Rebecca Duhamel
History
Guanyin, the bodhisattva of compassion or goddess of mercy, is one of the most significant figures in Chinese Buddhism. Guanyin arose as the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara in Indian Mahayana Buddhism (Yü 2001, 3). Texts and images presented Avalokiteśvara as a masculine figure. Chinese Buddhists reimagined the masculine Avalokiteśvara as the feminine version of Guanyin known in China today (Yü 2001, 6). As a feminized version of Guanyin started to flourish in China, she became identified with different types of women that came to help the people in China. Examples of this are Guanyin with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes, the White Robed Guanyin, and Putuo Guanyin (Irwin 1990, 62). Although all these versions of Guanyin are feminine versions and important in Chinese culture, Guanyin with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes is incredibly important in the Chinese story of Miaoshan the Buddhist nun. Miaoshan was a woman who wanted to become a Buddhist nun; however, her father wanted her to marry and, when she refused, massacred her whole convent to punish her. Miaoshan ended up surviving her father’s massacre and he eventually fell ill. To be healed he needed to eat the eyes of someone who had never seen true anger so, Miaoshan gave him her eyes to eat. Miaoshan then transformed into Guanyin with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes and converted her father to Buddhism (Berezkin, 22). The story of Miaoshan developed into a cult in China among young women and demonstrates how Guanyin is closely related to compassion and filial piety. Additionally, the Miaoshan story addresses the Chinese concern regarding filial piety, emphasizing that Buddhism supports filial piety even though nuns and monks practice celibacy (Yü 2001, 291). This version of Guanyin is important because she is resolving this popular concern. Furthermore, as Guanyin evolved, she became identified as a goddess in China; however, she does not have a bureaucratic role in the celestial pantheon (Shahar and Weller, 9). This is important because it demonstrates how she is not viewed as a bureaucrat in China. Therefore, Guanyin is seen as an important figure in Chinese Buddhism as a compassionate bodhisattva who comes to the aid of others with love and mercy while also not being a part of the celestial bureaucracy.
Guanyin with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes evolved from tantric Buddhism. The practice of tantric Buddhism is the idea of using erotically charged rituals and relationships to transcend the human psyche to reach enlightenment (Child 2007, 1). These ritual practices were associated with the form of Avalokiteśvara with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes (Yü 2001, 271). Through this form, the concept of Guanyin with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes was introduced to China. Furthermore, the tantric ritual of Performing the Great Compassionate Heart Dhāranī of 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes that was created by Zhili for repentance ultimately became connected to Guanyin (Yü 2001, 264). Zhili linked the ritual’s goal of repentance to Guanyin’s ten vows of universal salvation and the true effects of repentance (Yü 2001, 275). The concept of Guanyin as a bodhisattva with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes was solidified through the story of Miaoshan as the filial daughter of compassion (Yü 2001, 291). Therefore, Guanyin with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes was merged with the tantric rituals and became a popular belief due to the story of Miaoshan.
Role
Through Guanyin’s different versions, she serves as a model for compassion in China. For example, the form of Miaoshan embodies compassion and gives Buddhist women a figure to revere and emulate (Irwin 1990, 61). The story of Miaoshan is also a lesson in treating everyone with compassion because anyone can be disguised as a bodhisattva, including Buddhist nuns and the poor. Guanyin also is equivalent to a goddess in China and plays a role in worship, she is usually approached with prayers from those who are suffering and in danger (Irwin 1990, 60). Furthermore, Guanyin has a maternal role through the White-Robed form that frequently depicts her as a mother carrying a child. Most women (and some men) in China will pray to her for fertility and male children (Yü 1996, 97). Guanyin is, therefore, a figure that can not only help with spiritual concerns regarding compassion and serving as a model, but also help with worldly concerns such as fertility and safety. Guanyin serves many different roles, but they are all deeply tied with the family and its importance in Chinese religion, such as the filial piety found in Miaoshan’s story and the connection with fertility through the White-Robed Guanyin. Therefore, Guanyin’s role in Chinese society is not only a spiritual guide, but also a deity who is approached for earthly concerns such as safety and fertility.
Images
Guanyin has many different images. As she evolved from masculine forms, Guanyin took on a more feminine appearance in the fifth century CE (Chamberlayne 1962, 47). The tantric Guanyin with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes is appropriately depicted with multiple arms and eyes. The Bodhisattva is usually sitting with the hands extending outside her body with multiple heads (Yü 2001, 290). The White-Robed Guanyin is the goddess of fertility and is depicted wearing a white robe that covers her head and arms (Yü 1996, 97). These images demonstrate Guanyin’s feminization and her different roles in China, such as her fertility goddess form and her form with 1000 arms and 1000 eyes. Therefore, Guanyin has multiple images associated with her and they are used to illustrate Guanyin’s different personas.
Connections to Society and Culture
Guanyin’s association with society and culture in China can be connected to filial piety and its importance, along with her popularity among women. Filial piety, including respect for elders, is a key part of Chinese culture. Guanyin exemplifies filial piety through Miaoshan and her form with 1000 Arms and 1000 Eyes. This connects to Chinese culture because Guanyin is seen as a divine role model for how young women should treat their parents-in-law. Furthermore, Guanyin is also a deity for women to worship as a role model. An example of this worship is the practice of giving a young bride a statue of Guanyin as a goddess that she can turn to for help (Chamberlayne 1962, 46). This is significant because Guanyin’s feminized version has integrated women into the practice of worship in Chinese culture and new traditions have evolved such as gifting a statue of her to young brides. Therefore, Guanyin’s connection to society and culture is demonstrated through her support of filial piety, while also serving as an important figure who is related to different traditions specifically for women in China.
Bibliography
Berezkin, Rostislav. “A Popular Buddhist Story at the Ming Court of the Early Sixteenth Century: Images of Miaoshan in the Monastery of the Great Wisdom in Beijing and Precious Scroll of Incense Mountain.” Ming Studies 75, (2017): 20–39.
Chamberlayne, John H. “The Development of Kuan Yin: Chinese Goddess of Mercy.” Numen 9, no. 1 (1962): 45–52.
Child, Louise. Tantric Buddhism and Altered States of Consciousness: Durkheim, Emotional Energy and Visions of the Consort. Aldershot, England; Ashgate, 2007.
Irwin, Lee. “Divinity and Salvation: The Great Goddesses of China.” Asian Folklore Studies 49, no. 1 (1990): 53–68.
Shahar, Meir, and Robert P. Weller, eds. Unruly Gods: Divinity and Society in China. University of Hawai’i Press, 1996. 1–37.
Yü, Chun-fang. “6. A Sutra Promoting the White-robed Guanyin as Giver of Sons” In Religions of China in Practice edited by Donald S. Lopez, 97-105. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1996.
Yü, Chün-fang. Kuan-Yin: The Chinese Transformation of Avalokiteśvara. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001.
Asian Religions at UTK 