Manjushri

Manjushri is one of the most revered bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism, embodying the transcendent wisdom of all Buddhas. His Sanskrit name combines the words for "beautiful" and "glorious," and he is also known by the fuller name Manjushrikumarabhuta, meaning "Prince Manjushri," suggesting his eternally youthful nature.

Widely venerated as the bodhisattva who governs wisdom and learning, Manjushri is also associated with charitable works such as the relief of outcasts, and in Japanese Shingon-Ritsu Buddhism he has been honored as a symbol of maternal devotion. His worship is widespread across East and Central Asian Buddhist traditions.

Manjushri is typically depicted holding a flaming sword that cuts through ignorance and a lotus bearing a scripture. His symbolic attributes include the blue lotus, the sharp sword, and a palm-leaf sutra — each representing an aspect of his role as the embodiment of enlightened insight.