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.