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Tibetan Iconography

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara

Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara [Tibetan: „Tschenresi“, sPyan.ras.gzigs“ སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས]

'Once upon a time, Amitabha, the fourth Dhyani-Buddha and Buddha of Infinite Light, after giving himself up to earnest meditation, caused a white ray of light to issue from his right eye, which brought Avalokitesvara into existence'. Amitabha blessed him, whereupon the Boddhisattva brought forth the prayer: 'Om, mani, padme, hum! Thus Avalokitesvara is regarded as spiritual son of Dhyani-Buddha Amitabha. As the personification of power, the all-pitying one, he is the most popular divinity in the Mahayana [great vehicle] pantheon and is subject of much veneration in Nepal Tibet.

Avalokitesvara is in reality a kind of pope 'existing eternally in the heavens as a vicar of one of the Buddhas of present age, but delegating his functions to a succession of earthly popes in whom he is perpetually incarnated and reincarnated, while at the same time preserving his personality in his own heaven.

Buddhist legend claims that he manifested in 108 forms on earth for saving humankind, and as human like he reincarnates in every successive Dalai Lama.

Mantra of Avalokiteshvara: „OM MANI PADME HUM“, [tibet.: „OM MANI PEME HUNG“]


Legendary Origin of Avalokiteshvara

The 108 Manifestations of Avalokiteshvara