觀音 : GuānYīn Pusa

 

觀音 : GuānYīn Pusa

Na-Mo-Guan-Shi-Yin-Pu-Sa

Namo Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva

在漢傳佛教中，觀音即「阿婆盧吉低舍婆羅」之意譯，乃慈悲為懷之菩薩，其名稱亦被道教與中國民間信仰，以至漢字文化圈和東亞的佛教徒所沿用。觀音，觀世音之簡稱，有「觀察世界聲音者」之意。基於社會地理的影響，觀音於歷史上被描繪為無性別或中性形象，然而在東亞地區慢慢發展成女性神祇的形象。農曆六月十九日為慶祝觀音成佛之日。眾多佛教徒深信，當一信徒離世時，觀音將其安置於蓮花心中，送往極樂淨土，因而觀音常被稱為「最受歡迎的佛教神祇」，其力量之偉大，能助所有向她祈禱者，此在《普門品》和《大悲心陀羅尼經》中皆有提及。

在東亞本土化的形象

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在中國，對觀世音菩薩的崇拜可追溯至公元前一世紀，彼時佛教經由絲綢之路東漸，觀音信仰亦隨之深入民心。至唐初，即七世紀中葉，此信仰經由朝鮮半島傳入日本，開創東亞觀音信仰的新篇章。然而，在顯教的多數宗派中，普遍認為女性無法直接成佛，必須先轉化為男性身軀，方能實現佛道。因此，無論觀音信仰源自何方，觀音菩薩在此脈絡下多以男性身相呈現。

但自印度密教興起，其教義與顯教大相逕庭。密教主張，女性不必轉為男性，同樣能以女性身相成佛。^[1]依據《金剛頂瑜伽中發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心論》所載，父母所賜的肉身，無論男女，皆能即身成佛，^[2]這正是密教認可女性身如來的理論基礎。^[3]與此同時，密教對女性的尊重與包容，遠超越顯教中的歧視之風。^[4]由此，密教中開始出現女性尊相，如《大悲胎藏生曼荼羅》中即繪有多位女性佛菩薩，彰顯了密教對女性佛性的認可與尊崇。這種打破性別籓籬的教義，不僅拓展了佛教的寬廣度，也為東亞觀音信仰的演進。

觀音的三十三種顯現

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據《法華經》第25品所述，觀音菩薩有三十三種化身，隨時應機而出現，為拯救受苦眾生。這些化身包括佛、辟支佛、羅漢、梵天、帝釋天、大自在天、濕婆、強大的天將、多聞天王、轉輪聖王、國王、長者、居士、宰官、婆羅門、比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷、婦女、男童、女童、天神、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人、非人，以及金剛手菩薩。《楞嚴經》中亦提及觀音菩薩三十二種化身，與《法華經》所述類似，但不包括金剛手菩薩，而以四大天王取代毗沙門天王。這些觀音化身在中國和日本經過本土化，形成了符合各種化身的傳統造像形式。

Guanyin (Chinese: 觀音; pinyin: Guānyīn) is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. Guanyin is a common Chinese name for Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर) in Chinese Buddhism and has been appropriated by other Eastern religions, including Taoism and Chinese folk religion.^{[note 1]} Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means "[The One Who] Perceives the Sounds of the World".^[1] Due to sociogeographical factors, Guanyin can be historically depicted as genderless or adorning a androgynous apprentice.^[2] On the 19th day of the sixth lunar month, Guanyin's attainment of Buddhahood is celebrated.^[3]

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.^{[4][by whom?]} Guanyin is often referred to as the "most widely beloved Buddhist Divinity"^[5] with miraculous powers to assist all those who pray to her, as is mentioned in the Pumen chapter of the Lotus Sutra and the 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 are recorded as being on Mount Potalaka. With the localization of the belief in Guanyin, each area adopted its 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 is the Potala Palace. Vietnam's Potalaka is the Hương Temple.^{[citation needed]}

There are several pilgrimage centers for Guanyin in East Asia. Putuoshan (Mount Putuo) 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 is 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, near the 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 Myanmar's Shwedagon Pagoda. Statues of Guanyin are a widely depicted subject of Asian art and are found in the Asian art sections of most museums in the world.

When is Kuan Yin's Birthday? How to pray Guan Yin: A Complete Guide

You may have heard of the name in passing during your visits to some religious Chinese families, or you may have even seen her portrayed in media as She often is, but if you’re unsure of who She is, Guan Yin is the famed Goddess of Mercy in many Asian cultures, most notably in Buddhist and Taoist folklore. As the one who listens to the people’s sufferings and offers guidance during troubled times, the significance of Guan Yin is visibly apparent in many Chinese customs, and to commemorate that, many devotees will visit temples during Guan Yin’s birthday to pray and offer respects.

One interesting thing to note is that Guan Yin’s birthday is actually celebrated three times a year. We’ll go more into this later on in the article, but suffice to say, this goes to show the popularity of the beloved Goddess of Mercy among the people. During these celebrations, devotees will flock to temples bearing the quintessential prayer items such as josstick, fruits, flowers, and sometimes homemade pastries.

History of Kuan Yin

Guan Yin, Guanyin or Kuan Yin, is the Chinese translation for the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. The title is actually short for GuanShiYinPuSa, which roughly means One Who Perceives The Sound of the World, a fitting description for the deity who hears the prayers of the people and offers compassion. Following the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in China, Guan Yin eventually came to be known among the western world as the Goddess of Mercy.

While She is often portrayed in statues and media as a woman, according to the Lotus Sutra, one of the most revered sacred texts in Buddhism, Guan Yin can actually take the form of any gender and identity, at times even adopting a non-humanoid figure, to better spread her message of compassion to her believers and relieve their suffering. In the past, Guan Yin was often depicted as a male deity, as represented by the chest-revealing clothes and the occasional moustache in early portrayals. However, the female version of Guan Yin became increasingly widespread since the Southern Song Dynasty, owing to the popularity of the idea of a motherly figure overseeing the pains of humanity and easing us through troubled times, and the deity is almost exclusively seen as a woman in modern times. Some also see Guan Yin as being androgynous, or not being either male or female, and can sometimes even be both.

Statue of Guan Yin. Source: Google

Aside from providing relief, some Buddhists have also taken to believe that Guan Yin helps to place departed souls within the heart of a lotus and guides them to Paradise.

A testament to Guan Yin’s popularity and influence, one can find numerous large temples erected in her name across China, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Tibet. In India, Guan Yin’s abode is believed to be situated on Mount Potalaka. As the belief in Guan Yin became localized in each country’s populace, they eventually came up with their own version of Potalaka. Some notable examples include Mount Putuo in China, Naksansa in Korea, Potala Palace in Tibet, and Fudarakusan-ji in Japan.

There are also several pilgrimages associated with Guan Yin across East Asian countries. In China, the main pilgrimage site is found in Mount Putuo. In Korea, the pilgrimage typically involves 33 temples dedicated to Guan Yin, including Naksansa. Like Korea, Japan’s oldest pilgrimage associated with Guan Yin, the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, also involves 33 temples which have Guan Yin enshrined within.

Why Do the Chinese Pray to Guan Yin at Home?

As mentioned earlier, Guan Yin is the deity of mercy and compassion. And much like how one would seek the divine for help through prayer, Chinese families often pray to Guan Yin to attract compassion, strength to tide themselves through suffering, and overall good fortune. Perhaps unique to Chinese culture is how some schools of feng shui would adopt the imagery of Guan Yin to make adjustments to the spiritual energy of the home. For example, connecting the Guan Yin statue to the Zhen section of the bagua is believed to draw in divine blessings when starting a new venture or protection for loved ones.

Guan Yin is also often considered the patron deity for mothers, and some customs believe that placing a Guan Yin statue in the home will bless the family with filial children as well as protect them from harm. In Malaysia, you can get many such Guan Yin statues for sale from an extensive list of vendors.

When is Kuan Yin’s birthday?

Earlier on, we wrote that Kuan Yin’s birthday is celebrated three times a year. Each of these dates bear symbolic meaning, marking a significant event in Kuan Yin’s time on this plane. These dates are respectively the 19th day of the 2nd, 6th, and 9th Chinese lunar months. 

The first of the three, falling on the 19th of the 2nd lunar month, pertains to the actual birth of Kuan Yin. Following that, on the 19th of the 6th lunar month, is the date of Kuan Yin’s renunciation. Lastly, the 19th of the 9th lunar month is the date where Kuan Yin is believed to have passed on from this world and attained Bodhisattvaship. 

While each of these dates celebrate different events related to Kuan Yin, the proceedings of the celebrations themselves, as far as devotees are concerned, are pretty much one and the same.

How to Pray to Guan Yin?

There aren’t too many steps to adhere to when praying to Guan Yin. As with all forms of prayer, what’s most important is to conduct oneself with sincerity and internalize the values of Guan Yin, which are those of kindness and compassion. 

Before the day of the celebration, some families would make it a practice to prepare different food offerings such as sweet cakes and fruits, and dry food such as rice and sugar. Because Guan Yin is so often associated with compassion for all creatures, She is typically depicted to be the icon for vegetarianism. Following this, some devout families will also put themselves through a vegetarian diet for the day in order to cleanse themselves.

Food offerings for Guan Yin on the day of the celebration.

In Malaysia, on the day of the celebration, it is common to see many devotees pay a visit to the nearby temples early during the day to offer their prayers. Volunteers for the temple would often prepare simple vegetarian food such as fried noodles and porridge for these visitors, and monks can be found hanging large coiled incense sticks overhead in light of the festivities. Some temples may also put up performances in celebration of Guan Yin, like the puppet shows one can find from the old temple in Jalan Pitt, Penang. 

Aside from making offerings, devotees will also light lotus-shaped candles and offer them up in prayer. Light represents wisdom, and in doing so, it is believed that Guan Yin will provide one with guidance in going down one’s path. The practice of burning joss paper  or spiritual money, is also commonplace during the day itself.

When praying to Guan Yin, some devotees may recite the Heart Sutra, in an effort to cultivate loving kindness and generosity that is so often associated with Guan Yin, within themselves. However, if you’re unsure of how to recite the Heart Sutra, just stating your prayer as sincerely as you possibly can will also be fine. The idea here is to emphasize the image of Guan Yin within your own mind as much as possible, and try your best to internalize Her teachings and values. Do not be too demanding when making your prayer. Instead, focus on a key aspect of your life you would like to improve on, and wish for it deeply. Less is always more when it comes to prayer, and the sincerity within your heart will reflect in the strength of your prayer. 

Conclusion

So, we’ve talked about the significance of Guan Yin in our own cultures, and we’ve also briefly gone over how much influence Guan Yin has in other Asian folklore. There aren’t too many restrictions over how you’d like to offer your prayer up to Guan Yin, but the main thing is that you do it with a sincere heart. Perhaps in such trying times, it is arguably more important that we follow the teachings of Guan Yin and practice kindness and compassion as much as we can.

With lockdown restrictions in place, you may also want to consider obtaining a Kuan Yin statue for yourself to be placed within the home, instead of having to go to temples. Fortunately, there are many options in Malaysia offering Kuan Yin statues for sale, and you can procure one relatively easily.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin