know your buddhas - chenrezig

beloved in tibet and with the tibetan people in exile he may well be the most popular buddha in the of our time. please welcome my good friend chenrezig, the buddha of compassion.

you'll recognize him by his white color, the doe skin casually draped around his shoulders and his impeccable ability to accessorize. in addition to a snazzy array of golden jewelry, chenrezig is never without a wish fulfilling jewel cradled between the palms of his hands. luckily, he has two other hands to hold a beautiful rare kamala flower and a crystal mala. i must admit the effect is stunning.

also known as avelokiteshvara, the buddha of compassion has devoted himself to hearing the prayers of all suffering sentient beings. his six syllable mantra (om mani padme hung) is known far beyond the borders of tibetan where you can see it carved into stones, painted on walls and heard on the lips of pilgrims everywhere. his holiness the dalai lama, is considered the living manifestation of chenrezig, but, everyone is welcome to manifest at little compassion whenever possible.