Holy Master Ziguang Shang Shi explained to his disciples the background and spiritual level of Manjushri Bodhisattva:

Manjushri Bodhisattva was once Shakyamuni Buddha's teacher and in even earlier lifetimes, the teacher of his teacher. Shakyamuni Buddha held Manjushri Bodhisattva in the highest regard. Manjushri Bodhisattva made offerings to his student, Shakyamuni Buddha, in the form of a Bodhisattva, for the Buddha was endowed with perfect wisdom, divine powers, and vast merits.

From the ancient Buddhas of the past to the present, Shakyamuni Buddha is among the most honorable and perfected Buddhas. To help Shakyamuni Buddha attain Enlightenment, to establish milestones in Buddhism, and to spread the Dharma in the Saha world, Manjushri received the Buddha's teachings in the form of a Bodhisattva.

The Eight Great Bodhisattvas were once princes in past lives and had attained Buddhahood.

Manjushri is known as the Bodhisattva of wisdom. How does He assist Shakyamuni Buddha? In one hand, He wields the sword of wisdom to cut down demons and sever the ego. Evil thoughts and delusions are what the Buddha calls "demons." In the other hand, Manjushri holds a sutra. What is the purpose of a sutra? It is to assist Shakyamuni Buddha in spreading the Dharma and developing the Buddhist cause — a truly noble mission.

Shakyamuni Buddha honored Him as the Chief Bodhisattva. Yet Manjushri remained humble and never proud. He continued to seek the Buddha's guidance on anything he did not understand and devoted himself to deep study of the Dharma. Without the teachings received from Manjushri Bodhisattva, Master Padmasambhava could not have attained his great achievements.

The Dharma of Shakyamuni Buddha continues to spread to this day. The flourishing of Buddhism in this Dharma Vanishing Era has only just begun. The earlier stages were a time of preparation — the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, each in their respective realms, were engaged in the work of readiness. However, the world has yet to achieve true peace or religious harmony, and beings still suffer from afflictions. This has drawn the attention of the Buddhas across the vast cosmic realms.

Holy Master Ziguang Shang Shi has descended into this world to seek disciples with Affinity and to gather Bodhisattvas at the Holy Mountain Buddha Land.

Event: Manjushri Bodhisattva's Birthday Convention

Venue: Amitabha Buddha Hall of Reception and Guidance