Kuan Yin: She Who Hears the Cries of the World
TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 10 Mar 2025
René Wadlow – TRANSCEND Media Service
19 February, in countries influenced by Chinese culture, is a day devoted to honoring Kuan Yin, a feminine symbol, the Goddess of Compassion, “She who hears the cries of the world and restores harmony.” On this day, offerings of incense are made to Kuan Yin, along with tea for wisdom and fruit for prosperity.
Today, at a time when humanity is increasingly working together to meet ecological challenges and to overcome ideological-led strife, the spirit of Kuan Yin presents us with an important call for a cultural renaissance based on the concept of harmony with visions of a better future. First, we must look carefully at the present. As the Taoist philosopher Huai Nan Tsu wrote ” The sage responds to everything with an unbiased mind, with a mind free from suppositions. He approaches all events and investigates the laws which govern them.”
For Kuan Yin, her spirit leads to harmony which includes tolerance and forgiveness of past pains and conflicts. Kuan Yin embodies the virtues of karuna (compassion) and metta (loving kindness). In this way she strengthens the broad currents moving toward gentleness, kindness and inner peace. Kuan Yin, aware of the suffering caused by hateful speech, encourages loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve them of their suffering.
Thus, on this 19 February we rededicate ourselves to the spirit of Kuan Yin. We strive to listen to the cries of the world and find the ways to develop harmony.
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René Wadlow is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace Development Environment. He is President of the Association of World Citizens, an international peace organization with consultative status with ECOSOC, the United Nations organ facilitating international cooperation and problem-solving in economic and social issues, and editor of Transnational Perspectives.
Tags: China, Culture, Kuan Yin, Tradition
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 10 Mar 2025.
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