Depicted in this thangka painting the manifestation of Avalokitesvara with one thousand arms.Avalokitesvara is the Bodhisattva who has the sacred duty to relieve suffering and encourage enlightenment.The legend says that Avalokitesvara assumed this form during his attempt to help the human beings. While listening the needs of so many people,his head split into eleven pieces.Amitabha Buddha,seeing his agony,gave him eleven heads and one-thousand arms in order to hear and offer aid to as many people as possible.