Four-armed Avalokiteshvara

The four-armed form of Avalokiteshvara is the most popular with Tibetans of the 108 manifestations of the Bodhisattva of Compassion. The Dalai Lamas are incarnations of this form of him, and a search for a Dalai Lama reincarnation involves looking at the shoulders of the child for signs indicating the etheric presence of the second set of arms.

The four arms represent the four immesurable attitudes -- love, compassion, experiencing joy from the happiness of others, and equal concern for all living beings. His two inner hands hold a wish-fulfilling gem at his heart; the jewel represents compassion which brings only benefit to oneself and others. His left hand holds a mantra rosary, and with each bead that passes through his fingers a sentient being is freed from suffering. His right hand holds a lotus, symbolic of how compassion operates in the dark, muddy, ordinary world without becoming stained by worldly faults, just as a lotus grows in mud yet remains beautiful.

Text excerpted from the exhibition catalog written by Glenn Mullin and Andy Weber.

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