Kuan Yin

[kwanseum]

Kwanseum and others,

I'm interested in Kuan Yin as a focal point for practice. Could you say a little more about how it is done? (from a Chan/Seon/Pure Land perspective).
Is it mostly a matter of chanting and prayers? Are there visualizations involved? What are the specific practices? What is the goal?

My silence isn't because I'm ignoring you.  I'll answer soon - just very busy at the moment. 

KwanSeum

[Lazy_eye]

No worries. I'm in a similar situation myself.

Thanks,

LE

[kwanseum]

Kwanseum and others,

I'm interested in Kuan Yin as a focal point for practice. Could you say a little more about how it is done? (from a Chan/Seon/Pure Land perspective).
Is it mostly a matter of chanting and prayers? Are there visualizations involved? What are the specific practices? What is the goal?

The goal is enlightenment and rebirth in the Pure Land (Korean: Chongto).  

KwanSeum Bosal and DaeSeji Bosal (Mahasthamaparapta) attend the Buddha Amitabul (Amitābha) who created and maintains the Chongto (Pure Land) but chanting KwanSeum bosal is the easiest way to be born in the Chongto (Pure Land).

There are visualizations that you can do (http://www.kwanseumbosal.uuuq.com/sutras_visulization.html) and although I sometimes do this my main practice is chanting, both internally and externally.  Unfortunately the music links to my website have died, but if you PM me we could perhaps arrange for the chants I have to to be sent to you.

The mainstay of my own personal practice involves bowing 108 times towards my shrine (consisting of two Birajana-buls (Cosmic Buddha) and three KwanSeums), chanting KwanSeum Bosal and Amitbul as well as seated meditation.  I sit for one hour everyday and chant 24/7.

According to my understanding there is no Chongto outside of Mind and outside of Chongto you will find mind but not Mind.  One can be born in Chongto every minute.  One lives in Chongto.  One dies in Chongto.  Everyday Mind is Chongto.  

As the KwanSeum Sutra says (http://www.kwanseumbosal.uuuq.com/sutras_kanzeon.html):

Kwanseum,
At one with Buddha,
Caused by Buddha,
Close to Buddha,
And to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha,
Eternal, joyous, existing, pure.
Morning thoughs are Kwanseum;
Evening thoughts are Kwanseum;
This very mind is Kwanseum;
There is nothing more than this one mind.

[Lazy_eye]

Thank you! I will PM you about the chants.

[kwanseum]

Thank you! I will PM you about the chants.

I've sent you the links by PM, but also I've updated the website so the links should work there too:

http://kwanseumbosal.uuuq.com/chants.html

KwanSeum

[kwanseum]

Thank you! I will PM you about the chants.

I've sent you the links by PM, but also I've updated the website so the links should work there too:

http://kwanseumbosal.uuuq.com/chants.html

KwanSeum

now updated to http://kwanseumbosal.zxq.net/

[moonbeam]

I was just wondering if anyone out there feels a connection with Kuan Yin. I am not even sure if she would fall into the Mahayana Buddhism but i would be interested to know if there are others on the this board familiar with her and the Bodhisatvas Way.

Fox

I do. Before I was really Buddhist, it felt that She was calling me to be one. When I seen a statue of Her, I would sense a bit of a calling to Her and when I first went to the monastery I go to, there I saw that they have a big staue of Her. It was a nice feeling seeing that.

[kwanseum]

I'm interested in Kuan Yin as a focal point for practice. Could you say a little more about how it is done? (from a Chan/Seon/Pure Land perspective).
Is it mostly a matter of chanting and prayers? Are there visualizations involved? What are the specific practices? What is the goal?

I come from the Seon (Zen) tradition and so no visulizations but just chanting.  Chanting outloud before and after seated vipassana meditation, chanting in my mind 24/7. My sons and I often chant KwanSeum Bosal 1080 while we strike the Matok.  I even chant KwanSeum in my sleep.  Chanting KwanSeum Bosal is pretty much the only practice of my kids (8 and 10 years old).

In fact, the question "is KwanSeum real or not" has been my Hwandu (Koan) or object of meditation for over a decade - LOL! 

Kwanseum,
At one with Buddha,
Caused by Buddha,
Close to Buddha,
And to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha,
Eternal, joyous, existing, pure.
Morning thoughs are Kwanseum;
Evening thoughts are Kwanseum;
This very mind is Kwanseum;
There is nothing more than this one mind.

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF KWANSEUM BOSAL.

Listen to the chants on: http://kwanseumbosal.zxq.net/chants.html - give it a go!

KwanSeum

[santamonicacj]

As  an aside, the guy that started the original E-Sangha had some problem, I think his wife was missing in a foreign country, and he prayed to Kuan Yin and promised to help spread Buddhism if his prayers were answered. His wife was found and he starte E-Sangha as a fulfillment of his promise.

FreeSangha, being one website trying to fill the void after the collapse of E-Sangha, can then be thought of as an indirect consequence of Kuan Yin's actions...

...or not, depending on how you look at things!