Guan Yin Bodhisattva is the Bodhisattva who “hears the cries of those suffering and rescues them” (Universal Door Chapter, The Lotus Sutra). The Bodhisattva is widely revered in the East, where many Buddhists pray to and invoke Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s name. In this booklet, Lingyen Mountain Temple seeks to introduce Guan Yin Bodhisattva to both English and Chinese-speaking audiences.
We look to Guan Yin Bodhisattva–not simply to solve our everyday woes; rather we must constantly recite the Bodhisattva’s name with sincerity and respect, as the Sutra teaches. That will reduce our greed, anger, and ignorance and nurture our pure Bodhi minds. Then we will find a deep accord with Guan Yin Bodhisattva and, like the Bodhisattva, reach out with empathy and compassion toward all sentient beings. Cultivating Compassion with Guan Yin Bodhisattva indicates which sutras to study to learn more about Guan Yin Bodhisattva and clarifies frequently asked questions about the Bodhisattva’s form, merits, and virtues, and aspirations for the liberation of sentient beings.
Relying on Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s meritorious virtues and sincerely reciting the Bodhisattva’s name, or the Great Compassion Mantra, can also lead to rebirth in the Pure Lands of Ten Directions, including Amitabha Buddha’s Western Pure Land. Focus on both Amitabha Buddha and Guan Yin Bodhisattva and you can be assured a future life of Ultimate Bliss.
Lingyen Mountain Temple invites readers to open their hearts to the compassion of the Bodhisattva. May we learn to hear the cries of the world like Guan Yin Bodhisattva and deliver all sentient beings to the Ultimate Bliss of Buddhahood.