RITES FOR KUAN YIN:
ln the homes of Mahayana Chinese Buddhists and also in many of those who are more inclined to the Theravada tradition, a white-robed Kuan Yin image, either in a seated or standing posture, is to be seen on the family altar. Some prefer to keep a large picture of her instead of an image. Devotees prefer the seated form, because the face gives a very pleasant appearance of serenity and dignity, reflecting love and compassion. One who looks at her image or picture cannot help feeling calm and composed, with a spontaneous readiness to radiate loving-kindness to all living beings. In some images, her eyes appear to follow one in every direction, giving the impression that she is constantly protecting one with her love and compassion, and that she is eveready to answer one's prayer whenever one calls her name in times of hardship and suffering. Daily devotions to Kuan Yin in the home usually commences with offering of flowers and burning of incense-sticks, followed by paying homage to Amitabha Buddha and Kuan Yin Bodhisattva by chanting 'Namo Omi-To-Fo' and 'Namo Kuan Shih Yin P'usa'. It is then followed by reciting the Mantra of Universal Protection, 'Om Mani Padme Hum' and the Great Compassion Mantra, ' Tai Pei Chew'. These daily recitals help devotees to develop the virtue of compassion in themselves. For simple folks, calling upon the name of Amitabha Buddha and Kuan Yin Bodhisattva alone are considered sufficiently goodto induce a calm mental state, at least for the duration of such recital. This is usually accompanied by counting the beads on a rosary, which helps to a great extent to prevent the mind from straying from wholesome thoughts. Daily practice in these recitals results in the formation of a good habit of maintaining good thoughts in the mind which itself constitutes a good kamma. Many devotees restrict themselves to a vegetarian diet on New Moon and Full Moon days, as well as on the three days celebrated as Kuan Yin's festival days - the 19th. day of the second, sixth, and nineth. months of the lunar calendar.
Except for the bigger temples, most of the Mahayana temples are not open to worshippers on ordinary days, but on New Moon and Full Moon days, an endless stream of devotees and worshippers could be seen making a bee-line for their own temples to pay homage to Amitabha Buddha, Kuan Yin Bodhisattva and other deities. The birthday of Amitabha Buddha falls on the 17th. day of the 11th. moon, but it is not so widely celebrated by the Mahayana Buddhists as the three festival days dedicated to Kuan Yin Bodhisattva. It is also true that the Mahayana Buddhists, the majority of whom belong to the Pure Land sect, prefer to invoke the name of Kuan Yin rather than Amitabha Buddha. Both Amitabha Buddha and Kuan Yin Bodhisattva are the personification of compassion, but whereas' Amitabha Buddha is compassion seen as a noble quality, shining and majestic, Kuan Yin is compassion seen as intimate and a counterpart of gentle pity '. quotation from The Compassionate Yoga: The Mystical Cult of Kuan Yin" by John Blofeld. Another reason is that most of her pious worshippers are women who regard her as their Patron Goddess and to whom they pray for offsprings, particularly sons.
The first great annual Kuan Yin festival day, which falls on the 19th. day of the 2nd. lunar month, is celebrated as her birthday; the 19th. day of the 6th. lunar month is the day for celebrating her vow to renounce Nirvana while there are still beings suffering in samsara; and finally, on the 19th. day of the 9th. lunar month, the celebration is to mark her assumption to Bodhisattvahood. On these days, home devotions to Kuan Yin are performed on a more elaborate scale, but in the temples, mass prayers are held for devotees and worshippers headed by resident monks and nuns. On entering the temples, the lay devotees first prostrate themselves in front of the Kuan Yin image, followed by a short period of contemplation to dispel worldly thoughts and other thoughts not conducive to the occasion. When all are ready, the. lay devotees are summoned to their appointed places by the sound of a drum, and then make triple obeisance in unison led by the monks and nuns. Certain sections of the Lotus Sutra (Sadd-harma Pundarika) are recited in unison, followedby the recitation of the Dharani of Great Compassion (Taj Pei Chew). This is a mantric utterance believed to be the most powerful means of invoking Kuan Yin. Although this mantra is merely a collection of sounds of original Sanskrit words recited using Chinese characters, nevertheless, its recitation, when done with piety and sincerity, could lead the devotees' minds to an exalted level. The ceremony reaches its climax by the circum-ambulation of the shrine room by all participants, • while invoking the name of Kuan Yin, by chanting, 'Namo Kuan Shih Yin P'usa' (Homage to Kuan Shih Yin Bodhisattva), in unison, over and over again. Finally, all return to their former places for a final obeisance.
This kind of rite to celebrate the three Kuan Yin festival days has been performed for hundreds of years in all Mahayana temples. Today, however, owing to the dedicated efforts of monks and nuns to enlighten their lay devotees on the noble teachings of Lord Buddha, there is a greater realization on the part of the lay devotees that the mere invocation of the name of Kuan Yin Bodhisattva or of Amitabha Buddha, or even the chanting of Sutras or Mantras, will not bring any effective result unless coupled with a firm determination to cultivate loving-kindness and compassion, as well as to strictly observe the Five Precepts daily. Perhaps, Verse No. 19 in the Dhammapada may have some relevance to this exhortation:
Bahum pi ce sahitam bhdsamdno na takkaro hoti naro pamatto
Gopo'vo gdvo ganayam paresam na bhdgavd sdmannassa hoti
(Though much he recites the Sacred Texts, but acts not accordingly, that heedless man is like a cowherd who counts others' kine. He has no share in the fruits of the Holy Life.)
Tan Teik Beng - Beliefs and Practices among Malaysian Chinese Buddhists
loading..
