Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva with Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes

The Great Compassion Dharani Sutra

According to the Dharani Sutra of Great Compassion, when Guanyin Bodhisattva was only a first-earth Bodhisattva a long time ago, King Jingzun Tathagata of Qianguang taught the "Great Compassion Mantra" to Guanyin Bodhisattva because of his compassion for all sentient beings at that time. With this mantra, I rejoiced in my heart, and immediately surpassed the eighth level of fruition, and swore:

"If I should come and be able to benefit and comfort all sentient beings, let me immediately have a thousand hands and a thousand eyes."

At this time, thousands of hands and thousands of eyes were born on his body, and there were 28 Dharma images on his head, representing the 28 Dharma protectors, which are common in Chinese Buddhism.

Photo: Xiyou Treasures Thousand-handed Avalokitesvara Standing Statue | Nara Style

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva has 40 hands to represent a thousand hands, and one eye appears on the palm of each arm, representing one body and twenty-five "beings" (representing cause and effect). Except for the two palms in the center, the rest are holding the instruments and their meanings are as follows:

1. Tin Staff: Compassionate and caress all sentient beings, making them happy and worry-free.
2. The Hand of the Mirror: Open your eyes and achieve great wisdom.
3. Holding the Moon Hand: Pearls are water droplets in the Moon Palace, which can remove fever.
4. Treasure Hand: You can get all the protection buried in the earth.
5. Wishful Jewel Hand: One of the Seven Treasures of the Wheel-turning King, rich, happy, and happy
6. On the top of the Buddha's hand: second-hand Sakyamuni Buddha statue, you can get the prophecy of the Buddha's top, and you will never be separated from the Buddha.
7. Vajra Hand: A single vajra subdues demons and destroys angry enemies.
8. Treasure handling: knowledgeable, knowledgeable and intelligent.
9. Ba Zhe Luo Shou: The three-strand vajra can subdue demons and enable them to protect the Dharma.
10. Tomahawk Axe: End all suffering.
11. Baoyin Hand: eloquence, wisdom and perfection.
12. Green Lotus Hand: According to his wish, he was reborn in the Pure Lands of the ten directions.
13. Treasure Archer: Family and friends reunion.
14. Grape Hand: Acquire achievements, fruits.
15. Holding willow branches: Eliminate all kinds of diseases and difficulties of living beings.
16. Hu Ping Shou: The meaning of harmony, reunion with family members.
17. Purple lotus hand: See all the Buddhas in the ten directions.
18. Counting beads hands: to get the reception and guidance of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
19. Fearless Hand: Eliminate all fears of sentient beings.
20. Treasure Bowl Hand: When I hear the wonderful sound, I am happy in body and mind, and stay away from sickness.
21. Halberd Hand: Drives ghosts and gods to protect the law.
22. Rijing Mani Bead Hand: Also known as Rimo'er Hand, Sun Bead is the fire bead of the palace in the sky, which can cure eyes.
23. The palace-turning hand: Life after life in the Pure Land Buddha country, not falling into the human world.
24. Transforming Buddha's Hand: Life and life are inseparable from Buddha.
25. Vajra wheel hand: Brave and diligent, will not give birth to the heart of retreat.
26. Five-Colored Cloud Hands: Quickly Achieve Buddhahood
27. Baoduo's hand: Holding the Vajra bell, the drum and thunder sound of the Buddha's Dharma.
28. Baoluoshou: Can command the gods to destroy disasters.
29. Iron hook and pestle hand: can order the dragon king to live in the world to protect the law.
30. Red lotus hand: transfer to heaven.
31. Yuhuan Hand: Prestige, ability to grow, to be supported and loved by others.
32. Swordsman: Subdue all ghosts and spirits, and cut off troubles.
33. Bai Fushou: It can remove all demonic obstacles and difficulties.
34. Skull Staff: Can subdue all ghosts and gods, and protect the Dharma.
35. Treasure Archer: Make the request for the official position as one wishes.
36. 羂 Suo Shou: The body and mind are stable and not bound by demonic obstacles.
37. White Lotus Hand: Achieve various merits.
38. Aquarius: can reconcile family members, family harmony.
39. Shield Hand: Can remove difficulties.
40. Putting palms together: Paying respect to all living beings can make all people, ghosts, spirits, and animals respect each other.

Photo: Xiyou Treasures Thousand-handed Avalokitesvara Standing Statue | Nara Style