Look at the photograph above. It shows, Japanese lanterns floating on the water during the Lantern Floating Hawaii Ceremony in Honolulu, Hawaii, May 26, 2008. These lanterns are carrying prayers for the dead and wishes for peace in the world. This year about 40,000 crowd attended the ceremony and 1600 lanterns were floated. The 10th Annual Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony at Ala Moana Beach Park was sponsored by Shinnyo-En Hawaii and its community service arm Na Lei Aloha Foundation.
Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have put off entering paradise in order to help others attain enlightenment. There are different Bodhisattvas, but the most famous in China is Avalokitesvara, known in Chinese as 'Guanyin'. Guan Yin is the bodhisattva of compassion, called by Buddhists as the Goddess of Mercy. Her name is short for 'Guan Shi Yin'. 'Guan' means to observe, watch, or monitor; 'Shi' means the world; 'Yin' means sounds, specifically sounds of those who suffer. Thus, Guan Yin is a compassionate being who watches for, and responds to, the people in the world who cry out for help.
"As long as you are kind and there is love in your heart, a thousand hands will naturally come to your aid. As long as you are kind and there is love in your heart, you will reach out with a thousand hands to help others."
This beautiful video shows "Thousand Hand Guan Yin Performance" by China Deaf Group.
