In India Avalokitesvara was usually portrayed as a handsome young prince with the Buddha nestled in his crown, or sometimes as an ascetic, iconographically very similar to the Hindu god Siva. He was also given some of Siva's names - the Blue Throated One, Mahesvara etc. In Tibet he is often portrayed with a thousand arms, each hand with an eye in it, symbolising the seeing and reaching out to help those in distress. In China however Avalokitesvara is more usually represented as a beautiful white robed woman and is known as Kwan Yin. From Mongolia to Sri Lanka, from Afghanistan to Indonesia, the worship of Avalokitesvara has long been popular, even fervent, and has inspired some of the most beautiful examples of Buddhist art.
Praise To Kwan Yin Bodhisattva
Gwan Yin Bodhisattva's compassion for all beings is so vast and inconceivable, our gratitude cannot comprehend nor fully express the magnitude of her blessings. Her body and garments of brilliant, translucent White Light. Her adornments, a white vase of Compassionate Water in her left hand, The Sacred Willow Branch in her right hand.
Enlightened through infinite acts of compassion countless lifetimes ago. Her feet rest upon a fragrant red lotus flower above a vast ocean. Her brows curved and radiant like the crescent of an autumn moon. With the sweet dew drops she sprinkles from her vase, She relieves the suffering of beings everywhere and always, for countless autumns.
Prayers for help arise from thousands of hearts, and thousands of prayers are answered by her vow of eternal compassion: Beings in Samsara, who sail the ocean of suffering, She will guide and deliver safely to the ultimate shore of enlightenment.
Benefits in Reciting and Holding The Great Compassion Mantra
Excerpts from The Dharani Sutra
English translation by the Buddhist Text Translation Society,
Dharma Realm Buddhist University, USA
If humans and gods recite and hold the phrases of the Great Compassion Mantra, then when they approach the end of life, all the Buddhas of the ten directions will come to take them by the hand to rebirth in whatever Buddhaland they wish, according to their desire.
Should any living beings who recites and holds the spiritual mantra of Great Compassion fall into the three evil paths, I vow not to realise the right enlightenment. Should any living being who recites and holds the spiritual mantra of Great Compassion not be reborn in any Buddhaland, I vow not to realise the right enlightenment. Should any living being who recites and holds the spiritual mantra of Great Compassion not obtain unlimited samadhis and eloquence, I vow not to realise the right enlightenment. Should any living being who recites and holds the spiritual mantra of Great Compassion not obtain the fruits of whatever is sought in this very life, then he cannot have been making proper use of the Dharani of the Great Compassion Heart.
People and gods who recite and hold the Great Compassion Mantra will obtain fifteen kinds of good birth and will not suffer fifteen kinds of bad death.
The bad deaths are:
1. They will not die of starvation or privation
2. They will not die from having been yoked, imprisoned, caned or otherwise beaten
3. They will not die at the hands of hostile enemies
4. They will not be killed in military battle
5. They will not be killed by tigers, wolves, or other evil beasts
6. They will not die from the venom of poisonous snakes, black serpents, or scorpions
7. They will not drown or be burned to death
8. They will not be poisoned to death
9. They will not die as a result of sorcery
10. They will not die of madness or insanity
11. They will not be killed by landslides or falling trees
12. They will not die of nightmares sent by evil people
13. They will not be killed by deviant spirits or evil ghosts
14. They will not die of evil illnesses which bind the body
15. They will not commit suicide
Those who recite and hold the spiritual Mantra of Great Compassion will not suffer any of these fifteen kinds of bad death and will obtain the following fifteen kinds of good birth:
1. Their place of birth will always have a good king
2. They will always be born in a good country
3. They will always be born at a good time
4. They will always meet good friends
5. The organs of their body will always be complete
6. Their heart will be pure and full in the way
7. They will not violate the prohibitive precepts
8. Their family will be kind and harmonious
9. They will always have the necessary wealth and goods in abundance
10. They will always obtain the respect and help of others
11. They riches will not be plundered
12. They will obtain everything they seek
13. Dragons, gods, and good spirits will always protect them
14. In the place where they are born they will see the Buddha and hear the Dharma
15. They will awaken to the profound meaning of that Proper Dharma which they hear.
Those who recite and hold the Great Compassion Mantra will obtain these fifteen kinds of good birth. All gods and people should constantly recite and hold it, without carelessness.
Benefits of Reciting OM MANI PADME HUM
by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
The benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are like the infinite sky. Depending on how perfectly qualified one’s mind is and on one’s motivation, even reciting OM MANI PADME HUM one time can purify negative karma. For example, a fully ordained monk who has received all four defeats can completely purify that very heavy negative karma by reciting OM MANI PADME HUM one time. So it is very powerful.
Reciting One Thousand Mantras Each Day
In the teachings it is said the benefits of reciting OM MANI PADME HUM are so many that the explanation will never finish. It is explained that if one recites OM MANI PADME HUM one thousand times every day, then one’s children up to seven generations will not be reborn in the lower realms. So if, for example, parents recite one thousand mantras every day then their children, their children’s children and so forth up to seven generations will never be reborn in the lower realms. So parents have quite a responsibility! This is one way that parents can benefit their children and grandchildren.
If one recites the OM MANI PADME HUM mantra one thousand times every day, then one’s body becomes blessed. So when a person who recites one thousand OM MANI PADME HUM every day goes into water, into a river or ocean for example, that water becomes blessed. Whoever that water touches fish, tiny or big animals, or tiny insects, the negative karma of all those sentient beings is purified and they do not get reborn in the lower realms.
If one recites one thousand OM MANI PADME HUM every day, then at the time of death, when the body is burnt, even the smoke that comes from it purifies the negative karma of whoever it touches or whoever smells it. The negative karma of those sentient beings to be reborn in the lower realms is purified.
Fifteen Major Benefits
There are fifteen major benefits, which are the same for both the long and the short mantra. Actually, there are so many benefits but if one can remember these fifteen, these are the most important, the integrated outlines.
1.In all lifetimes, one will meet with virtuous kings - religious kings like His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other virtuous leaders - and by being in such a place where there is a virtuous king one will have much opportunity to practise Dharma.
2.One will always be reborn in virtuous places where there is a lot of Dharma practice, where there are lots of temples, where one can make lots of offerings, where there a lot of holy objects, statues, stupas and so forth. Being in a place where there are all these holy objects gives one the opportunity to practise Dharma, to create the cause of happiness, to accumulate merit. And being in a place where there are many in the city doing practice inspires oneself to practise Dharma, the cause of happiness.
3.One will always meet with fortunate times and good conditions, which will help your Dharma practice. Having many good things happen it inspires you to practise Dharma, to receive teachings and to meditate.
4.One will always be able to meet with virtuous friends.
5.One will always receive a perfect human body.
6.One’s mind will become familiar with the path, with virtue.
7.One will not allow one’s vows, one’s morality to degenerate.
8.People around you - family, Dharma students, people in the office, and so one - will be kind and harmonious with you.
9.You will always have wealth, the means of living.
10.You will always be protected and served by others.
11.Your wealth will not be stolen or taken away by others.
12.Whatever you wish will succeed.
13.You will always be protected by virtuous nagas and devas.
14.In all lifetimes, you will see Buddha and be able to hear the Dharma.
15.By listening to the pure Dharma, you will be able to actualise the profound meaning, emptiness.
It is said in the teachings that anybody who recites this mantra with compassion - devas or humans - will receive these virtues. In addition, the mantra has the power to heal many diseases and to protect from any harms.
The Compassionate Buddha manifesting in the form of the mantra leads us to enlightenment. In relation to the Holy Body of the Compassionate Buddha we make offerings, accumulate merit, purify and meditate. Then the Compassionate Buddha manifests in the form of the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM. Reciting this mantra unifies our negative karma and causes us to actualise the whole path from guru devotion through renunciation, bodhicitta, and emptiness up to the two stages of tantra. Then we are able to bring all sentient beings to enlightenment. That is how the mantra benefits us. It is the Compassionate Buddha’s holy speech manifesting in an external way in order to benefit us.
~ Excerpt from http://web.singnet.com.sg |