Eighty-four Manifestations of the Great Compassion Mantra

When people pray to him for relief, even if billions of sentient beings cry out at the same moment, this Bodhisattva manifests countless emanations original: 分身化身 (fēnshēn huàshēn); various physical or spiritual forms projected simultaneously to assist others. at once. He seeks out the voices of those in need to rescue them and uproot their pain; for this reason, he is called Guanshiyin original: 觀世音; "The One who Perceives the World's Sounds.".

Since this Great Bodhisattva is not a historical figure from our own world's history, where exactly does he come from?

We know that Buddhism teaches that all living beings possess the potential to achieve Buddhahood. Each Buddha guides the beings of a Great Trichiliocosm original: 大千世界 (dàqiān shìjiè); a vast cosmic system containing one billion worlds., and across these infinite universes, there are infinite Buddhas. Beneath each Buddha, there are numerous Bodhisattva disciples. Among the many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of these other realms, some share a particularly strong karmic affinity with the beings of our world. Thus, 2,500 years ago, when Shakyamuni Buddha The historical Buddha of our world, born in ancient India. was born in India, he introduced the sacred names and virtues of these other cosmic Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Among these, the one who feels most intimate to us is Amitabha Buddha original: 阿彌陀佛 (Āmítuófó); the Buddha of Infinite Light. of the Western Paradise, the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Guanyin Bodhisattva whom we are introducing here is described, according to the records of the Karuna-pundarika Sutra original: 悲華經 (Bēihuá Jīng); often translated as the "Compassionate Lotus Sutra," a text describing the ancient vows of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas....