Is Avalokitesvara really Brahma?

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Luke
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Is Avalokitesvara really Brahma?

Post by Luke »

In the "Belief in Kannon" thread, Admin_PC sent me this academic article about the historical origin of Avalokitesvara:
http://www.indologica.com/volumes/vol13 ... HANDRA.pdf

On page 10, this is written:
"Transcendence leads to change in nomenclature. Shakyamuni was flanked by Brahma and Sakra. But when Shakyamuni became Amitabha, the attendant acolytes changed names: Brahma became Avalokitasvara and Sakra became Mahasthamaprapta."

So is Avalokitesvara really just another form of Brahma? Do any Buddhist sutras give evidence to support this scholar's conclusion?
Soma999
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Re: Is Avalokitesvara really Brahma?

Post by Soma999 »

Considering Hinduism, Brahma is the creative aspect of divinity. Sometime it can also make a reference to Brahman which is absolute trascnendance, above all manifestation.

Chenrezig is the compassion of all the Buddha.

Considering this, i would not say they are identical. Still, to the eyes of the wise, they are one while being different.
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Grigoris
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Re: Is Avalokitesvara really Brahma?

Post by Grigoris »

The iconography of Avalokitesvara and some forms of Siva are very similar, but this is the first time I have heard him being compared to Brahma.
"My religion is not deceiving myself."
Jetsun Milarepa 1052-1135 CE

"Butchers, prostitutes, those guilty of the five most heinous crimes, outcasts, the underprivileged: all are utterly the substance of existence and nothing other than total bliss."
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