Page 81 - Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated) and Symbols

be a commendable show of faith but it benefits only a limited

number of people who have the good karma to develop it. It will

not help to instruct the younger generation to develop an inter-

est in Buddhism or to practise it. What is more important is that

every Buddhist should have a fair knowledge of who the Buddha

is, and what are his important teachings so that Buddhism can

be practised meaningfully and objectively. is will also help to

do away with superstition and wrong practice and at the same

time provide intelligent answers to the questions that are posed

by those of other faiths.

But let us get back to the subject on this great Bodhisattva whose

sphere of influence is much greater than the Buddha for she has

more temples built in her name than all the Buddhas and Bodhi-

sattvas of the Buddhist Pantheon. Her merit is incalculable, like

drops of rain falling continuously for a year. She is called the

Greatly Compassionate One because of her vow of ‘saving all

living beings and therefore committing herself to being the last

person in the universe to attain Buddhahood!’

In the Lotus Sutra the Buddha said that anyone who calls upon

Kuan Yin will be delivered instantly from all their sufferings.

By virtue of her supernatural power, she is able to save all living

beings from all kinds of danger, give them what they want, and

preach the Dharma freely by appearing in whatever form that

suits the nature of the faithful.

To call for Kuan Yin’s help one needs only to humbly recite her

name continuously with:

 