Do you know whether Guanyin Bodhisattva is male or female? It doesn’t matter if you don’t know, China story network editor tells you.
Originally, Buddhism believed that both Buddhas and Bodhisattvas had no life or death and no gender. They could show various incarnations in front of the world according to different needs. Before the Tang Dynasty, Guanyin had always been a great husband, sometimes with two moustaches on her lips. After the Tang Dynasty, Guanyin became a woman, and she was also a woman of extraordinary beauty.
The appearance of Avalokitesvara in the image of a woman is actually entirely the work of the Chinese people, which can also be said to be the wit and wisdom of the Chinese people in the process of God creation.
This is mainly due to the following reasons:
First, the records of Buddhist scriptures provide a certain basis for the female image of Guanyin. Some Buddhist scriptures have Guanyin as “youpoyi (female monk)”, “woman body” and “virgin body”.
Second, since the northern and Southern Dynasties, Buddhism has developed rapidly in China, and nuns have begun to become monks. From empress dowager to civilian women, bhikuni has become a climate. So there is an urgent need for a goddess to get close to these monks. Buddhism was also happy to take the opportunity to expand its influence and introduce a female Bodhisattva, so the feminization of Avalokitesvara naturally formed. This shows that in the process of spreading, any religion must make concessions to the secular world in order to develop.
Third, it is related to Chinese aesthetic tradition and aesthetic orientation. The aesthetic ideal of Chinese people is Yin, softness and quietness. The softness of women is generally appreciated by Chinese people, and flexibility has always been believed by Chinese people, because this character means kindness, compassion, intelligence and beauty. This is in line with the “sound” of the suffering of “observing” people and “the world”, which is on call, approachable, respectable and amiable.
In addition to having all the magic power that a male Bodhisattva has, Guan Shiyin also has to perform the magic power that a male Bodhisattva cannot complete, such as giving birth. These virtues of Avalokitesvara are in line with the aesthetic orientation of the Chinese people, and it is inevitable that Avalokitesvara will become a woman.
Fourth, after the Tang Dynasty, there was a custom of men wearing women’s clothes in Asian religions. Buddhists often dress male Bodhisattvas as women, which is also an important factor in promoting the feminization of Avalokitesvara. Disclaimer: the above content originates from the network, and the copyright belongs to the original author. Please inform us if your original copyright is infringed, and we will delete the relevant content as soon as possible.