Avalokiteśvara -- Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर -- Chinese: 觀世音-- is the "Lord who looks down", a Bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He is one of the more widely revered Bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism. In China and its sphere of cultural influence, Avalokiteśvara is often depicted in a female form known as Guan Yin!

The name Avalokiteśvara is made of the following parts in Sanskrit:

1. The verbal prefix "Ava" means "Down";

2. Lokita, is the past participle of the verb Lok or "to notice, behold, observe"; and

3. Iśvara means "Lord", "Ruler", "Sovereign" or "Master". In accordance with the rules of sound combination, A+Iśvara becomes Eśvara.

Combined, the three parts mean the "Lord who gazes down (at the world)". The word Loka or "World" is implied!

From the Surangama Sutra, the Buddhist bible:

"Avalokiteshvara Buddha [Guan Yin], the hearer and answerer of prayer, has visited all the Buddha-lands of the ten quarters of the universe and has acquired transcendental powers of boundless freedom and fearlessness and has vowed to emancipate all sentient beings from their bondage and suffering. How sweetly mysterious is the Transcendental Sound of Avalokiteshvara! Is is the subdued murmur of the seatide setting inward. Its mysterious Sound brings liberation and peace to all sentient beings who in their distress are calling for aid!"

[ENDS]

The "E8 Album" photos at http://ow.ly/kGJj are visual intersections of Spirituality, Science, Art and Sustainability! Feel free to share them on your FB page by clicking share or you can tag yourself!

The Holistic Quantum Relativity (HQR) Group is on FB http://ow.ly/k5Q1 and on the internet http://ow.ly/7wb6