Buddha Shakyamuni Turning the Wheel of Dharma
Buddha Shakyamuni Turning the Wheel of Dharma (Main figure)
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(Top to bottom): Buddha Shakyamuni and Dorje Shugden
Deity: Buddha Shakyamuni (Sanskrit)
Alternative name: Sangye Shakya Tubpa (Tibetan)
Buddha Shakyamuni, from whom the 84,000 Dharmas arise, compassionately turned the wheel of Dharma until his parinirvana at the age of 81. Due to his great kindness in teaching the Dharma enshrined in the 108 volumes of the Kangyur, many have been liberated from samsara and many will continue to be liberated. It is said Shakyamuni’s teachings will pervade our world system for 5,000 years after which only signs of Dharma will be seen but actual Dharma will not be practised. Shakyamuni established the order of the monks and nuns in which pure discipline (vinaya) can be practised, bringing beings to higher states of rebirth. This spread all over Asia and now the West. The Sangha community embodies the teachings, practice and discipline as taught by Buddha. The scene depicted here is the Buddha turning the wheel of Dharma, surrounded by his many disciples.
Deity: Dorje Shugden (Tibetan)
Alternative name: Vajra Rudra (Sanskrit)
Dorje Shugden is an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. He took the form of a Dharma protector in order to safeguard the Buddha’s teachings, especially the important teachings on the Middle Way view. Reminiscent of Manjushri’s form, Dorje Shugden carries a meandering sword and rides a snowlion that represents the fearlessness of a fully enlightened Buddha. Thus, he has great strength to overcome obstacles of the body, speech and mind, and create suitable conditions for our spiritual practice to flourish.
Click here for more beautiful thangkas.
For more interesting information:
- The Dorje Shugden category on the blog
- Must Watch: Powerful Explanations on Dharma Protectors
- Black Tara – The Wrathful Protectress
- Mahasiddha Tilopa – the Chakrasamvara Master
- Guhya Manjushri – the Secret Form of Wisdom
- Five Extraordinary Visions of Lama Tsongkhapa
- The Mahasiddha Kukkuripa and His Dog
- Lords of Purification – 35 Confessional Buddhas
- Manjushri Nagarakshasa – The Naga Deity
- Janguli – The Goddess that Protects from Snakes
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We are most fortunate to be born within the 5000 years after Buddha Shakyamuni came into this world and taught the holy Dharma . With his 84000 Dharmas, he has liberated many sentient beings from suffering and samsara and will continue to do so. In the 108 Kangyurs are contained the Buddha’s entire teachings .
In Kechara, we are exceptionally fortunate that the teachings of Lord Buddha have been brought and presented to us by our Guru in the context of the 21st Century in a most powerful yet accessible way for us to grasp, study, contemplate, practice and transform. Furthermore,he has brought us the Lineage teachings of Je Tsongkhapa and Pabongka Rinpoche’s “Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand”, which encapsulates the 84000 teachings of Lord Buddha!
How beholden we are to our precious Guru. May his incarnation return swiftly to continue to turn the Wheel of Dharma to benefit countless beings.
Born as a prince …Siddhartha Gautama but then became known as Shakyamuni only after he became the Buddha . Buddha gave teachings or compassionately turning the wheel of Dharma at a variety of places for many years until his parinirvana. Through these teachings, Buddha showed the way that leads all beings to the experience of awakening and liberation from samsara. In this beautiful thanka Buddha is depicted with his many disciples and Dorje Shugden who is an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.