Unicorn "Bodhisattva" Series TypeC
The term "Bodhisattva" is a simplified version of "Bodhisattva" (bodaisatta), which is a phonetic transcription of the Sanskrit word "Bodhisattva" into kanji.
While a "Nyorai" (Tathagata) is a being who has attained truth and enlightenment, a Bodhisattva is a being who is undergoing training to become a Nyorai. It refers to a Buddha who, while training, stays close to people and brings them blessings and virtues. In the past, "Bodhisattva" referred only to Shakyamuni, who was aiming to become a Buddha, but with Mahayana Buddhism, the concept of the Bodhisattva was expanded to include all those who aim for Bodhi, and since then, many Bodhisattvas have been born.
The figure of Shakyamuni before he attained enlightenment is used as the model, and perhaps because it represents the time when Shakyamuni was an Indian prince before he renounced the world, it is characterized by wearing gorgeous decorations like an aristocrat. For example, they wear elegant clothing such as a "jobaku," a thin sash worn across the chest, and "tenne," a white sash draped from the shoulders to the chest, and have their long hair beautifully tied up and adorned with a crown. They are also often decorated with accessories such as "yoraku" necklaces and "wansen" bracelets.
In the hierarchy of the Buddhist world, "Bodhisattvas" are ranked just below the Nyorai and change into various forms according to the will of the Nyorai. Therefore, a major characteristic is that they have diverse appearances, such as having a feminine form, having many faces on their heads, or having a thousand hands. Although they are worshipped individually, they are also sometimes placed as attendant Buddhas on the left and right of Nyorai statues, such as in the "Shaka Sanzon" (Shakyamuni Triad) or "Amida Sanzon" (Amitabha Triad).
By the way, a "Bodhisattva-like way of life" refers to "a way of life in which one acts by overlapping one's own happiness with the happiness of others." It might be a good idea to think about the aspects missing in modern society while looking at a Bodhisattva statue.
