The bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara

The preeminent heroic figure in Mahayana Buddhism is the bodhisattva. Although sometimes understood as fully enlightened, bodhisattvas resolve not to enter nirvana until all sentient beings have been saved from the closed cycle of existence. The great bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokiteshvara, is the epitome of this ideal, working tirelessly to help all who request his aid.

Smiling, peaceful, and radiant, he holds at his heart a blue wish-fulfilling jewel. His upraised hands bear a garland of crystal meditation beads and a pink lotus blossom. Below him are two more bodhisattvas particularly important in Tibet, and above, flanked by White and Green Tara, are three patriarchs from Tibet’s Gelug order, whose spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is believed to be Avalokiteshvara’s manifestation in the ordinary world.