The bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara

The bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara embodies compassion for all living beings.

The rulers of the ancient Cambodian kingdom of Angkor usually worshiped the Hindu deities Shiva or Vishnu. For a time under King Jayavarman VII, however, complicated forms of Mahayana Buddhism were favored. The central triad of deities was made up of a serpent-enthroned Buddha flanked by Avalokiteshvara and a goddess representing transcendental wisdom. This image probably came from such a triad.

In Jayavarman VII’s version of Buddhism, buddhahood was understood to arise from the melding of compassion and wisdom. The deities representing these two qualities were associated with Jayavarman VII’s father and mother, suggesting a parallel between their son and the Buddha.