Water-moon Guanyin, one of the thirty-three manifestations of the bodhisattva Guanyin (Avalokitesvara), exudes a sense of perfect peace and inner freedom. Adorned with a necklace of precious stones, Guanyin wears a crown holding an image of the Buddha Amitabha, of whom she is an emanation, serving as a constant reminder of her mission in the world. Sitting leisurely on a wave-live rock, her right arm rests on her right knee, as is customary for this traditional image. Her stole gracefully flows down her right arm and merges with the base. In the Buddhist scriptures, the moon reflected in the water is used to represent the insubstantiality of what appears to be substantial, indicating that everything in the world is formed by the combination of causes and conditions—the doctrine of emptiness. Having thoroughly realized the true nature of reality, Guanyin uses her boundless wisdom and compassion to bring all sentient beings to the same realization, so as to let go of all attachment and enjoy perfect peace. The gently flowing contours of the glossy base invoke the image of a placid body of water. The gradually thinner layers of glass forming the concave section of the base reflect the light of various qualities, producing a captivating aesthetic effect. An ingenious combination of design and workmanship, this unique three-dimensional Water-moon Guanyin takes glass sculpture to new heights.
