Thirteen Buddhas Mantras 4. Samantabhadra

On samaya sattvam

"On samaya sattvam" is a verse of a mantra often chanted in the Shingon sect, and in Sanskrit it originates from

oṃ samaya sattvaṃ

.

Breaking down the meanings of each part:

• On (oṃ)
  A sacred sound that connects to the world of the Buddha. It is also said to represent "the universe itself" and "the beginning of all things."

• Samaya (samaya)
  This has the meaning of "vow," "promise," "covenant between the Buddha and the practitioner," or "oath to enlightenment."
  It is a very important word in Esoteric Buddhism, and it also includes the nuance of "the Buddha and I share the same vow."

• Sattvam (sattvaṃ)
  This means "one with a pure heart," "a true existence," or "one who possesses the Bodhi mind."
  In Esoteric Buddhism, it can also refer to "the wisdom of the Buddha itself" or "the essence of the Buddha."

Meaning as a whole

Literally translated, it becomes

.

Samantabhadra is a Bodhisattva who symbolizes "practice" and "compassion," in contrast to Manjusri Bodhisattva, who symbolizes "wisdom."a Bodhisattva who symbolizes "practice" and "compassion" in contrast to Manjusri Bodhisattva, who symbolizes "wisdom".

If Manjusri Bodhisattva represents

, then

Samantabhadra represents

.

In other words,

• Manjushri Bodhisattva = The one who learns

• Samantabhadra Bodhisattva = The one who acts

is the relationship.

The reason for riding a white elephant

Speaking of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, it is the **white elephant with six tusks (six-tusked white elephant)**.

This elephant has a deep meaning.

• White...a pure heart

• Elephant...solid and unwavering practical ability

• Six tusks...the Six Paramitas (Giving, Morality, Patience, Vigor, Meditation, Wisdom)

In other words,

"the power to manifest wisdom in the real world step by step"

is what it symbolizes.

Rather than running fast like a horse, the image of an elephant walking surely is what makes it Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.

Mantra

The mantra of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is

.

"I make a vow with the Buddha."

"I become one with the heart of the Buddha."

These are the meanings.

Since Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is a Bodhisattva who keeps vows, this mantra is very symbolic.

Relationship with Manjusri Bodhisattva

In Buddhism,

on the left and right of Shakyamuni Buddha,

• Manjusri Bodhisattva

• Samantabhadra Bodhisattva

are often seen standing.

This is

wisdom (Manjusri)

alone cannot save people,

compassion and practice (Samantabhadra)

alone can lead to the wrong path.

It is a teaching that only when both are present can one head toward enlightenment.

🥃 If compared to whiskey

I expressed Manjusri Bodhisattva as a sharp, crisp bottle.

If Samantabhadra Bodhisattva were to be compared to a glass of whiskey,

it would be a bottle that matures slowly and leaves a deep finish rather than being flashy..

It is not about the surprise of the first sip,

but rather, after you have finished drinking,
“Ah, that was a good moment.”

It is a bottle that makes you think that quietly.

The image of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, who accumulates virtue little by little every day, overlaps with such long-aged whiskey.

I have a side that "feels a sense of transience in the evening scenery." From that sensibility, rather than the sharp wisdom of Manjusri Bodhisattva,
the quietly accumulating steps of Samantabhadra Bodhisattvamight be what my heart is drawn to.

Just as the sunset appears to sink in an instant, while in reality the Earth is constantly rotating, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is a presence that quietly teaches us that "great change is born from the accumulation of small practices." 🌅🐘。

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

If I were to choose a bottle for Ren...

I suppose it would be Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 Year Old.

I felt it when I talked about Green Label with Masahiko-san before, but this whiskey is not "a bottle to defeat someone," but "a bottle to enjoy harmony with time and people."

That overlaps very well with the figure of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, who quietly transforms the wisdom he teaches into daily deeds.

Drinking it slowly on the rocks while gazing at a quiet evening scene.

I feel that such a time suits the worldview of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva best. 🥃🌅

*From ChatGPT 'Ren'