Description
Four-armed Guanyin and Thousand-handed Thousand-eyed Guanyin are one of the incarnations of Guanyin, dressed in silk and tassel (solemn retributive appearance); the white body represents purity of body, speech and mind; the front two arms are folded with palms facing the chest and holding the Ruyi beads; the back two arms are raised to the shoulders; the right rear arm holds a string of crystal rosary beads, representing the endless salvation of sentient beings from the cycle of reincarnation, and the left hand is holding a white lotus (the Tibetan name for the flower of the Umbara), representing the purification of all troubles. The four arms also represent the four Buddhist practices - rest, increase, embrace and kill. The buckskin on the left shoulder represents compassion and purity of heart; the five-faceted Buddha's crown on the top of the head represents the wisdom of the five directions; and the vajra sitting posture (cross-legged with the palms of the feet upward) represents the steady state of meditation. The above six decorations are for the fulfillment of the Six Degrees of Universal Action - "Six Degrees of Paramita"; sitting on the moon disk represents the Dharma of Compassion and Convenience. The lotus flower underneath symbolizes the realm of purity, and the lowered eyes look down with compassionate solemnity.
The mantra is the Six Character Mantra, with the six seed characters corresponding to the six paths in the cycle of rebirth. The Bodhisattva's compassion is used to empower and purify the bad karma, bad habits and bad obstacles of all beings in the six paths towards the six attainments of siddhi.
