Celebration of Manjushri Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day 恭迎文殊菩萨成道日

Today is Manjushri Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day in Chinese Buddhism. He is one of the four main bodhisattvas in Chinese Buddhism, together with Guanyin, Samantabhadra (Puxian) and Ksitigarbha (Dizangwang) Bodhisattvas. In fact, Manjushri had countless eons ago already realised Buddhahood but chose to come back to be a bodhisattva to assist Shakyamuni Buddha. He is the teacher of many Buddhas, including Shakyamuni Buddha. Bodhisattva Manjushri is often regarded as the teacher of seven Buddhas （七佛之师） and the mother of all Buddhas （诸佛之母）. The holy Mount Wutai （五台山) is the bodhimanda of Manjushri in China.

The most common appearance of Manjushri Bodhisattva is holding a sword of wisdom (to cut off all illusions) in his left hand and a lotus flower in his right hand.  The sword and lotus both represent wisdom. Sometimes he may be holding a Buddhist scripture (or Ruyi). The Bodhisattva often sits on a powerful green lion. The lion is the king of beasts. When the lion roars, all beasts are frightened. That’s why the Buddha’s teachings are often called the lion’s roar. When the Buddha expounds the Dharma (Truth), it can destroy the wrong teachings and also help sentient beings be relieve from all suffering in life.

Master Fazhao, the fourth patriarch of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism, had an encounter with Manjushri Bodhisattva once in Mount Wutai. He asked the bodhisattva which dharma gate (practice) one should practice during the Dharma-ending Age. Manjushri Bodhisattva replied that one should practice Nianfo (Amitabha-recitation), this is the easiest dharma gate to help all beings to realise Buddhahood in one lifetime (after one attains rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land). Manjushri Bodhisattva also recommends another gate, i.e. to make offerings to the three jewels. To Nianfo plus making offerings to the three jewels, this is called to cultivate wisdom and blessings together. Manjushri Bodhisattva said this is the most efficient and essential practices to realise Buddhahood. Manjushri Bodhisattva also revealed that in the past eons he also realised the perfect wisdom because of Nianfo and make offerings to the three jewels. Jiawen will share the story of Master Fazhao and his encounter with Bodhisattva Manjushri soon.

🙏 Namo Manjushri Bodhisattva 🙏

🙏 Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏