Robin Beck

Saicho, aka Dengyo [伝教] {Transmitter of Teachings} Daishi [大師] (Great Master), was the Founder of the Tendai Shu in Japan. In 804/5 CE, he made an eleven-month trip to China, to acquire the authentic transmission of the T’ient’ai Dharma lineage. It is thought that he was the first to bring the Lotus Sutra Title Mantra {Daimoku [題目]}, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo [南無妙法蓮華經], to Japan. While there, he chanced to learn a bit about Shingon as well. According to a text, Saicho brought back three primary Esoteric Sanskrit Mantras. It appears that one of these was a variant of the Manjushiri Mantra, Om Ah Ra Pa Tsa Na Dhi.

Manjushiri is said to have come from the land of Ratnaketu Buddha in the east. In China, Manjushri is known as Wen-Shu-Shi-Li Pu Sa [文殊師利菩薩]. In Japan, he is Mon Ju Shi Ri Bo Satsu. In Nepal he is Manjushri [मंजुश्री[; while in Tibet, he is known as Jambeyang. The mantra apparently has no literal meaning. The 5 middle syllables are the first syllables of each line of a text associated with Manjushri. I think this is the Vajrasekhara Sutra. This 7 syllable Manjushri mantra is believed to cultivate and enhance various aspects of wisdom; such as discernment, memory, explaining, debating, writing, etc. {There is more, but I forgot}.

Manju is often depicted with his right hand holding a double edged flaming sword. His his left hand is holding a lotus flower, on which rests the Prajnaparamita (Great Perfection of Discerning Wisdom) Sutra. He is often shown riding a Shishi lion. The lion symbolizes the various defilements {Klesha, Bonno} that obscure our innate Bodhi or Awakened Wisdom. This is also said to illustrate his connection with Vairochana; though, at present, I am not sure how.

Together with Samantabhadra {Fugen}, Monju is said to have attended the Historical Buddha Shakyamuni. They are often paired opposite each other on mandalas, flanking Shakyamuni. On most of Nichiren's formal Ten Worlds Great Mandala Gohonzons; Monju and Fugen are on opposite sides of the central Daimoku, they occupy the inner most positions in the second row from the top. Namu Monju Shiri Bosatsu [南無文殊師利菩薩] is positioned directly below Namu Taho Nyorai [南無多宝如来] on the left of the mandala, which is your right. Monju symbolizes Discernment or Wisdom, the discipline of of the Conceptual Mind; while Fugen symbolizes Virtue or Ethics, the discipline of Body and Form. The Discernment of Manjusri is the direct observation of emptiness {sunyata, ku [空]}; the insight that conditioned phenomenon are fleeting and impermanent, devoid of lasting substance. As such, I see the Manjushiri Mantra as a useful adjunct to mindfulness meditation, in particular the third foundation or frame of reference, mindfulness of citta/mind. I also see chanting this mantra as a purification of the 7th Consciousness, manas-citta; as well as the third skandha or component / aggregate, samnja-skandha, or the mental function of conceptual cognition.

Manjushiri's iconic visage is sometimes that of a youth of sixteen years, to illustrate the point that Buddhist wisdom {Panna, Prajna, Hannya} is not only a result of of life experience or age, but, in the deepest sense, comes from the cultivation of Direct Insight (Vippasana, Kan [観]), into the true nature of reality; which is eternal, timeless, uncreated, and deathless. I should add that chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. which is my primary practice, elicits this direct insight.

In this sense, Bodhisattva Manjushiri can be seen as the Provisional Bodhisattva of acquired or attained (shikaku [始覚]) discernment; while the parallel Bodhisattva Anantacharitra, Muhengyo Bosatsu [無辺行菩薩], or Boundless Conduct, represents the original, unconditioned, innate, inherent, unacquired, or unattained (hongaku [本覚]) personal quality of constancy or eternity, that transcends conventional finite space and temporal reality. Namu Muhengyo Bosatsu [南無辺行菩薩] occupies the third position from the central Daimoku, in the top row, on the same side as Monju.

Sound Files; Real Player: Manjusri Mantra .ram ... Tibetanmonks.ram ... ItoKayo.Manjusri.ram ... ... MP3: ImeeOoiManju.mp3 ... ItoKayomanjusri.mp3