16
Sep
2018
Cundi Bodhisattva and her 18 Arms
Cundi Bodhisattva appears with eighteen arms on a lotus and is referred to as Mother of the Seventy Million Buddha.
She is the protector of the living being, and he has fulfilled all the wishes of the world and the world, showing the deepest blessing. Her fortune and wisdom are infinite. She is a great sorrowful sorrower who has been praying for a thousand years.
Table of Contents
- 1 - Eighteen Arm and its Uniqueness
- 2 - Symbols and meaning of Instruments held by her
- 2.1 - Root Mudra
- 2.2 - Precious Banner
- 2.3 - Fearless Mudra
- 2.4 - Lotus flower
- 2.5 - Sword of Wisdom
- 2.6 - Empowerment vase
- 2.7 - Jeweled Headdress
- 2.8 - Vajra
- 2.9 - Fruit
- 2.10 - Eight Spoke Wheel
- 2.11 - Ax
- 2.12 - Dharma Shell
- 2.13 - Vajra Hook
- 2.14 - Wish Fulfilling Vase
- 2.15 - Vajra and Dragons
- 2.16 - Wisdom Sutra
- 2.17 - Wish Fulfilling Pearl
Eighteen Arm and its Uniqueness
Cundi has eighteen arms which represent the profound principles of the pathway for achieving Enlightenment.
Each arm represents the deep meaning of enlightenment such as the unflagging zeal to save sentient beings and perfect knowledge of them as past, future, and present.
The Eighteen Arms and its uniqueness are listed below:
- Perfection of body
- Perfection of speech
- Perfection of memory
- The perfection of impartiality to all
- Serenity
- Self-sacrifice
- Unceasing desire to salvage sentient beings
- Unflagging zeal to salvage sentient beings
- Unfailing thought to salvage sentient beings
- The unceasing wisdom to salvage sentient beings
- The powers of deliverance
- The principle of the powers of deliverance
- Revealing perfect wisdom in deed
- Revealing perfect wisdom in word
- Revealing perfect wisdom in thought
- Perfect knowledge of the past
- Perfect knowledge of the future
- Perfect knowledge of the present
Symbols and meaning of Instruments held by her
Root Mudra
The Root Mudra is the foundation for the other chakras, with emphasis on survival and grounding. As in the painting of Cundi Bodhisattva, we can see that two hands are forming the root, Mudra. This means expounding the Dharma represents the fluency of elucidating all Dharma.
Precious Banner
The hand holding the wondrous precious banner represents the ability to build a most magnificent, great monastery.
Fearless Mudra
The hand forming the Fearless Mudra represents the ability to deliver sentient beings away from all terror and fears.
lotus flower
The hand holding a lotus flower represents the purification of the six senses which, untainted, are as pure as the lotus flower.
Sword of Wisdom
The hand holding a sword of wisdom represents the severing of the entanglements of afflictions and the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance.
Empowerment vase
The hand holding an empowerment vase represents the flowing of nectar to nurture all sentient beings so that they may receive the empowerment of the buddhas.
Jeweled Headdress
The hand holding a wonderful jeweled headdress represents the wish to be linked to wonderful dharma art.
vajra
The hand holding a vajra lasso represents the ability to attract all into the yoga tantra.
Fruit
The hand holding a wonderful celestial fruit represents the accomplishment of the fruition of enlightenment and the extensive cultivation of good karma.
Eight Spoke Wheel
The hand holding an eight-spoke wheel represents the constant turning of the great dharma wheel, radiating its magnificent lights over the three lower realms.
Ax
The hand holding a battle ax represents the elimination of all evil practices and the severing of attachment to oneself and others.
Dharma Shell
The hand holding a large dharma shell represents the expounding of pure Dharma which shakes the universe.
Vajra Hook
The hand holding a vajra hook represents the skill to magnetize and attract all phenomena within one’s view.
Wish Fulfilling Vase
The hand holding a wish-fulfilling vase represents the function of manifesting all treasures and scriptures at will.
vajra and Dragons
The hand holding a vajra represents the collective convergence of support given by the eight classes of celestial beings and dragons. It also represents the subjugation of stubborn sentient beings.
Wisdom Sutra
The hand holding a wisdom sutra represents the self-cognition of knowing the profound and wonderful truth without any guidance from a teacher.
Wish Fulfilling Pearl
The hand holding a mani or wish-fulfilling pearl represents the vibrant and luminous state of mind which is flawless, pure and perfect.
Cundi Thangka Painting
Cundi is a bodhisattva venerated in the Mahayana Buddhism and is also known as a Bhagavati, or “mother of buddhas”.
