Thousand-Armed Kannon

Japanese: 千手観音 - せんじゅかんのん

[1] (Abbreviation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva with a Thousand Hands and Eyes) This is the form that Kannon Bodhisattva acquired when he vowed to have a thousand hands and a thousand eyes in order to save all living beings. The number one thousand is the full number, and the eyes and hands represent the boundlessness of his mercy and power of salvation. He is also considered one of the Six Kannon Bodhisattvas corresponding to the Six Realms, in which case he is placed in the realm of hungry ghosts or the realm of heaven. The statue comes in two forms, standing and sitting, with one face and three eyes or eleven faces (27 faces in the Garbha Mandala), and 42 large hands, each with an eye on the palm of its hand, each holding an object or making a mudra. This bodhisattva's vow is to fulfill all wishes, but he is particularly skilled at fighting insect poisons and difficult childbirth, and is said to fulfill wishes for marital harmony. A Thousand Hands. A Thousand Hands and a Thousand Eyes. A Thousand Hands and a Thousand Eyes Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. A Thousand Eyes and a Thousand Arms Avalokitesvara. ※Ryōiki (810-824): “By worshipping the statue of the Thousand-Armed Kannon and praying for a share of good fortune, one can obtain great wealth.” [2] [Noun] ① (From the fact that the legs growing in a cluster near the head resemble the shape of (1)) Another name for “shiramii (lice).” ※Jōruri Hiragana Seisuiki (1739), 3: “No, my lice will make this futon even worse. Isn’t there a Thousand - Armed _Kannon ?” ② A type of beggar. They carry the Thousand-Armed Kannon on their backs and go around door-to-door calling out shakujo (a Buddhist staff) and bells. They pray for the safe birth of children, etc. ③ A type of children’s game. They carry small children on their backs and go around calling out “Thousand-Armed Kannon, Thousand-Armed Kannon.” ※Tokyo Fuzokushi (1899-1902) <Hiraide Kojiro> Part 2 "Sometimes they carry a small child on their backs and call out to the Thousand-Armed Kannon."

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

[1] (千手千眼観自在菩薩の略称) 観世音菩薩があまねく一切衆生を救うため、身に千の手と千の目を得たいと誓って得た姿。千は満数で、目と手はその慈悲と救済のはたらきの無量無辺なことを表わしている。六道に対応する六観音の一つともされ、この場合、餓鬼道または天道に配する。形像は立坐の二様で、一面三目または十一面（胎蔵界曼荼羅では二十七面）、四十二の大きな手をそなえ、各手の掌に一眼をつけ、それぞれ持物を執るか、印を結ぶ。この菩薩の誓いは一切のものの願いを満たすことにあるが、特に虫の毒・難産などに秀でており、夫婦和合の願いをも満たすという。千手。千手千眼。千手観世音。千手千眼観世音菩薩。千眼千臂観世音。※霊異記（810‐824）中「千手観音の像に憑(よ)り敬ひ、福分を願ひて、大富を得る縁」[2] 〘名〙① (頭部の近くに、足がかたまって生えているのが、(一)の姿に似ているところから) 「しらみ（虱）」の異名。※浄瑠璃・平仮名盛衰記（1739）三「イヤおらが虱より此ふとんはどふやらうぢうぢ。千(せン)手観音(ク_ハンオン)はおらぬかや」② 物乞いの一つ。背中に千手観音を背負い、錫杖(しゃくじょう)や鐘を打ちならしながら門付けをして歩くもの。子そだて、安産祈願などをした。③ 小児の遊戯の一つ。小さな児を背中合わせにおぶって「千手観音、千手観音」と呼び歩く遊び。※東京風俗志（1899‐1902）〈平出鏗二郎〉下「小いさき児を背合せに負いて、千手観音と呼びあるくもあれば」

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