avalokiteshvara

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a male Bodhisattva; widely associated with various gods and people

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In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas and is the principal attendant of Amitabha Buddha at the right. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being Padmapāṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, described, and portrayed in different cultures as either male or female. In East Asian Buddhism, he has evolved into a female form called Guanyin.

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Avalokiteshvara is a bodhisattva associated with compassion as presented in Mahayana Buddhism. In Chinese Buddhism, Avalokiteshvara has evolved into the somewhat different female figure Guanyin. In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is an enlightened being who, out of compassion, forgoes nirvana in order to save others. Avalokiteshvara is often depicted in art with multiple heads and arms symbolizing his ability to perceive the suffering of all beings and to reach out in all directions to help them.