Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or Guanyin

Compassion and Mercy Seen as Virtues of the Female Gender

Feb 22, 2009

In Chinese Buddhism, Guanyin (or Guanshiyin) is often portrayed as a woman. Understand how local Chinese culture has influenced the gender of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.

One of the distinctive concepts of Mahayana Buddhism – to which Chinese Buddhism belongs – is the Bodhisattvas, who embody the virtue of compassion and mercy.

Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have been freed from Samsara and the cycles of reincarnation. Yet, they forego the opportunity to be in Nirvana, but rather, continue to stay in the mortal world to help human beings and save them from their sufferings.

The most well-known and popular among them is Avalokitesvara. Known among the Chinese as Guanshiyin (or Guanyin in short), she is the Goddess of Mercy and Perceiver of the World’s Sounds.

Buddhist legends have it that in order to save mortal beings, Avalokitesvara manifested himself on earth 333 times. All these manifestations have been in the male gender, with the exceptions being Guanyin in China and Kwan-non in Japan.

The worship of Avalokitesvara was introduced from India into China during the Han dynasty, towards the end of the 1st century CE. He quickly became a popular deity for worship among the Chinese because he embodies the virtues of compassion and mercy.

However, the Chinese, instead of accepting his original Sanskrit name and male gender, ascribed to him a new name and the female gender. This is because the qualities which he embodies seemed feminine rather than masculine to the Chinese. According to Julia Ching, author of the book Chinese Religions, the virtues embodied by Avalokitesvara mirror the traditional Taoist concept of ci, which refers to a mother’s nurturing and protective love for her child(ren).

In addition, many Buddhist scriptures state that one can invoke Guanyin’s assistance by simply calling out her name. Many feel that this bodhisattva is very approachable, which reinforces her motherly image.

The worship of Guanyin as a beautiful, white-robed woman subsequently penetrated Japan during the beginning of the 17th century, where she is known as Kwan-non.

Arising from a statement in the Lotus Sutra, Guanyin was also venerated as the Giver of Child(ren). Since the concepts of fertility and fecundity are associated with the female gender, this further entrenched her female identity. This association has defied all Indian Buddhist influence and is still prevalent in present-day China and Japan.

Form versus Emptiness

Fundamentally, the gender of Guanyin and the other bodhisattvas are not material. Being from the realm of emptiness where there are no exclusive categories, their form and gender are actually of no relevance. Rather, they can take on whichever form is necessary to help mortal beings. For believers, the bodhisattvas being there whenever one needs their help is certainly a reassuring thing to know.

More importantly, the bodhisattvas are constant reminders for one to always embody and practise the virtues of compassion and mercy.

The copyright of the article Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or Guanyin in Buddhist Beliefs is owned by Kris Lee Wai Loon. Permission to republish Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or Guanyin in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.