Statues of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara occur in the pre-Angkorian era, in the 7th century.

Mahayana Buddhist Trinity

In the centre the Buddha is meditating, siiting on the naga Muchalinda. At his right side is standing the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara . In front of his hairdo he wears a small image of the Buddha Amitaba. In his four hands he holds a rosary, a lotus bud (a symbol of enlightenment), a holy book, and a receptacle for a healing elixir. The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is the 'listener of the complaints of the suffering beings', the bodhisattva of infinite compassion. At the other side is the Bodhisattva Prajnaparamita , with a lotus bud and a holy book in her hands. She is the bodhisattva of infinite wisdom.

Bronze statue of Prei Monti, about 1200,
National Museum Phnom Penh.
Photo credit of Angkor Catalogue.

Standing Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara

During the reign of King Jayavarman VII, images of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara became popular in his temples. As the god of universal compassion, the Bodhisattva is healing and blessing suffering people. The water sanctuary Neak Pean was a place of spiritual or magical healing. The temple Preah Khan nearby was dedicated to the Bodhisattva, and it was the core of a medical university and a hospital.

Neak Pean

The horse Balaha

Merchants who had left their country, were shipwrecked and fell into the hands of ogresses at the island of Lanka. The Bodhisattva turns into the flying horse Balaha to rescue them.

Neak Pean

The Bodhisattva goes Shiva

The towers of the Bayon show the smiling Bodhisattva of Universal Compassion spreading divine blessings all over the world.

But: There is the frontal Eye of Shiva!

"During the Mahayana period, when the Buddhists were trying to vie with Hinduism in multiplying their deities, they added deities somewhat similar to them." (Personal information, courtesy of Dr. S. Aryan, New Delhi)
"As a result, the cults of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and [...] Shiva became similar, with the Avalokiteshvara assuming many of the miraculous properties associated with Shiva. Thus his representations appeared with four arms, four faces, moustaches and the frontal eye of Shiva. He also carried the rosary, primarily associated with Shiva, symbol of the continuous recitation of mantras. Occasionally he was also given Shiva's trident and snakes. Both Shiva and the bodhisattva received the title of lokeshvara; 'Lord of the Worlds'. Such a conflation of Shiva and Avalokiteshvara may be present in many faces of the Bayon towers. [...] the bodhisattva figure became the godly model to claim the divine right to rule [...]" (Roveda, p. 262). (Photo: Face from the Bayon)

The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara between Vishnu and Brahma

The Bodhisattva is standing in the middle, adored by the kneeling gods Vishnu and Brahma. He has usurped the place of Shiva, and he has taken Shiva's title lokeshvara ('Lord of the World'). In many temples of this era we find the remains of similar reliefs.

Prasat Prei Prasat

Standing Bodhisattva with six arms

The Bodhisattva has descended to the underworld to rescue the demon king Bali, who was condemned by Vishnu. And so the Bodhisattva places himself higher than Vishnu.

National Museum Phnom Penh (from Banteay Chhmar)
Photo credit of Angkor Catalogue.

The Bodhisattva Prajnaparamita

Prajnaparamita is the bodhisattva of universal wisdom. She is depicted in a relief at the East Gate of Ta Prohm. This temple was dedicated to her and was the seat of a monastic university.

See Iconoclasm

References

Dalsheimer, Nadine, Les collections du musée national de Phnom Penh , Paris, 2001.

Roveda, Vittorio, Images of the Gods, Khmer mythology in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, Bangkok, 2005.

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