Page 5 - 慈悲邮心佛邮展解说（四）Stamp Explanation eBooklet 4

观世⾳菩薩

GUANYIN

AVALOKITESVARA,

Avalokiteshvara (meaning “the lord

who gazes down”) or Guanyin is a

compassionate being who is believed

to possess the ability to look in all

directions to see who is suffering and

to offer salvation. Avalokiteshvara is

the most widely revered among the

many bodhisattvas in the Buddhist

pantheon.

One of the most fascinating figures in

Asian Buddhist imagery,

Avalokiteshvara is represented in a

multitude of forms, from a simple

princely bodhisattva holding a lotus,

to a complex, multi-armed deity, and

even a mother holding a child. In

recent years, this bodhisattva’s

presence has extended beyond the

realm of Buddhism and into areas of

secular life.