Part 1 – Triune Buddha, Triune God

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Kannon, Theotokos – Goddess of Mercy, Lady of Sorrows

The Most Holy Theotokos (God-bearer) Virgin Mary gained a privileged position in the Catholic and Orthodox pantheons. As discussed previously, her adoration is not without a good reason.

A similar divine feminine figure that radiates compassion and mercy is Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva).

Kannon Bosatsu

They both serve similar roles and hold similar positions.

Kannon’s name translates as “the one who hears the cries of the world”. The Theotokos is too titled “Our Lady of Sorrows”, as she witnessed the crucifixion of the Lord as his mother.

Kannon is the intermediary between the faithfuls and Amida, assisting people being reborn in the Pure Land. The Theotokos is the intermediary between the faithfuls and Christ (or the Trinity), pointing towards the divine reality, interceding on our behalf and guiding us. Kannon watches over and protects her devotees, much like the Theotokos is said to cover her believers with her Holy Shroud for protection.

The Theotokos stands amid the Holy Trinity as the Heavenly Fathers’ daughter, the Holy Spirits’ bride and the Lord and Christs’ mother.

In the Heart Sutra, Kannon awakens through deep meditation, as to realize the true nature of existence (I.e. realizing Dainichi Nyorai as her cosmic body). In another sutra, she vowed to save all suffering beings but was literally torn apart by her efforts, so Amida resurrects her and empowers her with omniscience and omnipresence. While I haven’t found a direct link between her and the third member of the Buddha triad – Shakya (earthly Buddha) – she’s become the central object of devotion for Buddhists across the world, being their protector, aid, refuge and hope. Much like Mary is the spiritual mother of all believers in Christ.

There has actually been a crossing of both figures as a result of Jesuit interactions with the Japanese. When the Japanese Court ordered the persecution of Christians, Jesuits would mask their statues as being Buddhas. Some say the form of the Virgin Mary was eventually conflated (purposefully) with Kannon, and the latter acquired new patronages and representations (originating "Maria-Kannon").

There are other commonalities that are less relevant, in my opinion. Such as the notion of Marian apparitions. I can’t vouch specifically for Kannon apparitions, but, of all Buddhist deities, she is ascribed the most diverse range of emanations and manifestations.

In some aspects, Kannon resembles the powers of Christ, rather than those of the Theotokos. Particularly by means of her transcendence. While the Church has attributed to Mary some form of divine transcendence, Kannon is closer to Christ in that she’s said to visit the Hell realms as to redeem her suffering devotees.

However, the Theotokos manifests the fundamental divine attributes in her prefiguration as the Burning Bush (according to the Orthodox Church).

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Theotokos as the Burning Bush

As the Burning Bush, the Theotokos reveals Gods’ mercy (the flame leaves the bush untouched), purity (it sanctified the ground Moses stood on) and sovereignty (a flame that doesn’t rely on anything to live). Kannon is also guided by mercy, is pure (absent of illusions) and is sovereign (reaching into any realm she needs, free from conditioned existence).

As such, both the Theotokos and Kannon represent, permeate and embody their respective Divine Trinities, becoming extensions of their spiritual powers for the redemption of the world. They also represent the transcendence of kindness or mercifulness. Buddhist doctrine asserts the necessity for kindness/mercifulness at any stage of the path – whether wisdom of the Absolute, bliss in the Absolute or in practice. While Catholic and Orthodox traditions encourage faithful’s to center their prayer in the Virgin Mary as to purify their hearts.

Much like before, I find the Theotokos to be the “Mother of Mystics” (as Franciscan Media put it).

Neither figure was central to the original scriptures. Yet they managed to inspire great faith and devotion in their religious communities (Marian devotion and Kannon bhakti). Something worthy of further study.

What is it about these two figures that has such a strong impact?

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The Zen view

According to master Eno (in the Platforms Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, McRae, 2000), the Dharmakaya (Dainichi Nyorai) is our fundamental nature (as of the same essence as the Absolute). Awareness of, or repose in, this nature is the sambogakaya (Amida’s blissful Pure Land). And the flux of transformation that flows from here (in the form of undefiled thoughts) is the nirmanakaya (Shakya):

“Good friends, the dharmakāya [buddha] is fundamentally immanent [within all of us]. To see the self-nature yourself in every moment of thought is the saṃbhogakāya buddha. The thoughts that derive from the saṃbhogakāya are the nirmāṇakāya buddha. To be enlightened oneself, and to cultivate oneself, the merits of the self-nature: this is true taking refuge

Later on, Linji (The Recorded Sayings of Linji, Cleary) clarified:

“If you want to be no different from the buddhas and patriarchs, just don’t seek outside yourself. A moment of your mind’s pure light is the Dharmakaya Buddha inside your own house. A moment of your mind’s light without discrimination is the Sambhogakaya Buddha inside your own house. A moment of your mind’s light with no distinctions is the Nirmanakaya Buddha within your own house. These three buddha-bodies are the person here before you now listening to the Dharma. They have their functional abilities just because they do not seek externally

On the significance of the Buddha-figures Eno taught

“Compassion is Avalokiteśvara, joy and equanimity are Mahāsthamaprāpta, the ability to purify is Śākyamuni, and universal directness is Amitābha.

Dainichi Nyorai would be, then, the dharmakaya (ultimate reality).

Similarly, to keep Jesus’ commandments or to remain in the Body of Christ or to crucify the self is to purify our heart (Shakya). Consequentially, to abide in the Grace of the Holy Spirit is to remain in Amida’s Pure Land. And, eventually, to see our true nature as children of the Heavenly Father is to remain in the body of Dainichi Nyorai. Becoming thus the supreme bodhisattvas who benefit the world (Kannon), the highest of the Saints (Most Holy Theotokos). Vessels for the wise and redemptive mercy of God.

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Part 1 – Triune Buddha, Triune God

Have you ever experienced any reverence for any of these two figures or similar?