Decipher the meaning of statue Guan Yin thousand hands thousand eyes.

If the Quan Yin statue symbolizes patience, compassion, love spread all over the world, the figure of Quan Yin thousand thousand eyes not only mean the symbol of Buddhism, of the Buddha to save sentient beings of all species.

The most important meaning of the statue of Avalokitesvara

Before learning about the image of Buddha with thousands of thousand eyes, it is necessary to understand the most important meaning of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in Buddhism. When introduced into our country, the statue Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is often seen with the left hand holding the vase, the right hand holding the willow willow. 

Buddhist scriptures have the sentence "male pure net lobe positive lily Guan Yin like hybrid orange devotion". Here, "pure bar" is the net bar, "positive lobe willow" is the willow spruce down, "Quan Am Nhac Lai orange heart" is orange juice of Guan Yin sprinkled on the mind. The meaning of the whole sentence is the pure net contains orange juice, thanks to the willow sprout all over, making the mind of the human being cool. 

In the nettle contains orange juice, orange juice symbolizes compassion.This country sprinkles where it is spread love to it, cooling the soothing all suffering of sentient beings. However, it is important to understand that the orange juice is not always contained in a container, it can only be contained in a "clean bowl". This is a very delicate meaning of Buddhism. 

Pure net is the precepts of the religious as well as Buddhist. For example, it is easy to understand that slaughterers can not have "pure vase", and those who do wrong do not have "pure vase". Thus, the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva rattles orange juice throughout the world, not leaving anyone, not forgetting anyone, but only those who have "pure bar", have compassion to receive the fresh water of good the Buddha. 

And another thing is the willow branch. This is the symbol of patience. It is as difficult to walk as a storm. The branches are hard to break easily. Positive soft willow but flexible, windy, every direction is so difficult to break. Buddhist teachings that want to bring orange juice to spread the sentient beings are happy but lack of patience is difficult to implement. 

So Guan Yin Bodhisattva using spoonfuls of orange juice, symbolizing the humility. Lack of celestial sprouts does not lump orange juice. Likewise, with compassion without patience, compassion does not last long, giving no benefit to sentient beings. So patience, compassion always go together, lack of virtue, the other can not do. 

Legend of Guan Yin thousand hands thousand eyes

Buddhism in each stage of development is inseparable from the historical context. Accordingly, according to the development of history, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara has also changed to fit reality. Her thousand-thousand eyes appeared from the needs of Buddhists looking forward to see a Mandarin more gentle, not only to endure but also to save sentient beings out of suffering sorrow. 

The image of Guan Yin thousand hands thousand eyes rooted in the Buddhist accounts of India about Princess Diệu Thiện. Legend has it that ancient times, there was a king who still had no children to communicate the throne. After several days of worship, instead of having a son, the queen gives birth to three beautiful daughters. 

The king loved the third princess named Dieu Thien and intended to give up the throne when she married. However, the princess did not obey the wishes of his father but decided to go home to practice. 

The king advised her how much she also resolutely refused. The king ordered the abbot in the temple to use all the way to the princess, hoping she was discouraged. The king no one dared to argue, the princess had to do all the heavy work as the burden of water ... but she still happily accept no resentment. 

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva  

Unable to shake his daughter, the king was so angry that he ordered the burning of the temple, would rather kill the child not allow his fate. Legend has it in the smoke of fire, princess Dieu Thien was a white tiger rescue, run to Vietnam, in the Huong Tich cave. (Today, Huong Pagoda is still a relic of Ba Ba, it is. Quan Yin Dieu Thien). 

Now, according to the Buddha's supernatural powers, the princess swore down to the 18th floor of hell to save countless sentient beings suffering in pain. Returning to earth, she continued to cultivate for nine years and attained Buddhahood. At this time, in her hometown, her father's father was seriously ill, and the doctors were out of hand. Princess Dieu Thien immediately returned to save his father. Knowing his father was poisoned by demons, she refused to cut eyes, cut limbs to offer, saving her father from death. 

The Buddha was touched by the princess in the presence of Princess Ba, who gave her the Buddha status and gave her thousands of thousand eyes to save the world. Becoming a Buddha, Guan Yin Dieu Thien returned to the teachings of parents and people are aware of the immeasurable Buddha. 

Though bearing many myths, the legend of Guan Yin thousand-eyed eyes still carries the full meaning of Buddhist practice. As a princess dearly loved by the king, she should have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world. But the mind of the Buddha was touched, making her want to practice, keep the precepts. 

In the first stage, when the king used all the tricks to punish her, she is naturally not tired of practice. Then, when the king wanted to harm his children, the Dharma was helping save her life. This time, with fatherless heartlessness, fatherly affection or, more generally, the relationship with the goddess of humanity has completely ended. 

However, she still sworn to go down 18 levels of hell to save sentient beings.Finally, the most difficult challenge of the process of administration is the severe illness of the father. With a fateful father who wanted to kill her, this time, she could choose to abandon herself. But once again, the Buddha's mind is won. From far away, she returned, ready to cut his face, cut his arms and legs to save the life he had planned to kill her. Being a Buddha, she has thousands of eyes to save sentient beings, that is the fruit of the path of hard practice in the human realm. 

The pure image of the Buddha

Guan Yin statue thousand thousand eyes carry on him a lot of magic. Apart from the two hands holding the Buddha's inscription, the remaining hands of her Buddha are holding the Dharma to domesticate devils or save sentient beings. The pilgrim sticks, the arrows, the moon, the lotus, the vase, the yellow willow, the yellow cloud, the white lotus, the skull, the mirror, the bunch of grapes, texts, mudras, trident, rosary, heaven, whisk, Chan stick, bows, red lotus ...  

In folk beliefs, Buddhism thousand hands thousand eyes she has just majestic gentle, friendly good women meet her happy; Evil monster, evil ghost encounter her grandma is afraid. 

In the concept of Buddhism, the number of thousand represents the fullness, so the image of the Buddha also has thousands of hands thousand eyes. In the temple, the Buddha is often made with 40 large hands and 960 small hands, each palm has an eye. 

The Buddha explained that Guan Yin thousand thousand eyes is the "green basics", also meaning tri and the most integrated. 

Simply put, how many hands does a Buddha have in his eyes; Do you know what to do? If there are only one hundred hands, but there are thousands of eyes, it is only a sign of knowing how much less, no benefit to beings. 

Conversely, if there are thousands of hands but only hundred eyes do a lot, do enthusiastically , but due to inadequate knowledge, harm to sentient beings. 

The teachings of the Buddha have shown a lively and realistic way of spiritual practice through this Buddha image. If you go the right way, the ability to benefit peace for sentient beings is great. 

In some artifacts in Vietnamese temples, once again found the combination only in our country, pure Vietnamese. It is a combination of two symbols: Guan Yin thousand hands thousand eyes and the Most Cross Quan Yin. In this image, there are 3 artifacts. Guan Yin thousand thousand eyes on the lotus seat, holding the handle and many legal as usual. 

At the head of her Buddha, will see the image of the Cross of the Great Sound. 11 faces including the main face (facing forward) have different expressions: solemn, mighty, mighty, sad, joy .. .

This represents the divine power of the Buddha, depending on the object is Buddhist or evil, depending on the story or happy story that show in many different states. At the top of the Buddha she also has Amitabha statue, representing the worship of the Buddha, although generous propaganda still acts according to the Dharma. 

In the middle, the whole creation of this Quan Yin music makes up three floors, representing the totality of force, has the ability to destroy three dilemmas: karmic retribution, obstruction, defilement. Buddhist thought this is the main way to relieve suffering for human life. 

Thus, the unification between the image of the Heavenly Eye and the Cross of the Sound (in the function of eliminating three obstacles) has fully reflected the creativity and subtle culture of the Vietnamese in belief. 

A very loving but very intellectual lesson was taught by the Buddha through the image of this Buddha. There are thousands of hands to do and also have thousand eyes to "know". The moral of the ancients has gone through many ups and downs, variations of history but still valid today. It is the person who needs to "know" and "to do" (that is to say, the tri has to accompany the oneness). 

In any area of ​​life, "know" to do well, not "know" that trying to do will only make things become complicated. This is more practical than "talking" and "doing" and the more beneficial it is to say or do nothing.END=NAM MO SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ).VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=THICH CHAN TANH.THE MIND OF ENLIGHTENMENT.VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=GOLDEN LOTUS MONASTERY=AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.20/2/2018.