Sveto Otok Kwan Yin
Rev Karen Tate
Long ago, Goddess traversed the Silk Road on camelback, leaving her mark on textiles, cliff walls and caravansaries along the way. The Silk Road was the main artery of culture from China in the east to the Mediterranean in the west. She traveled with many nomadic peoples like the Sauromatians, Saka, Samarians, Scythians, and proto-Celts as they migrated east. She rode on horseback with warrior queens and priestesses of the 13th century Golden Horde and along with descendants from Genghis Kahn, as the Mongols acquired one of the largest known empires in history. A recent archaeological discovery of kurgan burial mounds has revealed many of these early nomads that traversed the Eurasian steppes in far western China worshiped the Earth Mother. Researchers believe these nomads were descendants and contemporaries of the women who inspired tales of the Amazons while cultural diffusionists make the case that these women warriors actually were the Amazons referred to by Herodotus.
Pu Tuo Shan Sacred Island
Kwan Yin (Guanyin), called Holy Mother of Compassion and Savioress, has one of her most sacred sites on Pu Tuo Shan, a small island in the East China Sea. At first glance it might not seem that Buddhist and Goddess spirituality combine in a harmonious blend, yet Chinese history reflects a people who have had their trials and tribulations and through their suffering, it was the female bodhisattva Kwan Yin in whom people put their faith. It was Kwan Yin that women turned to more often than men. She was believed by the devoted to understand their struggle and pain, and lent strength, love, and compassion. Kwan Yin would be their protectress at the birthing bed, or in their struggle for freedom and recognition. It was she who would bring their husbands back from war or the sea. Kwan Yin, who originally came to China as the androgynous male bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Tibetans regard the Dalai Lama as this bodhisattva's incarnation), was said to have been born of a ray of light shining from the right eye of Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. In time, Kwan Yin was later recognized as a female bodhisattva or Goddess. Chinese society and culture are overwhelmingly patriarchal and women are usually only considered useful or whole after they have given birth. Kwan Yin offered women solace. Her popularity grew exponentially and it is said that by the 9th century there was a Kwan Yin statue in every monastery in China. Pu Tuo Shan, meaning “beautiful white flower” is one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains, located on the island of the same name, and sacred to Kwan Yin. Here she is called the Goddess of the Southern Sea and patroness of fishermen. Images of her associated with Pu Tuo Shan show Kwan Yin crossing the sea seated on a lotus, or with her feet on the head of a dragon.
An island of beautiful beaches, caves, valleys, monasteries, and temples, it is an idyllic getaway for those on the Chinese mainland. People come here from all parts of Asia on pilgrimage to honor and pray to Kwan Yin. Many Buddhist temples are located on Mount Pu Tuo, but the three most important are Puji Temple, the main temple for Kwan Yin worship, Fau Temple, famous for its architecture and wood carvings, and Huiji Temple on the peak of Foding Hill which exhibits a large collection of ancient carvings of Kwan Yin. The peak of Pu Tuo Shan is reached by climbing 1,060 stone steps, or by taking a cable car. A new temple to Kwan Yin, called Nan Hai Guan Yin, or South Sea Guan Yin, proudly honors the Goddess with a giant statue, exquisite stone carvings, and murals that explain the history of Kwan Yin.
Guanyin se smatra kao da ima neki pred-budističke korijene u više arhaičnog božanstva kineske Nu KWA ili Nugua koji je stvorio kineski narod i prirodnog poretka u svemiru. Ona je ponekad opisan kao pola zmije i pol žene, stvaranje svog brata / dragom Fu Xi iz svoga tijela, tako kada se prikazuju isprepliću podsjećaju kundalini simbol ili caduceus. Prema Merlin Stone, slike Kwan Yin jahanje na dupina može biti povezano s repom ribe slike Nu KWA. Oba Kannon i Kwan Yin su povezane s šarana ili lososa, i druge ribe slike, koje se smatraju simbolima plodnosti. U kineskim kozmologija mitova, planine su sveti stupovi koji odvojeno nebo od zemlje i na "popravak" Heaven mita; Nu KWA popraviti slomljena nebo i koristi četiri noge velike kornjače držati nebo od pada na zemlju. Noge kornjače postale su četiri svete budističke planine, od kojih je jedan Pu Tuo Shan, čime je učinkovito vratiti sklad svih prirodnih života. Kwan Yin je također povezan s mladim Miao Shan, predana budističke koji je ubio svog oca u nastupu bijesa, jer ona nije htjela udati, želi umjesto da se pridruže samostan. Nakon smrti njezina duša je vratio na Zemlju, gdje je postigao prosvjetljenje, i proveo svoje dane olakšavanja patnje onih koji su u nevolji. Miao Shan se vjeruje da žive na Pu Tuo Shan otoku za devet godina (kao što je bio Kwan Yin), gdje je ozdravio i spasio mornare od brodoloma.
Kwan Yin se vjeruje da imaju 33 manifestacija, a neki aspekti su 11 glave ili 1.000 ruke i oči, omogućujući joj da čuti i vidjeti krikove potrebitima i odgovoriti na njihove molitve. Poklonici Kwan Yin vjeruju snazi molitva joj se sastoji od više navrata skandirali njeno ime ili Avalokitesvara mantru "Om Mani Padmé Hum", koji prevodi sa "Hail to the dragulj u lotosu." Slike Kwan Yin joj pokazati u različitim položajima, većina od kojih su joj visoki i vitki, bosi, u tekućoj odore, drži vazu sadrži amitra ili rosa suosjećanja, što je ona izlijeva na čovječanstvo. Amitra je rekao da su snage kako bi produžili život, izliječiti, i pročistiti tijelo, um i govor. Ponekad je ona sjedi na lotosovom cvijetu, riba, slon, ili na lava poput zvijeri. Ona može imati više glave i mnoge ruke. Ona se može njegu djeteta ili držanje dijete. Ponekad joj je muški i ženski pomoćnici pluća Nu i Shan Ts'ai su na nogama na obje strane njom. Neki od njezinih simbola dođite istine, vrč za ljekovitom vodom, sprej vrba, sveta dragulj težnji, i ona također ima gol obrazac. Kwan Yin je u odnosu najčešće Mariji, Djevica Majka Isusa, ili egipatske božice Izide.
Rebecca Ljubav, učitelj u Kini, objašnjava da je velika većina Kineza ne prakticiraju ili imaju malo interesa za religiju iako su neki obožavanje prirode, meditirajte i molite da biste božice milosrđa. Ženski kipovi svugdje u Kini su identificirana kao domovine. Kipovi Kwan Yin često nalaze se na mirnom obroncima u blizini sela koje imaju vrba grane (klasični simbol ženstvenosti), a voda iz svetog izvora za self-blagoslov na svetom mjestu. Voda blagoslov se vjeruje da imaju moć da spasi živote i donijeti sreću.
Kako doći do Pu Tuo Shan otoku
When in Shanghai, from the Shanghai Shiliepu Harbor near the Bund, the main passenger harbor of Shanghai, there are morning buses that take visitors to Luchaogang Harbor. Daily shuttle boats from Luchaogang Harbor access Pu Tuo Shan Island, located approximately 155 miles (250 km) to the east of Shanghai, across Hangzhou Bay in the East China Sea. This trip takes about 3.5 hours. There is also a night boat that takes about 12 hours to reach the island departing from Shiliepu Harbor. Once on this small island of only 5 square miles (12 sq. km), located in the Zhoushan Archipelago of Zhejiang Province, several bus routes take visitors to the main sites. Hotels are available on Pu Tuo, as are accommodations in private homes, which can be arranged upon arrival at the island.
O Autor:
Karen Tate, independent scholar of the Sacred Feminine is a published author, sacred tour organizer, ordained minister and lecturer. Her recent book, Sacred Places of Goddess: 108 Destinations conveys the herstory of Goddess Spirituality across continents and cultures. Her new book, Walking An Ancient Path, was published in April 2008. If you would like to contact the author, please go to www.karentate.com
