Page 20 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols

As a result of the seeds sown by the Indian missionaries,

Buddhism soon flowered into a number of distinctive schools

which were the products of the Chinese mind. Each of these

schools developed its own method of practice basing on a par-

ticular text and appealing to different sets of people. e most

outstanding schools amongst them being the T’ien-tai, Hua

Yen, Ch’an and Pure Land. e Pure Land School with its easy

method of practice that leads to salvation, together with such

a lovable deity as the Greatly Compassionate Kuan Shih Yin

P’usa easily won the largest number of adherents to make it the

principal school of Buddhism among the Chinese. Kuan Yin is

so popular that She is even worshipped in Taoist temples as the

Goddess of Mercy.

K L S T

 