Guanyin and Avalokiteśvara, both bodhisattvas were exhibited in front of our class in the Trout Gallary. The comparasion between two statues gave me a great impression because they two were basically the same person but looked so differently as statues. Both of them are representations of Buddha: one aspired to help all sentient beings be free of suffering while the other tried to reach the Nivana. Even though Guanyin and Avalokitesvara differ from each other from a very large extent based on their materials, sizes and facial expressions, they are both beautiful innerly and outterly.
The statue of Guanyin is in excellent condition even though it was made more than two hundred years ago. The color of ivory was so bright that it gives the audience the feeling that it looks like brand new. All the pieces exsit, and nothing is missed. Even the most …show more content…
The ivory Guanyin looks like a female but is not a completely female. The iconography has long dress, smooth skin and delightful jewerys. It also has a silk belt floating in the air. With all of that clothing and jewerys, it looks like a woman. However, combined with the exquiste and complex details, it has an exposed chest with no breast, which conveys that Guanyin is not yet a completely female. As the matter of fact, Guanyin is neither woman nor man, because Guanyin has the power to transform the body in any forms. Additionally, gender is not a obstacle to enlightment, to reach the Nivana. Guanyin stands on the Lotus Sutra, which stands for the pure land – the western paradise, the destiny after Buddhists attained buddhahood. The left hand addresses the “boon-bestowing” gesture, meaning that she would help all sentients being be free of sufferings, and she will just give and render for no pay backs. The right hand holds a lotus, representing the paradise, so she can help anyone to eliminate their pain and reach the happy
The statue of Guanyin is in excellent condition even though it was made more than two hundred years ago. The color of ivory was so bright that it gives the audience the feeling that it looks like brand new. All the pieces exsit, and nothing is missed. Even the most …show more content…
The ivory Guanyin looks like a female but is not a completely female. The iconography has long dress, smooth skin and delightful jewerys. It also has a silk belt floating in the air. With all of that clothing and jewerys, it looks like a woman. However, combined with the exquiste and complex details, it has an exposed chest with no breast, which conveys that Guanyin is not yet a completely female. As the matter of fact, Guanyin is neither woman nor man, because Guanyin has the power to transform the body in any forms. Additionally, gender is not a obstacle to enlightment, to reach the Nivana. Guanyin stands on the Lotus Sutra, which stands for the pure land – the western paradise, the destiny after Buddhists attained buddhahood. The left hand addresses the “boon-bestowing” gesture, meaning that she would help all sentients being be free of sufferings, and she will just give and render for no pay backs. The right hand holds a lotus, representing the paradise, so she can help anyone to eliminate their pain and reach the happy