The list of high-quality authors teaches you how to identify a bodhisattva from the details?
In Chinese Buddhist culture, when it comes to bodhisattvas, most people first think of Guanyin Bodhisattva in "Journey to the West". But in fact, there are many kinds of bodhisattvas, and in "Journey to the West" alone, there are Manjushri Bodhisattva, Jizo King Bodhisattva, Fugen Bodhisattva and so on. And interestingly, with the exception of Guanyin Bodhisattva, the other Bodhisattva figures are all male and very similar in appearance, making it difficult to distinguish exactly which Bodhisattva it is.
Interestingly, on statues and murals before the Tang Dynasty, Guanyin Bodhisattva was often depicted as a male figure with two moustaches. It was not until the Ming and Qing dynasties that the image of Guanyin gradually became the gentle and dignified female image that we are now familiar with. Especially in the old version of "Journey to the West", the image of Guanyin has been deeply imprinted in people's minds.
Therefore, in order to accurately identify a bodhisattva, physical appearance alone is not enough. We need to pay attention to some details, such as gestures, clothing, hand-held objects, rides, etc.
First, let's take a look at how the four bodhisattvas in Chinese Buddhist culture are identified.
Manjushri holds the sword of wisdom in his right hand, symbolizing the power of wisdom to relieve suffering; The left hand holds a lotus flower, and there are often Buddhist scriptures hidden between its petals, representing wisdom and compassion; The green lion is used as a mount, showing its might.
For those who are afflicted, pray to Manjushri to cut off his inner troubles and thus attain inner peace. However, it is enough to cut off the suffering, and the three thousand threads of the affliction can be retained.
Guanyin Bodhisattva, known for holding a willow branch and a pure bottle, symbolizes purity and compassion, and often sits on a lotus flower, sometimes with a golden retriever as a mount.
Although Guanyin Bodhisattva is often presented as a woman, it is said that her gender is both male and female, and she is a universal being. Because of its ever-changing abilities, it sometimes appears in different forms, and it is not easy to identify its true identity unless it has a sharp eye.
The Bodhisattva holds a ruyi or lotus flower in his hand and rides a six-tusked white elephant, symbolizing the power of prudence and compassion.
Jizo Bodhisattva holds a Zen staff in his right hand, holds a jewel in his left hand, and wears a crown of five Buddhas or a bald head, his image is quite similar to that of Tang Seng, but the two are not the same existence.
Manjushri, Guanyin, Puxian, and Jizo, representing wisdom, compassion, practice, and willingness, respectively, are the four great messengers sent by the Buddha to the East, so they are highly respected by the Chinese.
In addition to the four bodhisattvas, there are also many bodhisattva images with distinct personalities under the seat of the Buddha, with different decorations, gestures, mounts, etc., showing various characteristics.
The image of Shakyamuni Buddha is generally the dreadnought seal of the left hand holding the palm of the hand inward, or the dreadnought seal of the right hand raised, the four fingers slightly bent, and the palm facing outward, exerting great fearless power on sentient beings.
It is said that when you walk in fear at night, you can form a fearless seal to drive away the demons and monsters around you.
Shakyamuni Buddha is often referred to as the Buddha, and everyone is called the Buddha after becoming a Buddha, so Shakyamuni Buddha can also be referred to as the Buddha, but it cannot be called the Buddha alone.
Behind the moon wheel, wearing the crown of the five Buddhas, holding a sturdy pestle in his right hand and waving a bell in his left hand, Vajrasattva shows its snow-white body, symbolizing its purity and flawlessness.
It is said that the pestle in Vajrasattva's hand destroys the ten worldly afflictions. Although he is in the Buddha Gate, he should be empty of the four major ones, but he is a loving person full of love and righteousness, and such a Vajrasattva can be described as a wonderful flower in the Buddha world.
Next, we mentioned the Maitreya Buddha who "has a big belly and can tolerate a smile". As soon as I saw the Maitreya Buddha with a plump belly, drooping earlobes, and a smile on his face, the troubles in my heart disappeared as if they were blown away by the wind.
In the temples of our country, it is the Maitreya Buddha who often greets us.
Another bodhisattva who often talks about it is Amitabha.
Amitabha Buddha holds a lotus flower in his left hand and a guide seal in his right hand. He guides sentient beings to enter the world of bliss from suffering, to be free from the suffering of samsara forever, and is the embodiment of the Buddha and the person who holds the fate.
Amitabha Buddha sits upright on a lotus flower, his hands are tied with the seal of meditation, and his head is covered with thousands of spiral strands of hair. That seemingly random gesture is one of the mudras created by the Buddha when he became enlightened under the Bodhi tree, and it can be said to be the ancestor of mudras.
The four-armed Guanyin, whose characteristic is already revealed in its name, has four arms, holding a lotus flower and a rosary. The four-armed Guanyin represents wisdom and purification of the mind, away from the troubles of the world.
Zhun Ti Bodhisattva, on the other hand, has an unusual appearance, with an extra eye on his forehead and eighteen arms on his body. This bodhisattva is also highly revered.
Burning the lamp Buddha, holding the Dharma seal, the top of the head snail hair, legend has it that he was born surrounded by radiance, so it is called "the Buddha of the lamp".
The head of the Bodhisattva is inlaid with a treasure vase, holding a golden lotus platform, similar to the image of Guanyin Bodhisattva, is its right rib attendant, and Guanyin Bodhisattva together constitute the "Three Sages of the West".
Veda Bodhisattva is wearing armor, clasped his hands, and holding a demon-descending pestle, which is the best god of Buddhism. Legend has it that Veda and Guanyin Bodhisattva had a past life karma, so they were extradited to become Buddhas, and the two practiced together in their practice, so they were often worshiped together.
These bodhisattva images are colorful and can be identified according to their different physical features.
In the gorgeous bloom of spring, a mysterious woman wearing an emerald green robe and holding a blue lotus flower is displayed in front of everyone, she is Green Tara. The verdant colors symbolize vitality and hope, and Green Tara is a symbol of that vitality.
Dressed in a variety of gorgeous celestial robes and wearing dazzling jewels, Green Tara's face is kind and exudes intoxicating beauty. Legend has it that she is the embodiment of Princess Wencheng and part of the tears of Guanyin Bodhisattva, incarnated as the salvation of the world.
Along with Green Tara, White Tara also has a youthful appearance. She is white, holding a lotus flower, dressed in a fine costume and, like Green Tara, wearing jewelry. However, what is unusual is that White Tara has one eye on each of her hands, feet and forehead, for a total of seven eyes, symbolizing her compassion and concern for all beings.
The Medicine Buddha is shown in blue, with a bowl in his left hand, which contains the medicine of **. Blue represents the infinite light of the sky, and in the world, Medicine Buddha uses medicine to save people, bringing light and hope to the world.
The Medicine Buddha is accompanied by two servants: the Bodhisattva of the Sun and the Bodhisattva of the Moon. The Bodhisattva of Sunlight holds the sun, representing the full illumination of the sun; And the moonlight bodhisattva holds the moon, symbolizing the gentle glow of the moonlight.
In Buddhist beliefs, the "Buddha Amitayus" and many bodhisattvas cannot be listed one by one, however, by identifying the details, we can more accurately recognize and admire these great beings.