Source: Buddhist Acts of Compassion

In Buddhism we have different images and symbols. One of my favorites is Avalokiteshvara who is venerated as the ideal of karuna. Karuna is the activity of compassion in the world and the willingness to bear the pain of others. There are different physical images of Avalokiteshvara.The Sanskrit name "Avalokiteshvara" is interpreted many ways -- "The One Who Hears the Cries of the World"; "The Lord Who Looks Down"; "The Lord Who Looks in Every Direction." Why so many arms? Avalokiteshvara took the vows to make peace among all sentient beings she was so overwhelmed by the enormity of what that meant that she burst apart into millions of pieces. But the energy of that same vow brought all those pieces back in the shape of a million arms. Each arm holds something . Each arm has something different for the proper occasion. Like her, we're also overwhelmed, but when we reallize that the millions of pieces are all operating as one, then there's no problem. The reason we may get overwhelmed is that we're attached to a certain result or that we want to achieve a certain result or goal. If we weren't attached we wouldn't be overwhelmed. It's endless. And we just take one step after the next. Avalokiteshvara is venerated as the ideal of karuna. Karuna is the activity of compassion in the world and the willingness to bear the pain of others. We are all capable of this ...