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नमो भगवते बुद्धाय

I'm reading Candrakīrti's madhyamakavatāra. I came across this passage -

"That they are the particular circumstance means that that which acts as the cause for the circumstance of being a tathāgata is the circumstance of being a bodhisattva. That they inspire the adoption refers to the case of noble Mañjuśrī who as a bodhisattva was the very first to inspire the illustrious Śākyamuni and the other tathāgatas to adopt the mind of awakening. Being thus regarded as the principal cause that enabled the final result, it is taught that the tathāgatas are born from the bodhisattvas."[1]

What is the story of the Noble Mañjuśrī inspiring Śākyamuni and other tathāgatas to adopt bodhicitta?

Thank you

[1] Source - https://www2.hf.uio.no/polyglotta/index.php?page=fulltext&view=fulltext&vid=1113&cid=828169&mid=1927089&level=1#FN5550rn6:~:text=That%20they%20are%20the%20particular,are%20born%20from%20the%20bodhisattvas.

Lokesh
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Manjusri is personification of perfection of wisdom- prajnaparamita. It is wisdom which guides the previous 5 paramitas- the first 5 bhumis- to their highest use. A parable of wisdom guiding the 5 blind perfections is used as well. In short, the meaning being conveyed is that when wisdom arises, then, all the previous accumulated qualities reach their perfection. Panna [pali], prajna [sanskrit] is what takes one to the final goal.

HomagetoManjushri
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  • I have this doubt. If Manjuśri is a personification of prajñāpāramitā, why does Manjuśri asks for instruction from Tathagata in certain sutras and Tathagata also teaches him like any other disciple? One such Sutra is the dhyayitamuśti sūtra quoted in Candrakītir's Prasannapada Chapter 16, verse 9. – Lokesh Nov 03 '23 at 16:36
  • Google definition of personification- "a figure intended to represent an abstract quality." Once the quality of wisdom has been personified as figure of Manjushri, it is used in stories- he asks for instructions, gives teachings, etc. This is how personification functions. – HomagetoManjushri Nov 04 '23 at 17:22