Page 143 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols

him from remaining faithful to the oath that he had taken with

his brothers at the peach orchard: “…to be loyal to each other in

life and united in death…” And of his ability to bear pain un-

flinchingly, there was an occasion when he was wounded by a

poisoned arrow which required the arrow and the poison to be

removed. He calmly submitted himself to the terrible ordeal and

allowed his arm to be cut opened and scratched to the bone by

his physician while he concentrated his attention on a game of

chess, without showing the least sign of pain.

In the year 219 .. he was captured by Sun Chuan and put to

death. It was recorded that on the night of his death, his spirit

appeared to a Buddhist monk, to seek for instruction on the

Buddha’s teachings.

According to the Buddhist account, Kuan Yu manifested him-

self before the Tripitaka Master Chi Tsai, the founder of Tien

Tai Buddhism, with a retinue of spiritual beings. e Master

was then in deep meditation at the Yu Chien Mountain when

he was distracted by Kuan Yu’s presence. After receiving the

teachings Kuan Yu requested for the Five Precepts and became a

Buddhist practitioner. He then vowed that he would henceforth

be a guardian for the Buddha-dharma and thus, for more than

a thousand years, Kuan Ti has been worshipped as a Guardian

or Dharma Protector in the Buddhist temples. e Pure Land

Buddhists also respected him as the Sentinel to the Western

Paradise of Amitabha Buddha. For these reasons Kuan Ti has

earned a place in the Chinese Pantheon of Deities; his statues

are normally found in the first hall of most temples and incense

should be offered to him as a mark of respect.

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