<p>Manjusri is personification of perfection of wisdom- prajnaparamita. It is wisdom which guides the previous 5 paramitas- the first 5 bhumis- to their highest use. A parable of wisdom guiding the 5 blind perfections is used as well. In short, the <strong>meaning</strong> being conveyed is that when wisdom arises, then,  all the previous accumulated qualities reach their perfection. Panna [pali], prajna [sanskrit] is what takes one to the final goal.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-03T16:36:25.393Z
I have this doubt. If Manjuśri is a personification of prajñāpāramitā, why does Manjuśri asks for instruction from Tathagata in certain sutras and Tathagata also teaches him like any other disciple? One such Sutra is the dhyayitamuśti sūtra quoted in Candrakītir's Prasannapada Chapter 16, verse 9.
Lokesh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-04T17:22:27.020Z
Google definition of personification- "a figure intended to represent an abstract quality." Once the quality of wisdom has been personified as figure of Manjushri, it is used in stories- he asks for instructions, gives teachings, etc. This is how personification functions.
HomagetoManjushri
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-11-01T17:11:50.323Z
2023-11-01T17:11:50.323Z
HomagetoManjushri
<p>नमो भगवते बुद्धाय</p>
<p>I'm reading Candrakīrti's madhyamakavatāra. I came across this passage -</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;That they are the particular circumstance means that that which acts
as the cause for the circumstance of being a tathāgata is the
circumstance of being a bodhisattva. That they inspire the adoption
refers to the case of noble Mañjuśrī who as a bodhisattva was the very
first to inspire the illustrious Śākyamuni and the other tathāgatas to
adopt the mind of awakening. Being thus regarded as the principal
cause that enabled the final result, it is taught that the tathāgatas
are born from the bodhisattvas.&quot;[1]</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What is the story of the Noble Mañjuśrī inspiring Śākyamuni and other tathāgatas to adopt bodhicitta?</p>
<p>Thank you</p>
<p>[1] Source - <a href="https://www2.hf.uio.no/polyglotta/index.php?page=fulltext&amp;view=fulltext&amp;vid=1113&amp;cid=828169&amp;mid=1927089&amp;level=1#FN5550rn6:%7E:text=That%20they%20are%20the%20particular,are%20born%20from%20the%20bodhisattvas" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www2.hf.uio.no/polyglotta/index.php?page=fulltext&amp;view=fulltext&amp;vid=1113&amp;cid=828169&amp;mid=1927089&amp;level=1#FN5550rn6:~:text=That%20they%20are%20the%20particular,are%20born%20from%20the%20bodhisattvas</a>.</p>

<mahayana>
What is the story of Mañjuśrī inspiring Śākyamuni?
# What is the story of Mañjuśrī inspiring Śākyamuni?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-11-01)

नमो भगवते बुद्धाय

I'm reading Candrakīrti's madhyamakavatāra. I came across this passage -

> "That they are the particular circumstance means that that which acts
> as the cause for the circumstance of being a tathāgata is the
> circumstance of being a bodhisattva. That they inspire the adoption
> refers to the case of noble Mañjuśrī who as a bodhisattva was the very
> first to inspire the illustrious Śākyamuni and the other tathāgatas to
> adopt the mind of awakening. Being thus regarded as the principal
> cause that enabled the final result, it is taught that the tathāgatas
> are born from the bodhisattvas."[1]

What is the story of the Noble Mañjuśrī inspiring Śākyamuni and other tathāgatas to adopt bodhicitta?

Thank you

[1] Source - [https://www2.hf.uio.no/polyglotta/index.php?page=fulltext&view=fulltext&vid=1113&cid=828169∣=1927089&level=1#FN5550rn6:~:text=That%20they%20are%20the%20particular,are%20born%20from%20the%20bodhisattvas](https://www2.hf.uio.no/polyglotta/index.php?page=fulltext&view=fulltext&vid=1113&cid=828169&mid=1927089&level=1#FN5550rn6:%7E:text=That%20they%20are%20the%20particular,are%20born%20from%20the%20bodhisattvas).

**Tags:** mahayana


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-11-01. Score: 1

Manjusri is personification of perfection of wisdom- prajnaparamita. It is wisdom which guides the previous 5 paramitas- the first 5 bhumis- to their highest use. A parable of wisdom guiding the 5 blind perfections is used as well. In short, the **meaning** being conveyed is that when wisdom arises, then, all the previous accumulated qualities reach their perfection. Panna [pali], prajna [sanskrit] is what takes one to the final goal.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I have this doubt. If Manjuśri is a personification of prajñāpāramitā, why does Manjuśri asks for instruction from Tathagata in certain sutras and Tathagata also teaches him like any other disciple? One such Sutra is the dhyayitamuśti sūtra quoted in Candrakītir's Prasannapada Chapter 16, verse 9.  
> **username_1**: Google definition of personification- "a figure intended to represent an abstract quality." Once the quality of wisdom has been personified as figure of Manjushri, it is used in stories- he asks for instructions, gives teachings, etc. This is how personification functions.  

---

