Guanyin is the Bodhisattva associated with compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means, "Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of the World". She is also sometimes referred to as Guanyin Pusa, literally "Bodhisattva Guanyin". Some Buddhists believe that when one of their adherents departs from this world, they are placed by Guanyin in the heart of a lotus then sent home to the western pure land of Sukhāvatī (Ref Wikipedia).