Manjushri

Manjushri

I am Manjushri and my name means “Gentle glory”. I was Buddha’s youngest and most beloved studentI am the first Bodhisattvas having lived with and conversed with the Historic Buddha.

You can always identify me because I ride upon a lion

I wear the crown and jewelry that for a Bodhisattva symbolize spiritual not material wealth.

Does my lion look fierce and dangerous or more like a pet? We are best friends! This is a way to show that I have the wisdom acquired by controlling my mind, and as you must know, controlling the mind is as difficult as riding on the back of a lion.

 Though my arms in this sculpture, are missing, I carry in my right hand Manjushri’s flaming sword of truth to cut through ignorance and from the stem of a lotus in my left hand a lotus rises above my shoulder revealing the book of wisdom of the teaching of my master, the historic Buddha Shakyamuni.

I have been seated with his legs crossed in deep meditation but now I am about to step down off of my lion to come to you.

Look, a lotus springs up from the earth to cushion my every footstep. My lion looks up with a big grin, like your pet dog who has been locked inside the house all day and is excited that we are about to go out into the world, for together we will travel to where ever there is ignorance, and I will share the wisdom of the Buddha to relieve human suffering.

Last updated by admin at 10 September, 2020