"Manjushree Bodhisattva's Roar Awakens the World"

Dr Rabin Man Shakya

Portland, Feb 21 (Nepal Oregon News): A talk on "Manjushree Bodhisattva's Roar Awakens the World" was organized on Saturday, Feb 20, 2021 on the zoom by Hong Kong Buddhist Studies Association.

First half of the talk was conducted by Dr Tina Ho of the Hong Kong Sangha while second half was addressed by Pundit Prajwal Vajracharya of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, Portland.

About 35 people from USA, Hong Kong and Germany took part at the virtual program.

 On the occasion, Dr Tina Ho, while making a brilliant presentation, said that Manjushree is one of the most important iconic figures in Mahayana Buddhism and is known as the Bodhisattva of great wisdom.

Manjushree's wisdom captures the essence of esoteric Buddhist texts like Manjushreemulkalpa and Manjushreenaamsangiti, Dr Ho went on saying.

Manjushree was born in Sravasti in the East. He was a crown prince, she said. Throwing light on the name of Manjushree, Dr Ho said:"While Manju means lovely, beautiful, charming, sweet, pleasing and attractive, Shree stands for grace, splendor, wealth and prosperity. However, Manjushree is known in China as Wenshu."

Dr Ho also added:"Manjushree leads the devotees to understand the core of the Vimalakirti Sutra's non-dual method.

Through visual pictures and many exquisite icons, the zoom participants were able to get an overview of Manjushree's appearance in different cultural areas.

The zoom participants were also able to look up to Manjushree in Mount Wutai and Dunhuang frescos as well as his legends and Buddhist scriptures in Wutai mountains.

Mount Wutai in Shanxi, one of the four Sacred Mountains of China, is considered by Chinese Buddhists to be Manjushree's bodhimanda.

Addressing the zoom conference, Prajwal Vajracharya of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara said:" Lord Maha Manjushree is the Bodhisattva of wisdom, and holds a sword in his right hand to cut off delusion, and a Prajnaparamita wisdom text in his left hand."

Prajwal expressed the view that just like Lord Buddha was born in Nepal, Lord Manjushree was one of the most powerful icons that always strengthened cordial ties between Nepal and China since the ancient times.

Prajwal went on saying:"According to Swayambhu Purana, the Kathmandu Valley was once a big lake. It is believed that Lord Manjushree together with his two spouses Varada and Mokshada went to Chovar hills. With the divine power Maha Manjushree possessed, the Lord struck the hill with the flaming sword and released all the waters from the lake."

(Nepal Oregon News writer Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in USA)