When you hear the title Goddess of the Sea, some people think of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, but there are some groups that think of another deity, Mazu.
Who is Mazu? From Mythopedia, “Mazu is the patron goddess of sailors, fishermen, and travelers. She is especially popular in Southern Chinese coastal communities[.]” It is believed that around the 10th century Mazu was formerly named Mo Lin born in Meizhou Island, Mo meaning silent because she didn’t make a sound from her birth until much later. She did carry a lot of gifts, like the ability to predict weather and to heal using medicine. She was a follower of Avalokitesvara as well. Her most famous acts were saving fisherman from being harmed at sea. If I remember correctly, it was because Lin Mo couldn’t save her father after saving her four brothers from their capsized ship, then Lin Mo attempted to jump the cliff but instead turned into bright strands of light and became the Mazu that we know today.
Ven. Master Hsing Yun acknowledged that Mazu is a manifestation of Avalokitesvara and a protector of the Dharma. He even wrote the lyrics to the Mazu song that was gifted to Chao Tien Temple, considered to be one of the central Mazu temples in Taiwan. Venerable Hsin Ting recorded a CD reciting the name of Mazu as well. Some of the Mazu temples in Taiwan have Buddhist monks in residents and chant Buddhist sutras as part of the temple’s activities.
Mazu temples in the SGV sort of do their own thing. Most of the time, they have operating hours and people can visit to offer prayers. Most of them do not have monks in residence or anything like that. I did run into a temple that has their own lay chanting team that does chanting once a week I think. I personally was invited to another Mazu temple to perform services, what’s interesting is that the temple itself does not have residents, but they allow their devotees to invite their own masters to perform services as long as it does not conflict with the temple’s own scheduled programming.
Do you have a local Mazu temple near you?
The Buddha wears Glasses 