White Manjushri

Manjushri (tib. ‘jam pa’i dbyangs) — Smooth, Glorious, Melodious — is the embodiment of all the Buddha’s infinite Wisdom.

In this form he has white color and holds the flaming sword of wisdom on stem of a lotus of his right and in his left is the stem of a lotus flower upon which rests a volume of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra. The artist has depicted Manjushri as manifesting in the sphere of limitless space as a way of symbolizing the clear, unobstructed nature of this deity’s omniscient mind.

According to ancient symbolism the elephants depicted below are the most powerful beings in the world. Here they are paying homage to Manjushri as a symbol of great respect to his knowledge wisdom.