Tuesday
Meeting Chenrezig in Sound: Understanding Chenrezig’s Name and the Meaning of the Chenrezig Mantra
by Frederick Meyer
An excerpt from the Shambhala Online Blog posted April 12, 2024
In recent years, Chenrezig—the Tibetan name for the Buddhist deity Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of compassion—has become an important part of my spiritual practice. I have a strong affinity for sound, and much of my learning about Chenrezig has been in the form of sound and meaning: what “Chenrezig” itself means and how it relates to Avalokiteshvara’s other names, what the Sanskrit and Tibetan versions of the word compassion actually mean, and the meaning of the famous Chenrezig mantra OM MANI PADME HUM.
In this article, I want to share both what I’ve learned about Chenrezig himself, as well as my own process of exploration. I feel the process I’ve followed shows how association and meaning can unfold along the Buddhist path, especially the parts of the path that are rich in energy and iconography.
Throughout this article, I’ll be describing what I learned about Chenrezig in my explorations , as well as weaving in Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s teachings on the same topic. I only discovered Trungpa Rinpoche’s teachings on Chenrezig within the past month, so it’s been very interesting to compare my own independent learning with his teaching, and I hope to illustrate that dynamic as well.
Chenrezig: First Connections
I had heard of Chenrezig growing up, but I didn’t connect strongly to Chenrezig until around three years ago, when my father, a longtime Buddhist practitioner, began practicing Four-Armed Chenrezig sadhana practice with a Tibetan Lama living in Hawaii. At his suggestion, I began joining for the weekly sadhana practice.
The lama often played a YouTube video (with the sound off) during the visualization part of the sadhana. The video includes a thangka of Chenrezig that I really like—something about the eyes and facial expression, and the vibrant colors. I found that looking at it gave me a certain feeling, and I began to carry that with me.
Because of his enthusiasm for the practice, I gifted my father a Chenrezig thangka for one of his birthdays, and then later bought one for myself. When my thangka arrived (about a year and a half ago now), I found that the energy of my own interest in and connection with Chenrezig heightened significantly.
From there, I began exploring Chenrezig in earnest, and that’s where I began to learn in depth about Chenrezig’s name, the meaning of compassion, and the meaning of the Chenrezig mantra.
Chenrezig: What the Name Means
The Tibetan name Chenrezig means “continuously looking,” and has been translated as:
- “One who looks with unwavering eye”
- “Unblinking Eyes”
- “One who always looks upon all beings (with the eye of compassion)”
Trungpa Rinpoche translates Chenrezig as: “He Who Sees All Sentient Beings.”
Chenrezig is the Tibetan version of the Sanskrit name Avalokiteshvara, which means “lord who gazes upon the world.” The idea of this name (in both Sanskrit and Tibetan) is that the loving gaze of compassion—the gaze of Chenrezig, compassion itself—forever holds all beings.
Avalokitasvara: The Female Compassion Deity
What I find most interesting about Chenrezig’s name is that there is another form of the Sanskrit name Avalokiteshvara. Wikipedia does a wonderful job summarizing the history, and it felt like a major revelation to me when I read it. The other name is Avalokitasvara: “Who hears the cries of the world.”
Western scholars originally thought this name had been made up, in error, by Chinese translators from Sanskrit, who named the deity Guanshiyin, “[The One Who] Perceives the Sounds of the World,” or “who perceives the world’s lamentations.” Shortened to Guanyin (and later rendered in Japan as Konan), this is the contemporary Chinese name for Avalokiteshvara, who is represented as a female compassion deity.
Scholars later realized that Avalokitasvara is actually a correct—and older—name of the deity, which was later developed into Avalokiteshvara (adding the sense of “lord” and changing “hear” to “see”). Guanshiyin, “Who Hears the Cries of the World,” wasn’t a mistranslation at all.
As I mentioned, I have a strong affinity for sound, and learning this alternate name of Chenrezig had a profound effect on me. One who gazes (lovingly) upon the world sounds, to me, nice but a little distant—but “hearing the world’s cries” carries a strong feeling I can immediately connect with.
In fact, many of my most immediate and piercing experiences of compassion have been sound-based. As an example, I have a small dog, and this morning when I picked her up, she yelped loudly (I don’t know why, and she wasn’t hurt). I was immediately pierced by a feeling that was so immediate I didn’t have a name for it. I feel it was a strong hit of compassion—the powerful, immediate, primordial feeling that is true compassion, not the refined notion of charity and concern for others that we might often think of.
To continue reading Meeting Chenrezig in Sound: Understanding Chenrezig’s Name and the Meaning of the Chenrezig Mantra by Frederick Meyer please visit the Shambhala Online Blog webpage here.
Entries filed under Community Articles
Buddhist Economics 090 – HIGHLIGHT
NEW COLUMN: Shambhala Economics Welcome to Shambhala Economics, a column in the Shambhala Times where we publish articles on uplifted ways to view and engage in the economic side of life. Layth Matthews who is a long time student of Shambhala Buddhism and author of, “The Four ... continuePosted June 9, 2015 by Dan
Transformative Leadership – HIGHLIGHT
Heather’s stack of program readingCOLUMN: In Everyday Life An Interview with Heather Scott Heather Scott, former Director of Shambhala Online chats with Dan Glenn of the Shambhala Times about her experience in the Transformative Studies PhD program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Could you begin by telling us ... continuePosted June 1, 2015 by Dan
The Fourth Karma and the Painful Point – HIGHLIGHT
Protea,COLUMN: Dispatches from the Front Lines by Shastri Jennifer Woodhull Dispatches from the Front Lines is a bimonthly column initiated by Shastri Jennifer Woodhull of Cape Town, South Africa. It’s intended to open up dialogue concerning the conflicts dogging Shambhala groups and centers all over the world. So far, ... continuePosted May 31, 2015 by Dan
Appreciating Jill Scott – HIGHLIGHT
by Maggie Colby, International Programs Manager, Shambhala On the morning of Monday, June 1st, two days after this article was posted, Jill Scott passed away peacefully in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She had entered palliative care only a few days before. Friends and family will be gathering at ... continuePosted May 30, 2015 by
Getting Back to Roots – HIGHLIGHT
COLUMN: Kitchen Wisdom Dorje Denma Ling’s Root Cellar by Lisa Harris, Column Co-Host Planning a root cellar is a big project. It’s a sign of a strong commitment to working with local produce, and taking a big step toward food security. Dorje Denma Ling recently constructed a root cellar ... continuePosted May 29, 2015 by
The Psychological Tasks of Old Age – HIGHLIGHT
miksang image by Charles BlackhallCOLUMN: Aging in Enlightened Society article by Victoria Howard In 1988 I wrote an article called “The Psychological Tasks of Old Age.” I was 42 years old. I had my reasons for thinking that I knew something about the topic. I had spent hundreds ... continuePosted May 23, 2015 by
Appreciation Agenda – HIGHLIGHT
COLUMN: In Everyday Life guest article by Acharya Michael Greenleaf originally published on Samadhi Cushions “Oh, I know, Uncle Seward, there is one other thing…” We were finishing a late breakfast in the Gallery, the small, upholstered room at the Hotel Carlyle, on Manhattan’s upper east side. We were the ... continuePosted May 8, 2015 by
Méditation: 10 raisons de NE PAS pratiquer
La pratique correcte… vue autrement ! Par Acharya Michael Greenleaf première publication de cet article dans Samadhi Cushions Ces jours-ci, tout le monde parle des raisons de pratiquer la pleine conscience. Et qu’en est-il des raisons pour lesquelles la méditation est une mauvaise idée ? D’après ma propre expérience, voici 10 ... continuePosted May 5, 2015 by Dan
An Interview with Machen Corps Commander Michael Weiss – HIGHLIGHT
Machen Corps Commander Michael Weiss The Machen, in the Kalapa Court, is the court cook. The Machen are responsible for the nourishment of the Sakyong’s family and their guests. For the past 11 years the Machen Corps has been commanded by Mr. Michael Weiss. Hailing from the ... continuePosted May 3, 2015 by Dan
Wimberly Honored for Sustainability Work – HIGHLIGHT
by Jayne Sutton, Shambhala Times Correspondent David with his son Nyima at the Halifax awards ceremony Early April brought quite an exciting week to David Wimberly, a St. Margaret’s Bay Shambhalian and ardent activist in Nova Scotia for decades. He was honored by both the Province and ... continuePosted May 2, 2015 by Dan
A Letter Regarding the Earthquake in Nepal from Shastri Amy Conway – HIGHLIGHT
Dear Shambhala Sangha, Photo by Bob Sonne on his 2008 trip to Nepal and India As you have probably heard by now, yesterday a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal killing more than 2,500 people with other deaths in India and Tibet. Aftershocks today have also been devastating. The ... continuePosted April 28, 2015 by Dan
Sugaring at Karmê Chöling – HIGHLIGHT
Last year, the Karmê Chöling staff, under the guidance of Jason Winchester, ‘sugared’ the land at Karmê Chöling for the first time in many years, eventually producing over 12 gallons of maple syrup. This year, they are at it again. This column recollects last year’s experience, from the eyes ... continuePosted April 27, 2015 by Dan
Becoming Who We Want to Be: Toronto Shambhala, Part 2 – HIGHLIGHT
COLUMN: Shambhala on the Move by Margaret May This is part two of a two-part series on the tale of the transformation of the Toronto Shambhala Center. Click here for Part One. September 2013: It is a Tuesday night, about fifteen minutes before sitting and instruction begins. In the Community ... continuePosted April 26, 2015 by Dan
Learning to Cook for the Guru, or, “Watch the Schmaltz” – HIGHLIGHT
COLUMN: Kitchen Wisdom by Judy Sachs Sullivan Serving in the household of the guru is both a precious opportunity to be in the center of the mandala, to spend time with the teacher (albeit in a formal setting with a prescribed position), and serve in a courtly environment. ... continuePosted April 25, 2015 by Dan
The Splendiferous House that Ryken Built – HIGHLIGHT
COLUMN: Aging in Enlightened Society by Steven Wilke At halftime, he grabbed the belligerent man and slammed him against the Lamp Post’s bathroom wall, finally shutting him up. “Some people are trying to watch the football game in here,” Tom explained to the bewildered, pinned patron who had been ... continuePosted April 24, 2015 by Dan
RSS feed for the Community Articles category
View all posts from authors in Community Articles: Jillian_Johnson