Guanyin was then on her way to enter a pure land, but then she heard the cries of people suffering in the world. Unlike in Theravada, gender is not an obstacle to enlightenment, so Guanyin’s help immediately extends to all beings. Guanyin is revered in various Mahayana Buddhist traditions in East Asia. In popular religion, Guanyin can help people gain benefits of many sorts. For example, she grants children to couples. Guanyin is also worshiped as an agricultural deity, as she helps increase rice production.