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Amitabha Buddha! Welcome everyone to the Central Platform of Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Canada.
The bronze statue of Child Manjushri Bodhisattva on the Central Platform stands at a net height of 9.99 meters, with a total height of 13 meters including the base. This form of Manjushri is known as the Child Manjushri or Manjushri King. He wears a five-leaved crown and has a boat-shaped aureole behind him. His right hand holds the sword of wisdom, representing the severing of all ignorance and afflictions, while his left hand is in the teaching mudra, holding the stem of a lotus flower upon which rests the Prajñāpāramitā scripture, symbolizing the wisdom of all Buddhas. He is seated in a double lotus posture on a double-tiered inverted lotus pedestal. Below the lotus pedestal is a square base adorned with intertwined dragons and lotus motifs. Four guardian vajra warriors, armoured and fierce-looking, protect the statue.
In Buddhist scriptures, it is recorded that "Manjushri Bodhisattva may manifest as a young child, playing in a village, or appear as a poor and elderly person." The name Manjushri translates to "Wonderfully Auspicious." Manjushri, which means exquisite, elegant, and lovely, is why people often believe Manjushri Bodhisattva may also manifest as an innocent and adorable child, joyfully playing in villages. Sometimes he appears as a poor and ailing individual, showing signs of aging and illness, or even as a beggar suffering from hunger and cold. "To care for our own elders as well as the elders of others; to care for our own young as well as the young of others." Child Manjushri exemplifies this teaching, demonstrating that bodhisattvas, in addition to their supreme wisdom, also possess the innocence of a child's compassionate heart.
At Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Canada, while the Southern Platform is surrounded by eighty-eight Buddha stupas and the Western Platform is illuminated by the Eightfold Path of Enlightenment, the Central Platform is guarded by five hundred Arhats, thus known as the Five Hundred Arhats Guarding the Central Platform. Why are there five hundred Arhats on the Central Platform, and how did they become significant in Buddhism?
The term "Five Hundred Arhats" originally referred to "Arhats," translated from the Sanskrit term "Arhat." It signified the highest state that practitioners in Buddhism could attain. Later, the term evolved to represent those who have achieved the state of "Arhat."
Legend has it that five hundred Arhats reside on the Qingliang Mountain and observe their summer retreat on the Central Platform. The sacred statue of Child Manjushri on the Central Platform at Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Canada was precisely donated from Wutai Shan in China. It was also imbued with blessings from Wutai Shan in China, making the two sites interlinked, sharing the same roots and Dharma lineage. This sacred site is also where the manifestations of the five hundred Arhats appear.
In Chinese folklore, it is customary to count Arhats when visiting temples. Counting the Arhat that corresponds to one's age can provide insights into future fortune and destiny based on the Arhat's name, appearance, gestures, habits, and accomplishments.
When counting Arhats, one usually determines the starting direction and crosses the Central Platform left or right with their feet first to decide whether to count from the left or right. Sometimes it's distinguished by gender, with men counting from the left and women from the right. Occasionally, the order is determined by age.
No matter the method, the principle is to approach the practice naturally, sincerely, and with a genuine heart. When counting Arhats, it's essential to visit temples with a strong spiritual presence, and Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Canada is such a place. While here, take a moment to rest and discover your future fortune.
Amitabha Buddha! Welcome everyone to the Central Platform of Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Canada.
The bronze statue of Child Manjushri Bodhisattva on the Central Platform stands at a net height of 9.99 meters, with a total height of 13 meters including the base. This form of Manjushri is known as the Child Manjushri or Manjushri King. He wears a five-leaved crown and has a boat-shaped aureole behind him. His right hand holds the sword of wisdom, representing the severing of all ignorance and afflictions, while his left hand is in the teaching mudra, holding the stem of a lotus flower upon which rests the Prajñāpāramitā scripture, symbolizing the wisdom of all Buddhas. He is seated in a double lotus posture on a double-tiered inverted lotus pedestal. Below the lotus pedestal is a square base adorned with intertwined dragons and lotus motifs. Four guardian vajra warriors, armoured and fierce-looking, protect the statue.
In Buddhist scriptures, it is recorded that "Manjushri Bodhisattva may manifest as a young child, playing in a village, or appear as a poor and elderly person." The name Manjushri translates to "Wonderfully Auspicious." Manjushri, which means exquisite, elegant, and lovely, is why people often believe Manjushri Bodhisattva may also manifest as an innocent and adorable child, joyfully playing in villages. Sometimes he appears as a poor and ailing individual, showing signs of aging and illness, or even as a beggar suffering from hunger and cold. "To care for our own elders as well as the elders of others; to care for our own young as well as the young of others." Child Manjushri exemplifies this teaching, demonstrating that bodhisattvas, in addition to their supreme wisdom, also possess the innocence of a child's compassionate heart.
At Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Canada, while the Southern Platform is surrounded by eighty-eight Buddha stupas and the Western Platform is illuminated by the Eightfold Path of Enlightenment, the Central Platform is guarded by five hundred Arhats, thus known as the Five Hundred Arhats Guarding the Central Platform. Why are there five hundred Arhats on the Central Platform, and how did they become significant in Buddhism?
The term "Five Hundred Arhats" originally referred to "Arhats," translated from the Sanskrit term "Arhat." It signified the highest state that practitioners in Buddhism could attain. Later, the term evolved to represent those who have achieved the state of "Arhat."
Legend has it that five hundred Arhats reside on the Qingliang Mountain and observe their summer retreat on the Central Platform. The sacred statue of Child Manjushri on the Central Platform at Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Canada was precisely donated from Wutai Shan in China. It was also imbued with blessings from Wutai Shan in China, making the two sites interlinked, sharing the same roots and Dharma lineage. This sacred site is also where the manifestations of the five hundred Arhats appear.
In Chinese folklore, it is customary to count Arhats when visiting temples. Counting the Arhat that corresponds to one's age can provide insights into future fortune and destiny based on the Arhat's name, appearance, gestures, habits, and accomplishments.
When counting Arhats, one usually determines the starting direction and crosses the Central Platform left or right with their feet first to decide whether to count from the left or right. Sometimes it's distinguished by gender, with men counting from the left and women from the right. Occasionally, the order is determined by age.
No matter the method, the principle is to approach the practice naturally, sincerely, and with a genuine heart. When counting Arhats, it's essential to visit temples with a strong spiritual presence, and Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden in Canada is such a place. While here, take a moment to rest and discover your future fortune.