BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI
Buddha Shakyamuni is the founder of Buddhism. He was confirmed to be real in history: he was prince Siddhartha Gautama of the Shakyamuni kingdom - today's India, born around 624 BC. After seeing the suffering of the elderly, sick and deceased and the serenity of a monk, Prince Siddhartha made up his mind to leave the palace and study Buddhahood.
Shakyamuni Buddha is the root teacher of all sentient beings in the Saha world. The word "Shakyamuni" is Indian. When translated into Chinese, his name has two meanings: Nang Nhan and Tich Mac. "Humanity" here is virtue and kindness, and "energy" is ability and strength. “Nangman” means “power of compassion”.
Shakyamuni Buddha sitting on a lotus is shown extremely deeply. The lotus flower represents purity, even in a dirty mud puddle, it still smells fragrant, still radiates noble purity and clarity. The purity shines in the midst of filth, illuminating even a dark and muddy place. Like Shakyamuni Buddha, he was born in the richest and most luxurious place with the status of a noble prince, but from an early age he felt the misery and suffering of the human world, from then on he had a sincere desire to practice Buddhism. practice, hoping for sentient beings to escape the suffering of birth and death.
BHAIṢAJYAGURU
Bhaiṣajyaguru is the leader of the Pure Land of the Eastern world. According to the Sutra of Bhaiṣajyaguru Tathagata's Vows of Merit, thanks to Bodhisattva's 12 great vows while practicing the path to eliminate all illnesses and sufferings for sentient beings, making them full of good roots and moving towards liberation, when he became Buddha, he residing in the world of pure crystal, as solemn as the world of Ultimate Bliss.
Bhaiṣajyaguru (Sanskrit: bhaiṣajyaguru; meaning "physician Buddha"), also known as Medicine Master Lapis lazuli Buddha, Medicine Master Lapis lazuli Buddha, Medicine Master Tathagata, Medicine Master Lapis lazuli, Great Medicine King Buddha, because his original vow was to "save all the diseases and sufferings of sentient beings", is also known as Tieu Tai Dien Tho Buddha.
Bhaiṣajyaguru also has other titles: Great Medicine King Buddha, Vuong Thien Dao, Tieu Tai Dien Tho Buddha. Bhaiṣajyaguru is a very familiar Buddha to sentient beings in this Saha world, besides Shakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha. With 12 great vows to save sentient beings in the Saha world, most of which talk about helping sentient beings escape from tribulations, hunger, thirst, disease... but sentient beings in the Saha world often encounter many of these sufferings. So many people rely on Medicine Master Buddha to escape suffering. The original vow of the Medicine Buddha is to cure all serious illnesses and afflictions of the body and mind of sentient beings, and to save sentient beings from the suffering of life and death. Because Medicine Master Tathagata has such pure vows, completely pure transparent light (Pure Crystal Light) like lapis lazuli unobstructed appears on His body, and His land is also like that, so it is called Bhaiṣajyaguru.
BUDDHA VAIROCANA
Buddha Vairocana is the self or Dharma body of Buddha Shakyamuni, He shines his light to sentient beings everywhere and opens the path of goodness to all living beings, His light never changes. lost but exists forever.
Venerable Vairocana Buddha was the first to transmit the Mind Earth Dharma, i.e., the Bodhisattva Precepts, to thousands of Shakyamuni Buddha incarnations and even encouraged those thousands of Shakyamuni Buddha incarnations to sequentially pass them on. transmitted to hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha Shakyamuni's incarnations and to all sentient beings.
BODHISATTVA SAMANTABHADRA
He is considered one of the four great Bodhisattvas of Buddhism (the four great Bodhisattvas are Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva). He and Bodhisattva Manjushri were attendants of Buddha Shakyamuni. Bodhisattva Manjushri riding a lion stands as attendant on the left and Bodhisattva Samantabhadra riding a white elephant stands as attendant on the right.
If Bodhisattva Manjushri represents wisdom, knowledge, attainment, holding the wisdom and virtue of the Buddhas. Bodhisattva Samantabhadra represents reason, concentration, and virtue, holding the virtue, concentration, and virtue of the Buddhas.
They also explained the complete perfection of reason, concentration and enlightenment of the Tathagata. Both deities along with Buddha Vairocana are called Hoa Nghiem Tam Thanh. Tantric Buddhism proclaimed Bodhisattva Samantabhadra as Vajra Goodness, Vajra Truthfulness, and Vajra Fulfillment. He is also considered identical with Vajrasattva.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva symbolizes Reason, Concentration, and Practice; riding a white elephant with 6 tusks, serving at the right hand of the Tathagata. The white elephant symbolizes wisdom overcoming obstacles, the 6 tusks symbolize victory over the six senses (6 senses: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind).
KSITIGARBHA BODHISATTVA
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is one of the six Bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism, nicknamed Kim Kieu Giac, born in the 7th century, 696 BC, in Silla, now Han Thanh, in South Korea.
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is a Bodhisattva of great compassion and great vows to save the world. He is the leader of the U Minh. Earth is the earth, Tang is the container. Bodhisattvas have made a great vow to help all sentient beings as well as the earth, which is a refuge for all things, so it is called Earth. There are also people who explain the meaning of the word "Earth" based on the Ksitigarbha Sutra which writes: "U Minh Master Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva ". Because the way of using words in the scriptures is very literal and clear, "Bon" is the Self- Mind, "Ton" is precious, "Earth" is the mind, "Tang" is the Tathagatagarbha. Thus, only the Self- Mind is the most precious, that is the treasury of Tathagata's mind-ground. Only the Self- Mind can master the realm of darkness, that is, master the hell realm of greed – anger – ignorance.
Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, in his left hand holds a wish-fulfilling pearl, in his right hand he holds a staff with 6 rings symbolizing the six paths of reincarnation, meaning he wants to save all sentient beings in the world. His mission - Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is to save all sentient beings from heaven to hell.
The Changing Sunlight and the Changing Moonlight Bodhisattvas
The Changing Sunlight and the Changing Moonlight are two Bodhisattvas next to the Bhaiṣajyaguru. They are often mentioned in the Bhaiṣajyaguru Sutra and in the Great Compassion Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.
THE CHANGING SUNLIGHT BODHISATTVA
Bhaiṣajyaguru is an enlightened being with immeasurable compassion. He is the Omniscient, who has an alms bowl that can eliminate all kinds of physical and mental suffering for all sentient beings. The Changing Sunlight Bodhisattva or Sunlight Bodhisattva is the Great Bodhisattva who holds the Dharma treasure of Bhaiṣajyaguru.
The Changing Sunlight Bodhisattva is a Bodhisattva who resides in the realm of the sun, His title makes people immediately think of the image of "the sun emitting thousands of lights to shine throughout the world, destroying all darkness". The Changing Sunlight Bodhisattva, in Sanskrit is Sūrya-prabha, His original vow is to destroy the darkness of birth and death, like the bright sun, shining throughout the world.
THE CHANGING MOONLIGHT BODHISATTVA
The Changing Moonlight Bodhisattva is also known as Moonlight Bodhisattva (Candra-prabha-bodhisattva) or Pure Moon. He is the Bodhisattva who serves on the right side of the Bhaiṣajyaguru in the world of Pure Crystal and the Bodhisattva of the Sun. He often resides on the white side, representing the beautiful and gentle light of the moon at night.
He appears at night to show that in the dark there are still bright moon days. Relying on the clear illuminating light of the moon, people can eliminate confusion and reach the shore of Enlightenment. In Buddhism, he is a Bodhisattva who symbolizes calmness of mind (calmness). His clear and brilliant light can help sentient beings to be free from the worries and effects of the three poisons: greed anger, and ignorance.
AVALOKITESHVARA BODHISATTVA
Avalokiteshvara is one of the foremost Bodhisattvas who often uses skillful means to help Buddha Shakyamuni teach and transform sentient beings in the Saha world. In the world of Ultimate Bliss, he is the Great Bodhisattva who attends to the left hand of Amitabha Buddha. Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is the embodiment of Compassion. He made a great vow to carry out compassion and save suffering to save all sentient beings in the 6 realms of samsara.
Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara holds a vase of nectar in his left hand and a willow branch in his right hand. Nectar symbolizes compassion. Wherever this water is sprinkled, it will spread love there, cooling and soothing all the sufferings of sentient beings. Willow branches are a symbol of patience. Because cultivating is as difficult as walking in a big storm. The branches are strong and strong but easily break. Although willow branches are weak and soft, they are flexible, and the wind follows them in every direction so they are difficult to break. Guan Yin Bodhisattva uses a poplar branch to sprinkle nectar, symbolizing patience and gentleness. Without poplar branches, nectar cannot be sprinkled. Likewise, if there is compassion without patience, that compassion will not last long and will not bring complete benefits to sentient beings. Therefore, the virtues of patience and compassion always go hand in hand. Without one virtue, the other virtue cannot be realized.
BODHISATTVA AVALOKITESHVARA
His full name is called Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with countless hands, countless eyes who can save suffering and listen to the cries for help of living beings on earth. Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara with a thousand eyes, and a thousand hands can see through all the mists of the world, hear hundreds of thousands of life's meanings, and understand the sorrow, indignation, suffering, and resentment of people.
Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is often visualized as having 40 arms, each arm carries an eye, each arm also has 25 uses so it is called a thousand arms. His two main hands are the palm seal, the 38 other hands hold Buddhist treasures and tools such as: hammer, sword, vase, vajra pestle or dharma wheel along with brocade silk fabric, garlands, and jewels. His first part has 11 enlightenments corresponding to 5 floors. The top floor is Dharmakāya, the next floor is Sambhogakaya and the last 3 floors are called Incarnation. Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara has 9 faces with 3 faces on the left symbolizing equality of wisdom, 3 faces in the middle symbolizing Great Perfection and 3 faces on the right symbolizing observational teachings. His body is in white, with 11 or 27 faces, and wears a royal guard on his head. His image in each hand has an eye of wisdom, holding many magical weapons symbolizing all professions in life. According to the word-by-word extract: Avalokiteshvara is understanding, Bodhisattva is the world, Yin is sound, Avalokiteshvara is the salvation of suffering, listening to wherever there is a cry for help from earthly beings, he appears to save. He wishes to bring happiness and peace to all sentient beings, to help them have a long life, to eliminate all negative karma and serious sins, to eliminate all diseases, to stay away from the obstacles of ignorance and ignorance, and increases merit and good dharma, achieves bright good roots, and eliminates fear.
MANJUSHRI BODHISATTVA
Manjushri Bodhisattva is also known as Dieu Duc. Dieu Duc means all Virtues are complete. Legend has it that in the past, he was the third son of King No Responsibility, named Crown Prince Vuong Chung. This prince regularly made offerings to Buddha and vowed to save sentient beings, so he was given the title Manjushri. After the Treasure Store Buddha prophesied that he would have to spend countless eons in the future, he would become a Buddha in the pure world of Unconstructed Treasures in the South, named Buddha Manjushri.
Bodhisattva Manjushri is the closest figure of Buddha Shakyamuni. He appears in almost all important scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism such as: Avatamsaka, Shurangama, Phap Hoa, Vimalakirti...
THE FOUR GREAT HEAVENLY KINGS
The Four Great Heavenly Kings are also known by the special name "Four Great Diamonds". 4 heavenly kings with majestic and fierce appearances, each with a unique style. Called the four heavenly kings because these are the heavenly kings of the four directions: East, West, South, North. These 4 are the divine generals of the heavenly king De Thich at Kien Da mountain, this mountain has 4 peaks, each peak There is a heavenly king who guards and protects the people of the four realms, so it is called the Four Great Continents.
The statue of the Four Great Heavenly Kings means that these heavenly kings are like guardian deities, protecting worship areas such as pagodas, temples... guarding the four directions of good weather and wind. With their power and strength, the four will protect the pagoda to always be pure, protecting sentient beings from disasters and tribulations.