Buddhist who was the female Buddha whose statue graces the hillside park called Chung Cheng Park, Keelung Taiw

Question

I was told she was the daughter of a fisherman whose father was caught at sea in a typhoon and in an unprecedented moment of enlightenment she walked across the stormy sea to her fathers’ boat where the men were at the edge of hopelessness and calmed the sea. She lived out the rest of her life humbly without further astonishments. She didn’t like to discuss what happened. The translator had a difficult time with my questions and may have skipped or misunderstood much of what was said.

Could Kuanyin also live as a mortal through various incarnations? The story I heard was of a local Girl and it sounded complete. But such beings tend to live frequently enough.

Answer 1

The Bodhisattva of Great Compassion

The Sanskrit name "Avalokiteshvara" means "the lord who looks upon the world with compassion".

Translated into Chinese, the name is "Kuan Shih Yin"or Quan Yin.

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is the embodiment of great compassion. He has vowed to free all sentient beings from suffering.

In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha said that if a suffering being hears the name of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and earnestly calls out to the bodhisattva, Avalokiteshvara will hear the call and relieve that being from his suffering.

According to the Huayen Sutra, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva transforms himself into forms that suit the nature of those to be helped. His manifestations or transformation bodies are countless.

e.g. if a boy or girl is about to gain some enlightenment, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva transforms himself into a boy or a girl to teach the child.

e.g. If a monk is about to attain some enlightenment, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva transforms himself into a monk.

In short, he can appear as a monk, a nun, or a normal person like you and me. The purpose of such transformations is to make people feel close to him and willing to listen to his words.

In China, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva is represented in female form and is known as Kuan Yin. Probably because of Kuan Yin's great compassion, a quality which is traditionally considered feminine, most of the bodhisattva's statues in China since the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618 - 907) have appeared as female figures. In India, however, the bodhisattva is generally represented as a male figure.

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/kuanyin-txt.htm

Answer 2

There has been many Great and Ven Masters who have taught the Dharmma for almost 2600 years and it wouldn not be fair to single out one as the greatest Teacher but without the extraordinary memory of Ven Anada who was the cousin of Lord Buddha there may have been no Buddhism It was He who at the First Buddhist Council recalled most of what today is termed The Sutta Pikaka

Answer 3

Kwan Yin.. is the name.
She was a beautifull princess from India and left her royal status to live as a Bhodhisattva, lived in a convent left the luxurious life to be spritually enlightened. Thus her life ressembles the life of Sidharta..the prince who became Gautama Bhuddha.She is often reffered to as Female Bhuddha.
Legend has it that after achieving the enlightment, and the right to Bhudhist Nirvana she ascended to the Heaven and jsut at the gates she heared the cry for help fro some one on the earth. She turned back and decided to stay on earth to help the needy, to help them achieve the enlightenment.
Kwan Yin's name means "The one who hears the cries of the world".
For centuries the Eastern Cultures have worshiped her as the Compassionate Savouiress of the east, just as Virgin Mary in the West. She is considered as the compassionate mothely figure taking care of her children.All those who needlessly suffer are Kwan Yin's children.

Answer 4

Absolutely beautiful story. In times of great stress and life saving emergency the spirit has been known to leave the body and take care of problems. I have known people this has happened to. Thank you for sharing this. I fully intend to look this female Buddha up and see what I can learn.

Answer 5

I have heard of a story like that, but I don't remember it well.

Kuan-yin/ the Goddess of Mercy has a number of associations with fishermen and sailors; she's often considered their patron protectress.

The Wikipedia article on Guan Yin includes several other stories involving her and fishermen:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yin
.

Answer 6

I've seen a picture of Kwan Yin on the sea, but never knew the story.

Answer 7

Kuan Yin

Yes she can live in a mortal...

Answer 8

I'm pretty sure that's Kuanyin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yin