Of all the deities in Mahayana
Buddhism, the bodhisattva Chenrezig, also called Avalokiteshvara, is the most
celebrated. He is the lord endowed with complete illumination, who refrains
from entering the blissful state of nirvana to remain here below and save the
creatures of the earth. This devotion to the salvation of others emphasizes the
profound compassion this bodhisattva represents.
In the Tibetan Buddhist
pantheon of enlightened beings, Chenrezig is renowned as the embodiment of the
compassion of all the Buddhas. Chenrezig is visualized in many forms, with
various numbers of faces and arms, and various colors and ornaments. This
four-armed form is a radiant white Budhda form representing the purity and
power of the enlightened mind's loving kindness and compassion. He sits on a
lotus and the flat disc of the moon, with another moon disc behind him,
reflecting his total purity. Two of his four arms are joined in the prayer
position holding the wish-fulfilling gem. In his other left hand he holds a
lotus flower and in his right hand, a crystal mala, which he is using to count
repetitions of the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus,
which liberates all beings from suffering.
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