Avalokiteśvara is Sanskrit for "Lord who looks down" or "He who has sound perceived", i.e. perceiver of the suffering sound of the worlds. He is the bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas and is the most widely revered bodhisattva in Buddhism. The story goes that he made a great vow to listen to the prayers of all sentient beings in times of difficulty, and to postpone his own Buddhahood until he has assisted every being on earth in achieving nirvana.
Bodhisattvas
Depending on the school of Buddhist thought Bodhisattvas have the compassionate determination to aid all beings on their quest for the highest state of development, full enlightenment of a Buddha. Remaining in this world of uncontrolled rebirth known as Samsara, the Bodhisattva has taken the Bodhisattva vow to achieve Buddhahood as quickly as possible and thereby be most able to teach Dharma until all beings have likewise achieved enlightenment.
And according to other schools of Buddhist thought a Bodhisattva is one who delays his own final and complete enlightenment in order to save all sentient beings out of his enormous compassion. He is on a mission to liberate all sentient beings, and only then will he rest and complete his own enlightenment.
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