Art

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