Description
Amulet name: Guan Yin Bodhisattva
Origin: Thailand
Material: Gold plated copper
Size: 1.1" x 1.5" (2.8 × 3.8 cm)
Guanyin is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She was first given the appellation of "Goddess of Mercy" or "Mercy Goddess" by Jesuit missionaries in China. Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means "[The One Who] Perceives the Sounds of the World." On the 19th day of the sixth lunar month, Guanyin's attainment of Buddhahood is celebrated.
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 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 Lotus Sutra and 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 is recorded as being on Mount Potalaka. With the localization of the belief in Guanyin, each area adopted their 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 Potalaka is the Potala Palace.
There are several pilgrimage centers for Guanyin in East Asia. Putuoshan 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 found in most Tibetan temples under 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 nearby Temple of the Tooth in Sri Lanka; Guanyin can also be found in Thailand's Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Huay Pla Kang (where the huge statue of her is often mistakenly called the "Big Buddha") and Burma's Shwedagon Pagoda. Statues of Guanyin are a widely depicted subject of Asian art and found in the Asian art sections of most museums in the world.
The legend of the thousand-handed Guan Yin:
Stories about the thousand-handed Guan Yin from Chinese art after the Song Dynasty where the statue of Guanyin was found to be a female figure. It is related to the story of Princess Miao Shan as well.
Guan Yin Bodhisattva statue is a woman. In his hand he held a vase filled with nectar and willow branches. Some statues have four or more hands. Which is related to the story of Princess Miaozhan who went to help her father recover from an illness. which the doctor said that the hand of the Bodhisattva must be used and have to goug out their eyes to make medicine After the Bodhisattva made this great sacrifice, it appeared that his eyes were restored. and a thousand new hands and arms grew up.
There is also a miracle story that tells of a great flood that caused the Huang He River to overflow and flood the villagers' homes. Bodhisattva Guan Yin inspired to have eyes on his palms to help the people. which shows the boundless kindness of Guan Yin.
ตำนานเกี่ยวกับเจ้าแม่กวนอิมพันมือ จากศิลปะจีนยุคหลังราชวงศ์ซ่ง ที่พบการปั้นรูปเคารพเจ้าแม่กวนอิมมาเป็นลักษณะสตรีเพศ เกี่ยวข้องกับเรื่องราวตำนานเจ้าหญิงเมี่ยวซ่านเช่นกัน
รูปเคารพพระโพธิสัตว์กวนอิมปรากฏเป็นสตรีเพศ พระหัตถ์ข้างหนึ่งถือแจกัน บรรจุน้ำทิพย์และกิ่งหลิว บางรูปเคารพสร้างพระหัตถ์ไว้ 4 กร หรือมากกว่า เกี่ยวข้องกับเรื่องราวของเจ้าหญิงเมี่ยวซ่านเคยเสด็จไปช่วยพระบิดาให้หายป่วยจากอาการประชวร โดยหมอเทวดาที่รักษาให้พระบิดาแจ้งว่า ต้องใช้พระหัตถ์จากพระโพธิสัตว์ และควักพระเนตรมาทำยา หลังจากพระโพธิสัตว์ได้บำเพ็ญทานเสียสละครั้งยิ่งใหญ่นี้ก็ปรากฏพระเนตรกลับคืนมา และมีพระหัตถ์งอกขึ้นมาใหม่ถึงพันพระกร
นอกจากนี้ยังมีเรื่องราวเกี่ยวกับปาฏิหาริย์ที่กล่าวถึงช่วงอุทกภัยครั้งยิ่งใหญ่ เมื่อแม่น้ำฮวงเหอล้นท่วมบ้านเรือนราษฎร พระโพธิสัตว์กวนอิมบันดาลให้พระกรมีพระเนตรบนพระหัตถ์เข้าช่วยเหลือประชาชน แสดงให้เห็นความกรุณาอันไม่มีที่สิ้นสุด