Zen , including Soto Zen (through the figure of Keizan ). Shingon Buddhism also influenced broader Japanese culture , including medieval Japanese aesthetics, art , and craftsmanship . Shingon Buddhism was founded in the Heian period (794–1185) by a Japanese Buddhist monk named Kūkai (774–835 CE) who traveled to China in 804 to study Esoteric Buddhist practices in

6468-908: The "most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity" with miraculous powers to assist all those who pray to her, as is mentioned in the Pumen chapter of the Lotus Sutra and the Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra . Several large temples in East Asia are dedicated to Guanyin, including Shaolin Monastery , Longxing Temple , Puning Temple , Nanhai Guanyin Temple , Dharma Drum Mountain , Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple , Shitennō-ji , Sensō-ji , Kiyomizu-dera , Sanjūsangen-dō , and many others. Guanyin's abode and bodhimaṇḍa in India are recorded as being on Mount Potalaka . With

6600-426: The "three mysteries" (Jp: sanmi 三密) of mudra , mantra and mandala . Another influential doctrine introduced by Shingon was the idea that all beings are originally enlightened, a doctrine that was known as hongaku . The Shingon school's teachings and rituals had an influence on other Japanese traditions, especially those of the Tendai school, as well as Shugendo and Shinto . Its teachings also influenced

6732-509: The 'Queen of the secret sciences' and the 'Godmother of Buddha', Mahamayuri is believed to have the power to protect devotees from poisoning, either physical or spiritual. In Buddhism, her demeanor is in contrast to the wrathful attitudes of male personifications of the Wisdom Kings . The Mahamayuri text is a Buddhist dharani-genre text, containing magical incantations to treat snake bites, poisons and other maladies. Mahamayuri's dharani

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6864-417: The 19th day of the sixth lunar month, Guanyin's attainment of Buddhahood is celebrated. Guanyin has been appropriated by other religions, including Taoism and Chinese folk religion . Some Buddhists believe that when one of their adherents departs from this world, they are placed by Guanyin in the heart of a lotus and then sent to the western pure land of Sukhāvatī . Guanyin is often referred to as

6996-532: The Buddha informed Ananda about the potent mantra of the Mahamayuri (Great Peacock) Buddha Mother, emphasizing its ability to counteract poisons, dispel fears, avert calamities, and safeguard and nurture all sentient beings, leading them to happiness. The Buddha proceeded to impart the Mahamayuri Vidyarajni mantra to Ananda, who hastened back to Sāḍdhi and employed the mantra for healing. Through

7128-829: The Chinŏn (眞言) and the Jingak Order (眞 覺), both of which are largely based on Shingon teachings. During the 20th century, Shingon Buddhism also spread to the West, especially to the United States (a move led by the Japanese Diaspora ). There are now various temples on the West Coast and Hawaii like Hawaii Shingon Mission (built 1915–1918) and Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin ( Los Angeles , founded 1912). The teachings of Shingon are based on Mahayana texts, and early Buddhist tantras . The key esoteric sources are

7260-610: The Cundī Dhāraṇī is the Kāraṇḍavyūhasūtra , a sūtra centered around the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara that introduced the popular mantra oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ . This text is first dated to around the late 4th century CE to the early 5th century CE. Cundī and the Cundī Dhāraṇī are also featured in the Cundī Dhāraṇī Sūtra , which was translated three times from Sanskrit into Chinese in the late 7th century and early 8th century by

7392-662: The Emerald Buddha , Wat Huay Pla Kang (where the huge statue of her is often mistakenly called the "Big Buddha"), and Myanmar's Shwedagon Pagoda . Statues of Guanyin are a widely depicted subject of Asian art and are found in the Asian art sections of most museums in the world. Guānyīn is a translation from the Sanskrit Avalokitasvara , the name of the Mahāyāna bodhisattva. Another name for this bodhisattva

7524-437: The Garbhadhātu Mandala, Mahamayuri is enshrined in the sixth position of the southernmost corner of the Susiddhivīja  [ ja ] . She is often portrayed riding a peacock and commonly sporting four arms. Although the items she holds vary among traditions, common items include a citron , bael fruit , lotus flower, and a peacock tail feather. With the moon as a background, wear peaceful ornaments and garments. Seated in

7656-430: The Indian esoteric masters Divākara (685 CE), Vajrabodhi (723 CE), and Amoghavajra (8th century). In iconographic form, she is depicted with eighteen arms, all wielding different implements and weaponry that symbolize skillful means of the Dharma, sitting on a lotus flower . This manifestation is also referred to as the "Mother of the Seventy Million [Buddhas]" ( Chinese : 七俱胝佛母; pinyin : Qījùzhī fómǔ ). Her mantra,

7788-414: The Lotus Sutra is the first time the Avalokiteśvara is mentioned. Chapter 25 refers to him as Lokeśvara "Lord God of all beings" and Lokanātha "Lord and Protector of all beings" and ascribes extreme attributes of divinity to him. Direct translations from the Sanskrit name Avalokiteśvara include: Due to the devotional popularity of Guanyin in Asia, she is known by many names, most of which are simply

7920-416: The Lotus Sutra, where Avalokitesvara has the supernatural power of assuming any form required to relieve suffering, and also has the power to grant children. Because this bodhisattva is considered the personification of compassion and kindness, a mother goddess and patron of mothers and seamen, the representation in China was further interpreted in an all-female form around the 12th century. On occasion, Guanyin

8052-441: The Mahācundi Dhāraṇī ( Chinese : 準提神咒 ; pinyin : Zhǔntí Shénzhòu ), is one of the Ten Small Mantras ( Chinese : 十小咒 ; pinyin : Shí xiǎo zhòu ), which are a collection of dharanis that are commonly recited in Chinese Buddhist temples during morning liturgical services specifically. Guanyin's Cintāmaṇicakra manifestation is also widely venerated in China and Japan. In iconographic form, this manifestation

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8184-453: The Meiji era anti-buddhist persecutions known as haibutsu kishaku (abolish Buddhism and destroy Shākyamuni). Some Shingon temples that were affiliated with Shintō shrines were converted into shrines. Some Shinto monks left the Buddhist priesthood to become Shintō priests, or they returned to secular life. The government enforced the confiscation of temple land and this led to the closure of many Shingon temples. Those who survived had to turn to

8316-415: The Propagation of Dharma ) or Odaishi-sama ( お大師様 , The Great Master ) , the posthumous name given to him years after his death by Emperor Daigo . Kūkai was born to a family of the aristocratic Saeki clan in Shikoku and received a classical Confucian education at Kyoto's college (daigaku). He converted to Buddhism in his 20s and was inspired to practice asceticism in the mountains and wander

8448-446: The Pure Land exists in this very world and he also taught that Vairocana is Amida. Kakuban, and his faction of priests centered at the Denbō-in ( 伝法院 ) soon came into conflict with the leadership at Kongōbu-ji , the head temple at Mount Kōya . Through his connections with high-ranking nobles in Kyoto, Kakuban was appointed abbot of Mount Kōya. The leadership at Kongōbu-ji opposed him and after several conflicts (some of which involved

8580-589: The Shingon school in 1615, incorporating it into its administrative temple system. Under this new peace, Shingon study was revived in the various temples. Hase-dera became a major center for the broad study of all of Buddhism and also of secular topics. Meanwhile in Kōyasan, the Ji sect hiriji were allowed to return and were incorporated into the Shingon school, though this would lead to conflict later on. During this period, monks like Jōgen and Onkō (1718–1804) focused on studying and promoting Buddhist precepts and monastic discipline. This renewed interest in precepts study

8712-431: The Shingon schools continued to develop, some under the support of elite families or even emperors, like Go-Uda (1267–1324), who entered the priesthood at Tō-ji and helped revitalize the temple as well as Daikaku-ji . Meanwhile, on Kōyasan, Yūkai (1345–1416) was responsible for revitalizing Shingon doctrinal study and also for driving away all of the nembutsu hiriji (now mostly following the Ji sect) who had been living on

8844-426: The Thousand-Armed manifestation of Guanyin is the most popular among her different esoteric forms. In the Karandavyuha Sutra , the Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Guanyin ( Chinese : 千手千眼觀音 ; pinyin : Qiānshǒu Qiānyǎn Guānyīn ) is described as being superior to all gods and buddhas of the Indian pantheon. The Sutra also states that "it is easier to count all the leaves of every tree of every forest and all

8976-422: The Vehicle of Mantras). Unlike Tibetan Buddhism , which focuses on the Anuttarayoga Tantras , which are tantras that arose at a later date of Indian Buddhism , Shingon bases itself on earlier works like the Mahavairocana which generally lack the antinomian uses of sexual yoga , taboo substances and charnel ground imagery found in the later tantras. Nevertheless, the concept of "great bliss" (tairaku) and

9108-505: The auspices of a Buddhist monk named Kūkai ( 空海 , 774–835), who traveled to Tang China and received these esoteric transmissions from a Chinese master named Huiguo (746–805). Kūkai established his tradition at Mount Kōya (in Wakayama Prefecture ), which remains the central pilgrimage center of Shingon Buddhism. The practice of the Shingon school stresses that one is able to attain "buddhahood in this very body" (sokushin jōbutsu) through its practices, especially those which make use of

9240-611: The burning down of temples of Kakuban's faction), Kakuban's group left the mountain for Mount Negoro to the northwest, where they constructed a new temple complex now known as Negoro-ji ( 根来寺 ) . After the death of Kakuban in 1143, attempts to make peace were unsuccessful and after further conflicts, the Negoro faction (led by Raiyu) founded the new Shingi Shingon School based on Kakuban's teachings. As such, Shingon became divided into two major sub-schools, Kogi Shingon ( 古義真言宗 , Ancient Shingon school ) , and Shingi Shingon ( 新義真言宗 , Reformed Shingon school ) . Over time,

9372-445: The city of Xi'an ( 西安 ), then called Chang-an, at Azure Dragon Temple ( 青龍寺 ) under Huiguo , a student of the Indian esoteric master Amoghavajra . Kūkai returned to Japan with the teachings and scriptures of Chinese Esoteric Buddhism and founded a new tradition of Japanese Buddhism that became immediately influential with the island's elites. Shingon followers usually refer to Kūkai as Kōbō-Daishi ( 弘法大師 , Great Master of

9504-495: The countryside as an ascetic hermit (though he also visited cities to study texts). During this time his main meditation was the mantra of bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha found in the Kokūzō-gumonji no hō ( Ākāśagarbha Memory-Retention Practice , Taisho no.1145). While he was practicing in the mountains, he had a vision of the bodhisattva flying at him. During this early period of intense study, prayer and practice, Kūkai sought

9636-493: The deities intervened and urged him to stop. In exchange for a promise to renounce its habit of preying on humans, the Buddha elevated the peacock to the status of his godmother, while the eagle became his uncle and was granted a high position in heaven. In the Mahamayuri Tantra , it is stated that Mahamayuri assumes various forms to assist the Buddha, including taking on the human form of Queen Maya . Kong Xuan ,

9768-430: The executioner tried to carry out her father's orders, his axe shattered into a thousand pieces. He then tried a sword which likewise shattered. He tried to shoot Miaoshan down with arrows but they all veered off. Finally in desperation he used his hands. Miaoshan, realising the fate that the executioner would meet at her father's hand should she fail to let herself die, forgave the executioner for attempting to kill her. It

9900-460: The fifth century. The original meaning of the name "Avalokitasvara" fits the Buddhist understanding of the role of a bodhisattva. While some of those who revered Avalokiteśvara upheld the Buddhist rejection of the doctrine of any creator god, Encyclopædia Britannica does cite Avalokiteśvara as the creator god of the world. This position is taken in the widely used Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra with its well-known mantra oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ . In addition,

10032-484: The fish back to Guanyin, who promptly returned it to the sea. There the fish transformed back to a dragon and returned home. Paintings of Guanyin today sometimes portray her holding a fish basket, which represents the aforementioned tale. As a reward for Guanyin saving his son, the Dragon King sent his granddaughter, a girl called Longnü ("dragon girl"), to present Guanyin with the Pearl of Light. The Pearl of Light

10164-496: The grains of sand in the universe than to count the blessings and power of Avalokiteshvara". This version of Guanyin with a thousand arms depicting the power of all gods also shows various buddhas in the crown depicting the wisdom of all buddhas. In temples and monasteries in China , iconographic depictions of this manifestation of Guanyin is often combined with iconographic depiction of her Eleven-Headed manifestation to form statues with

10296-515: The half (vajrasana) posture. Legend holds that in primordial times, the original Phoenix ( Fenghuang ), the leader of flying beings, gave birth to the peacock Mahamayuri and to the eagle named the Golden-Winged Great Peng . The peacock once consumed the Buddha in one of his previous lives, who managed to escape by cutting through her stomach. At that time, the peacock preyed on humans, and the Buddha intended to kill it. However,

10428-416: The head temple of Shingon. Mount Kōya experienced a period of decline afterwards, until it recovered in the 11th century through the support of Fujiwara clan nobles like Fujiwara no Michinaga . Shingon Buddhism enjoyed immense popularity during the Heian period ( 平安時代 ), particularly among the nobility, and contributed greatly to the art and literature of the time, influencing other communities such as

10560-591: The highest truth to be found in Buddhism. One day he dreamt of a man telling him to seek out the Mahavairocana Sutra . He was able to obtain a copy in Chinese (and Sanskrit) but large portions of the text were undecipherable to him and thus he decided to go to China to find someone who could explain it to him. In 804, Kūkai set sail on a fleet of four ships to China. The future Tendai founder Saichō

10692-621: The imperial court for permission to establish a new Buddhist school and waited three years for a response in Kyushu . In 809 Kūkai was allowed to reside at a temple near Kyoto known as Takaosanji (now Jingo-ji ). This temple would become his major center of operations near the capital. Kūkai's fortunes rose steadily when Emperor Saga became his patron and Kūkai was appointed as the head of Todai-ji in 810. Kūkai began to give esoteric initiations (abhiseka) at this time, including to elite laymen and to Saicho and his students. He also began to organize

10824-410: The island, he managed to find Guanyin despite his severe disability. Guanyin, after having a discussion with Shancai, decided to test the boy's resolve to fully study the Buddhist teachings. She conjured the illusion of three sword-wielding pirates running up the hill to attack her. Guanyin took off and dashed to the edge of a cliff, the three illusions still chasing her. Shancai, seeing that his teacher

10956-461: The king's favorite consorts, and forced her to marry him. Without the lady, the king got sick for three years. According to the Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra , during the time of the Buddha, there was a recently ordained monk named Sāḍdhi. Despite his brief time as a monk, he had already received the precepts and was diligently studying the Vinaya rules. While engaged in gathering firewood and preparing

11088-456: The light of the sun (hence his name). The immanent presence also means that every being already has "original enlightenment" ( hongaku ) within. This is also known as the "enligthened mind" ( bodhicitta ) and the Buddha nature . As Kūkai writes: "Where is the Dharmakaya? It is not far away; it is in our body. The source of wisdom? In our mind; indeed, it is close to us!" Because of this, there

11220-458: The localised pronunciations of "Guanyin" or "Guanshiyin": In these same countries, the variant Guanzizai "Lord of Contemplation" and its equivalents are also used, such as in the Heart Sutra , among other sources. The Lotus Sūtra (Sanskrit Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra ) is generally accepted to be the earliest literature teaching about the doctrines of Avalokiteśvara. These are found in

11352-607: The localization of the belief in Guanyin, each area adopted its own Potalaka. In Chinese Buddhism , Mount Putuo is considered the bodhimaṇḍa of Guanyin. Naksansa is considered to be the Potalaka of Guanyin in Korea. Japan's Potalaka is located at Fudarakusan-ji . Tibet's is the Potala Palace . Vietnam's Potalaka is the Hương Temple . There are several pilgrimage centers for Guanyin in East Asia. Putuoshan (Mount Putuo)

11484-410: The mantra possess the extraordinary power to alleviate diseases, afflictions, and fears while serving as a protective shield for all living beings. Instructing Ananda to disseminate this sutra and mantra widely, the Buddha aimed to liberate sentient beings from suffering and guide them towards the attainment of happiness. Delving into the origin of the Buddha's emphasis on this mantra, the sutra recounts

11616-601: The market. Many people decided that this prodigious situation meant that eating the fish would grant them immortality, and so all present wanted to buy the fish. Soon a bidding war started, and Shancai was easily outbid. Shancai begged the fish seller to spare the life of the fish. The crowd, now angry at someone so daring, was about to pry him away from the fish when Guanyin projected her voice from far away, saying "A life should definitely belong to one who tries to save it, not one who tries to take it." The crowd, realising their shameful actions and desire, dispersed. Shancai brought

11748-578: The minds of various beings. Chapter 25 consists of both a prose and a verse section. This earliest source often circulates separately as its own sūtra, called the Avalokitasvara Sūtra (Ch. 觀世音經 ), and is commonly recited or chanted at Buddhist temples in East Asia. The Lotus Sutra and its thirty-three manifestations of Guanyin, of which seven are female manifestations, is known to have been very popular in Chinese Buddhism as early as in

11880-435: The more hell-like realms of the dead. However, instead of being punished like the other spirits of the dead, Guanyin played music, and flowers blossomed around her. This completely surprised the hell guardian. The story says that Guanyin, by merely being in that Naraka (hell), turned it into a paradise. A variant of the legend says that Miaoshan allowed herself to die at the hand of the executioner. According to this legend, as

12012-411: The mountain. He also purged the tradition of all traces of the heterodox Tachikawa school (even burning their texts). The Tachikawa school was known for teaching a mixed form of esotericism which made use of Daoist and sexual practices. During the war torn Sengoku period (1467 to 1615), all the Shingon temples in or near the capital were destroyed or stripped of all lands, while the Shingon centers in

12144-418: The mountains like Kōya and Negoro were forced to raise militaries for self defense, though sometimes they used these forces to attempt to expand the lands holdings of their temples. Mount Negoro, the center of Shingi Shingon, was sacked by the daimyō Toyotomi Hideyoshi ( 豊臣秀吉 ) in 1585. After this show of force, Kōyasan, the last major Shingon temple left standing at this time, submitted to Hideyoshi, and

12276-723: The name Chenrézik ( Wylie : Spyan ras gzigs ). Guanyin is also beloved and worshipped in the temples in Nepal. The Hiranya Varna Mahavihar , located in Patan , is one example. Guanyin is also found in some influential Theravada temples, such as Gangaramaya Temple , Kelaniya , and Natha Devale , near the Temple of the Tooth in Sri Lanka . Guanyin can also be found in Thailand's Temple of

12408-415: The name of Amitābha, and in some versions is even able to compose poetry. One day, the father parrot is killed by hunters. When the mother parrot goes to see what happened, she is blinded by the hunters. When the intelligent young parrot goes to find cherries (sometimes specified as lychees) to feed its mother, it is captured by the same hunters. By the time it escapes, its mother has died. After it has mourned

12540-766: The natural world, as well as of the arts, all of which he saw as manifestations of the Buddha. Dainichi is the ultimate source of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and of the entire cosmos. The centrality of Dainichi is seen in the fact that he appears at the centre of both the Diamond Realm and the Womb Realm mandalas. According to Kūkai, Mahāvairocana is also the Universal Principle which underlies all Buddhist teachings. Thus, other Buddhist deities can be thought of as manifestations of Dainichi, each with their own attributes. As Kūkai writes, "the great Self

12672-418: The new monastic complex, which they imagined and modeled on the two mandalas, the womb and vajra. This mountain center soon became the key center for Shingon study and practice. In his later life, Kūkai continued to actively promote the efficacy of Shingon ritual among the elite even while also working to build Kōyasan into a major center. Kūkai eventually achieved control of Tō-ji for the Shingon school, which

12804-532: The number of Shingon followers at ten million and the number of priests at sixteen thousand in around eleven thousand temples (in his 1988 book). In Japan, there are also several new Shingon influenced groups classified as 'New Religions'. Some of these new movements include Shinnyo-en , Agon-shu and Gedatsu-kai. Another recent modern development is the phenomenon of Chinese students reviving Chinese Esoteric Buddhism through studying Japanese Shingon. This “tantric revival movement” (mijiao fuxing yundong 密教復興運動)

12936-734: The omission of Vajrapani , and the substitution of Vaiśravaṇa (Heavenly King of the North) with the Four Heavenly Kings . These manifestations of Guanyin have been nativized in China and Japan to form a traditional list of iconographic forms corresponding to each manifestation. Guanyin is also venerated in various other forms. In the Chinese Tiantai and Tangmi and the Japanese Shingon and Tendai traditions, Guanyin can take on six forms, each corresponding to

13068-590: The oversight of Kōyasan Shingon-shū or Shingon-shu Buzan-ha and minister as Chinese branches of Japanese Shingon, but others have chosen to create independent and distinct schools. Today, these revivalist lineages exist in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia. Though they draw mainly from Shingon teachings, they have also adopted some Tibetan Buddhist elements. A similar phenomenon has occurred in South Korea , where two recent esoteric schools have been founded,

13200-655: The pañcarakṣā she appears to have had a fairly well-developed cult in India. Despite being associated with the Wisdom Kings , Mahāmāyūrī tends to be portrayed with a benevolent expression rather than a wrathful one. She has three faces and six hands. According to the Ritual for Painting the Image and Setting Up the Altar of the Great Peacock King Buddha Mother (大孔雀明王畫像壇場儀軌), Mahamayuri is depicted as

13332-415: The people of the world. Filled with compassion, she returned to Earth, vowing never to leave till such time as all suffering has ended. After her return to Earth, Guanyin was said to have stayed for a few years on the island of Mount Putuo where she practised meditation and helped the sailors and fishermen who got stranded. Guanyin is frequently worshipped as patron of sailors and fishermen due to this. She

13464-511: The power of the mantra, the poison was eradicated, and Sāḍdhi regained consciousness, fully restored to health. Expressing the significance of the mantra, the Buddha instructed Ananda to propagate it among all sentient beings, offering protection from harm and the opportunity to attain happiness. The Mahamayuri Vidyarajni Sutra is a Mahayana Buddhist scripture that imparts the mantra of the Mahamayuri Buddha Mother. This mantra

13596-560: The prince would suffer a lovesickness for 3 years. At the time, the bodhisattva Guanyin 's steed Golden Haired Hou went across the scene and managed to hear this. Years later, when the prince had grown up and became the king of the kingdom, the Golden Haired Hou took advantage of the child who guards him sleeping, escaped to the mortal realm, became the demon king Sai Tai Sui, and kidnapped the Lady of Jinsheng Palace (金聖宮娘娘), one of

13728-619: The process, that Hell-like realm became a paradise. It is said that Yama , the ruler of hell, sent her back to Earth to prevent the utter destruction of his realm, and that upon her return she appeared on Fragrant Mountain. Another tale says that Miaoshan never died, but was in fact transported by a supernatural tiger, believed to be the Deity of the Mountain, to Fragrant Mountain. The legend of Miaoshan usually ends with Miaozhuang Wang, Miaoshan's father, falling ill with jaundice . No physician

13860-514: The regular population for support. During the Meiji period, the government also adopted the "one sect, one leader" rule which forced all Shingon schools to merge under a single leader which was called a "Chōja" (Superintendent). This led to some internal political conflict among the various sub-schools of Shingon, some of which attempted to form their own separate official sects. Some of these eventually succeeded in attaining independence and eventually

13992-480: The sacrifice, he begged for forgiveness. The story concludes with Miaoshan being transformed into the Thousand Armed Guanyin, and the king, queen and her two sisters building a temple on the mountain for her. She began her journey to a pure land and was about to cross over into heaven when she heard a cry of suffering from the world below. She turned around and saw the massive suffering endured by

14124-420: The story, after the king asked his daughter Miaoshan to marry the wealthy man, she told him that she would obey his command, so long as the marriage eased three misfortunes. The king asked his daughter what were the three misfortunes that the marriage should ease. Miaoshan explained that the first misfortune the marriage should ease was the suffering people endure as they age. The second misfortune it should ease

14256-560: The temple and the faith itself. In Pure Land Buddhist traditions , Guanyin is often depicted and venerated with the Buddha Amitabha and the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta as part of a trio collective called the "Three Saints of the West" ( Chinese : 西方三聖; Pinyin : Xīfāng sānshèng). In Chinese mythology, Guanyin (觀音) is the goddess of mercy and considered to be the physical embodiment of compassion. She

14388-585: The ten volume Jūjū shinron (Treatise on Ten Levels of Mind) and the shorter summary Hizō hōyaku (Precious Key to the Secret Treasury) . In Shingon, the Buddha Mahāvairocana (Sanskrit for "Great Illuminator"), also known as Dainichi Nyorai (大日如来, "Great Sun Tathagata ") is the universal primordial ( honji-shin ) Buddha that is the basis of all phenomena. Śubhakarasiṃha's Darijing shu (大日經疏‎, J. Dainichikyōsho ) states that Mahāvairocana

14520-555: The transformation of desire (and other defilements) into wisdom is found in Shingon. Another important sutra in Shingon is the Prajñāpāramitānaya-sūtra (Jp. Hannyarishukyō , Taishō vol. 8, no. 243). This is a late "tantric" Prajñaparamita sutra in 150 lines which was translated by Amoghavajra and which contains various verses and seed syllables which encapsulate the Prajñaparamita teaching. The Hannyarishukyō

14652-696: The twenty fifth chapter of the Lotus Sūtra. This chapter is devoted to Avalokitesvara, describing him as a compassionate bodhisattva who hears the cries of sentient beings, and who works tirelessly to help those who call upon his name. The Buddha answered Bodhisattva Akṣayamati, saying: “O son of a virtuous family! If innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings who experience suffering hear of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara and wholeheartedly chant his name, Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara will immediately perceive their voices and free them from their suffering" The Lotus Sutra describes Avalokiteśvara as

14784-774: The two Shingon sub-schools also diverged doctrinally on such issues as the attainment of buddhahood through a single mantra and the theory of how the Dharmakāya teaches the Dharma. Following in Kakuban's footsteps, the Koyasan monk Dōhan 道範 (1179–1252) has been seen as a key figure in the promotion of what has been called an “esoteric Pure Land culture”, a Shingon variety of Pure Land Buddhism that became very popular during this period and influenced other figures and schools like Eison of Saidaiji's Shingon Risshu. This esoteric pure land culture included esoteric uses and interpretations of

14916-562: The unified Shingon sect split into various sub-sects again. In March 1941, under the government's religious policy, Shingon schools were forcibly merged to form the 'Dai-Shingon' sect. During the second world war , prayers for the surrender of enemy nations were frequently held at various temples. After the war, both Ko-Gyō and Shin-Gyō schools continued to separate, and some established their own unique doctrines and traditions. There are now around eighteen major Shingon schools with their own headquarter temples (honzan) in Japan. Yamasaki estimated

15048-455: Was Shinnen (804–891) and already at this time there was some conflict between Tō-ji and Kōyasan. Some Shingon monks also followed in Kūkai's footsteps and visited China to receive more teachings and texts. Likewise, several Tendai monks also visited China and brought back esoteric teachings, making Tendai esotericism a major competitor to Shingon. Under Kangen (853–925), Tō-ji temple rose to become

15180-417: Was a compound meaning "sound perceiver", literally "he who looks down upon sound" (i.e., the cries of sentient beings who need help). This is the exact equivalent of the Chinese translation Guānyīn . This etymology was furthered in the Chinese by the tendency of some Chinese translators, notably Kumārajīva , to use the variant Guānshìyīn , literally " One who perceives the world's lamentations"—wherein lok

15312-567: Was a major temple within the capital. His final request before his death in 832 was to construct a Shingon hall in Imperial palace grounds in order to accommodate the practice of the seven day ritual of chanting the Sutra of Golden Light. His request was eventually granted, a year after his death . After Kūkai, the main Shingon temples were taken over by key disciples like Jitsue, Shinzen, Shinzai, Eon and Shōhō. The main leadership after his death

15444-404: Was a precious jewel owned by the Dragon King that constantly shone. Longnü, overwhelmed by the presence of Guanyin, asked to be her disciple so that she might study the dharma. Guanyin accepted her offer with just one request: that Longnü be the new owner of the Pearl of Light. In popular iconography, Longnü and Shancai are often seen alongside Guanyin as two children. Longnü is seen either holding

15576-515: Was able to cure him. Then a monk appeared saying that the jaundice could be cured by making a medicine out of the arm and eye of one without anger. The monk further suggested that such a person could be found on Fragrant Mountain. When asked, Miaoshan willingly offered up her eyes and arms. Miaozhuang Wang was cured of his illness and went to the Fragrant Mountain to give thanks to the person. When he discovered that his own daughter had made

15708-465: Was called honji suijaku by Buddhists. Major Shingon centers participated in this development, with key deities like Hachiman being worshipped at temples like Tō-ji for example. Also during the Heian period, the syncretic religion of Shugendō started to develop and the influence of Shingon was one major element in its development. Shingon was especially influential on the Tōzan branch of Shugendō. which

15840-477: Was centered on Mount Kinbu. The Kamakura period (1185 to 1333) saw the rise of another new Shingon tradition, the Shingon-risshū school. This new tradition stressed the importance of keeping the monastic Vinaya, along with esoteric practice. It was promoted by figures like Shunjō (1166–1227) and Eison (叡尊 1201–1290) and centered around Saidai-ji . Ninshō carried on the work of this tradition, which

15972-409: Was in danger, hobbled uphill. Guanyin then jumped over the edge of the cliff, and soon after this the three bandits followed. Shancai, still wanting to save his teacher, managed to crawl his way over the cliff edge. Shancai fell down the cliff but was halted in midair by Guanyin, who now asked him to walk. Shancai found that he could walk normally and that he was no longer crippled. When he looked into

16104-554: Was known for its many public works projects, including building hospitals, hostels for the poor and animal sanctuaries. Also during this period, many followers of the Ji sect founded by Ippen (1234–1289) made Kōya-san their home, joining with the Kōya hiriji groups, and many halls for Amida centered Pure Land practice were built on the mountain. During the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573),

16236-542: Was likely a response to Confucian critiques of Buddhism at the time. Onkō was also a well known scholar of Sanskrit. After the Meiji Restoration (1868), the state forced a separation of Shinto and Buddhism ( shinbutsu bunri ) and abolished the Chokusai Hōe (Imperial Rituals). The Shingon school was significantly affected by these changes (since it was closely connected with many Shinto shrines), as well as by

16368-496: Was mainly propagated by Chinese Buddhists who traveled to Japan to be trained, initiated, and receive dharma transmission as acharyas in the Shingon tradition and who then return home to establish the tradition. Some important figures of this revival include Wang Hongyuan 王弘願 (1876–1937), and Guru Wuguang (悟光上師 (1918–2000), both trained in Shingon and went on to spread Shingon teachings in the Chinese speaking world. Some of these Chinese acharyas have chosen to officially remain under

16500-414: Was meditating at Mount Putuo . The girl is called Longnü and the boy Shancai . The two warriors are the historical general Guan Yu from the late Han dynasty and the bodhisattva Skanda , who appears in the Chinese classical novel Fengshen Yanyi . The Buddhist tradition also displays Guanyin, or other buddhas and bodhisattvas, flanked with the above-mentioned warriors, but as bodhisattvas who protect

16632-668: Was on the same fleet. When Kūkai first met Huiguo (a student of Amoghavajra ) on the fifth month of 805, Huiguo was sixty and on the verge of death. Huiguo exclaimed to Kūkai that he had been waiting for him and immediately initiated him into the esoteric mandalas. In the short space of three months, Huiguo initiated and taught Kūkai everything he knew on the doctrines and practices of esoteric Buddhism. During this time Kūkai also learned Sanskrit from some Indian masters living in China. Kūkai returned to Japan after Huiguo's death in 806. He brought back numerous Buddhist texts, mandalas, ritual items and other books. After returning, Kūkai asked

16764-510: Was originally depicted as a male bodhisattva, and therefore wears chest-revealing clothing and may even sport a light moustache. Although this depiction still exists in the Far East, Guanyin is more often depicted as a woman in modern times. Additionally, some people believe that Guanyin is androgynous or perhaps without gender. A total of 33 different manifestations of Avalokitasvara are described, including female manifestations, all to suit

16896-516: Was read as simultaneously meaning both "to look" and "world" (Skt. loka ; Ch. 世, shì ). Direct translations from the Sanskrit name Avalokitasvara include: The name Avalokitasvara was later supplanted by the Avalokiteśvara form containing the ending -īśvara , which does not occur in Sanskrit before the seventh century. The original form Avalokitasvara appears in Sanskrit fragments of

17028-754: Was spared destruction. During the Edo period (1603–1868), the Shingi Shingon monks from Mount Negoro had escaped and took their lineages elsewere, eventually founding new schools at Hase-dera (the Buzan school) and at Chishaku (the Chisan-ha school). In the Edo period, the Tokugawa Shogunate implemented new religious control measures for the Buddhist community. Tokugawa Ieyasu issued regulations for

17160-422: Was such a good person that the animals living around the temple began to help her with her chores. Her father, seeing this, became so frustrated that he attempted to burn down the temple. Miaoshan put out the fire with her bare hands and suffered no burns. Now struck with fear, her father ordered her to be put to death. In one version of this legend, when Guanyin was executed, a supernatural tiger took her to one of

17292-430: Was the suffering people endure when they fall ill. The third misfortune it should ease was the suffering caused by death. If the marriage could not ease any of the above, then she would rather retire to a life of religion forever. When her father asked who could ease all the above, Miaoshan pointed out that a doctor was able to do all of these. Her father grew angry as he wanted her to marry a person of power and wealth, not

17424-527: Was translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva between 402 and 412 CE. It contains the only mention of the Rig Veda in the entire Chinese Buddhist canon . Her origins are said to derive from an Indian goddess of the same name. She is one of the Nepali pañcarakṣā deities, where she is the chief of the five rakṣā (守護) in the five parasol configuration, occupying the northern position. Unlike her four companions of

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