The story of Avalokita

Andrew Harvey, the person written about in the previous blog-post, narrated another story to the community. It was the story of how Avalokita, the Buddha of compassion, became Avalokiteshwara. This is how the story goes...

Avalokita had spent years of his life in meditation and mindful living. And then on that one fine day, when Avalokita was sitting in his meditation practice, he was graced with the experience of almost entering into Nirvana. Nirvana: the state of ultimate bliss and detachment. While he was immersed in this transcendental experience of entering, he heard the painful cry of a rabbit. On hearing the sound of the rabbit he stopped his mind and brought it back to the earth experience. His heart oozed with compassion for the little rabbit which was in pain. It was then that he vowed to never enter into Nirvana until he had freed every living being from their suffering. And ironically, it was then that he entered, not by his own accord, into Nirvana, and became Avalokiteshwara. Avalokiteshwara is the boddhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. There are some images of Avalokita where he is shown to have a thousand hands. This symbolizes his great desire to reach out and touch every living being and share his love with them.

Listening to this story is left as a heart-warming memory, for which I am grateful.