Manjushri Bodhisattva mantra is one of the important mantras in Mahayana Buddhism, it represents the perfection of wisdom, transcendent wisdom. This symbolizes the Bodhisattva’s ability to use wisdom to overcome any illusions and suffering sentient beings go through.
Through the regular practice of chanting this mantra, practitioners have reported improvements in their study skills, memory retention, and writing abilities. But the benefits don’t stop there. The Manjushri Bodhisattva mantra also helps to dispel illusions and false perceptions, leading to a clearer and more accurate understanding of reality.
Who is Manjushri Bodhisattva?
Manjushri is the Bodhisattva representing the wisdom of the Buddhas, along with Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani, the three Bodhisattvas who protect Tathagata. In Vajrayana Buddhism, He is revered as a meditative deity, and the Sanskrit name “Manjushri” translates to “sweet glory” or “Prince Manjushri”. Among Chinese and Tibetan Buddhists, Manjushri is one of the most respected bodhisattvas, and is considered the oldest and most important in Mahayana Buddhism.
In China, Manjushri is called Wenshu and resides in WuTaiSan, one of China’s four sacred mountains. He first appeared in Mahayana sutras, such as the Lotus Sutra and Prajna Paramamita Sutra, and became a significant symbol of Buddhism by the 5th or 6th century.
Although not found in the Pali canon, some scholars associate Manjushri with Pancasikha, a musician in the Digha-nikaya. Manjushri practices wisdom meditation in Tibetan tantra, and is also associated with poetry, preaching, and dharma writing.
Manjushri is often depicted as a youthful figure seated on a lotus-shaped bodhisattva, with a flaming sword in his right hand symbolizing wisdom that cuts through ignorance, and a book of Prajna in his left hand representing enlightenment. Sometimes, He also holds a blue lotus, a symbol of rising above the mud. This is also a typical symbol of the Manjushri Bodhisattva. It represents the sharpness of the Dharma, using the fearless lion’s roar to awaken deluded beings.
What is the power of Manjushri?
In Buddhism, Manjushri is known as the Bodhisattva of Wisdom and is revered for his great wisdom and intellect. Manjushri is believed to possess the power to dispel ignorance and delusion, and to inspire and guide practitioners towards enlightenment.
According to Buddhist teachings, Manjushri’s wisdom is not limited to intellectual knowledge, but also encompasses an intuitive understanding of the nature of reality. He is also believed to possess the ability to communicate this wisdom to others in a way that they can understand and benefit from.
In addition to wisdom, Manjushri is also associated with other powers and abilities, including the power to protect and heal, the power to inspire creativity and innovation, and the power to grant blessings and spiritual insight.
Is Manjushri Bodhisattva male or female?
Manjushri Bodhisattva, similar to Samantabhadra, does not distinguish between male and female and underwent numerous reincarnations to achieve enlightenment.
While there are some bodhisattvas in Buddhism who are represented as female, such as Guan Yin or Tara, Manjushri is generally recognized as a male bodhisattva in Buddhist art. However, in some Vajrayana Buddhist traditions, Manjushri is considered to be beyond gender and is seen as a transcendent being beyond the distinctions of male and female.
What does Manjushri Bodhisattva ride?
In Buddhist art and literature, Manjushri Bodhisattva is often depicted riding on a lion. The lion is a symbol of strength, fearlessness, and wisdom, which are all qualities associated with Manjushri. The lion is also considered to be the king of the animals and represents the Bodhisattva’s mastery over the passions and emotions that can cause suffering and delusion.
Sometimes, Manjushri is also depicted riding on a lotus flower or a dragon, both of which are also symbols of wisdom and spiritual power in Buddhism. However, the most common depiction of Manjushri is riding on a lion.
The Meaning of Manjushri Bodhisattva mantra
OM AH RA PA TSA NA DHI – OM A RA PA CA NA DHIH
Manjushri mantra is the mantra of perfect wisdom, an important factor that helps us to overcome all illusions of ignorance, to help us see this world most clearly and truthfully.
– Om or Aum: is a syllable commonly found in Buddhist mantras, a sacred and mystical syllable that originated in Hinduism but is now common in both Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism. Jain and the Bön Tibetan tradition. It is considered to be the words of the Buddhas, reflecting the perception of the surrounding universe, the meaning of the word Om is “My mind is open to the next truths.”
– Ah: Expressing direct understanding of the nature of things and phenomena.
– Ra: Shows understanding of emptiness from the point of view of the Theravada patriarchs. Theravada Buddhism’s profound teachings on emptiness are appropriate for students who have problems understanding “emptiness” in its ultimate nature.
– Pa: Represents meditation. There are two basic types of meditation: non-conceptual (without thinking) and conceptual (thought) meditation. This leads to the ideal that all Dharmas have been “interpreted in the supreme sense.”
– Tsa: Shows the importance of Nirvana and Samsara. The exact nature of both samsara and nirvana is emptiness. But if we don’t understand the exact nature of samsara, it will manifest to us in three forms of suffering. This means that the arising and cessation of phenomena cannot be fully understood, because in reality, there is no arising and no cessation.
– Na: Expressing karma. In short, all the suffering we experience is the result of our past unethical actions (bad karma) and all our happy results from our previous virtuous actions. There are two basic types of karma: collective karma and individual karma. We need to understand that, with every act of our words, body and mind, we are sowing seeds for our future experiences.
– Dhi: This is often explained as “understanding” or “reflection”. The rays of light emanating from this syllable will fill your physical body and purge all bad karma, diseases, and obstacles.
In short, the right perspective helps us to recognize the correct path. Meditation is the best practice through which we will develop a deep understanding of the path to enlightenment, leading to changes in our mind and emotions. Action combined with perfect wisdom gives us the ability to help sentient beings most effectively.
The Benefits of chanting Manjushri Bodhisattva mantra
In Buddhism, chanting the Manjushri Bodhisattva mantra is believed to have many benefits, both for the individual practitioner and for the world at large. Some of the benefits of chanting the Manjushri mantra include:
- Developing wisdom: The Manjushri mantra is believed to be a powerful tool for developing wisdom and insight. By reciting the mantra, practitioners can increase their understanding of the true nature of reality and cultivate clarity and discernment in their thinking.
- Dispelling ignorance and delusion: The Manjushri mantra is said to have the power to dispel ignorance and delusion, which are the root causes of suffering in Buddhism.
- Overcoming obstacles: Chanting the Manjushri mantra can help practitioners overcome obstacles and challenges in their lives, whether these obstacles are internal (such as negative emotions or limiting beliefs) or external (such as difficult life circumstances).
- Bringing peace and harmony: The vibrations created by chanting the Manjushri mantra are believed to have a positive impact on the world around us, helping to bring about greater peace, harmony, and understanding among all beings.
The benefit of chanting Manjushri Bodhisattva mantra is enormous and powerful. It helps us understand our illusions and misconceptions about the world, and improve our study skills, such as debate, writing, memory, and intellect.
According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, practitioners should recite this mantra at least seven times a day, with 100 or 21 repetitions being ideal. During the final repetition, the practitioner should recite the mantra louder, and the last syllable, “Dhi,” should be prolonged.
This is a daily practice that should be done at home. After waking up, the first thing we should do is wash our mouths and then recite the prayer to Manjushri Bodhisattva, “Om Ah Ra Pa Tsa Na Dhi,” as many times as possible. This is extremely beneficial, as the mantra helps to increase our wisdom and set a positive tone for the day.
While an intelligent person who has never attended school can understand the meaning of texts, their understanding may be superficial. They may only grasp what is written in the book, but not the deeper meaning behind it. Achieving such deep understanding requires special wisdom, such as the wisdom of Manjushri Bodhisattva.
