The face of Loving Kindness?
No picture, no face, no Buddha could possibly be extra inspiring than the picture of the Lord of the Three Worlds, Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig, Guan Yin, Kuan Shi Yin, Kanon). His “lotus” face conveys the ultimate of love and compassion, Metta and Karuna. He is each the Buddha of Metta and Karuna, and its ultimate exemplar. Simply seeing his loving, compassionate face, or chanting his mantra, often called the “compassion mantra” or Lotus Mantra — Om Mani Padme Hum — is an entire follow.
Of the numerous sutras in the Mahayana canon, none is extra necessary or shifting than the Heart Sutra — the phrases of the Compassionate One Avalokiteshvara — and the core of the Prajna Paramita Sutras, the “Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom.” His phrases might be lowered to “Form is Emptiness, Emptiness is Form” — a profound soundbite that may take a lifetime of examine to comprehend. [For the full Heart Sutra, see video chanting and text below.]
Mantra of Chenrezig, chanted by Yoko Dharma (no permission or lung required):
These are phrases and knowledge taught by the Compassionate One, Avalokiteshvara, endorsed by Shakyamuni Buddha. Aside from Shakyamuni Himself, Avalokiteshvara seems in additional sutras than some other Bodhisattva or Buddha, together with a complete chapter of the huge Lotus Sutra, The Prajnaparamita Sutras, Maha Karuna Dharani Sutra and many others:
What did Chenrezig imply when he spoke these scorching, concise and profound phrases? In essence, the doctrine of Two Truths, that finally all phenomena are Sunyata (Emptiness), empty of unchanging essence. What does Emptiness have to do with Compassion? They are co-equal, as defined by Venerable Khenpo Rinpoche:
“These two natures, the absolute and the relative, are not opposites; they always arise together. They have the same nature; they are inseparable like a fire and its heat or the sun and its light. Compassion and emptiness are not like two sides of a coin. Emptiness and compassion are not two separate elements joined together; they are always coexistent.”
All Yidams Chenrezig?
In Tibetan Buddhism, there’s a saying, “all male Yidams are Chenrezig.” In the context of the Heart Sutra, or of final actuality or Shunyata (Emptiness), that is definitely a core fact. The compassion of Avalokiteshvara manifests in lots of kinds, as a skillful means. Yet, whether or not the manifestation is “angry” compassion — similar to Hayagriva, or a motherly compassion — similar to Guanyin — all are faces of compassion; all are Chenrezig. When we prostrate to any of these manifestations, we’re bowing, finally, to compassion and loving-kindness.
In all Buddhist traditions — from the Elder Path (Theravada) to Mahayana and Vajrayana — we sometimes prostrate to a statue or picture of a Buddha on our altar. This isn’t superstition or blind devotion. We are practising the treatment for Pride, one of the nice obstacles in our path. We bow to what that picture represents. We don’t actually consider the statue is alive. We are impressed by the serenity, compassion, love and peace of that picture. We join with the symbolism of the picture, partaking the visible energy of our minds.
Connecting Mind with Symbol
In Theravada, the statue is probably going to be Shakyamuni Buddha seated in meditation. Teacher Bhante Heepola Gunarantan explains,
“When we treat our shrine area as a sanctuary where the Triple Gem — the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha — reside, we are reminded of our reverence for them… Remember that the Buddha image is not alive, but only represents the Buddha’s perfected qualities of serenity, composure, peacefulness, and purity.” [1]
In Mahayana — the huge bus car of Buddhism that embraces the Bodhisattva ultimate — the picture on the altar performs an identical position, though maybe with many faces, relying on the pupil’s follow. Mahayana could be represented by the Eight Great Bodhisattvas who symbolize the Eight Great Qualities of a Buddha:
If our focus was Compassion (Karuna) and Loving Kindness (Metta) our altar would seemingly characteristic the form face and picture of Avalokiteshvara — often known as Guanyin (Kuan shi yin) or Chenrezig in Tibetan Buddhism.
Gate Gate Paragate Paramsamghate Bodhi Soha
The Prajnaparamita Mantra taught by Avalokiteshvara and endorsed by Shakyamuni Buddha in the Heart Sutra, right here chanted by Yoko Dharma:
Om Gate Gate Paragate Para Samgate Bodhi Soha
Chanted every day, this mantra is an essence mantra in each Mahayana and Vajrayana — stills the thoughts, helps one deal with Wisdom and Emptiness, and generates good advantage.
From Heart Sutra: “Therefore, the mantra of the perfection of knowledge, the mantra of nice data, the unsurpassed mantra, the mantra equal to the unequaled, the mantra that completely pacifies all struggling, ought to be often called fact since it isn’t false.
The mantra of the perfection of knowledge is said:
TADYATHA [OM] GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA
“Shariputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva should train in the profound perfection of wisdom like that.” Then the Bhagavan arose from that focus and recommended the bodhisattva mahasattva arya Avalokiteshvara saying: “Well said, well said, son of the lineage, it is like that. It is like that; one should practice the profound perfection of wisdom just as you have indicated; even the tathagatas rejoice.”
THE SUTRA OF THE HEART OF TRANSCENDENT KNOWLEDGE
Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Råjagriha at Vulture Peak mountain, along with an awesome gathering of the sangha of monks and an awesome gathering of the sangha of bodhisattvas. At that point the Blessed One entered the samådhi that expresses the dharma referred to as “profound illumination,” and at the similar time noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, whereas practising the profound prajñåpåramitå, noticed on this approach: he noticed the 5 skandhas to be empty of nature.
Then, via the energy of the Buddha, venerable Shåriputra mentioned to noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, “How should a son or daughter of noble family train, who wishes to practice the profound prajñåpåramitå?”
Addressed on this approach, noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, mentioned to venerable Shåriputra, “O Shåriputra, a son or daughter of noble household who needs to follow the profound prajñåpåramitå ought to see on this approach: seeing the 5 skandhas to be empty of nature. Form is vacancy; vacancy is also kind. Emptiness isn’t any apart from kind; kind isn’t any apart from vacancy. In the similar approach, feeling, notion, formation, and consciousness are vacancy. Thus, Shåriputra, all dharmas are vacancy. There aren’t any traits.
There isn’t any beginning and no cessation. There isn’t any impurity and no purity. There isn’t any lower and no enhance. Therefore, Shåriputra, in vacancy, there isn’t any kind, no feeling, no notion, no formation, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nostril, no tongue, no physique, no thoughts; no look, no sound, no odor, no style, no contact, no dharmas; noeye dhåtu up to no thoughts dhåtu, no dhåtu of dharmas, no thoughts consciousness dhåtu; no ignorance, no finish of ignorance up to no outdated age and dying, no finish of outdated age and dying; no struggling, no origin of struggling, no cessation of struggling, no path, no knowledge, no attainment, and no nonattainment.
Therefore, Shåriputra, since the bodhisattvas don’t have any attainment, they abide by means of prajñåpåramitå. Since there isn’t any obscuration of thoughts, there isn’t any concern. They transcend falsity and attain full nirvåna. All the buddhas of the thrice, by means of prajñåpåramitå, totally awaken to unsurpassable, true, full enlightenment.
Therefore, the nice mantra of prajñåpåramitå, the mantra of nice perception, the unsurpassed mantra, the unequaled mantra, the mantra that calms all struggling, ought to be often called fact, since there isn’t any deception. The prajñåpåramitå mantra is alleged on this approach:
OM GATE GATE PÅRAGATE PÅRASAMGATE BODHI SVÅHÅ
Thus, Shåriputra, the bodhisattva mahåsattva ought to prepare in the profound prajñå-påramitå.”
Then the Blessed One arose from that samådhi and praised noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, saying, “Good, good, O son of noble family; thus it is, O son of noble family, thus it is. One should practice the profound prajñåpåramitå just as you have taught and all the tathågatas will rejoice.”
When the Blessed One had mentioned this, venerable Shåriputra and noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahåsattva, that complete meeting and the world with its gods, people, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the phrases of the Blessed One.
NOTES
[1] Buddhist Suttas for Recitation: A Companion for Walking the Buddha’s Path, Bhante Heepola Gunarantan, Wisdom books.
