Song Dynasty, circa: 960-1279 AD
h.32in.(81cm.) X w.10in.(25cm.) X d.7 in.(18cm.)
Condition: Excellent
Avalokiteshvara
is a patron deity of Tibet. He was a-sexual in India and Java, but became a female
Bodhisattva in China, Japan and other Buddhist traditions. She is identified in
Chinese as Kuan Yin (QuanYin). In Japanese, Kenjisai or Kannon. Her name means
: Look down in compassion. She ( he ) whose face is turned in all directions_she
who at once can see all and can be seen from everywhere. She is the personification
of compassion, the one who bring safety to those who are in turmoil, and is by
far the most important Bodhisattva in the Asian Buddhist faith.
Avalokiteshvara
is the cause of Amitabha Buddha (Infinite Light ), and she is often depicted with
a small Amitabha in her headdress. The iconography of Avalokiteshvara was interpreted
with left hand in the gesture of opening the lotus of the heart of all beings
(Mudra of Fulfillment. sanskrit: Varamudra ), and in her right hand she holds
a half opened lotus flower. Though later in Chinese and Japanese representations,
Avalokiteshvara is more often shown with a vase in paintings and sculptures. She
appears in many different forms. Sometimes mild and sometimes fierce. She is at
times represented with ten small additional heads looking in all directions, and
or with " thousand" hands holding various of attributes_which illustrates the
infinity of means of salvation in her great compassion employs for the good of
sentient beings.
