Chanting the names of Manjusri

Abstract

In Chapter I, on background, i attempt to trace Mafijusri's emergence from obscurity in early centuries A.D. to an identification with Prajfiaparamita (Perfection of lnsight or of Wisdom), eventually to become the Primordial Buddha (adibuddha). Chapter 2, on the citations in Naropa's commentary on the Hevajratantra, has all fiftythree of his quotations of the Manjusri in the order of the Hevajratantra chapters. This shows the importance of the Manjusri in the cult that uses both the Kalacakratantra and the Hevajratantra. Chapter 3 on the seven madalas of the Manjusri-nama-Samgiti, associates chapters of this text with cults of Manjusri by way of iconographical forms, of which a full list is furnished from Jaya Panudita. In Chapter 4, remarks on the Tibetan text, I set forth the makeup of the Sanskrit text and its brilliant Tibetan translation by Rin-chen-bzan-po, considerations which bring out the meaning of Manjusri's "names" and also affect the translation into English. Chapter 5 on "the six cycles of praise, presents a translation of the prose insertion of some Manjusri-nama-samgiti editions. These six paragraphs extol the recitation of the Manjusri and contemplation of the deity Manjusri, and so help the reader into a frame of mind agreeable with the text and translation of the Manjusri-nama-samgiti that immediately follow.