(Follow this link to see the February 2021 Priory Newsletter where this was published.)
Avalokiteshvara: Observing ease and listening to the sounds of the world. In this posture, the Bodhisattva calmly accepts the suffering of the world and is ready to respond as needed.
It is said the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was first a fully enlightened Buddha (called the Tathagata of the Brightness of the Right Dharma); when she saw that it would be a help to beings, she took the form of a Celestial Bodhisattva. While this has many implications, the one I am thinking of lately is that Avalokiteshvara, in her own right, knows the complete wisdom of the Buddha. That She knows the wisdom of the Buddha, means that She sees to the heart of why suffering arises and can act accordingly to help to alleviate it. The real cause of a suffering can be different than the apparent or surface cause.
For instance, if there is a small child who conceives a desire to have a piece of candy and throws a tantrum when the candy is not forthcoming, the wise parent will make sure the child has plenty of food, but will say no to the candy. (And, I am not saying here, that candy or treats should never be given; just it is helpful to learn that we can forego satisfying our desires and we can learn to be fine with that.)
The parent says no to the candy recognizing that the real cause of the suffering – the craving that causes the tantrum – is the mistaken view, on the child’s part, that they will only be happy when they get what they want. We say no, realizing that if the desire and the mistaken view are indulged, it will set up a pattern of suffering that is difficult for the child to unlearn as it grows into adulthood. An unwise or worldly compassion will just give the child the candy to satisfy the desire.
We all know from experience Continue reading →
