Journey to the West describes the magnificent story of Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Seng escorting Tang Seng to the West to learn scriptures. In the Western Heavenly Buddha Realm, the Buddha is the master, but in addition to the Buddha, there are many Bodhisattvas. Among them, the four most prominent bodhisattvas are Manjushri Bodhisattva, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Puxian Bodhisattva, and Jizo Bodhisattva. Each of these four bodhisattvas represents a different realm and merit.
Manjushri, also known as the Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom, symbolizes the supreme state of wisdom. According to legend, Manjushri wears a five-haired hat and holds a sword, symbolizing wisdom as a weapon, and a lion on the throne, symbolizing the inviolability of wisdom. His image varies from person to person, some people see him as a one-character Manjushri, some people see him as a five-character Manjushri, and some people see him as a six-character or eight-character Manjushri, and the number of buns also has different expressions such as one-bun, five-bun, and eight-character bun. However, the most common image is the five-character and five-haired Manjushri Bodhisattva.
Manjushri Bodhisattva, Virujana Nyorai, and Puxian Bodhisattva are collectively known as the "Three Sages of Huayan" and are the left attendants of Shakyamuni Buddha. His main place of practice is in Wutai Mountain, Shanxi, which is known as the "Golden Wutai" and is the first of the four famous mountains of Buddhism in China.
Guanyin Bodhisattva, also known as the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, is praised by the world for his compassionate heart. The name of Guanyin Bodhisattva is original"world"words, but since the Tang Dynasty, in order to avoid overlapping with the name of Li Shimin, Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, it has been removed"world"word, thus being called Guanyin. In Buddhist beliefs, Guanyin Bodhisattva is regarded as the embodiment of great compassion, and when sentient beings are afflicted, simply reciting the name of Guanyin Bodhisattva with devotion to the Bodhisattva will manifest themselves and give salvation. Therefore, Guanyin Bodhisattva is regarded as the savior of all beings.
In China, Guanyin Bodhisattva enjoys a high prestige and can almost be on par with the name of the Buddha. His deeds are widely spread, and his dojo is identified as Putuo Mountain. Legend has it that Guanyin Bodhisattva has three birthdays, which are in the second lunar month.
Ten. 9. The sixth month of the lunar calendar.
Ten. 9. The 19th day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar. Among them, the 19th day of the second lunar month is the day of the physical birth of Guanyin Bodhisattva, the 19th day of the 6th month of the lunar calendar is the day of enlightenment, and the 19th day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar is the period of rebirth of Nirvana.
Guanyin Bodhisattva is so famous for his kindness that it is often depicted as a female figure in people's minds and in a female form in statues. In reality, however, when Guanyin was first introduced to China, it was presented as a male figure and even had a beard. However, since the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the image of Guanyin Bodhisattva has gradually changed to a woman to better show her compassion.
Jizo Bodhisattva, also known as the Great Wish Jizo King Bodhisattva, has the name "Earth" symbolizing the vast earth, while "Tibet" means tolerance and protection. In this vast land, all living beings, all mountains, rivers, and all living beings depend on the earth for their existence. Therefore, Jizo Bodhisattva is seen as a being who is able to take on everything and share the suffering and difficulties of sentient beings.
At first, the three great bodhisattvas Manjushri, Puxian and Guanyin had attained the Great Dao, and later Jizo Bodhisattva joined and became one of the four great bodhisattvas. Although it was added later, the realm of Jizo Bodhisattva is not inferior. Like the earth, he is capable of giving birth to all merits, undertaking difficult practices, and benefiting sentient beings. The main ashram of Jizo Bodhisattva is located in Jiuhua Mountain.
In general, the title bodhisattva is derived from the ancient Indian word for a great scholar. The Four Great Bodhisattvas, also known as the "Four Great Masters", are responsible for assisting the Buddha, passing on the Dharma, purifying sentient beings, and guiding sentient beings in their practice.
Great wisdom and great compassion, great deeds, great wishes" refers to Manjushri, Guanyin, Puxian and Jizo. Manjushri represents wisdom, and its ashram is located on Mount Wutai in Shanxi; Guanyin Bodhisattva represents compassion, and the dojo is in Putuo Mountain, Zhejiang; Fuxian Bodhisattva represents virtue, and the dojo is located in Mount Emei, Sichuan; The Jizo Bodhisattva represents the power of wishes, and its ashram is located in Jiuhua Mountain, Anhui Province. Therefore, there is a saying of the inheritance of "Golden Wutai, Silver Putuo, Copper Emei, and Iron Jiuhua".