A Garland of Jewels by Jamgon Mipham

[Will]

In 2008 this book of 333 pages was translated by Yeshe Gyamtso and published by KTD Pubs. The subtitle The Eight Great Bodhisattvas tells all. Mipham spends almost half the book quoting from sutras inspiring passages about the vows & teachings of Manjushri. The other seven members of the Arya Sangha are given around 20 to 40 pages of sutra quotes each.

Can you name them all; without looking them up? Avalokita is one... who else?

[tamdrin]

drib sel, nam nying, kuntuzang, chag na dorje,

[Malcolm]

In 2008 this book of 333 pages was translated by Yeshe Gyamtso and published by KTD Pubs. The subtitle The Eight Great Bodhisattvas tells all. Mipham spends almost half the book quoting from sutras inspiring passages about the vows & teachings of Manjushri. The other seven members of the Arya Sangha are given around 20 to 40 pages of sutra quotes each.

Can you name them all; without looking them up? Avalokita is one... who else?

Manjushri, Avalokiteshavara, Vajrapani, Samantabhadra, Ksitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Nirvanavishakhambin, Mahasthamprapta.

[Caz]

In 2008 this book of 333 pages was translated by Yeshe Gyamtso and published by KTD Pubs. The subtitle The Eight Great Bodhisattvas tells all. Mipham spends almost half the book quoting from sutras inspiring passages about the vows & teachings of Manjushri. The other seven members of the Arya Sangha are given around 20 to 40 pages of sutra quotes each.

Can you name them all; without looking them up? Avalokita is one... who else?

Manjushri, Avalokiteshavara, Vajrapani, Samantabhadra, Ksitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Nirvanavishakhambin, Mahasthamprapta.

A mouthful of virtue right there

[plwk]

Mahastamaprapta doesn't seem to be on the list of the 'asta maha bodhisattvas' or 'asta utaputras' and Maitreya is instead listed... see here and here

I recall in many past Mahayana ES threads that Mahastamaprapta is the peaceful form of Vajrapani...

[Malcolm]

Mahastamaprapta doesn't seem to be on the list of the 'asta maha bodhisattvas' or 'asta utaputras'... see here and here

I recall in many past Mahayana ES threads that Mahastamaprapta is the peaceful form of Vajrapani...

You are right, Maitreya -- damn I get a D. Not because I got seven right, but because I got one wrong. (you are slipping, Namdrol).

[Malcolm]

Mahastamaprapta doesn't seem to be on the list of the 'asta maha bodhisattvas' or 'asta utaputras' and Maitreya is instead listed... see here and here

I recall in many past Mahayana ES threads that Mahastamaprapta is the peaceful form of Vajrapani...

Interestingly, Samantabhadra is definitely considered to be a peaceful form of Vajrapani.

[Will]

Nirvanavishakhambin says Namdrol - close, a tad off. The book says Sarvanivaranavishkambhin meaning "complete remover of all obstacles." This is the one I have the most trouble remembering.

In the selection about this bodhisattva, another very impressive and powerful one is mentioned, the sister of a tathagata, Dispeller of Obstacles. Her Sanskrit original is not given.

[Malcolm]

Nirvanavishakhambin says Namdrol - close, a tad off. The book says Sarvanivaranavishkambhin meaning "complete remover of all obstacles." This is the one I have the most trouble remembering.

In the selection about this bodhisattva, another very impressive and powerful one is mentioned, the sister of a tathagata, Dispeller of Obstacles. Her Sanskrit original is not given.

Type -- often his name is given sans sarva.

[Will]

Anyone else read this gem of a book? It is uplifting for sure.

[Will]

We read that bodhisattvas can appear to be any being in order to tame others. Manjushri, for example, took the pratyekabuddha path 360 sextillion times. The Dharma of a sambuddha called Victor died out and the beings were interested only in pratyekabuddhas - but there were none. So Manjushri took the appearance of one and was able, over aeons of time, to tame 36 million beings.

It is good to be reminded that even when the Buddhadharma dies out, some of the dharma will exist and people will respond well to it.

[PadmaVonSamba]

Doc, Bashful, Grumpy....uuhhhhh...Donner and Blitzen? Am I even close??

[Will]

A little survey of the Arya Sangha: http://www.lionsroar.name/the_8_bodhisattvas.htm