Theos-Talk Archives (February 2004 Message tt00163)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Katinka Hesselink" <mail@k...> 
wrote:
> Anyhow, I think even in the Mahatma letters there is mention that
> there are female adepts and that in fact one of them had found out a
> 'new' truth. 

Surely true, although probably in a different lineage, since the ML 
represent the mahatmas as not associating with womn at all with rare 
exceptions. That would not have been the onlylineage within which 
one could seek enlightenment, however.

Based on what Blofeld said in his book on the subject, it is not 
clear whether she is an historical bodhosattva or not, but Kuan Yin 
is represented in China and Japan (where she is known as Kannon or 
Kanzeon) as a female. As I recall, Blofeld seemed to think the Kuan 
Yin legend was a synthesis of the Avalokitesvara legend from Tibet 
and India, where Avalokitesvara is represented as a male bodhisattva, 
and a lady who may or may not have lived in China. I was told that 
in Zen Kanzeon is thought of as the principle of compassion in the 
universe and is therefore a metaphor and not a person. But Blofeld 
says devotees of hers come to believe they have contacted something 
real. In the Orient they believe she saves those wo call on her with 
a believing heart from imminent danger. That belief is represented 
several times in the movie RAN, by Akira Kurosawa, the director with 
the most commonly mispronounced name in the world.