The Way of Devotion
Aug 22, 2020

The Way of Devotion

Buddhas and bodhisattvas have been the focus of devotional practices since the dawn of Buddhism. Such practices are designed to evoke love and warmth of heart which are the fruit of the Great Bodhisattva Ideal.

Buddha flanked by Monju and Fugen

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Bodhisattva Vajrapani

Vajrapani, whose name means ‘He who holds the vajra’ ( a symbolic thunderbolt), is one of the Dharmapalas or Dharma guardians - protectors of those who preach and practice the Buddha’s teachings.

The Way of Devotion: Maitreya

Maitreya is the Buddha who is to come prophesied by Shakyamuni Buddha to be the one who follows on from himself. He reminds us that in time all beings will attain Buddhahood!

Prajñāpāramitā

Known as the Mother of all Buddhas, this female deity is the embodiment of the wisdom-gone-beyond

The Five Wisdom Buddhas - Akshobhya

The final Meditation Buddha took a vow never to be angry until he reaches full Buddhahood. He is symbolised by the deep blue ocean that remains calm no matter what is happening on the surface.

The Five Wisdom Buddhas - Vairocana

Not all Buddhas were considered flesh and blood or walked the earth. The Five Wisdom Buddhas are the Wisdom states as persons. The body of Vairocana is the body of the True Dharma.

The Way of Devotion: Samantabhadra

Bodhisattva Samantabhadra is known as Fugen in Japan and is the Bodhisattva of Praxis. He is known as the Bodhisattva of Compassion in Activity.

The Way of Devotion: Ratnasambhava

The Five Wisdom Buddhas
The cultivation of equality is the 'jewel' wisdom taught by this Buddha. Associated with vedana skanda Ratnasambhava is neither driven by nor averse to pleasant and unpleasant feeling and thereby leads to the attainment of Arhatship.

The Five Wisdom Buddhas: Amitābha Buddha

The Way of Devotion
Amitābha Buddha also known as Amida Buddha heads the most popular of the Chinese schools of Buddhism amongst the laity. His salvation is promised to all those who sincerely call upon his name. He is also coopted as one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas in Esoteric Buddhism who sits in the West the direction of his...

The Way of Devotion: An Introduction to Devotional Practices.

Western Buddhism places an emphasis on meditation practices, however Eastern Buddhism also has a strong devotional element that can get overlooked in Europe and America. This series explores this side of Buddhist practice.

The Five Wisdom Buddhas: Amogasiddhi

The Way of Devotion
Amogasiddhi’s symbol is the moon, our satellite which reflects the sun’s rays even at night onto the earth. His season is Autumn, the season where life passes into death. His power overcomes envy for he does not grasp, even after the life that is now falling away. 

Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokiteśvara

The Way of Devotion
One of the Great Bodhisattvas, Avalokiteśvara, is the embodiment of the Buddha's compassion. This 'embodiment' is formed of the images, mantras, scriptures and acts of body, speech and mind inspired by the Bodhisattva's compassionate heart.

The Way of Devotion: Manjushri

The Way of Devotion
Manjushri is the bodhisattva that represents clear seeing and wisdom. With his sword in one hand he cuts through delusion, with the The Great-Wisdom Sutra in the other, he teaches the emptiness of self nature.

Kṣitigarbha

The Way of Devotion
Through the bonds we share with our family, the Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha encourages compassion and duty to to all life, by extending that bond to all living beings.

Fudō Myōō (Acala)

The Way of Devotion
'Wrathful' Deities may seem at odds with Buddhist values but as the saying goes, 'the passions are the Buddha nature; the Buddha nature is the passions’. 

Learn to Walk from Walking the Way

What is the Way?
The way can teach us how to walk the path if we know how to listen.

Sitātapatrā

The Way of Devotion
If protection or general healing is what you need, Sitatapatra is the Boddhisatva to call upon. Born from the top knot of the Buddha she represents the heart-mind in it’s highest state.

Kokūzō Bosatsu

The Way of Devotion
This Bodhisattva symbolises the cosmic functioning of the Buddha and represents ‘the great wisdom gone beyond.’

Topics

BUDDHA
CH'AN
DHARMA ASSORTMENTS
DHARMA TALKS
FUNDAMENTALS
MAHAYANA
SCRIPTURES
STORIES RETOLD
THE WAY OF DEVOTION
ZEN
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Further reading

Verses from The Dhammapada 408

The Buddha once said “He is a Brahmin whose speech is kindly and truthful.” 

Verses from The Dhammapada 91

The Buddha once said “He presses on with his thoughts controlled never looking back to his home, like a swan who has left its pool.” Jenny Hall investigates.

Dhammapada Verse 274

Verse: “This is the Noble Path, which leads to freedom from delusion”

A Handful of Leaves

Stories from the Tradition
The Buddha explains why he only teaches a few of the many things he has seen.