Friday, January 1, 2010
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Yemaya - Goddess of the Oceans and for the New Year
According to legend, Yemaya's first gift to humans was a sea shell in which her voice could always be heard. To this day we honor Yemaya when we hold a shell to our ear in order to hear her voice, the ocean.
Yemaya is a mother goddess, the goddess of home, fertility, love and family. Like water she represents both change and constancy--bringing forth life, protecting it, and changing it as is necessary.
On New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro, millions of cariocas, of all religions, dressed in white gather on Copacabana beach to greet the New Year, watch fireworks, and throw flowers and other offerings into the sea for the goddess in the hopes that she will grant them their requests for the coming year. Some send their gifts to Iemanjá in wooden toy boats. Paintings of Iemanjá are sold in Rio shops, next to paintings of Jesus and other catholic saints. They portray her as a woman rising out of the sea. Small offerings of flowers and floating candles are left in the sea on many nights at Copacabana.
In Santería, Yemayá is seen as the mother of all living things as well as the owner of all waters. Her number is 7 (a tie into the 7 seas), her colors are blue and white (representing water), and her favorite offerings include melons, molasses ("melaço" - sugar cane syrup), whole fried fishes and pork rinds. She has been syncretized with Our Lady of Regla.
In 2009, GaiaOnline released an evolving item designed after her, Yemaya's Pearl.
Yemaya is a mother goddess, the goddess of home, fertility, love and family. Like water she represents both change and constancy--bringing forth life, protecting it, and changing it as is necessary.
On New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro, millions of cariocas, of all religions, dressed in white gather on Copacabana beach to greet the New Year, watch fireworks, and throw flowers and other offerings into the sea for the goddess in the hopes that she will grant them their requests for the coming year. Some send their gifts to Iemanjá in wooden toy boats. Paintings of Iemanjá are sold in Rio shops, next to paintings of Jesus and other catholic saints. They portray her as a woman rising out of the sea. Small offerings of flowers and floating candles are left in the sea on many nights at Copacabana.
In Santería, Yemayá is seen as the mother of all living things as well as the owner of all waters. Her number is 7 (a tie into the 7 seas), her colors are blue and white (representing water), and her favorite offerings include melons, molasses ("melaço" - sugar cane syrup), whole fried fishes and pork rinds. She has been syncretized with Our Lady of Regla.
In 2009, GaiaOnline released an evolving item designed after her, Yemaya's Pearl.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Manjusri Symbolism
Manjusri is the Boddhisattva of Boddhicitta, or clear thinking. His name means “wonderful virtue or lucky omen”. He is full of benevolence and is the personification of knowledge and thought. His complexion is yellow but he's characterized by a glowing splendor. Depicted as an eternally young prince, he reflects the Buddhist belief that wisdom does not relate to age or accumulated experience. In his right hand he holds the sword of Wisdom a symbol of virtue that has the power to clear ignorance and darkness. In his left hand he holds the stem of a blue lotus. It is a symbol of Buddha and his Dharma which sheds a brilliant light on all surrounding beings. The Buddhist lion is the fearless king of the beasts, and symbolizes the great power of wisdom. Manjusri rides on a golden-haired lion, which typifies his power over the forces of life and death. Sometimes the lion is green which symbolizes the wild mind that can only be transformed by meditation. He teaches the Buddhist dharma without fear, like the lion's roar.
According to Chinese Buddhism, the Bodhisattva Manjusri was informed by Gautama Buddha that it was his duty to turn the Wheel of the Law for the salvation of the Chinese, and the place chosen for the manifestation was Pancasirsha (mountain of five peaks) in the Shan-si province. Legend relates that the five peaks of five different colors were once upon a time of diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and lapis lazuli, that a flower grew on each peak of a special color and that a different shaped pagoda was on the summit of each peak. When the time came for the manifestation of Manjusri, Gautama Buddha caused a golden ray to burst from his forehead. It pierced a jambu-tree…a lotus sprang from the tree, and from the center of the flower was born the prince of sages, Arya Manjusri. His color was yellow; he had one face and two arms; in the right hand he brandished the sword of Wisdom; in the left, he carried a book on a lotus of Utpala; he was endowed with the superior and inferior marks of beauty; he was covered with many ornaments and he was resplendent.
Manjusri is the Boddhisattva of Boddhicitta, or clear thinking. Manjusri, meaning Gentle Holy One, is the bodhisattva personifying dynamic wisdom and transcendental knowledge. Depicted as an eternally young prince, he reflects the Buddhist belief that wisdom does not relate to age or accumulated experience. In Buddhism, wisdom is the result of cultivating the spiritual capacity that is the guide to finding the true heart of reality. Manjusri, personification of Transcendent Wisdom, is the first Bodhisattva mentioned in Buddhist scriptures, and as such his name frequently occurs in the “Lotus of the Good Law” in connection with Shakyamuni. He is known as the god of Agriculture and the Celestial Architect. He is the God of Science, and swings his sword of Wisdom with its flaming point to dissipate the darkness among men, to cleave the clouds of ignorance. The Chinese say that when he preaches the Law every demon is subjugated, and every error that might deceive man is dissipated.
His five pointed crown symbolizes the five Wisdoms of Enlightenment:
- The wisdom of the Similar
- The wisdom of the Alike
- The wisdom of the Different
- The wisdom of the Complete
- The wisdom of the All-encompassing or Transcendental
Manjusri appears as the eternally crowned youthful prince of Buddhahood in the form of Arapacana.
As Caturbhuja who has four arms, Manjusri is holding a bow and arrow as a symbol of the accuracy of speech and philosophy.
As Namasangiti who has twelve arms, Manjusri makes the rather rare gesture of supreme enlightenment (uttarabodhimudra) with his hands joined together above his head.
In his right hand (the male side), he holds aloft the flaming sky-blue sword of awareness that ‘cuts through the net of misunderstanding’ and ignorance and brings wisdom. In Nepal Manjusri is credited with having created the Katmandu valley, by cutting through the surrounding mountains at Chobar Gorge with his sword, thereby draining the lake which filled the valley. According to the legend the ‘self-created’ hill of Swayambhu, which emerged as the waters receded, is the site from where Nagarjuna received the Prajnaparamita Sutra from the guardianship of the nagas.
The flaming sword of Manjusri is sealed with a vajra-handle and Manjusri’s symbol, Dhih, and represents the discriminating wisdom that realizes emptiness. Its sharp double-edge represents the indivisibility of relative and absolute truth; its fine point, the perfection of wisdom; and its fiery vajra-flames which emanate to the ten directions, the blazing of the wisdom-awareness fire of full enlightenment.
In his left hand (the female side), Manjusri holds the stem of a blue utpala flower (blue lotus) at the level of his heart, which blossoms near his ear and bears the text of the Prajnaparamita Sutra (Perfection of Wisdom) in 100,000 stanzas, representing his attainment of ultimate realization and Enlightenment.
Manjusri is frequently shown riding on the back of a lion. The lion, the king of all beasts, is an ancient Indian symbol of sovereignty and protection. It is usually depicted as yellow, blue or white. Manjusri seated on a lion. Often in such depictions the lion is green in color. This symbolizes the wild mind which can only be transformed by meditation. Thus the practice of meditation is mandatory for all who are strongly motivated to develop a calm and subdued mind, and Manjusri is the deity who can help them to overcome all obstacles as they pursue this Dharma practice.
By writing or intoning the mantra Namo Guru Manjugoshaya the monks in Tibet have hailed him as the "Lamp of Wisdom and Supernatural Power" who destroys falsehood and ignorance and removes them from the minds of all beings.
Manjusri’s Mantra is –
OM AH RA PA TSA NA DHIH
From “The Book of Buddhas” by Eva Rudy Jansen
From “The Gods of Northern Buddhism” by Alice Getty
From “The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs” by Robert Beer
From “Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs” by Charles Alfred Speed Williams
http://www.urbandharma.org/ibmc/ibmc1/jusri.html
According to Chinese Buddhism, the Bodhisattva Manjusri was informed by Gautama Buddha that it was his duty to turn the Wheel of the Law for the salvation of the Chinese, and the place chosen for the manifestation was Pancasirsha (mountain of five peaks) in the Shan-si province. Legend relates that the five peaks of five different colors were once upon a time of diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and lapis lazuli, that a flower grew on each peak of a special color and that a different shaped pagoda was on the summit of each peak. When the time came for the manifestation of Manjusri, Gautama Buddha caused a golden ray to burst from his forehead. It pierced a jambu-tree…a lotus sprang from the tree, and from the center of the flower was born the prince of sages, Arya Manjusri. His color was yellow; he had one face and two arms; in the right hand he brandished the sword of Wisdom; in the left, he carried a book on a lotus of Utpala; he was endowed with the superior and inferior marks of beauty; he was covered with many ornaments and he was resplendent.
Manjusri is the Boddhisattva of Boddhicitta, or clear thinking. Manjusri, meaning Gentle Holy One, is the bodhisattva personifying dynamic wisdom and transcendental knowledge. Depicted as an eternally young prince, he reflects the Buddhist belief that wisdom does not relate to age or accumulated experience. In Buddhism, wisdom is the result of cultivating the spiritual capacity that is the guide to finding the true heart of reality. Manjusri, personification of Transcendent Wisdom, is the first Bodhisattva mentioned in Buddhist scriptures, and as such his name frequently occurs in the “Lotus of the Good Law” in connection with Shakyamuni. He is known as the god of Agriculture and the Celestial Architect. He is the God of Science, and swings his sword of Wisdom with its flaming point to dissipate the darkness among men, to cleave the clouds of ignorance. The Chinese say that when he preaches the Law every demon is subjugated, and every error that might deceive man is dissipated.
His five pointed crown symbolizes the five Wisdoms of Enlightenment:
- The wisdom of the Similar
- The wisdom of the Alike
- The wisdom of the Different
- The wisdom of the Complete
- The wisdom of the All-encompassing or Transcendental
Manjusri appears as the eternally crowned youthful prince of Buddhahood in the form of Arapacana.
As Caturbhuja who has four arms, Manjusri is holding a bow and arrow as a symbol of the accuracy of speech and philosophy.
As Namasangiti who has twelve arms, Manjusri makes the rather rare gesture of supreme enlightenment (uttarabodhimudra) with his hands joined together above his head.
In his right hand (the male side), he holds aloft the flaming sky-blue sword of awareness that ‘cuts through the net of misunderstanding’ and ignorance and brings wisdom. In Nepal Manjusri is credited with having created the Katmandu valley, by cutting through the surrounding mountains at Chobar Gorge with his sword, thereby draining the lake which filled the valley. According to the legend the ‘self-created’ hill of Swayambhu, which emerged as the waters receded, is the site from where Nagarjuna received the Prajnaparamita Sutra from the guardianship of the nagas.
The flaming sword of Manjusri is sealed with a vajra-handle and Manjusri’s symbol, Dhih, and represents the discriminating wisdom that realizes emptiness. Its sharp double-edge represents the indivisibility of relative and absolute truth; its fine point, the perfection of wisdom; and its fiery vajra-flames which emanate to the ten directions, the blazing of the wisdom-awareness fire of full enlightenment.
In his left hand (the female side), Manjusri holds the stem of a blue utpala flower (blue lotus) at the level of his heart, which blossoms near his ear and bears the text of the Prajnaparamita Sutra (Perfection of Wisdom) in 100,000 stanzas, representing his attainment of ultimate realization and Enlightenment.
Manjusri is frequently shown riding on the back of a lion. The lion, the king of all beasts, is an ancient Indian symbol of sovereignty and protection. It is usually depicted as yellow, blue or white. Manjusri seated on a lion. Often in such depictions the lion is green in color. This symbolizes the wild mind which can only be transformed by meditation. Thus the practice of meditation is mandatory for all who are strongly motivated to develop a calm and subdued mind, and Manjusri is the deity who can help them to overcome all obstacles as they pursue this Dharma practice.
By writing or intoning the mantra Namo Guru Manjugoshaya the monks in Tibet have hailed him as the "Lamp of Wisdom and Supernatural Power" who destroys falsehood and ignorance and removes them from the minds of all beings.
Manjusri’s Mantra is –
OM AH RA PA TSA NA DHIH
From “The Book of Buddhas” by Eva Rudy Jansen
From “The Gods of Northern Buddhism” by Alice Getty
From “The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs” by Robert Beer
From “Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs” by Charles Alfred Speed Williams
http://www.urbandharma.org/ibmc/ibmc1/jusri.html
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The Ten Worlds
The following excerpt is from "The Buddha in Daily Life, An Introduction to the Buddhis of Nichiren Daishonin", by Richard Causton, Rider Ebury Press, Random House, Copyright 1995
Daisaku Ikeda wrote, "Society is complex and harsh, demanding that you struggle hard to survive. No one can make you happy. Everything depends on you as to whether or not you attain happiness... A human being is destined to a life of great suffering if he is weak and vulnerable to his external surroundings." Nichiren wrote, "Only by defeating a powerful enemy can one prove his real strength."
The Japanese word for Hell is jigoku, written with two characters meaning 'the lowest' and 'to be bound or imprisoned'. undoubtedly, one of the characteristic aspects of the state of Hell is the lack of ability to think freely, a result of the dramatic reduction of one's life-force, the vital energy of life itself, which is expressed both physically in one's bodily mechanisms and functions, and spiritually on one's thoughts, hopes and emotions. In this state, it is 'like being already dead'. The world of Hunger is one in which our desires are dominant. As its name suggests, the world of Animality is that in which we behave like animals. The person in the state of Anger cannot bear to lose. As its name suggest, Tranquillity, the fifth of the Ten Worlds, is the state of being at peace or at rest; one of the major functions of Tranquillity is to restore energy. This state is also called the world of Humanity. The world of Rapture is what we experience when our desires are fulfilled. It is an intense and exhilarating state in which we feel glad to be alive and in which everything is bathed in the glow of our own well-being. The world of Learning applies to the Buddha's disciples who try to attain enlightenment by following his teachings, in Japanese the word shomon, means 'voice-hearers' or 'men of Learning' who originally heard the 'voice' of Shakyamini Buddha when he was preaching. In a more general sense, however, it applies to that aspect of our consciousness which can learn from the realizations of others and apply what we have learned to our own lives. It corresponds to intelligence and is concerned with existing knowledge. The world of Realization corresponds to wisdom or insight, the state which enables us to come to an understanding directly from our own observations experience and reflection. This understanding may be as grand as the workings of the universe, or as humble as how to wire a plug. What matters in the world of Realization is that we come to that understanding largely through our own efforts. The Japanese word for Realization, engaku, refers to those who try to reach enlightenment without encountering a Buddha or his teachings, and whose enlightenment in therefore partial or incomplete. The world of Bodhisattva is characterized by the spirit of jihi which is the desire to replace suffering in others with happiness.
So...What is Buddhahood? Perhaps it would be easier to begin by saying what it is not. Buddhahood is not a supernatural quality which enables you to perform superhuman or magical feats like levitation; neither is it a transcendental state, divorced from the everyday reality of this world, in which you experience mental bliss and peace. Buddhahood exists and can be only be manifested, here and now, through the actions of real people in this real world. Nichiren says, "The real meaning of the Lord Shakyamini Buddha's appearance in this world lay in his behaviour as a human being. How profound!" Shakyamuni was not a god but a man, and Buddhahood, although the highest state of life, is one that is attainable by all people. Thus, there is no fundamental difference between a Buddha and an ordinary person: a Buddha is simply an ordinary person 'awakened' to the true nature of life. As Nichiren further explains, "While deluded, one is called a common mortal, but once enlightened, he is called a Buddha."
Daisaku Ikeda wrote, "Society is complex and harsh, demanding that you struggle hard to survive. No one can make you happy. Everything depends on you as to whether or not you attain happiness... A human being is destined to a life of great suffering if he is weak and vulnerable to his external surroundings." Nichiren wrote, "Only by defeating a powerful enemy can one prove his real strength."
The Japanese word for Hell is jigoku, written with two characters meaning 'the lowest' and 'to be bound or imprisoned'. undoubtedly, one of the characteristic aspects of the state of Hell is the lack of ability to think freely, a result of the dramatic reduction of one's life-force, the vital energy of life itself, which is expressed both physically in one's bodily mechanisms and functions, and spiritually on one's thoughts, hopes and emotions. In this state, it is 'like being already dead'. The world of Hunger is one in which our desires are dominant. As its name suggests, the world of Animality is that in which we behave like animals. The person in the state of Anger cannot bear to lose. As its name suggest, Tranquillity, the fifth of the Ten Worlds, is the state of being at peace or at rest; one of the major functions of Tranquillity is to restore energy. This state is also called the world of Humanity. The world of Rapture is what we experience when our desires are fulfilled. It is an intense and exhilarating state in which we feel glad to be alive and in which everything is bathed in the glow of our own well-being. The world of Learning applies to the Buddha's disciples who try to attain enlightenment by following his teachings, in Japanese the word shomon, means 'voice-hearers' or 'men of Learning' who originally heard the 'voice' of Shakyamini Buddha when he was preaching. In a more general sense, however, it applies to that aspect of our consciousness which can learn from the realizations of others and apply what we have learned to our own lives. It corresponds to intelligence and is concerned with existing knowledge. The world of Realization corresponds to wisdom or insight, the state which enables us to come to an understanding directly from our own observations experience and reflection. This understanding may be as grand as the workings of the universe, or as humble as how to wire a plug. What matters in the world of Realization is that we come to that understanding largely through our own efforts. The Japanese word for Realization, engaku, refers to those who try to reach enlightenment without encountering a Buddha or his teachings, and whose enlightenment in therefore partial or incomplete. The world of Bodhisattva is characterized by the spirit of jihi which is the desire to replace suffering in others with happiness.
So...What is Buddhahood? Perhaps it would be easier to begin by saying what it is not. Buddhahood is not a supernatural quality which enables you to perform superhuman or magical feats like levitation; neither is it a transcendental state, divorced from the everyday reality of this world, in which you experience mental bliss and peace. Buddhahood exists and can be only be manifested, here and now, through the actions of real people in this real world. Nichiren says, "The real meaning of the Lord Shakyamini Buddha's appearance in this world lay in his behaviour as a human being. How profound!" Shakyamuni was not a god but a man, and Buddhahood, although the highest state of life, is one that is attainable by all people. Thus, there is no fundamental difference between a Buddha and an ordinary person: a Buddha is simply an ordinary person 'awakened' to the true nature of life. As Nichiren further explains, "While deluded, one is called a common mortal, but once enlightened, he is called a Buddha."
I am MonstrousEgotist
The person in the Realm of Anger has an irresistible urge to win out over everyone else. Like the hawk flying high in the sky in search of prey, he looks down upon others and respects only himself. He makes a superficial show of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith, and he may even display a primitive form of moral integrity, but inside he is a 'monstrousegotist'.
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