06-26-2010, 12:00 AM
An important facet of Mahayana Buddhism is compassion. The reason for this is not because its morally correct, good manners and all those social rules, but because the very seeds of liberation are found in acts of compassion.
First, it must be grasped how powerful compassion is. In our modern culture, this can be a challenge when competition and outsmarting the opponent are seen at traits of power. "Why would we want to love our enemy? That's for sissies, hippies and other weaklings."
So it first must be seen there is nothing weak about compassion. In fact, it is the most powerful of all. It conquers all evils, all afflictions, all ignorance.
In Buddhism compassion is represented as a figure called a Bodhisattva--a Buddhist worthy of nirvana who postpones it to help others. The Bodhisattva of compassion is know by many names depending on the region. Perhaps most recognizably as Avalokitesvara, meaning " the Lord who looks down on the World" or according to another interpretation " the Regarder of the Cries of the World". Other names: Tara (female Avalokitesvara born from his tear), Kuan Yin (China) Kannon (Japan), and Chenrezig (Tibet).
The Mahayana account of Avalokitesvara:
According to Mahayana doctrine, Avalokiteśvara is the bodhisattva who has made a great vow to listen to the prayers of all sentient beings in times of difficulty, and to postpone his own Buddhahood until he had assisted every being on Earth in achieving nirvana. Mahayana sutras associated with Avalokiteśvara include the Heart Sutra (as disciple of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni) and the Lotus Sutra, particularly the 25th chapter (妙法蓮華經觀世音菩薩普門品第二十五/miào fǎ lián huá jīng guān shì yīn pú sà pŭ mén pǐn dì èr shí wŭ/"Perceiver of the World’s Sounds" or "Universal Gateway"/kanzeon bosatsu fumon hon), which is sometimes referred to as the Avalokiteśvara Sutra. [citation needed]
Six forms of Avalokiteśvara in Mahayana (defined by Tian-tai, terrace): 1. great compassion, 2. great loving-kindness, 3. lion-courage, 4. universal light, 5. leader amongst gods and men, 6. the great omnipresent Brahman. Each of this bodhisattva's six qualities of pity, etc., breaks the hindrances respectively of the (6 realms) hells, pretas (hungry ghost), animals, asuras (demi gods), men, and devas (divine beings). [citation needed]
Also known as Tsen Ti Bodhisattva in Chinese (1000 hands and 1000 eyes). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara
Taking this into context of dependent arising, it must be understood Avalokitesvara does not refer to a being. But rather an embodiment of enlightened qualities we have within us and thus can be called upon to aid in our own enlightenment. Knowing that there is no within and without, no here and there, no being or non-being...within convential truth, Avalotkitesvara can be called upon nonetheless to help us develop in wisdom, releasing our limitations to move towards Buddhahood. For he sees all being as equal and has vowed to postpone his ascent into Nirvana until all sentient beings have been freed from suffering. There is nothing and no one he would ever turn away or deny compassion towards, and for this reason he is to be respected, approached with humility, knowing he is capable of feats we are not, but can aspire to.
Everything
First, it must be grasped how powerful compassion is. In our modern culture, this can be a challenge when competition and outsmarting the opponent are seen at traits of power. "Why would we want to love our enemy? That's for sissies, hippies and other weaklings."
So it first must be seen there is nothing weak about compassion. In fact, it is the most powerful of all. It conquers all evils, all afflictions, all ignorance.
In Buddhism compassion is represented as a figure called a Bodhisattva--a Buddhist worthy of nirvana who postpones it to help others. The Bodhisattva of compassion is know by many names depending on the region. Perhaps most recognizably as Avalokitesvara, meaning " the Lord who looks down on the World" or according to another interpretation " the Regarder of the Cries of the World". Other names: Tara (female Avalokitesvara born from his tear), Kuan Yin (China) Kannon (Japan), and Chenrezig (Tibet).
The Mahayana account of Avalokitesvara:
According to Mahayana doctrine, Avalokiteśvara is the bodhisattva who has made a great vow to listen to the prayers of all sentient beings in times of difficulty, and to postpone his own Buddhahood until he had assisted every being on Earth in achieving nirvana. Mahayana sutras associated with Avalokiteśvara include the Heart Sutra (as disciple of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni) and the Lotus Sutra, particularly the 25th chapter (妙法蓮華經觀世音菩薩普門品第二十五/miào fǎ lián huá jīng guān shì yīn pú sà pŭ mén pǐn dì èr shí wŭ/"Perceiver of the World’s Sounds" or "Universal Gateway"/kanzeon bosatsu fumon hon), which is sometimes referred to as the Avalokiteśvara Sutra. [citation needed]
Six forms of Avalokiteśvara in Mahayana (defined by Tian-tai, terrace): 1. great compassion, 2. great loving-kindness, 3. lion-courage, 4. universal light, 5. leader amongst gods and men, 6. the great omnipresent Brahman. Each of this bodhisattva's six qualities of pity, etc., breaks the hindrances respectively of the (6 realms) hells, pretas (hungry ghost), animals, asuras (demi gods), men, and devas (divine beings). [citation needed]
Also known as Tsen Ti Bodhisattva in Chinese (1000 hands and 1000 eyes). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara
Taking this into context of dependent arising, it must be understood Avalokitesvara does not refer to a being. But rather an embodiment of enlightened qualities we have within us and thus can be called upon to aid in our own enlightenment. Knowing that there is no within and without, no here and there, no being or non-being...within convential truth, Avalotkitesvara can be called upon nonetheless to help us develop in wisdom, releasing our limitations to move towards Buddhahood. For he sees all being as equal and has vowed to postpone his ascent into Nirvana until all sentient beings have been freed from suffering. There is nothing and no one he would ever turn away or deny compassion towards, and for this reason he is to be respected, approached with humility, knowing he is capable of feats we are not, but can aspire to.
Everything