Mindfulness Meditation · Awareness
This week’s meditation session is led by Rebecca Li and the theme is Awareness. The guided meditation begins at 19:53.
Manjushri; Tibet; 19th century; Metal alloy; 38 1/4 × 30 1/2 × 19 3/8 in.; Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Shelley and Donald Rubin; C2013.9a-c
Manjushri is one of the most important figures in Mahayana Buddhism and is known as the bodhisattva of great wisdom. In this sculpture he sits on a lotus pedestal and has four arms. The slim proportions of the body and the well-articulated arms and torso convey an impression of youthfulness. The scrolling motif on the halo, the openwork of the lotus pedestal, and the articulate rendering of the face suggest an alignment with Nepalese aesthetic conventions. The sculpture may have been produced for a Tibetan patron in a Nepalese workshop.
Dr. Rebecca Li, a dharma heir in the lineage of Chan Master Sheng Yen, is the founder and guiding teacher of Chan Dharma Community. She teaches meditation and dharma classes, gives public lectures, and leads retreats in North America and Europe. Li is the author of Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times, and her book Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method was published by Shambhala Publications in 2023. She is a sociology professor and lives with her husband in New Jersey.
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