“When you discover yourself that which is the only power that exists, then you realize you can stop wasting time on all the other things and expose yourself to that one power of the universe—the power of truth, the power of what you are.” ~ Adyashanti
The powerful and striking figure of Manjushri is frequently portrayed in Buddhist iconography and symbolizes the wisdom aspect of our true nature. Usually considered a male bodhisattva, Manjushri is often portrayed as an androgynous figure wielding a flaming sword—a sword of wisdom that represents the sort of discrimination that cuts through illusion.
There are varied stories or myths associated with the figure in various schools of Buddhism and Hinduism. In Mahayana Buddhism, Manjushri is considered the oldest and most significant bodhisattva symbolizing the embodiment of prajna, or transcendent wisdom. In Vajrayana Buddhism, Manjushri is considered a fully enlightened Buddha—a meditational deity to which his disciples devote themselves. And in Hinduism, Manjushri has been depicted as an emanation of Shiva.
Adya has spoken about Manjushri in many talks over the years, and he notes the importance the figure has played in his life, first as a student of Zen and then as a teacher. He writes of Manjushri in his poem, “Tea Tasting,” printed below, and he has a full discussion and teaching based on the “Great Manjushri Perfection Prayer” in his recorded talk, The Manjushri Prayer.
In his teaching on the Manjushri prayer, Adya notes that one of the illusions Manjushri’s powerful sword slices through is the need to purify ourselves. He says, “As long as we’re trying to purify ourselves, we can’t see or realize that which is innately pure—and paradoxically, that which is innately pure is the only thing that has the power to purify the personality in any way.”
Tea Tasting
I like to sip sweet tea
a mix of peppermint and licorice—
amber gold and smooth as silk.
I have a silk shirt
that feels like that tea tastes.
It sits on my shoulders
like a warm breeze.
That tea tastes like Ramana’s soft eyes
like Buddha’s serene face.
People go looking far and wide
for the Buddha’s enlightenment
but I just sip my tea
and my tea swallows me.
The Buddha breaks into a grin
and Ramana winks one eye
like my grandfather did
when he knew that I knew
what he knew.
I like green tea too.
Strong and bitter
like the taste of grass.
Like tasting sure defeat—
the kind that you can
taste on the tip of your tongue
the kind that can change
your life on a dime
forever.
With each bitter sip
Manjushri’s sword
cuts the mind to pieces
cuts it awake
and cuts awakeness
into emptiness.
People come here
and listen to my dharma words
when all I really want to do
is sell them a little tea.
from My Secret is Silence
