Sahasrabhuja Avalokitesvara
Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteshvara the Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed form of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion. Each of the 1,000 hands represents his boundless ability to help all sentient beings, while the eye in each palm symbolizes wisdom and omnipresent awareness.
This form embodies the limitless compassion and active assistance Avalokiteshvara offers to beings suffering in samsara (the cycle of birth and death). He reaches out in all directions at once, offering protection, healing, and spiritual guidance.
Short History & Symbolism
According to legend, Avalokiteshvara vowed never to rest until he had liberated all beings from suffering. Seeing the endless pain in the world, his body shattered into pieces. Amitabha Buddha, his spiritual father, reassembled him in this form with a thousand arms and eleven heads, enabling him to better serve all beings.
This form is especially revered in Tibetan Buddhism, where he is known as Chenrezig. He is considered the patron deity of Tibet, and his compassion is central to many daily practices.
Mantra
Om Mani Padme Hum
Spiritual Insight
1,000 Arms: Active compassion in every direction
Eyes in Palms: All-seeing wisdom, aware of every suffering being
Multiple Heads: Expanded awareness and higher consciousness
Central Hands: Often hold symbolic items like lotus, mala, or vase