Kwan Yin

Vivamus

So here i was thinking i was a know-all when it comes to religion Watch out with that arrogance Viv, cuz it will be your downfall one day. Hehehehe, and so it was that when my mum took me to this Chinese Restaurant (to celebrate my safe landing back home in Holland) I saw an image of a Deity I had not seen before. She was standing on a dragon and in white robes (see attached pict).

Gorgeous, I thought, but who the hell is she?

So I asked the lady at the restaurant, who kindly informed it was a female Buddha. Mkay ? details please, I wanted details. What?s her name, what does the dragon mean, what is she holding in her hand????? I had an urge to know.

The kind lady had no [edit] clue herself, which made me feel slightly better at my own ignorance, considering I am a European Atheist and she a practising Chinese Buddhist ?..

Anyway, thanx to Google I found out who this lady is. She is called Kwan Yin, Kuan Yin, or Quan Shi Yin. She is the Goddess of Compassion and can be compared with the Christian Mother Mary (by no means am I wanting to insult anyone with that remark)

In her earthly life she was a Princess named Miao Shan and she lived around 700 BC ? The dragon is an ancient symbol for high spirituality, wisdom, strength, and divine powers of transformation. And the white thingie she is holding in her hands is a small vase which holds healing water, known as the Water of Life.

Cool huh? Wanne know more? Look it up on the internet, cuz I ain?t no expert *lol*

" Never will I seek nor receive private, individual salvation;
never will I enter into final peace alone;
but forever and everywhere will I live and strive
for the redemption of every creature throughout the
world from the bonds of conditioned existence." - The Vow of the Bodhisattva, Kwan Yin

Emma

Hi Viv,

I took a class at a Unitarian Church on female based religions and we learned a little about Kwan Yin. Thanks for posting this.

btw, how are you feeling?

Emma

Sirona

Viv,

Kwan Yin is a beautiful Goddess! She is said to hear the cries of those in need - she is the mother of compassion.

If you're in need Kwan Yin will hear your cries. She is patroness of women and childbirth.

You know I believe that sometimes deities choose us. Maybe you should look into Kwan Yin a little more to see if that is why you noticed her at the restaurant!

http://www.ace.net.au/darkmoon/kuan.htm

Sirona

gumby

Ma ma ma ma ma ma my Sirona!

If you're in need Kwan Yin will hear your cries. She is patroness of women and childbirth.

Sirona.......we need someone who not only hears cries........but comes to the aid of those crying, and so far, nobody has ever done that. Children are dying by the thousands with tears in their eyes. I don't mean to be a goddess scrooge...........but why encourage that consolation might come from a from a manmade goddess?

Gumby

Sirona

Gumby

I'm well aware of world starvation.

I was simply pointing out Kwan Yin's qualities for those who are interested. I'm not asking you to believe.

Sirona

Vivamus

Hey Emma, thanx i am feeling much better

Sirona, thank you for that link, i am higly interested in her. I am visited that restaurant a thousant times already only now noticed her ..... so perhaps you are right.

Gumby

Abaddon

My belly-button fluff is divine...

.. and here's a cool website;

... I'm highly insulted my belly-button fluff isn't there ...

Sirona

Abaddon,

That site is great! and funny!

Sirona

BrendaCloutier

I've been drawn to Kwan Yin since I was a child. I bought a statue of her when I was a teenager, though I had no idea who she was. My mom allowed me to keep her, even though she told me that it was a goddess of fertility. (All goddess statues - idols - are goddesses of fertility as far as my JW upbringing was concerned.)

In being drawn to her, it's possible that a person needs to receive compassion, or needs to learn compassion and practice it.

I had one of her carved in jade, but that piece went to someone else who needed it more... I have a small ivory-like plastic statue that lives in my travel bath kit, along with a small buddah icon. Simply because.

I always associated her with a pale jade green or celadon light, and when I see this light, i know she's close.

Yes, there is tremendous pain and suffering in our world. And if every human on earth extended a compassionate hand, there would still be pain and suffering, disease and death. It is our lot. In Buddahism Life is pain and suffering, and it is each individual's responsibility to help ease the pain and suffering of others. However, true happiness, inspite of life's pain, is attainable. HH the Dahli Lama has written some excellent books. My favorite is "The Art of Happiness".

A great native american medicine man, Fools Crow, defined the difference between healing and curing: curing is when the disease (dis- ease) is gone. Healing is the mental and spiritual acceptance of the fate of the disease, i.e. if one is dying, healing means that person accepts, and is comfortable with the outcome. He is at peace with it.

What the Gods and Goddesses, human or animal based, teach us is how to be a successful human, how to respect and treat each individual, our Earth and the individual nature of its inhabitants. All Gods, Goddesses, and Spirits when combined, I believe, give us a tiny glimpse of the true nature of God (He, She, It, They).

Ok, I'll put my bubble bath soap box away now... ;)

Hugs

Brenda

ApagaLaLuz

Hey thanks for sharing VIV!!!! What beautiful artist renditions. Gorgeous, and interesting story as well

Kwan Yin

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