108 CHAPTER FIVEThe Avalokite§vara Sfitra was incorporated into the Lotus Sutra as late as the
third century C.E. To this day, however, it circulates as an independent work in
China and Japan, where it is the main item in the liturgy of the Kuan-yin cult.
A few verses at the end describe Sukhavati and claim that Avalokitesvara now
stands to the left of the Amitabha and fans him. The rest of the text says noth-
ing about Amitabha but depicts Avalokite$vara as an omnipresent, omnipotent
savior-deity subordinate to no one. He has purified his vows for countless
aeons under millions ofBuddhas. He possesses all virtues and is especially rich
in love and compassion. He rescues those who invoke him from fire, ship-
wreck, falling off a precipice, missiles, armed robbers and enemies, execution,
chains and shackles, witchcraft, demons, wild beasts, snakes, and thunderbolts.
His skill in means is infinite: Through it he takes whatever form will help liv-
ing beings. He adopts the guise of a Buddha, a bodhisattva, a disciple, Brahma,
Indra, and other gods. Like Mafijusri, he has played the role of a Buddha and
will play it again, without getting "trapped" in nirvai.J.a. In this respect the ce-
lestial bodhisattvas are said to be superior to the Buddhas.
The origin of this bodhisattva-figure is obscure. The name Avalokitdvara
is composed of avalokita (observed; looked down upon or observing; looking
down) and isvara (lord). The general idea is that the Bodhisattva observes the
world and responds to the cries ofliving beings. He is also called Loke$vara,
"Lord of the World." A variant name-Avalokitasvara, in which "svara" means
sound or voice-underlies the Chinese short name Kuan-yin, "sound-re-
garder." The longer Chinese name, Kuan-shih-yin, "regarder of the world's
sounds," is beautifully clear but does not correspond to any known Sanskrit
form of the name. Avalokitdvara is praised for his voice, which resembles
thunder or the tides. He is us;ually represented in art as a bejeweled lay man
wearing a high crown bearing a cross-legged image of Amitabha. He often
holds a lotus in his hand. In the Tantric period (600-1200 c.E.), he came to
be represented with 11 heads, and with 4, 10, 12, 24, or 1,000 arms ready to
help people in trouble. In Tibet, Avalokitdvara was revered as the country's
patron, protector, and founder of the Tibetan race. Tibetans everywhere wor-
shiped him for his compassionate response to the sufferings and trials of life.
In China, Avalokitesvara was eventually represented as a woman. At present
she is worshiped as a madonna of gentle compassion throughout east Asia,
with the Chinese calling her Kuan-yin; the Japanese, Kannon; the Koreans,
Kwanse'um; and the Vietnamese, Quan-am.
5.4.4 Other Bodhisattva Traditions
Samantabhadra (Universally Auspicious) became popular rather late. He is not
mentioned at the beginning of the Lotus Sfitra, but in Chapter 26, a late addi-
tion, he comes to the world with a fabulous retinue to ask Sakyamuni to ex-
pound the Lotus Sfitra. He promises to protect the monks who keep this Sutra,
and to avert the menaces of human enemies and demons. Mounted on a white
elephant with six tusks, he will accompany the preacher, appearing and re-
minding him when he forgets any part of the text. If devotees circumambulate