Wen-Shu-Shih-Li P'usa | |||
WEI-SHU-SHI-LI P'USA -- MANJUSRI Manjusri, the personification of Transcendental Wisdom, is the first Bodhisat va mentioned in Buddhist scriptures, and one of the two most prominent and important Bodhisat vas of Maha- yana Buddhism. His wisdom is perfect and is symbolised by the sword, he holds in his right hand signifying his intel ect which pierces the deepest recesses of Buddhist thought and cut ing doubts which cannot otherwise be solved. His name frequently appears in various sutras and in the Lotus Sutra, or e Lotus of the Good Law, it was mentioned that he had trained and disci- plined many bodhisat vas. In the Mahayana, Wisdom and Compassion are regarded as equal y important, but with greater emphasis on Wisdom. Man- jusri, the Lord of Wisdom and Knowledge, is therefore con- sidered as the foremost Bodhisat va in early Mahayana. Later Mahayana laid greater stress on the practise of Compassion so that Avalokitesvara, the Lord of Compassion (Karuna), who is known to the Chinese as Kuan Shih Yin P'usa, soon emerged as the supreme Bodhisat va. Manjusri, meaning `Gentle Glory' or `Sweet Splendour', is often regarded as the `prince royal' of the Buddha's realm. He is also addressed as `Manjugosha' with `Manju' meaning `soft' indicat- ing that his continuum has become softened by his wisdom which cuts through distress-causing hindrances to liberation from cyclic liberation (Samsara), and the non-afflictive obstruc- tions to infinite knowledge or Omniscience. `Gosha' means `chanting' or `intonation' referring to his possessing a Buddha's perfect vocalisation abilities. According to Chinese Buddhism, he was informed by Sakya- muni Buddha that it was his duty and responsibility to seek the instruction and salvation of the Chinese people by making his abode at the Wu-tai Shan in the Shansi province, and there to cause the Wheel of Dharma to turn incessantly. Manjusri's popularity in the northern Buddhist countries stretches from Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet, China, Mongolia, Korea to Japan. Mil ions of Chinese Buddhists daily recite "Namo Wen-shu-Shih-Li P'usa" to seek his blessings. He is the most popular Bodhisat va among the Buddhists of Tibet and Nepal where even young children constantly repeat his mantra, `Om- ara-pa-chana-dhih' which is a prayer for developing wisdom. Holy books compiled by lamas often begin with the mantra `Namo Guru Manjugoshaya' as a mark of respect to Manjusri for he is indeed `the lamp of wisdom and supernatural power' who is the destroyer of falsehood and ignorance from the minds of all beings. e il ustration of Manjusri is an useful aid to those who would like to visualise him during their prayers or meditational prac- tices. ey should first of all conjure in their minds a shining blue sky. From it a youthful prince of about sixteen years old with flowing hair, appears and is seen seated on a pale blue lotus with a body made of golden light. He is smiling gently and on his forehead is a wreath of blue lotuses surrounded by a crown of five jewels. Aksobya, a meditational Buddha, is seen seated on top of his head. His right hand brandishes a double-edged sword with a vajra-handle, the point of which is wreathed in flames. His left hand has a book, his second symbol, which he presses close to his heart. is is the Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom known to all as the Prajnaparamita. He wears silk of five colours of a great being and the six ornaments of the Bodhi- sat va. Surrounding him is a great aura of light which is radiated from his great pure body, a very special kind of light that can purify the minds of those who are seeking wisdom.... us is Manjugosha seen, the `Gentle Voiced Lord' who is relat- ed to creative communication. His wisdom is nothing less than Prajna, perfect wisdom, which is symbolised by the volume of the Prajnaparamita. Legends of Manjusri abound, each with its own beautiful significance so that only those who have great faith and affin- ity with him wil be able to realise their inner revelations. A popular legend has it that Manjusri once left Mount Panca- sirsha (Wu-tai Mountain in China) to visit the shrine of the Primordial Buddha which was located on a high mountain and accessible only by way of Lake Kalihrada. However, the lake was infested with al kinds of watermonsters and spirits so that ¡ûBACK¡û |INDEX| ¡úNEXT¡ú |