2021 Volume 69 Issue 2 Pages 659-662
The most representative instantiation of Great Compassion 大悲 in East Asia is surely Avalokiteśvara 観音菩薩. Although a large number of studies discuss Avalokiteśvara, the exact date when Great Compassion was connected to Avalokiteśvara was not clear. In early annotations, Jizang 吉蔵 and Wŏnch’ŭk 円測 found the connection between Great Compassion and Avalokiteśvara in the Gaṇḍavyūha入法界品. As we cannot determine when the Qing Guanshiyin pusa xiaofu duhai tuoluni zhoujing 請観世音菩薩消伏毒害陀羅尼呪経 was translated, in this study, we merely clarify that the Gaṇḍavyūha connected Great Compassion and Avalokiteśvara at a relatively early period.
Moreover, from Wŏnch’ŭk’s annotation and in the translation of the Samantamukhaparivarta 普門品 by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什, we find that the wisdom of Avalokiteśvara apparently appears, but Great Compassion does not. On the other hand, in the Gaṇḍavyūha, we find that Avalokiteśvara is repeatedly described as possessing Great Compassion. Emphazising on “Great Compassion” might change the inpression of Avalokiteśvara.
