Manjushri, meaning ‘beautiful glory’, is a meditational deity of Vajrayana/Tibetan Buddhism, considered a fully enlightened buddha. He is typically classified as a wisdom deity, associated with insight, who promotes development of wisdom, knowledge, language, and memory skills.
Manjushri in Buddhism is the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. Manjushri’s name means ‘gentle glory’ or ‘sweet glory’ in Sanskrit. He is recognized as the ‘gentle-toned or sweet-voiced one’ and the ‘Lord of Speech, thus also known as Manjughosha and Vagishvara, respectively. His mantra comprised of the syllables Om Ah Ra Pa Tsa Na Dhi.
Guru Rinpoche (the Precious Guru), also known as Guru Padmasambhava (Lotus born), is a seminal figure in Buddhism, instrumental in the establishment of Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th Century CE. Praying to Guru Rinpoche is believed to help in the development of inner power, and the removal of bad karma and suffering.
Vajrasattva, is the main deity employed for purification by practitioners of all levels of tantra. Vajrasattva also goes by Dorje Sempa རྡོ་རྗེ་སེམས་དཔའ་, meaning “diamond being”. Vajrasattva meditation is the primary cleansing practice recommended by Vajrayana Buddhism. It is also used to purify any broken vows made by a disciple to their tantric master. Going beyond personal practice, the Vajrasattva mantra is believed to purify karma, bring peace, and instigate enlightened activity on a wider scale.
Green Tara is regarded as the mother of all Bodhisattvas, a lover of all sentient beings. She is associated with enlightened activity, helping people pass beyond earthly existence. Green Tara grants refuge from all things which may obstruct, or cause trouble. She also embodies many qualities of the ‘feminine’, known as the mother of mercy and compassion, giving relief from bad karma.
White Tara (Sitatārā) is a Bodhisattva of compassion and action, associated with practices designed to lengthen one’s lifespan and to overcome life-threatening challenges. She is worshiped by practitioners of Vajrayana Buddhism to develop the qualities of compassion (karuṇā), loving-kindness (mettā) and emptiness (shunyata).
Chenrezig is a form of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, also known as 4 armed 6 Syllable Avalokitesvara, he embody the compassion of all Buddhas. Chenrezig is the white Buddha form which represents the enlightened mind’s loving kindness and compassion. His name literally means “One who looks with unwavering eye”.
The mantra of the historical Buddha named Siddhartha Gautama is known as the Sakyamuni mantra. The term “Sakyamuni” means the ‘sage of the Shakyan clan’. This is referred to the man who was born in the late Vedic era into the clan and later came to be known as the Buddha. The mantra stands for the pious heart of the Buddha and so the yogis who recite this mantra are believed to absorb the essence of the Buddha’s sacred heart. The mantra has also come to be known as the Heart Mantra of the Great Sage.
