An Analysis of The Seated Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara - Paper Example

Introduction

The selected artwork is of the Seated Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara commonly referred to as Guanyin, who is one of the four most revered Buddhist deities of Chinese Buddhism. As a Buddhist deity who is usually called upon by her followers in most difficult and unusual situations, Guanyin also protects the hungry and distressed followers as well as giving comfort and help to believers who are in need. Historically, the art and imagery of Guanyin have remained a unique piece of art whose imagery spiritually represents the very core of Chinese Buddhism as the primary focus of compassion meditation. Although the artwork looks feminine, the depiction of this goddess of mercy is usually as a young barefoot maiden with flowing white robes and long dark hair, who started her spiritual journey as a masculine Bodhisattva before the later transformation. In the Buddhist temples, Guanyin sculpture is often placed at the central position among another Bodhisattva as a sign of honor to Guanyin who held over entering paradise for the sake of helping mortals achieve enlightenment. This piece of artwork found in the Saint Louis Art Museum epitomizes a humanist being that imbues the Buddhist sculpture of between the 11th and 12th centuries. The figure in the image portrays a majestic nature that exudes a benign of calm and warmth that makes the image more approachable as well as emotionally appealing. The image shows Guanyin sitting on a rocky surface in a "royal ease" with one leg closely drawn to his body while the other leg is hanging down. Apart from supporting her right arm on her bend knee and her left arm resting on the rock, the image portrays her full-moon face, perfectly curved eyebrows, downcast eyes, fragile nose and smallmouth as a reflection of a sense of elegance and calm. This position also conveys the impression that Guanyin might at any time rise from the deep meditation and step down. The paint decorates the figure of the goddess using a collection of jewelry, which entails a necklace, headdress along with well skillfully curved arm bracelets. The crown on her head illustrates the picture of Amitabha Buddha who is the fully conscious infinite light, who is said to be the spiritual teachers of Guanyin before becoming a Bodhisattva. Besides each bead on the necklace representing all living beings, turning the beads repeatedly is often symbolized as the motherly nature of Guanyin, which is a state of leading her people out of misery to enlightenment. Also, the necklace as a whole is associated with Guanyin calling upon Buddha for succor. The artwork poses traces of pigments as well as gold leaf testifies which is an indication of the Guanyin sculpture was once a vibrant paint. The magnificent image of Guanyin symbol of light, which plays a significant role in illuminating the world with compassion and mercy.

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History

The long-lasting clash between Chinese Buddhism and Indian Buddhism regarding imagery, belief, and practices is among the fascinating historical phenomenon in the world. Buddha is assumed to be beings that have archived the highest state of spiritual enlightenment and are not usually limited or controlled by world phenomenon (Chamberlayne 45) Legends have it that Guanyin was originally worshipped as Avalokitesvara in India in a masculine form. One of the legendary tales talks about Guanyin beginnings as a disabled boy named Shancai from India, who was passionate about studying dharma the Buddhist teaching but turned to learn about Guanyin. From this teaching, Shancai got the inspiration to get closer and learn more concerning the ideas related to the goddess that he decided to take on a dangerous journey in rocky areas with the sole purpose of finding where the goddess lived. As a result of his will and impressive personality, the goddess decided to support Shancai and also test him. Shancai's first test came when the goddess made him see the illusion of an impending danger where his teacher had three pirates going up the rocky hill with the bad motive of attacking the goddess. Out of his love for the goddess, Shancai was determined to save the goddess even if it meant sacrificing his life. Pleased by his bravery efforts and love for her, Guanyin healed Shancai giving him the ability to walk and later became the famous Guanyin after becoming a Bodhisattva. In China, glorified as a miracle worker and universal savior, the popularity of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) grew fast, and soon Guanyin took the central position of the growing corpus of the indigenous miracle stories, Sutra as well as visual works.

Avalokiteshvara who is the embodiment of compassion and Manjushri whose personification is of deep wisdom are the most important Bodhisattvas. In the early the tenth century, the two Bodhisattvas were understood to manifest the ability to change forms, in most case Avalokiteshvara took the female form that relates to the early Western perception the female divinity. On the other hand, although Buddhism has been in existence in China since the second century, most monks served as translators and teachers who played a significant role in the representation of Buddha within the same timeline. Despite the limited information regarding the widespread production and image used before the fourth century, the few freestanding sculptures and images found in cave temples in Central Asia and India provide evidence for the marked period of development and flowering between the two traditions.

Guanyin personification of kindness and compassion was represented in China by male Bodhisattva figures before the Song Dynasty of 960-1279. Some of the images that portray the attributes of Guanyin both genders are said to be in the accordance of the Lotus Sutra, which is also believed to be one of the most important texts of the Buddhist which is both significant in Japan and China. The Lotus Sutra depicts Guanyin as having supernatural powers that allow her to assume any form necessary to help relieve suffering along with the power to give children. For this reasons as depicted in the Lotus Sutra, Guanyin finds her personification as a mother goddess of kindness and compassion, and a patron of all mothers whose representation around China was further spread and interpreted in all the feminine forms across the twentieth century.

Discussion

The image of Guanyin is a representation of one of the most significant forms of belief system in the contemporary world. Apart from the art of kindness, compassion is an important attribute that connects people around the world despite their diverse nationality, religion, skin complexion and geographical locations. Although easily taken as a simple ancient artwork, Guanyin is not only a symbol of unity among the Buddhist but to all believers who follow the same mental path. The significance of this artwork is manifested today as Guanyin is worshiped in most big temples across the world especially in Japan. Sir Lanka, India, and Tibet in temples such as the famous Shaolin temple, Sensoji, Ajanta caves, Mahabodhi.

Although perceived in a masculine form in the early times of his spiritual path, Guanyin was an androgynous being who was neither specifically masculine nor female. In the context of the traditional Chinese culture and gender, the artistic work with feminized images of Guanyin over generations has played an important role in inspiring new female divinities, especially in the post-Tang times. For instance, Princess Miaoshan, Princess of Azure Clouds, The Unborn Mother and The Queen of Heaven who is also called Mazu. The Chinese cultural conceptualization of the difference between male and female attributed to the feminization of Guanyin. For example; the quality of compassion, emotion, and feeling are regarded as a maternal or female virtue while intellect and reason are defined as masculine traits, all of which are part of the primary characters of Guanyin. On the other hand, the traditional Indian context of culture and gender, a mother is a symbol of wisdom, making wisdom a dominant female quality whereas a father is given qualities of compassion a symbol of love, which was also used to define Guanyin. Some of the common uses of this selected artworks of Guanyin are in rituals such as mortuary ceremonies, where the production of a certain number of images corresponds to mortuary rules that relate to an intermediate existence. Apart from the mass production of Guanyin artwork used as mobile images for votive offering especially in Daoist temples, these artworks are useful for personal devotion; they can also be molded, painted and sculpted and installed in public sanctuaries, temples and pure chambers for meditation along with devotional practices.

As an icon of motherhood in East Asia through popular literature, Guanyin cultural significance gives a clear feminine principle of a caring mother for all the people in both the historical era to the contemporary era. Following the malleable quality portrayed in the Guanyin imagery, the Guanyin the now popular cult figure has acquired unique prominence in each corner of Eastern Asia. Through Guanyin means of various faces, calms, soothes and allays fears and also give children to the childless, Guanyin is believed to have the capabilities of saving devotees from world perils such as extinguishing fires, stilling turbulent oceans and rivers, calming the winds and storms and giving freedom to those who are enslaved or oppressed by spirits, demons and enemies. In modern scientific studies, neuroscience has emerged as the main form of studying meditative practices as well as traditions. Moreover, throughout these studies, Guanyin has long proved to be an embodiment of truth and selfless compassion. For centuries the primary focus for the Chinese meditative practices revolved around the teachings and the figure Guanyin. Today these strongly held beliefs are providing tangible reality in the field of modern neuroscience and therefore making Guanyin a remarkable form of hermeneutic. Which is merging the old traditions and the new traditions, the western cultures and the eastern cultures and the male and the female into a unique practice that is a benefit to all who are related to Guanyin image along with her ideology.

Work Cited

Chamberlayne, John H. "The Development of Kuan Yin: Chinese Goddess of Mercy". Numen, vol 9, no. 1, 1962, p. 45. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/3269413.