Manjushri
Manjushri
Lord of Wisdom; The Gentle Voiced Lord; Glorious Gentle One; The Lamp of Wisdom
ALSO KNOWN AS:
Manjusri; Monju (Japan ese); Wen Shu (Chinese); Jam-dPal (Tibetan)
CLASSIFICATION:
Bodhisattva; Bosatsu; Bud dha; Yidam
Manjushri, the first Bodhisattva, is the essence and spirit of wisdom, embodying the wisdom of all Bodhisattvas. Guardian of sacred knowledge and spiritual seekers, his sword slices through illusions that cloud the minds of Buddhists as well as any other obstacles on the road to enlightenment. Manjushri, Lord of Awareness, served as initiator of the Buddhas of the past and will fulfill this role for Maitreya in the future.
Manjushri is a culture hero, too:
• The Manchu dynasty derived its name from Manjushri.
• Manjushri is considered the founding father of Nepalese culture.
FAVOURED PEOPLE:
Students, calligraphers, knowledge seekers, those born in the Year of the Rabbit
MANIFESTATION:
Manjushri travels in the guise of a simple mendicant (begging) monk.
ATTRIBUTES:
Lotus, bow and arrows, book, flaming sword
COLOUR:
White
Creature: Dog
When Manjushri travels in the guise of a mendicant priest, he is always accompanied by a small dog like a Pekinese, Lhasa Apso, Shi Tzu, or similar breed. Manjushri is not really a simple monk. Likewise, his companion is not really a simple dog but actually a disguised celestial snow lion (also known as a lion-dog). When Manjushri’s presence is urgently needed, his pet assumes its true form and serves as his mount.
Mount:
Kang-seng, the snow lion—a pre-Buddhist Tibetan spirit—serves as Manjushri’s mount and appears on the Tibetan flag.
Direction:
East
Time:
He is the guardian of the Year of the Rabbit.
Date: New Year’s Day is dedicated to Manjushri.
Sacred site:
His home on Wutaishan (Five Terrace Mountain), one of China’s four sacred Buddhist peaks. Many visions and apparitions of Manjushri have been reported on the mountain since the Tang Dynasty.
Mantra: OM AH RAH PAH CHAH NA DHIH
(Chanting his mantra allegedly enhances wisdom, memory, and the ability to study, learn, teach, and articulate one’s thoughts. Manjushri is associated with various mantras, some reserved for initiated adepts.)
SEE ALSO:
Avalokiteshvara; Bodhisattva; Bon spirits; Bosatsu; Buddha; Maitreya; Marichi; Yamantaka; Yidam and the Glossary entry for Mantra
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.
