Polytheism and Monotheism in Buddhism
Society and Buddhist culture do reveal hints of what may look like polytheism. In China, if a woman will not bear a child after several years of union, especially a son, she may pray to your particular manifestation of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, "Son Giving Avalokitesvara," so that she may become pregnant. Once I visited Japan I found that a Japanese woman in similar conditions might pray to the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbharaja -- statues and portraits show him as bald, so he looks to be an infant. Hence Japanese and Chinese pray to various Bodhisattvas for precisely the same purpose. Life and people But the sutras reveal that any issue can be helped with by any Bodhisattva, all Buddhas possess exactly the same wisdom and power. It does not have to be Avalokitesvara, it does not have to be Ksitigarbharaja, any Bodhisattva can help us with a difficulty. There is no need to go to one for a particular issue and after that to another for some other issue. These beings may show distinct characteristics, but that could be because of the vows they have made during the course of their practice. Hence Ksitigarbharaja is well known for his great vow to liberate all sentient beings. Avalokitesvara is well known Manjusri for his great wisdom, for his great compassion. But there is no need to pick a particular Bodhisattva for a particular difficulty. Read more >> http://lifeandpeople.com/is-buddhism-monotheistic-or-polytheistic/ Consequently Buddhism is monotheistic at all. A professional grows according to his karmic roots, causes and states, and method of practice. It's as a way of practice, although he can pray to Manjusri, Avalokitesvara, or Ksitigarbharaja. He does not regard each Bodhisattvas as another deity and therefore to them all for maximum advantages -- that would be polytheism. This is fully realized by not everyone. You will find individuals in the Center who come in and prostrate to the statue of the Buddha, then on both sides of the Buddha to the statues of Manjusri and Avalokitesvara. Afterward they're going to think to themselves, "The Buddha is the biggest statue, so I should prostrate one more time to him." This can be actually polytheism. Now let us consider monotheism and Buddha. In sentient beings, including all creatures, that is called Buddha Nature. In a person who has attained Buddhahood, Buddha Nature and Dharma Nature evolve into Dharma Body. This Dharma Body exists throughout all sentient beings and non-sentient beings. But only sentient beings may achieve Buddhahood. With all the foundation of all beings the same, the entire universe is in unity.
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