Samantabhadra () is a great bodhisattva in Buddhism associated with practice and meditation. Together with Shakyamuni Buddha and the bodhisattva Mañjuà Ârë, he forms the Shakyamuni Triad in Mahayana Buddhism. He is the patron of the Lotus Sutra and, according to the Avatamsaka Sutra, made the ten great vows which are the basis of a bodhisattva.
In Chinese Buddhism, Samantabhadra is known as Puxian and is associated with action, whereas Mañjuà Ârë is associated with prajñà(transcendent wisdom). As such, his name is often prefixed with the epiphet Daheng (大è¡Â; Dàhèng), meaning âÂÂHe of Great PracticeâÂÂ. In the Huayan tradition, he is regarded together with Vairocana Buddha and the bodhisattva Mañjuà Ârë as one of the âÂÂThree Noble Ones of Huayanâ (è¯å´ä¸ÂèÂÂ; HuÃÂyán SÃÂnshèng) due to their preeminence in the Avatamsaka Sutra. In the Chinese Pure Land tradition, the Chapter of the Practices and Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra from the Avatamsaka Sutra where Samantabhadra expounds on his ten vows is often regarded as one of the âÂÂFive Pure Land sutrasâ that are seen as foundational texts. In Japan, Samantabhadra is known as Fugen, and is often venerated in Tendai and Shingon Buddhism. In the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, Samantabhadra is also the name of the Adi-Buddha, often portrayed in indivisible union (yab-yum) with his consort, Samantabhadrë. In wrathful form he is one of the Eight Herukas of the Nyingma Mahayoga and he is known as Vajramrtra, but this Samantabhadra buddha and Samantabhadra bodhisattva are not the same.
In the Lotus Sà «tra, Samantabhadra is described at length in the epilogue, called the Samantabhadra Meditation Sutra (), with special detail given to visualization of the bodhisattva, and the virtues of devotion to him.
Samantabhadra is also a key figure in the ÃÂvataá¹Âsaka-sà «tra, particularly the last chapter, the Gaá¹Âá¸Âavyà «ha-sà «tra. In the climax of the Gaá¹Âá¸Âavyà «ha-sà «tra, the student Sudhana meets Samantabhadra Bodhisattva who confirms his awakening. Sudhana then merges into Samantabhadra, and Samantabhadra recites a set of popular verses. These verses are known as the Bhadracaripraá¹ÂidhÃÂna (Vows of Good Conduct) or ÃÂrya-samantabhadra-caryÃÂ-praá¹ÂidhÃÂna-rÃÂja (The Royal Vow to follow the Noble Course of Conduct of Samantabhadra). This text which concludes the entire Avatamsaka was very popular in India, East Asia and in Himalayan Buddhism, and it is cited in numerous sources. It was considered to be a dhÃÂraá¹Âë and recited individually as a meritorious text.
The core of Samantabhadra's aspirations in the Bhadracaripraá¹ÂidhÃÂna are the ten great vows of Samantabhadra. The ten great vows of Samantabhadra are the following:
The ten vows have become a common practice in East Asian Buddhism, particularly the tenth vow, with many Buddhists traditionally dedicating their merit and good works to all beings during Buddhist liturgies.
Like all important bodhisattvas, several mantras are associated with Samantabhadra. One of these is drawn from a work titled Arya-Buddhoshnisha-Cintamani-Mahadharani:<blockquote>omàsamantabhadra sam svÃÂhÃÂ</blockquote>The Sarvadurgatiparishodana tantra contains the following mantra <blockquote>omàsamantabhadre hà «mà</blockquote>Sam is Samantabhadra's seed syllable.
The Dharanisamgraha meanwhile contains the following dharani for Samantabhadra: <blockquote>omànamaḥ samantabhadrÃÂya bodhisattvÃÂya mahÃÂsattvÃÂya || tadyathà|| omàsamantabhadre sarvottama-mahÃÂprÃÂgbhÃÂrakalyÃÂá¹Âaá¹ samprÃÂpaya hà «màphaá¹ svÃÂhà||</blockquote>Meanwhile the Mahavairocana Sutra contains the following mantra:<blockquote>namaḥ samantabuddhÃÂnÃÂá¹ saá¹Â</blockquote>
Unlike his more popular counterpart Mañjuà Ârë, Samantabhadra is only rarely depicted alone and is usually found in a trinity on the right side of Shakyamuni, mounted on Six-tusked White Elephant. In those traditions that accept the Avatamsaka Sutra as their main text (mainly, the Huayan school), Samantabhadra and Manjusri flank Vairocana Buddha, the central Buddha of this particular sutra.
Known as Puxian in Chinese, Samantabhadra is sometimes shown in Chinese art with feminine characteristics, riding an elephant with six tusks while carrying either a lotus leaf 'parasol' (Sanskrit: chatra), ruyi scepter, or sutra scroll, bearing similar dress and features to some feminine depictions of Guanyin. It is in this guise that Samantabhadra is revered as the patron bodhisattva of the monasteries associated with Mount Emei in western China. Some believe that the white elephant mount of Samantabhadra was the same elephant that appeared to Queen Maya, the mother of the Buddha, to herald his birth.
Mahayana esoteric traditions sometimes treat Samantabhadra as one of the 'Primordial' (Sanskrit: Dharmakaya) Buddhas, but the main primordial Buddha is considered to be MahÃÂvairocana.
In Tibetan Buddhism, Samantabhadra (Tibetan: Kuntuzangpo) is a name that refers to two different beings: