In Pure Land Buddhism, it is believed that when someone faithful dies, Guanyin is the one who places them in a lotus for rebirth in the Sukhavati heaven (pure land).
The original meaning of the name “Avalokitesvara” apparently was “He who looks down upon the sounds.” The word “avalokita” means “observe” and “isvara” means lord (god).
Avalokitesvara first appears in the Lotus Sutra, which describes this bodhisattva as hearing the cries of the people of the world, who are suffering, and who entreat the bodhisattva’s assistance to escape samsara, the endless rebirth.