Material: Animal bone. Painted. Carved

Size: 13 mm

Description:

About "Manjusri Dice" (called **Mo** or **Mo Divination** in Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan: མོ་, Wylie: mo), it is an important divination tool in Tibetan Buddhism, used to predict the future, answer questions or guide the direction of practice. The following will be described in detail from its influence, status, usage and origin in Tibetan Buddhism:

1. The influence and status of Manjusri Dice in Tibetan Buddhism

1. **Importance in religion and culture**:

- Manjusri Dice is named after Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva representing wisdom), symbolizing wisdom and insight. Tibetan Buddhists believe that divination through Manjusri Dice can obtain the blessing of Manjusri Bodhisattva, helping practitioners or ordinary believers to get guidance when facing life choices, practice confusion or secular problems.

- In Tibetan Buddhism, divination (Mo) is regarded as a sacred way of communication to connect mortals with the wisdom of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. It not only plays a role in religious practice, but also permeates Tibetan daily life, such as marriage, travel, health, career and other decision-making.

- Manjusri dice divination is used in all sects of Tibetan Buddhism (such as Nyingma, Gelug, Sakya, etc.), especially in Nyingma and Gelug. This divination method is considered to have a high degree of spiritual authority due to its association with Manjusri.

2. **Association with Manjusri**:

- Manjusri is revered as the embodiment of wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism and is closely related to the Prajna (wisdom) classics, representing the power to break through ignorance and open up enlightenment. Manjusri dice is named after his name and is believed to guide practitioners or believers to find the right direction when they are confused.

- Tibetan Buddhists believe that the result of the Manjusri dice is the manifestation of Manjusri Bodhisattva's wisdom, which can provide insights beyond secular logic and help believers make choices in line with the Dharma within the framework of cause and effect reincarnation.

3. **Social impact**:

- Manjusri dice are not only used in temples, but also widely used in the daily life of Tibetan communities. From great monks to ordinary people, everyone may seek guidance through this divination method, showing its profound influence in Tibetan Buddhist culture.

- In the history of Tibetan Buddhism, which is a combination of politics and religion, Manjusri dice are sometimes used for major decisions, such as selecting reincarnated soul boys or deciding the timing of important religious activities, showing its importance at the religious and political levels.

2. How to use Manjusri dice

1. **Tools and forms**:

- Manjusri dice are usually a pair of six-sided dice, each side is engraved with Tibetan letters or symbols, representing different meanings. The most common version is that each side of the dice is engraved with six Tibetan letters: **ཨ (A), ཀ (Ka), ཁ (Kha), ཙ (Tsa), ཡ (Ya), ཤ (Sha)**, which are related to the mantra of Manjushri Bodhisattva "Om A Ra Pa Ca Na Dhih".

- The divination result is composed of the combination of two dice (a total of 36 possible combinations), each combination corresponds to a specific interpretation, which is recorded in the divination classics or manuals.

2. **Divination process**:

- **Preparation**: Before the fortune teller conducts Manjushri dice divination, he usually meditates, prays or recites the Manjushri Bodhisattva mantra (such as "Om A Ra Pa Ca Na Dhih") to purify his mind and pray for Manjushri Bodhisattva's blessing.

- **Question**: The fortune teller needs to clearly raise a question or confusion, such as about health, career, practice or major decisions. The question must be specific and sincere to ensure the accuracy of the result.

- **Dice roll**: The fortuneteller places two dice in his hand, focuses on the problem, and then rolls the dice. According to the letter combination shown on the dice, refer to the divination classics or ask the master to interpret the result.

- **Interpretation**: Each letter combination corresponds to a specific meaning, which may involve good or bad luck, action suggestions or practice guidance. Interpretation usually requires familiarity with divination classics or is performed by experienced monks or masters.

3. **Application scenarios**:

- **Personal decision-making**: Believers may use Manjusri dice to decide whether to move, get married or start a business.

- **Religious affairs**: Monks may use dice to decide the time and place of the ceremony or confirm the identity of the reincarnated child.

- **Practice guidance**: Practitioners may seek advice from Manjusri Bodhisattva through dice, such as whether to focus on a certain meditation or study a certain classic.

3. The Origin of Manjushri Dice

1. **Historical Origin**:

- The origin of Manjushri Dice can be traced back to the early development of Tibetan Buddhism, especially the period when Padmasambhava introduced Tantra to Tibet in the 8th century. Padmasambhava is considered one of the founders of Tibetan Buddhism. He incorporated many localized religious elements, including divination traditions, into the spread of Tantra.

- The divination system of Tibetan Buddhism is deeply influenced by Indian Tantra and the native Tibetan Bon religion. There is a similar divination tradition in Bon religion. Padmasambhava combined it with the wisdom worship of Tantra Buddhism and developed a divination method with Manjushri as the core.

- According to Tibetan Buddhist literature, the use of Manjushri Dice may be related to the Terma tradition of the Nyingma school. Terma is a classic or ritual instrument buried by Padmasambhava, which was later discovered by a predestined person, which may include the inheritance of divination methods.

2. **Connection with Manjushri**:

- Manjushri dice are named after Manjushri because his mantra "Om Ara Padzanad" is believed to awaken wisdom and dispel doubts. The letters on the dice are related to the syllables of this mantra, symbolizing that Manjushri's wisdom is directly reflected in the divination results.

- Tibetan Buddhism believes that Manjushri's blessing can make the divination results transcend randomness and become a sacred guidance, in line with the law of cause and effect.

3. **Cultural integration**:

- The development of Manjushri dice also reflects the absorption and transformation of the Bon divination tradition by Tibetan Buddhism. The divination methods of Bon religion mostly involve natural gods and shamanic rituals, while Tibetan Buddhism transforms them into religious practices centered on Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, giving them deeper spiritual meaning.

- In the later period of Tibetan Buddhism (after the 10th century), with the spread of Indian Buddhist scholars (such as Marpa and Rinchen Sangpo), the use of Manjushri dice was further standardized and became an important tool for Tibetan Buddhist temples and practitioners.

IV. Summary

In Tibetan Buddhism, Manjusri dice is a divination tool that combines wisdom worship with practical guidance. It carries the wisdom blessing of Manjusri Bodhisattva and is widely used in religious and secular life. Its status lies not only in providing decision-making guidance, but also in its symbol of the integration of Buddhism and Tibetan culture. The method of use is simple but full of ritual. Through the combination of dice letters and classic interpretation, it provides believers with suggestions in line with the principles of Buddhism. Its origin is closely related to the spread of Tantra by Guru Padmasambhava, the absorption of Bon traditions, and the combination of Manjusri Bodhisattva worship, reflecting the unique religious and cultural characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism.

**References**:

- Tibetan Buddhism related documents (such as the Wikipedia entry of "Tibetan Buddhism")

(Note: Since the specific records of "Manjusri dice" are relatively limited in public information, the above content is derived based on the general knowledge of Tibetan Buddhist divination (Mo) and the religious significance of Manjusri Bodhisattva. If you need more detailed classic basis, it is recommended to refer to the Tibetan Buddhist hidden documents or consult a Tibetan Buddhist master.)