Eminent Sangha
Venerable Jue Guang (1919 - 2014)
Biography
Venerable Jue Guang was born in Haicheng, Liao Ning province of China in 1919. He was ordained in Hai Hui Monastery (Shanghai) in 1928 and took precept vows in Tian Tong Monastery (Ning Bo) in 1930. In 1939, Ven. Jue Guang left for Hong Kong and started learning the Tian Tai tradition from venerable Bao Jing; thereafter, he became the 46th generation disciple of the tradition.
After the Japanese war, Ven. Jue Guang established the Xiang Hai Awareness Society to propagate Dharma. Concurrently, he also helped to reform the Hong Kong Buddhist Federation. In 1945, together with efforts of over 10 eminent monks, Ven. Jue Guang officially established the Hong Kong Buddhist Union. After establishment, he was appointed as the Union's first director, and was appointed twice as the Dharma Propagation Division Head, as well as the General Affairs Division Head for 18 years. In addition, he held the role of Chairperson for Hong Kong Buddhist Union for 10 years.
During his appointment, Ven. Jue Guang successfully introduced the birthday of Buddhas as an official Hong Kong public holiday. Subsequently, he organised exhibitions to showcase the sacred Tooth Relic and finger bone relic of Buddha Shakyamuni. Ven. Jue Gaung worked tirelessly for more than 70 years, propagated Dharma, cared for the aged, and done charitable works. He was a highly reputable religious leader especially in Hong Kong.
Ven. Jue Guang passed away peacefully in Hong Kong on 16 November 2014, at the ripe age of 95.
Accompanying Artefact
Artefact Description
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is depicted with numerous arms (holding implements) and eleven heads, resplendent with jewellery and adorned in flowing garments. At the top of his crown (consist of heads) sits the head of Buddha Amitabha.
With a serene and motherly expression, His two hands are in Dhyana (meditation) mudra nestled with the pearl jewel at the His abdomen, while the other two arms are raised upwards to his chest in Anjali (divine offering) position.
Historical Background
The worship of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was introduced into China as early as the 1st century C.E., where this Bodhisattva was originally male but became venerated in female form. Such a form of worship expanded to East Asia, including Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and Japan.
The Chinese name for Avalokitesvara is known as Kuan-yin (Perciever of Sounds), or Kuan-shih-yin (Perceiver of the World's Sounds). Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is also regarded as the epitome of compassion and virtue, as he delayed his entry to Nirvana to ease the sufferings of sentient beings.
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is known as the future Buddha succeeding Buddha Amitabha and is said to dwell on the mythical mountain known as Potalaka, where he would alleviate the sufferings of sentient beings till the future Buddha, Maitreya, arrives on Earth.
In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha told the Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent and recounts the Bodhisattva's ability to adopt many forms - man, women, child, monk, layperson - or performs various services - granting childfren, dispelling bandits, quelling storms, or eradicating wild beasts - for those who seek refuge in the Bodhisattva.
Bibliography:
Chun-fang Yu, Kuan-yin: The Chinese Transformation of Avalokitesvara , 2001, ISBN 0231502753 9780231502757
Karen Lucic, Embodying Compassion in Buddhist Art: Image, Pilgrimage, Practice , 2015, ISBN 978-0-9820606-5-0