February 20, 2012

This coming Sunday we will be celebrating the Festival of Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva. And just in time for this ceremony, the priory received a lovely statue of Avalokiteshwara, and, in addition, two new Fu dogs (guardians of the altar). Please see the photos below.
As most of you know, Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva represents the aspect of compassion that inherently dwells within each one of us and the ceremony to celebrate this compassionate aspect is offered 3 times each year. This ceremony is a thoughtful reminder for us to invoke this humane and joyful virtue within ourselves and to manifest it fully within our daily lives. It is through the generous gesture of offering compassion that we experience its full impact and help others.

"When lightening flashes and the thunder rolls, when hailstones beat and rain in torrents pours, the power of Kanzeon, if thought upon, will quickly clear the heavens of the storm. If, struck by cruel disaster's evil hand or tortured by interminable pain, a being flees to Kanzeon's gentle arms he, being wise and full of mystic power, will save him from all worldly grief and care."

---from the Scripture of Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva