This is what AI says about the Buddha arms:
The deity often depicted as a Buddha with many arms is a bodhisattva named
Avalokiteshvara, also known as Guanyin in China and Kannon in Japan. This "thousand-armed" form symbolizes infinite compassion and the ability to reach out and help all sentient beings.
The origin of the thousand arms and heads
Buddhist legends tell the story of how Avalokiteshvara gained his many arms and heads in his mission to alleviate the suffering of all beings.
- The shattering: After making a vow to liberate all sentient beings from the cycle of suffering, Avalokiteshvara worked for countless years. However, upon seeing that many beings were still trapped in suffering, he despaired and his head split into eleven pieces.
- The reconstruction: The Buddha Amitabha came to his aid, rebuilding the pieces into eleven heads so Avalokiteshvara could better hear the cries of the world. But his two arms then shattered as he tried to reach out to so many beings at once.
- A thousand arms: Amitabha again intervened, giving him a thousand arms to enable him to offer aid to all who needed it.
The meaning of the symbolism
The various features of the "thousand-armed" manifestation each carry deep symbolic meaning:
- Many arms and heads: The numerous heads represent the countless ways the bodhisattva can perceive the suffering in the world. The many arms symbolize the limitless methods and power used to help others.
- Eyes on the hands: In many depictions, an eye is placed on the palm of each hand. This signifies that compassion and wisdom work together—the eyes represent wisdom, which perceives suffering, while the hands represent compassionate action, which provides salvation.
- Objects in the hands: The objects held by the hands—such as a vajra, willow branches, or a lotus—each represent a particular means of salvation or aspect of the Dharma.
- An eleven-headed crown: The stack of heads, often topped with a head of the Buddha Amitabha, represents the various aspects of the bodhisattva's wisdom, including peaceful, fierce, and joyful expressions
|
