Material: Bronze. Cast. Handmade. Antique

Size: Approximately 27 cm in height (Medium-sized Buddha statue)

Description: Manjushri Bodhisattva (Tibetan: འཇམ་དཔལ་དབྱངས་, Jampelyang), also known as Manjushri Bodhisattva or Manjushri Bodhisattva, is revered in Tibetan Buddhism as the embodiment of wisdom, representing Prajñāpāramitā, which is transcendental wisdom. He is one of the most important bodhisattvas in Tibetan Buddhism, ranking first among the bodhisattvas, and is known as the "Prince of Dharma," assisting Shakyamuni Buddha in liberating all sentient beings. Manjushri Bodhisattva not only symbolizes wisdom, knowledge, and eloquence, but is also regarded as a meditation deity (yidam), helping practitioners to cut through ignorance, afflictions, and duality, thereby attaining enlightenment. In the Tantric tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Manjushri, along with Avalokiteśvara and Vajrapāṇi, forms the three lineages of the three bodhisattvas, jointly protecting the Dharma. Particularly in the Gelug school (Yellow Hat sect), wrathful emanations of Manjushri, such as Yamantaka, are extremely popular, used to subdue death and obstacles.

Manjushri plays multiple roles in Tibetan Buddhism:

- **Guardian and Inspirer of Wisdom**: He is considered the "mother" of all Buddhas of the past, present, and future, as his wisdom guides sentient beings on the path to Buddhahood. Practitioners, through the blessings of Manjushri, can enhance their debating skills, memory, writing ability, and literary attainments, especially suitable for scholars and debating monks.

- **Incarnations and Reincarnations**: Manjushri has countless incarnations. In Tibetan tradition, some high-ranking lamas are considered his reincarnations, such as the founders of the Sakya school or certain tulku systems. He also manifests in various forms, such as the red and yellow Manjushri (a peaceful form emphasizing wisdom), the black Manjushri (an wrathful form cutting through obstacles), the white Manjushri (holding the wish-fulfilling mudra, granting wishes), and the four-armed Manjushri (multiple arms symbolizing multifaceted wisdom).

- **Core of Tantric Practice**: In Vajrayana, Manjushri is an important deity, and related scriptures such as the *Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa* and the *Mañjuśrīnāmasamgīti* are widely practiced. His companion is sometimes depicted as Saraswati (the goddess of eloquence), emphasizing the connection between wisdom and speech.

- **Cultural and Social Impact**: In regions such as Tibet and Nepal, Manjushri is revered as a guardian deity, and his image is commonly seen in temples. Practitioners believe that through the practice of Manjushri, ignorance can be overcome and awakening can be achieved.

Iconography and Symbolism

In Tibetan Buddhist thangkas and sculptures, Manjushri is typically depicted as an eternally youthful bodhisattva, with five topknots or a five-Buddha crown, symbolizing the five wisdoms of the Buddha. His standard image includes:

- Right hand holding a flaming wisdom sword (khadga), symbolizing the cutting away of ignorance and dualistic delusion.

- Left hand holding a lotus flower, upon which rests a Prajñāpāramitā sūtra, representing transcendent wisdom.

- Often riding a blue lion (simha), symbolizing the power of wisdom and the taming of the mind.

Other forms include:

- **Six-Armed Manjushri**: Three heads and six arms, holding a sword, sutra, bow and arrow, flowers, etc., helping sentient beings to be liberated from the six realms of samsara.

- **Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Bowl, Thousand-Shakyamuni Manjushri**: A thousand hands each holding a bowl, each bowl containing a Shakyamuni Buddha, symbolizing the immeasurable Buddhas teaching sentient beings through Prajñā.

- **Wrathful Forms**: Such as Black Manjushri or Yamantaka, appearing fierce, specifically destroying death and karmic obstacles. The Myths of Manjushri Bodhisattva

The myths of Manjushri Bodhisattva are largely derived from Mahayana scriptures and Tibetan legends, emphasizing how his wisdom manifests, teaches, and creates. Below are detailed accounts of several key stories:

1. **Birth and Auspicious Omens:**

According to scriptures, Manjushri Bodhisattva was born in Sravasti, ancient India, manifesting as a Bodhisattva to facilitate the teaching of sentient beings. Ten auspicious omens appeared at his birth: the room filled with light, the courtyard overflowed with nectar, seven treasures gushed from the earth, deities opened treasure troves, a chicken gave birth to a phoenix, a pig gave birth to a dragon-like pig, a horse gave birth to a qilin, a cow gave birth to a white ze (a mythical beast), a granary turned into golden grain, and an elephant gave birth to a six-tusked elephant. These auspicious omens symbolize his name "Manjushri," foreshadowing the immeasurable wisdom and blessings he will bring. This story emphasizes that Manjushri Bodhisattva's birth is a manifestation of wisdom, inspiring sentient beings to pursue enlightenment.

2. **Severing Ignorance and Guiding Disciples:**

Manjushri Bodhisattva is known as the "Teacher of All Buddhas" or "Mother of Buddhas" because he was the teacher of seven Buddhas and guided countless disciples to Buddhahood. For example, in the *Avatamsaka Sutra*, he inspired Sudhana to travel south to visit fifty-three spiritual teachers and learn the Bodhisattva path. Another famous story is the teaching of the eight-year-old dragon girl: In the *Lotus Sutra*, Manjushri Bodhisattva explains to Shariputra how the dragon girl attained Buddhahood instantly through wisdom, breaking down prejudices of gender and age, proving that wisdom transcends all obstacles. Furthermore, he led Venerable Ananda in compiling the Mahayana scriptures at Mount Meru, ensuring the transmission of Buddhism.

3. **The Creation Legend of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal:**

A legend closely related to Tibetan Buddhism takes place in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal. It is said that the valley was originally a large lake, filled with floods and poisonous snakes. Manjushri Bodhisattva came from Wutai Mountain in China (his abode), using the sword of wisdom to cleave the Chobhar Gorge, draining water to form a valley, making the land habitable. He led his disciples to move mountains and fill swamps, building cities to welcome the arrival of Shakyamuni Buddha. This story symbolizes how Manjushri Bodhisattva's wisdom transforms chaos into order, creating an environment suitable for spiritual practice and civilization. In Tibetan and Nepalese Buddhism, this is seen as a manifestation of Manjushri Bodhisattva's compassion. To this day, many temples dedicated to him exist in the valley, such as Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), said to be a sacred site of Manjushri Bodhisattva.

4. **Past and Future Buddhahood**:

Manjushri Bodhisattva was originally an ancient Buddha who attained Buddhahood countless eons ago as "Mahabodhisattva" (the World of Equality) and "Dragon Seed Tathagata" (the World of Emptiness). He is currently "Joyful Treasury Mani Jewel Accumulation Tathagata." In the future, he will attain Buddhahood in the Immaculate World, named "Universal Manifestation Tathagata." These stories emphasize Manjushri's eternal existence and boundless compassion, demonstrating the Bodhisattva path to all beings rather than immediately entering Nirvana.

These stories not only highlight Manjushri's wisdom and power but also encourage practitioners to receive blessings through the practice of his mantras (such as "Om Ah Ra Pa Ca Na Di," oṃ a ra pa ca na dhīḥ). Overall, Manjushri is a beacon of wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism, conveying profound teachings of awakening through mythology.