Manjushri is the embodiment of the wisdom that is key to ultimately becoming a Buddha. Many eons ago, Manjushri was the king of a realm called Kamjung Sangpo. Renouncing his kingdom and worldly ambitions, he received bodhisattva vows, developing the awakening mind. Finally, he attained complete enlightenment, becoming the being we know as Manjushri, Lord of Wisdom.

The rays emanating from his golden skin signify the many ways by which he leads people to wisdom. The sword in his right hand represents the knowledge that cuts through ignorance in the minds of unenlightened beings. The sutra he carries in his left hand represents the primary means by which wisdom takes root in beings, which is the beginning of their journey towards omniscience. The flowers around him indicate that just as the flower is not tainted by the mud from which it emerged, he too is unstained by the faults he once carried in his mind as an ordinary being. He is also often depicted in a triad with Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani known as Rigsum Gonpo, symbolizing the qualities necessary for enlightenment – compassion, wisdom, and power.