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The Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom =
http://blog.hotelbookingpro.com/2008/02/manjusri-gentle-glory-bodhisattva=
..html
Images of the Bodhisattvas at Hsi Lai Temple =20
http://www.hsilai.org/english/e_hsilai/temple_history/history_tour_bodhis=
attva.htm
Image of Manjusri at Buddhanet
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/wenshu.htm
More on Manjusri at Buddhanet
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b_fbodi.htm
Buddhism consistently promotes two virtues: Compassion and Wisdom. =
Avalokitesvara embodies Great Compassion; the last Bodhisattva on the =
right, Manjusri (Chinese Wen Shu) represents Great Wisdom.
An oft-told example illustrates the relation****p of the two virtues of =
Wisdom and Compassion. Suppose you are approached by a homeless person =
asking for a handout. You give him some money-which he promptly spends =
on alcohol. You have been compassionate, but not wise. So the next time =
you are approached, you give nothing; now you have been wise, but not =
compassionate. What is the solution? Buy him some food. This is wise and =
compassionate. Compassion without wisdom is foolish; wisdom without =
compassion is harsh. As every good parent knows, the two must be used in =
balance.
Thus Manjusri maintains the balance of Wisdom amongst the Bodhisattvas. =
His name means "Gentle Glory," a good description of the main benefit of =
Wisdom. Often (though not here) shown holding a sword, Manjusri cuts =
through the ignorance of this world. He is also often shown holding =
sutra scrolls. Here we see him sitting on a lion; the roar of the lion =
represents the Buddha's teaching spreading through the world. (The =
Buddha is sometimes called "The Lion of the Shakyas," as his Shakya clan =
was associated with lions.)
How did Manjusri come to be associated with Wisdom? Simply, he was the =
teacher of seven successive Buddhas, the Sakyamuni Buddha being the =
last. One version of his story says that he himself was a Buddha in the =
distant past, and came back to teach the others. The Buddha said that in =
fact hundreds of Buddhas of the past became enlightened through =
Manjusri's teaching.
Central to his instruction was the idea that everything is "void," or =
"empty," an idea we will discuss further in a moment. When asked if he =
followed the Mahayana teachings, he replied, "As I see it, everything is =
void, so there is no such thing as Buddhist teachings. Then, how can =
there be any Mahayana teaching for me to follow?"
As radical as his teaching was his behavior. All monks in the Buddha's =
time were required to gather in monasteries for the rainy season. one =
year, Manjusri failed to show up. It was later discovered that he had =
spent the three months in the company of children and prostitutes, as =
well as the maids in the Sravasti Palace. Naturally, the other monks =
were outraged, none more than the venerable Kasyapa. He demanded that =
Manjusri be expelled from the assembly. The Buddha then revealed that =
during that one rainy season, Manjusri taught "five hundred women, five =
hundred boys and five hundred girls, who will never lose their =
determination to seek Enlightenment." Kasyapa asked him how he had =
accomplished such a feat, and Manjusri replied, "I used many methods to =
teach them. I used games, or I used money, or I applied good deeds, or I =
showed my magical powers, or I showed the appearances of various =
deities, or I showed the appearance of a Buddha, or I showed a horrible =
face, or I appeared in other forms. Why? People are different, so I had =
to preach to them in many ways."
A final story of Manjusri's power: Once five hundred monks were able to =
see their pasts, and discovered that they had all killed their own =
parents or committed other atrocities. They came to doubt that they =
would ever achieve Enlightenment. Sensing this, the Buddha called on =
Manjusri to instruct them. Manjusri instantly pulled out his sword and =
placed it at the Buddha's neck. The monks instantly grasped his point: =
the mind is illusory. There is no sword, no Buddha, no =
Manjusri-therefore there were no crimes, no criminals, no victims. With =
his sword of truth Manjusri cut through the illusion and showed them =
reality as it really is.
THE PILGRIMAGE
In front of Manjusri Bodhisattva
O Manjusri, Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom!
I ask you to help me gain control over my mind and destroy all =
unwholesome thoughts.
Through your great wisdom, you have ensured that the Lion's Roar of the =
Buddha's teaching is heard throughout the world.
Through destroying ignorance you have shown us that we can overcome =
delusion.=20
Let me also, by cultivating my mind, attain this excellence.
Help me to conquer ignorance and delusion.=20
Help me to practice right view and right understanding, learning to see =
things as they truly are,=20
that I may dedicate further merit to the enlightenment of all sentient =
beings.=20
O great One of the Marvelous Gentle Power, hear my prayer!
O great Manjusri Bodhisattva, hear my prayer!
Continue to The Diamond Sutra
http://www.thetempleguy.com/mi-le-fo/ascent/13bvahalldsut.htm
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<DIV>The Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom <A=20
href=3D"">http://blog.hotelbookingpro.com/2008/02/manjusri-gentle-glory-b=
odhisattva.html</A><BR><A=20
href=3D"">Images of the Bodhisattvas at Hsi Lai Temple</A><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2> </FONT>=20
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"">http://www.hsilai.org/english/e_hsilai/temple_history/history_t=
our_bodhisattva.htm</A></FONT><BR><A=20
href=3D"">Image of Manjusri at Buddhanet</A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"">http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/wenshu.htm</A></FON=
T><BR><A=20
href=3D"">More on Manjusri at Buddhanet</A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"">http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/b_fbodi.htm</A></FO=
NT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT><BR>Buddhism consistently =
promotes two=20
virtues: Compassion and Wisdom. Avalokitesvara embodies Great =
Compassion; the=20
last Bodhisattva on the right, Manjusri (Chinese Wen Shu) represents =
Great=20
Wisdom.<BR><BR>An oft-told example illustrates the relation****p of the =
two=20
virtues of Wisdom and Compassion. Suppose you are approached by a =
homeless=20
person asking for a handout. You give him some money-which he promptly =
spends on=20
alcohol. You have been compassionate, but not wise. So the next time you =
are=20
approached, you give nothing; now you have been wise, but not =
compassionate.=20
What is the solution? Buy him some food. This is wise and compassionate. =
Compassion without wisdom is foolish; wisdom without compassion is =
harsh. As=20
every good parent knows, the two must be used in balance.<BR><BR>Thus =
Manjusri=20
maintains the balance of Wisdom amongst the Bodhisattvas. His name means =
"Gentle=20
Glory," a good description of the main benefit of Wisdom. Often (though =
not=20
here) shown holding a sword, Manjusri cuts through the ignorance of this =
world.=20
He is also often shown holding sutra scrolls. Here we see him sitting on =
a lion;=20
the roar of the lion represents the Buddha's teaching spreading through =
the=20
world. (The Buddha is sometimes called "The Lion of the Shakyas," as his =
Shakya=20
clan was associated with lions.)<BR><BR>How did Manjusri come to be =
associated=20
with Wisdom? Simply, he was the teacher of seven successive Buddhas, the =
Sakyamuni Buddha being the last. One version of his story says that he =
himself=20
was a Buddha in the distant past, and came back to teach the others. The =
Buddha=20
said that in fact hundreds of Buddhas of the past became enlightened =
through=20
Manjusri's teaching.<BR><BR>Central to his instruction was the idea that =
everything is "void," or "empty," an idea we will discuss further in a =
moment.=20
When asked if he followed the Mahayana teachings, he replied, "As I see =
it,=20
everything is void, so there is no such thing as Buddhist teachings. =
Then, how=20
can there be any Mahayana teaching for me to follow?"<BR><BR>As radical =
as his=20
teaching was his behavior. All monks in the Buddha's time were required =
to=20
gather in monasteries for the rainy season. one year, Manjusri failed to =
show=20
up. It was later discovered that he had spent the three months in the =
company of=20
children and prostitutes, as well as the maids in the Sravasti Palace.=20
Naturally, the other monks were outraged, none more than the venerable =
Kasyapa.=20
He demanded that Manjusri be expelled from the assembly. The Buddha then =
revealed that during that one rainy season, Manjusri taught "five =
hundred women,=20
five hundred boys and five hundred girls, who will never lose their=20
determination to seek Enlightenment." Kasyapa asked him how he had =
accomplished=20
such a feat, and Manjusri replied, "I used many methods to teach them. I =
used=20
games, or I used money, or I applied good deeds, or I showed my magical =
powers,=20
or I showed the appearances of various deities, or I showed the =
appearance of a=20
Buddha, or I showed a horrible face, or I appeared in other forms. Why? =
People=20
are different, so I had to preach to them in many ways."<BR><BR>A final =
story of=20
Manjusri's power: Once five hundred monks were able to see their pasts, =
and=20
discovered that they had all killed their own parents or committed other =
atrocities. They came to doubt that they would ever achieve =
Enlightenment.=20
Sensing this, the Buddha called on Manjusri to instruct them. Manjusri =
instantly=20
pulled out his sword and placed it at the Buddha's neck. The monks =
instantly=20
grasped his point: the mind is illusory. There is no sword, no Buddha, =
no=20
Manjusri-therefore there were no crimes, no criminals, no victims. With =
his=20
sword of truth Manjusri cut through the illusion and showed them reality =
as it=20
really is.<BR><BR>THE PILGRIMAGE<BR>In front of Manjusri =
Bodhisattva<BR><BR>O=20
Manjusri, Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom!<BR><BR>I ask you to help me gain =
control=20
over my mind and destroy all unwholesome thoughts.<BR><BR>Through your =
great=20
wisdom, you have ensured that the Lion's Roar of the Buddha's teaching =
is heard=20
throughout the world.<BR><BR>Through destroying ignorance you have shown =
us that=20
we can overcome delusion. <BR><BR>Let me also, by cultivating my mind, =
attain=20
this excellence.<BR><BR>Help me to conquer ignorance and delusion. =
<BR><BR>Help=20
me to practice right view and right understanding, learning to see =
things as=20
they truly are, <BR><BR>that I may dedicate further merit to the =
enlightenment=20
of all sentient beings. <BR><BR>O great One of the Marvelous Gentle =
Power, hear=20
my prayer!<BR><BR>O great Manjusri Bodhisattva, hear my prayer!</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><A href=3D"">Continue to The Diamond Sutra</A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"">http://www.thetempleguy.com/mi-le-fo/ascent/13bvahalldsut.htm</=
A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT> </DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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