Manjushri Nagarakshasa comes to KFR!
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
The ferocious Manjushri Nagarakshasa or Jampel Nagarakshasa is one of the most fearsome looking Buddha-yidams within the Tibetan Buddhist pantheon. As his name implies, he is a direct emanation of Manjushri but appears with the lower half of a naga. This form of Manjushri’s unusual appearance is a direct reflection of the benefits of his practice, and how he can assist us.
Kechara recently had the merits to invite this unusual form of Manjushri to our land. The dawn of August 5, 2017 saw the auspicious arrival of our 9ft Manjushri Nagarakshasa statue to Kechara Forest Retreat. A group of volunteers gathered to welcome Manjushri Nagarakshasa and together they cleaned, washed and polished the statue. Meanwhile, another team prepared the holy items and mantras to be inserted, packing everything and sewing it into yellow cloth with mothballs, incense and potpourri.
After the statue was sealed, Manjushri Nagarakshasa was lifted by crane and escorted to the stone pedestal that had been built for him. As the group escorted the statue to the final position, they recited his mantra OM PHEY LAM HUM. Pastor David then proceeded to give a short talk about the iconography and benefits of Manjushri Nagarakshasa, before the group queued to make offerings of candles, khatas (silk scarves) and flower garlands. On behalf of H.E. Tsem Rinpoche, offerings of incense and milk were also made.
Manjushri Nagarakshasa is black in colour with 10 wrathful faces and 18 powerful arms. Eight of his right arms wield knives and eight of his left arms hold serpent nooses; the first pair of arms holds a pair of these implements to his heart. His upper body is that of a giant raksha with his back resting on Mount Meru, the mythical mountain believed to be the centre of the universe. His lower body is that of a naga’s tail and reaches into the depths of the ocean.
The practice of Manjushri Nagarakshasa first appeared in Tibet during the time of Guru Rinpoche. At that time, King Trisong Detsen discovered that nagas in disguise were attending Guru Rinpoche’s teachings. In dealing with the nagas, the king inadvertently offended them and was stricken with a terrible disease caused by the nagas. Guru Rinpoche eventually came to learn about what transpired and he prescribed the practice of Manjushri Nagarakshasa to the king to alleviate the disease.
Hence the lineage of this practice descends from Guru Rinpoche, with the purpose of appeasing the nagas and alleviating naga-related diseases. When the nagas are offended, those who are sensitive will receive signs including dreams of snakes attacking us, accidents, skin diseases (especially leprosy), cancer, kidney problems, disharmony within our lives and, in extreme cases, can lead to possession and even death. As powerful beings that can control the weather, nagas can also cause severe drought or floods if they are displeased.
In this way, Manjushri Nagarakshasa’s practice is deeply connected with the environment. So his presence on our land is important because the earth has been altered and moved in the process of developing our retreat centre. In the process of construction, the homes of many unseen beings who were there before us, such as the nagas, would have been displaced or destroyed. Not to mention the noise, movement and general disturbances associated with construction. Manjushri Nagarakshasa’s practice and energy will help to appease them and calm the land, and to introduce a healing energy to the environment. As Rinpoche explained:
As this powerful emanation of Manjushri arrives at Kechara Forest Retreat (KFR), Malaysia today. We should rejoice as this form is extremely vajra ferocious and protects our land and ourselves from interferences, spirits, nagas, magic and blesses our karma to promote powerful healing in our bodies. Manjushri Nagarakshasa is also excellent to ‘violently’, out of compassion, bring more peace and healing energy to the area where he is abiding in order to tame the diseases of the body and mind. He has 10 faces, 18 arms and below the waist he has a powerful naga bottom rising out of the ocean and his body leans against Mount Meru.
This beautiful statue is 9ft tall and from a special type of tinted bronze for outdoors. All beings visiting and living in KFR are blessed daily. All beings who view this powerful Buddha is blessed tremendously to purify karma for obscurations, projections, misunderstanding of samsara, realisation of emptiness, diseases and afflictions from nagas. The land, water and elements becomes peaceful and healing. All humans, formless beings and animals are blessed in this location. Manjushri has so many beneficial forms and this is one of them. We welcome this form of Manjushri to Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia.
One may recite his short mantra to invoke powerful healing and wisdom energies: OM PHEY LAM HUNG
~ Tsem Rinpoche
As Rinpoche explained, Manjushri Nagarakshasa’s practice has benefits that extend beyond the healing of the corporeal body. As a Buddha, and being an emanation of wisdom energy, he blesses us with the highest form of healing, the destruction of our ignorance which gives rise to all of our untold and innumerable sufferings from previous lifetimes and beyond. It is our ignorance that compels us to engage in actions which accumulate karma of the body, speech and mind. This karma then ripens and manifests into the various physical ailments and discomforts we experience. Hence when we develop wisdom, we no longer make such choices and no longer make such karma. Therefore the true healing, the most ultimate form of healing, is attaining the state of Buddhahood, when we are no longer subjected to the laws of karma. We will neither create it nor suffer from it, and so Manjushri Nagarakshasa’s practice helps us to accomplish that state.
May everyone be blessed by Manjushri Nagarakshasa and just by seeing him, may seeds of enlightenment be planted in their mindstreams. This Manjushri Nagarakshasa is just the first out of many more interesting, unique deity statues to be invited to Kechara Forest Retreat this year and beyond. If you would like to get involved, please contact the Kechara House Front Desk to find out or to make a contribution (care@kechara.com or +603 7803 3908).
Following the footsteps of his previous incarnation Kentrul Thubten Lamsang, Tsem Rinpoche continues to create large life-sized Buddhist images, build physical institutions, introduce the spiritual teachings to thousands and build Dharma communities in the least expected places. So we are very pleased to bring to you these photos of the creation of the Manjushri Nagarakshasa shrine, and the latest development at Kechara Forest Retreat. Do make the time to come and have an audience with this sacred form of Manjushri, the first of its kind in Malaysia, and connect with and invite his healing energies into your life.
Welcoming Manjushri Nagarakshasa
to Kechara Forest Retreat (English)
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/ArrivalManjushriENG.mp4
Welcoming Manjushri Nagarakshasa
to Kechara Forest Retreat (Chinese)
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/ArrivalManjushriCHI.mp4
Facebook Live Videos
For the first time, Kechara used Facebook Live to livestream the auspicious invitation of this statue. As a result, over 12,000 people had the seeds of Manjushri planted in their minds when they were able to watch the invitation of Manjushri Nagarakshasa to Kechara Forest Retreat.
If you would like to stay updated and be informed of new Facebook Live videos, please sign up to be notified at Rinpoche’s Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/TsemTulkuRinpoche/ (here’s how!)
Here you can see the team of volunteers preparing Manjushri Nagarakshasa to be filled with holy items and statues. Later, everyone teams up to help clean, wash and polish the statue before escorting Manjushri to his final location.
Manjushri Nagarakshasa escorted by the volunteers to his outdoor pedestal.
Photos
A few days before the arrival of Manjushri Nagarakshasa, landscaping work was done as an offering to the deity, as well as to beautify the surrounding environment for pilgrims and practitioners to enjoy.
Other Forms of Manjushri
For more interesting information:
- All About Manjushri / 关于文殊菩萨
- Dorje Shugden Gyenze to Increase Life, Merits and Wealth
- Largest Dorje Shugden in the world
- Manjushri on a Pond
- Apology to the Naga Realm
- Holy Mother Tara comes to KFR!
- The Healing Deity – Loma Gyonma
- Kechara Forest Retreat’s Manjushri!
- Floating Market: Dharma sharing on offerings
- Kentrul Thubten Lamsang
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Manjushri Nagarakshasa a beautiful, powerful and sacred statue at our Kechara Forest Retreat, all thanks to our Lama Tsem Rinpoche. The invitation of this powerful Manjushri Nagarakshasa will benefits many merely by seeing it, the seeds of enlightenment be planted in their mind stream . Manjushri Nagarakshasa’s practice is deeply connected with the environment. I am glad to be part of the volunteers given the opportunity to help in the cleaning and polishing of the statues. Manjushri Nagarakshasa is filled with holy items and statues and not mistaken this powerful Manjushri Nagarakshasa is the first of its kind in Malaysia. May more people able to see it and be blessed.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing with clear explanation.
Buddha Manjushri seems to be very busy because he has so many emanations. Sometimes he is a young man sitting on a throne holding up a sword; sometimes he is a protector with a bull face; sometimes he is riding on a snowlion in monks’ robe. This emanation here is called Manjushri Nagarakshasa.
I think this statue must be the one and only in Malaysia or maybe in the world. It is very rare. Tsem Rinpoche is very kind to introduce Manjushri in this form to us so we can be blessed and our environment can be blessed too. Tsem Rinpoche always gives us knowledge about a Buddhist deity, this is important so our faith will grow.
Everyone should come and visit Kechara Forest Retreat because it is a highly blessed and holy place. Tsem Rinpoche and other high Lamas have performed extensive pujas here, the energy especially the healing energy is very strong. If you are having health problems, come to Kechara Forest Retreat for healing, if you are healthy, the healing energy can bless your mind.
Mantras in the waters of Kechara Forest Retreat-Malaysia
Mantras represent the blessings of the enlightened beings in the form of sound. When we recite mantras they stimulate the various parts of our body to heal itself, to clear itself, to purify itself and to gain higher states of consciousness. Therefore, mantras are very powerful. They can be written, visualised or recited out aloud. The mantras of enlightened beings bless ordinary beings, animals, ethereal or formless beings and everyone in the environment.
In Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia, we have a koi fish pond, on which sits a magnificent statue of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. When the fish circumambulate around Manjushri they are blessed by his divine presence. At the same time, people who come to visit the pond and circumambulate around Manjushri receive the same blessings.
Along with the Manjushri fish pond, we also have a lake in Kechara Forest Retreat. In the middle of this lake is a Shakyamuni Buddha statue. In both these places we have placed Manjushri mantra stones underneath submerged under the water so that the animals, humans and beings who circumambulate these holy statues, not only circumambulate the images of the Buddhas but also sacred mantras. The is done in order to plant the seeds of enlightenment in their mindstreams so that in the future they are able to realise Bodhicitta, the realisation of Emptiness and higher states of consciousness. So, I thought I would share this little video with everyone. Thank you.
Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1542840739.mp4
This video, narrated in Chinese, features Manjushri mantra stones. These are stones carved with the sacred mantra of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. The mantra of any Buddha is basically the manifestation of the enlightened being in the form of sound. Therefore, Manjushri’s mantra embodies the special qualities of his transcendent wisdom. Offering of these mantras stones is likened to an offering of Manjushri-like speech to the Three Jewels.
Sponsoring and offering such stones has the benefit of gaining deeper insight into spiritual practice, improving one’s memory, critical thinking, creativity, language and the purification of negative karma related to speech. It also promotes the development of powerful speech that has a positive impact on others.
In the video we see mantra stones placed at the majestic Four-armed Manjushri statue in Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia. The more stones are offered there, the more benefit it brings to the person circumambulating and paying homage to Lord Manjushri. These stones are available at Naropa’s Cave in Kechara Forest Retreat and can be offered to the statue of Manjushri here just as you see in the video.
Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1542838906.mp4
Dear All
I would like to share with you the sacred prayer of Manjushri – A Concert Names of Manjushri (’Jam-dpal mtshan-brjod, Skt. Mañjuśrī-namasamgiti), which consists of 160 verses and mantra sentences. One version is translated by Alexander Berzin, a scholar, translator, and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, and the other one is from FPMT.
Valentina
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. The live streaming was very interesting and exciting. Thank you very much Rinpoche and everyone for showing it live for us to watch. Rejoice to all involved in installation of this sacred Manjushri Nagarakshasa at Kechara Forest Retreat. Rinpoche did explain that Manjushri Nagarakshasa very good in assist us to attain buddhahoods and this will create no karma and end of sufferings. May more people and many sentient beings will be blessed and protected by Manjushri Nagarakshasa towards the end of samsara.?
Was excited and crying when watching the livestream on facebook. Felt the presence of Manjushri Nagaraksha was so near. Visited everytime we were there. We are very blessed to have it here close to us.Thank you Rinpoche for having it installed to benefits of all sentient beings.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. We are all very blessed to be able to visit Kechara Forest Retreat and to be blessed by the various forms of Manjushri from Dorje Shugden, Dream Manjushri to Manjushri Nagarakshasa. Everyone who visits Kechara Forest Retreat will be blessed and also planted the seeds of Dharma in them. These few different forms of Manjushri aids practitioners with the different types of obstacles and conditions that they face in their daily lives. May everyone eventually liberated from samsara and gain enlightenment.
With folded palms,
Vivian
We are very lucky to have H.E Tsem Rinpoche to introduce various form of Manjushri for us in Kechara Forest Retreat. To view the rare form of Manjushri is a great blessing. Kechara Forest Retreat to me is the heaven of Manjushri.
By reading the description on Manjushri Nagarakshasa, Manjushri Nagarakshasa are powerful to purify our mental karma and also heal our body. More importantly bring harmony to our environment. I wonder Kechara would have this mini statue of Nagarakshasa so that we can invite to our home.
I have often heard about the ferocious Nagas who inflicted diseases and sometimes death on people who has offended them. This happens in particular at constructions site where land was disturbed. The Nagas lives in the woods, especially places have water and ponds. The Nagas will get very angry when their land are disturbed and polluted. Manjushri Nagarakshasa, which is an emanation of Manjushri as the King of the Naga, who portray extreme ferocious are able to subdue the nagas and calm down their negative energies. We are glad that in Malaysia we have the great merit to welcome this holly being into Kechara Forest Retreat. Having the presence of Manjushri Nagarakshasa has immediately create immense positive energies in calming the surrounding land, and of course all beings that is living here.
Amazing Statue of Manjushri Nagarakshasa ….i saw it last sunday. (27/08/2017) We are indeed very fortunate able to have this Powerful Manjushri Nagarakshasa at Kechara Forest Retreat (KFR) It is very beneficial for all sentient beings visiting , living in KFR as well the surronding land.. Being able to watch on live was very meritolous for many thousands people and had the seeds of Manjushri planted in their minds .Rejoice.
Thank you Rinpoche for having it installed at (KFR) for the benefits of all sentient beings…first Manjushri Nagarakshasa in Malaysia .And more beautiful ,powerful statues to come to this beautiful Holy place KFR. With this Manjushri Nagarakshasa ,do hope more and more visitors will be going to KFR .
Thanks again with folded hands.
We rejoice to have this rare opportunity to be blessed and to have the statue invited in KFR. May all who visit be blessed.
I had the opportunity to volunteer at the recent Ullambana festival (27th Aug) and had the merits to be assigned to be stationed at the statue itself!! We have had quite a lot of visitors who came by to offer light and incense, to circumambulate and to chant the sacred mantra whilst circumambulating. May all be blessed.
During my few hours spent at the site, in between the arrival of visitors, I had the opportunity to quietly meditate and reflect visualizing Guru and Manjushri Nagarakshasa as one. It was a time of great and deep peace and quietness in my mind that I am able to reflect and to purify. I thank Your Eminence for this great opportunity to volunteer and for bringing Dharma to all.
With folded hands,
Lum Kok Luen
We are very lucky to have the very rare Manjushri Naga Rakshasa installed on our KFR land. Because of Rinpoche, we have invited so many rare statues in KFR, there are: 1. Largest Dorje Shugden in the world, 2. 4 arms Manjushri, 3. World first Dorje Shugden Oracle statue, 4. Manjushri Naga Rakshasa, 5. Dream Manjushri.
All these statues are made according to the iconography and highly blesssed. Do drop by KFR to receive the blessings and positive energy.
Rejoice to all involved in installation of this sacred Manjushri Nagarakshasa at Kechara Forest Retreat. Rinpoche did explain that Manjushri Nagarakshasa very good in assist us to attain buddhahoods and this will create no karma and end of sufferings.
I wish visitor to KFR can spend some times to pay homage to Manjushri Nagarakshasa to receive blessing and healing especially to those who had severe illness.
As Rinpoche said, many more unique deities statue will be located in KFR soon. We can do contribution in any amount. Sponsor to build Buddha statue will gain tremendous merits no matters how small the amounts.
Thank you Rinpoche and BOD of KECHARA for the effort to ensure KECHARA is a world class spiritual center.
Jason
Thank you Rinpoche, Kechara Pastors and all who have contributed to invite Manjushri Nagarakshasa to Kechara Forest Retreat in order to bless the land, environment, animals, insects, unseen beings and all the visitors and people, who wish to receive the healing energy and blessing from Manjushri Nagarakshasa.
Through the blessing from Rinpoche, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to pay homage to Manjushri Nagarakshasa after the Kechara Ullambana Festival events ended on that day itself (27th August 2017). All of us from Ipoh were spiritually motivated to offer incense, lights and even capture our picture in front of Manjushri Nagarakshasa for the first time so that we can show our picture to other family members and friends in order to bless them through Manjushri Nagarakshasa. May more people and many sentient beings will be blessed and protected by Manjushri Nagarakshasa towards the end of samsara.
Thank you with folded hands,
kin hoe
Nagaraksha is so out of this world on the KFR landscape. He looks so fiercely compassionate to be at KFR, and pacify the nagas of in that area. Rejoice that the installation of Manjushri Nagaraksha planted seeds of enlightenment into 12,000 viewers.
Such joyful to have Manjushri Nagaraksha at KFR.
This is such a beautiful and powerful statue of Nagarakshasa. The benefits to have such a holy outdoor statue is tremendous for everyone who comes to Kechara Forest Retreat and for all beings seen and unseen.
For healing diseases related to Nagas like cancer, skin diseases and kidney problems, this form of Manjushri is very beneficial.
If you want to know more about Nagas please read here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/apology-to-the-naga-realm.html
May we be close to Manjushri, all the Buddhas, the Dharma and Sangha always.
A beautiful place to escape the madding crowd. The peace and serenity can only be experienced. No words can express that. With the addition of large statues of Buddhas around the land, there is just so much blessings and healing to be had here.
A very interesting teaching on how Manjushri Nagaraksha cam to be in KFR and why we need this Buddha. Thank you.
Is Naga really exist?That’s the question that come into my mind when I was told by my Kechara friends about the real story of people offended Naga and was stricken with a terrible diseases. Thanks Tsem Rinpoche & KFR crew for the effort of inviting Manjushri Nagaraksa to KFR. All beings who view this powerful Buddha is blessed tremendously to purify diseases and afflictions from nagas. Wish Tsem Rinpoche long life & keep turning the wheel of Dharma
Dear Rinpoche,
It’s a sight to behold and this Lord Manjushri Nagarakshasa really has made a grand entrance that day, whereby we watched it live! Thanks to Kecharians who have made this possible.
As what has explained by Rinpoche, perhaps those afflicted with naga related diseases such as skin related diseases can make their way here, to propiate and get protection from Him. I’ve seen many are afflicted with skin related problems nowadays. There are many ways that nagas can be offended and I’ve learnt more about Nagas from here https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/apology-to-the-naga-realm.html . I also can see that KFR is more like a healing place for us, not only limited for those serious Dharma seekers (just like the monasteries in Tibet) . Thank you Rinpoche.
P/S: Little did I know that this practice came from the period of King Trisong Detsen and Guru Padmasambhava. Perhaps this is also another reason why Rinpoche would like to invite this form of Manjushri.
GLORY TO MANJUSRI NAGARAKSHA IN THE TEN DIRECTIONS OF MILLIONS OF UNIVERSES!
GLORY TO MANJUSRI NAGARAKHSA IN THE TEN DIRECTIONS OF MILLIONS OF UNIVERSES!
Why do Mahayana and Varjayana Buddhists love statues and pray to them? Is a question always asked. There are many real reasons why certain deities statues are created and most of them come to the one conclusion (in my personal opinion) to benefit the practitioners to overcome their negativities of karma or physical ailments.
Often I would answer the curious question with the simple explanation that statues are forms whereby practitioners use to meditate on and generate merits to animate the virtues of the deity.
Of course my explanation is totally insufficient.
When Manjushri Nagarakshasa was invited and installed at Medicine Buddha Hill at Kechara Forest Retreat, I was also perplexed by the wrathful form of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. On learning of the reasons for the propitiation of this Buddha from H.E the 25th Tsem Rinpoche, all my uncertainties fell away.
Once again due to the compassion of the Great Masters and Lamas, we are taught of ways to heal and purify our body, speech and mind to eventually attain enlightenment through faith and prayers to the Buddha that suits us at the right time and place.