Description
The Kāraṇḍavyūha is an early Mantrayāna sūtra and the source of the famous mantra Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ. This sūtra holds particular significance, as the mantra has become central in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, especially among the lay population. It also chronicles the transformation of Avalokiteśvara into the most prominent figure in the Buddhist pantheon, surpassing all other buddhas, not to mention bodhisattvas. In this sūtra , Avalokiteśvara is described as residing in Sukhāvatī, where he serves as a messenger and gift bearer for Amitābha. In a series of interwoven narratives, the sutra details Avalokiteśvara 's activities across various realms and the infinite realms contained within the pores of his skin. He is also portrayed as superior to all buddhas, creating a paradoxical status where he simultaneously holds both a subservient and dominant role.(Trans. Peter Alan Roberts and Tulku Yeshi, intro). Matsunami stated that the manuscript was written very roughly, and the pagination for pages 54, 104, and 105 was missing. Later, it was corrected with red ink, (Matsunami, 1965, p. 40) and the page numbers were added to the left side of the manuscript.
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