Art

  • Jambhala, the God of Wealth
  • Buddha Vairocana
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion Sitting in Meditation
  • Buddha Shakyamuni as a Newborn Infant
  • Hotei
  • Buddha Maitreya
  • Standing Monk with Hands Folded
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • The Prophecy of the Buddha Dipankara
  • The Ascetic Milarepa
  • Relief of the Five Transcendent Buddhas
  • Rectangular Coin
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Machig Labdrön
  • Head of a Monk
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Sakya Pandita (1182–1252)
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • The Death of the Buddha
  • The Buddha Begins Teaching
  • Head of the Buddha
  • Jizo Bosatsu, Bodhisattva in the Guise of a Monk
  • Vajradhara, the Primordial Buddha
  • The Arhats Kanakavasta, Vajriputra, Kanaka Bharadvaja, and Bhadra From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • The 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso (1589–1617)
  • Sitatara, White Tara
  • Stela Showing Scenes from the Life of the Buddha
  • Buddhist Votive Tablet
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Padmasambhava with his 25 Tibetan Pupils From a series of 7 thangkas
  • Printing Block for a Prayer from the Text “Embodiment of the Three Jewels” by Jatson Nyingpo (1585–1656)
  • Shaka Nyorai, the Historical Buddha
  • Head of the Buddha
  • Buddha Shakyamuni 
  • Votive Stela Depicting Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddhist Pocket-sized Prayer Altar
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Attains Awakening Under the Bodhi Tree
  • The Transcendent Buddha Akshobhya
  • Leaving for Homelessness
  • State Oracle Garment
  • Plaque Showing the Buddha Teaching
  • Vase with Lotus Vines and the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism
  • Dakini Vasya-Vajravarahi
  • Zen Priest in a Golden Wrap
  • Standing Bodhisattva
  • Head of a Bodhisattva
  • The Layman Huashang and Two Lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • The Four Excursions
  • Head of a Buddha
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Standing Buddha Amida
  • Buddhist Votive Stela of the Yan Family
  • Monumental Head of a Bodhisattva
  • Buddha Shakyamuni at the Moment of his Awakening
  • Dharmatala and two lokapalas From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom
  • Buddha Shakyamuni and the Earth-Touching Gesture
  • Dharmapala Yama
  • Travel Shrine
  • The Three Buddhas Dipankara, Shakyamuni, and Maitreya
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Half-length Portrait of the Zen Patriarch Bodhidharma
  • The Buddha Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • The Buddha’s Parinirvana
  • Stupa
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Large Votive Stupa
  • Portrait of the Zen Priest Gemmon Doyu
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Sheltered by the Serpent-King
  • Mahasiddha Virupa
  • Bodhidharma
  • The Arhats Bakula, Rahula, Cudapanthaka, and Pindola From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • Shakyamuni Enters Nirvana
  • Buddha Dipankara, the Buddha of the Past
  • Stupa
  • Portrait of the Abbot Ennin
  • Gazelle
  • Shyamatara, Green Tara
  • Vijaya Stupa
  • Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Taima Mandala, the Buddha Amida’s Paradise
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion in the Posture of Royal Ease
  • Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, as the Patron of fishermen
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddhist Monk
  • Seated Bodhisattva
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Meditating Under the Bodhi Tree
  • Padmasambhava
  • Great Stupa at Sanchi
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Bust of a Luohan
  • Standing Buddha
  • The Descent of Buddha Amida
  • Buddhist Monastic Rules from the Pali Canon
  • Standing Tara
  • Budai
  • Monastic Rules for Monks
  • Six Persimmons
  • Standing Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Bodhisattva of Compassion as the Bringer of Sons
  • Female Monkey with Her Young
  • The Arhats Vanavasin, Angaja, Kalika, and Ajita From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Amida Nyorai, Buddha of the Western Paradise
  • Dharani Sutra of the Heart of the Perfection of Insight
  • Ceremonial Dagger Featuring the God of Death
  • Head of a Lokeshvara
  • Empress Jito, from the series “Parody of the Ogura Version of ‘One Hundred Poets, One Hundred Poems’ ”
  • Ushnishavijaya
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Tames the Wild Elephant Nalagiri
  • The Arhats Panthaka, Gopaka, Nagasena, and Abheda From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Baisajyaguru, the Medicine Buddha
  • The Prophecy of the Wise Asita
  • Mara’s Daughters Tempt the Buddha
  • Guhyamanjuvajra
  • Yakshi, Nymph with Lotus Flowers, fragment of a baluster
  • Gendün Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai Lama (1476–1542)
  • Votive Stela with Buddha Shakyamuni
  • Buddha Shakyamuni
  • The Four Pleasures of Nan Shenglu (detail)
  • Buddha Shakyamuni From a series of 7 thangkas with Buddha Shakyamuni and the 18 arhats
  • Prince Siddhartha’s Wedding
  • Thangka of the Twenty-One Taras
  • Buddha Shakyamuni Invokes the Earth Goddess as his Witness
  • Green Tara (Shyama Tara)
  • Excerpt from the Lotus Sutra
  • Bodhidharma Crosses the Yangtze River on a Reed
  • Praying Priest
  • Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
  • Hotei, One of the Gods of Good Fortune, with Child
  • Buddha Shakyamuni with Scenes from his Life
  • Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
  • Pancha Raksha Manuscript
Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion

Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion

The Bodhisattva of Compassion appears in various forms; here he is portrayed with eleven heads and eight arms.

Legend has it that the Bodhisattva was so distressed at all the suffering in the world that his head shattered into several pieces. Buddha Amitabha made 10 heads out of them and placed his own head on top; he also gave the Bodhisattva several pairs of arms. The Bodhisattva of Compassion was thus able to see all the world’s suffering and to offer help using his many arms.