Spirituality Revealed

The Dalai Lama is believed to be a manifestation/Reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara aka Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and the patron saint of Tibet. Bodhisattva’s are believed to be enlightened beings who have postponed their own nirvana and chosen to take rebirth in order to serve humanity…

In the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon of enlightened beings, Chenrezig is renowned as the embodiment of the compassion of all the Buddhas, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

Avalokiteshvara aka Chenrezig is the earthly manifestation of the self born, eternal Buddha, Amitabha. He guards this world in the interval between the historical Sakyamuni Buddha, and the next Buddha of the Future Maitreya.

According to legend, Chenrezig made a a vow that he would not rest until he had liberated all the beings in all the realms of suffering. After working diligently at this task for a very long time, he looked out and realized the immense number of miserable beings yet to be saved. Seeing this, he became despondent and his head split into thousands of pieces. Amitabha Buddha put the pieces back together as a body with very many arms and many heads, so that Chenrezig could work with myriad beings all at the same time. Sometimes Chenrezig is visualized with eleven heads, and a thousand arms fanned out around him.

Chenrezig may be the most popular of all Buddhist deities, except for Buddha himself — he is beloved throughout the Buddhist world. He is known by different names in different lands: as Avalokiteshvara in the ancient Sanskrit language of India, as Kuan-yin in China, as Kannon in Japan.

As Chenrezig, he is considered the patron Bodhisattva of Tibet, and his meditation is practiced in all the great lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. The beloved king Songtsen Gampo was believed to be an emanation of Chenrezig, and some of the most respected meditation masters (lamas), like the Dalai Lamas and Karmapas, who are considered living Buddhas, are also believed to be emanations of Chenrezig.

Whenever we are compassionate, or feel love for anyone, or for an animal or some part of the natural world, we experience a taste of our own natural connection with Chenrezig. Although we may not be as consistently compassionate as some of the great meditation masters, Tibetan Buddhists believe that we all share, in our basic nature, unconditional compassion and wisdom that is no different from what we see in Chenrezig and in these lamas.

We might have trouble believing that we are no different than Chenrezig — but learning about the nature of compassion, and learning about Chenrezig, repeating his mantra Om Mani Padme Hum and imagining that we would like to be like Chenrezig, pretending that we really are just like Chenrezig, we actually can become aware of increasing compassion in our lives, and ultimately, the lamas tell us, awaken as completely wise and compassionate buddhas.

Avalokiteshvara Mantra Long Version;
Namo Ratna Trayaya,
Namo Arya Jnana
Sagara, Vairochana,
Byuhara Jara Tathagataya,
Arahate, Samyaksam Buddhaya,
Namo Sarwa Tathagate Bhyay,
Arhata Bhyah,
Samyaksam Buddhe Bhyah,
Namo Arya Avalokite
shoraya Bodhisattvaya,
Maha Sattvaya,
Maha Karunikaya,
Tadyata, Om Dara Dara,
Diri Diri, Duru Duru
Itte We, Itte Chale Chale,
Purachale Purachale,
Kusume Kusuma Wa Re,
Ili Milli, Chiti Jvalam, Apanaye Shoha

Translation:
Homage to the Three Jewels,
Homage to the Ocean of that Superior,
Exalted Transcendental Wisdom,
The Appointed King, Vairocana,
The Tathagata, the Arhat,
the Pure and Complete Buddha,
Homage to All the Tathagatas, the Arhats,
the Pure and Complete Buddhas,
Homage to the Supreme Avalokiteshvara,
the Bodhisattva, the Great Being,
that Great Compassion,
Thus, Om, Apprehending the Deity of Sound,
Apprehending the Deity of Form,
Apprehending the Deity of Sign,
and the Surrounding Entourage.

* Please note this is the long version, the more commonly known Avalokiteshvara Chenrezig Mantra is the short verison which is known as ” Om Mani Padme Hum”

Mantra of Avalokiteshvara by
Margot Reisinger, Lama Tenzin Sangpo

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