Welcome the Year of the Tiger! Several days ago I visited the Vietnamese monastery and temple in nearby Escondido. The monastery, which has been in existence for nine years, is playing host to the display of the largest black-jade statue of the Buddha in the world. In my next post I will share some pictures of this remarkable Buddha and the surrounding temple grounds. But, as today is the first day of the New Year, the Year of the Tiger, I present this image of one of the other statues on the grounds.
I don't actually know who this masterful fellow riding the tiger is. (If any of you reading this knows his identity, please let me know.) But it is easy to see that he is a man of great accomplishment in the Way. Not only is he atop this powerful beast, but he appears to be perfectly comfortable and perfectly ready to engage the world. One senses he and the tiger are in complete accord as to where to go and what to do.
And so, this New Year's wish. May we all may ride this year's tiger in harmonious accord, ever ready to engage life at any moment, with the power of a tiger and clarity of one accomplished in the Way.
4 comments:
Hi David,
Most likely the statue represents Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. He is often shown riding on a lion (or tiger) and is depicted as quite fierce - sometimes wielding a sword.
The lion/tiger represents the unruly, untamed mind - which Manjusri has subdued. And the sword cuts through delusion.
As you say, may each of us ride this lion/tiger in harmonious accord!
Barry
Thanks Barry. Van tu bo tat (Manjusri)it could to be. Given the Vietnamese context here, a lion would be a pretty exotic critter, thus, a tiger seems a better fit. Still, I've been digging through online sources and Manjusri is pretty much always associated with lions, and this beast is pretty much tiger-striped.
I think I'll go back to the temple and see if I can't find a real English speaker (in short supply there) to explain this and the other statues to me. There are a dozen or so, and all very fine looking. 'From the Lone Oak" may take on a rather Vietnamese look for a while.
Hi David,
Yes, it does indeed look much more like a tiger. In Korean Buddhist temples there's generally a separate hall set aside for the "Sahn Shin" - or mountain spirit. This spirit is sort of a holdover from pre-Buddhist, Shamanistic Korea.
The mountain spirit hall always contains a painting of the old fellow nestled up to a tiger sidekick (although I've never seen one where he's riding the tiger).
Here are good examples of these paintings:
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/images/objects/size3/84.145.jpg
http://www.pem.org/writable/resources/image/overlay_full/e300674_sansindo.jpg
http://san-shin.org/zo-ss22.jpg
You might ask if there's a similar "spirit" in the Vietnamese tradition - would be cool to know!
Thanks,
Barry
Very interesting, and great photos. I visited the temple again today, it was a total mob scene, with hundreds of visitors for the Tet celebration. I got some more photos, but was unable to collar a monk with a sufficient command of English to understand my questions about the statue's identity. I will visit again after the Jade Buddha leaves and the crowds are gone.
By the way, the Jade Buddha is visible behind me in my new profile photo.
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