Avalokiteśvara

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/avalokitevara

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the spiritual designation?Bodhisattva of Great Compassion (Mahākaruṇā) in Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism
2. What is the cultural significance?The Dalai Lama is considered a reincarnation of Chenrezig (Tibetan Avalokiteśvara)
3. Why is Avalokiteśvara called the Bodhisattva of Compassion?Because Avalokiteśvara promises to stay in the world until all living beings are free from suffering, showing great compassion.
4. How does Avalokiteśvara help people?Avalokiteśvara can appear in many forms—male, female, animal, or even inanimate—to give guidance and comfort to those who need it.

Bodhisattva: An enlightened being who postpones their own nirvana to assist all sentient beings in achieving enlightenment.
Mahākaruṇā: The Sanskrit term for 'great compassion,' the fundamental quality embodied by Avalokiteśvara.
Mantra: A sacred sound, word, or phrase used in meditation to focus the mind and invoke spiritual qualities or energies.
Nirvana: The ultimate goal in Buddhism, a state of liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth.