Two Precious Scroll Narratives of Guanyin and Her ... - Khamkoo

6 Introduction
of these bodhisattvas introduced into China in the early centuries
of the first millennium was Avalokiteśvara, although the images of
Avalokiteśvara that were introduced into China in the early centuries
of the first millennium were far from uniform.
One important and influential early image of Avalokiteśvara
was as one of the two assistants of the Buddha Amitābha (the other
being Mahāsthāmaprāpta or, in Chinese translation, Dashizhi). The
two assistants were often depicted together with Amitābha and
shared in his widespread veneration; Avalokiteśvara was often depicted
wearing a crown that featured an image of Amitābha. 15 Avalokiteśvara
also plays a prominent role in the final section of the
Avatamsaka or Flower Garland Sutra (Huayan jing), which narrates
the pilgrimage of the young student Sudhana (Shancai, Good-in-
Talent), who in his quest for wisdom visits fifty-four teachers. One
of the ‘‘good friends’’ who is consulted by Sudhana is the bodhisattva
Avalokiteśvara, who is portrayed as seated atop the Potalaka
Rock at the edge of the world. 16 The pilgrimage of Sudhana became
a popular subject in Buddhist iconography and popular literature
from an early date. 17 In China for the last thousand years or so, Avalokiteśvara’s
Potalaka has been traditionally identified with Mt.
Putuo (Putuoshan), a little island in the Zhousan archipelago off
the Zhejiang coast near Ningbo. During the Ming and Qing dynasties,
Mt. Putuo was a major pilgrimage center, and Guanyin was believed
to occasionally manifest herself there to ardent believers.
Many paintings show ‘‘Guanyin of the Southern Sea’’ seated on her
favorite rock, shaded by a willow tree, and contemplating the reflection
of the moon in the waves. 18
By far the most influential literary portrait of Avalokiteśvara introduced
into China in the early centuries of the first millennium
was the one provided by the Lotus Sutra. 19 This enormously influential
sutra devotes an entire chapter (which also circulated separately
as the Pumen jing [Sutra on the gate of universal salvation]
or Guanyin jing [Guanyin sutra]) to the Buddha’s glowing praise of
the salvific powers of Avalokiteśvara. According to the Buddha, Avalokiteśvara
will come to the rescue of anyone who appeals to him
for his aid, whatever the nature of his or her distress. Moreover,
the Buddha credits Avalokiteśvara with the ability to manifest
himself in whatever shape, male or female, is best for accomplishing
his salvific miracles. The Lotus Sutra mentions twelve perils
from which the bodhisattva will rescue those who call on his