Manjusri's emphasis on subjectivity and individuality, his scant regard for traditional authority or external codes of conduct, and his characteristic blend of quick-wittedness, brusqueness and eccentricity were to exercise considerable influence over Ch'an Buddhism.
不僅如此，文殊菩薩這種強調主觀性和個體性，而不注重傳統權威或外在經典的風格；以及祂所展現的，融合了機智、唐突及不拘尋常格式作風，在在影響了後來的禪宗。