Legends of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
The Manifestation as Master Shide (拾得)
In Buddhist tradition, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is described as having limitless vows and boundless compassion. It is said that he manifests in countless forms throughout different worlds, appearing according to the needs and conditions of sentient beings in order to guide and inspire them.
According to traditional Chinese Buddhist records, the revered Buddhist figure Master Shide (拾得) was considered by some traditions to be a manifestation of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva.
The Discovery of Shide
One day, Master Fenggan (丰干禅师) of Guoqing Temple (国清寺) on Mount Tiantai was walking along the Red City Road when he heard the sound of a child crying among the grass.
When he approached, he found a young boy around ten years old.
Fenggan asked:
“What is your name?”
The child replied:
“I have no family, no surname, and no name.”
Moved by compassion for the child’s loneliness, Fenggan brought him back to Guoqing Temple and entrusted him to the temple kitchen as a tea attendant.
Because the child had been “picked up,” he was given the name:
Shide (拾得), meaning “found” or “picked up.”
Shide’s Wisdom and Unusual Actions
Shide was naturally intelligent and quick-minded. After three years, he became responsible for lighting incense in the dining hall and managing various temple duties.
One day, when no one was present, Shide unexpectedly climbed onto the ceremonial seat and sat opposite the sacred images while eating the offerings.
He even criticized the images, saying:
“Small fruits offered to you are like seeds that have lost their vitality.”
When Master Lingyi (灵熠禅师), the temple storekeeper, witnessed this, he considered the behavior disrespectful toward the sacred images.
Thinking Shide might be mentally unstable, he removed him from his incense duties and assigned him to wash dishes in the kitchen.
From then on, Shide often collected leftover food in bamboo containers and gave it to his close companion:
Hanshan (寒山子).
Shide and the Mountain Spirit
On another occasion, birds repeatedly ate the fruits and offerings placed in the temple.
Seeing this, Shide took a staff and struck the statue of the mountain guardian spirit, saying:
“You have failed in your duty to protect this monastery. You receive offerings from monks, yet you cannot even fulfill your responsibility.”
That night, many monks in the temple dreamed of the mountain spirit saying:
“Shide struck me and scolded me.”
When Master Lingyi inspected the statue the next day, he found marks that appeared to have been caused by a staff.
Only then did he begin to realize that Shide’s true nature might not be ordinary.
The Teaching of Patience Between Hanshan and Shide
Shide often visited Hanshan, and together they would speak about Buddhist teachings.
However, many people did not understand them. Instead, they mocked, insulted, and even physically attacked them.
One day, Hanshan asked Shide:
“People of the world criticize me, deceive me, humiliate me, laugh at me, look down upon me, insult me, harm me, and cheat me. How should I respond?”
Shide replied:
“Then simply endure them, let them be, avoid conflict with them, tolerate them, respect them, and do not concern yourself with them. After several years, you will see the result.”
This teaching later became a famous expression of patience and compassion in Chinese Buddhist culture.
Shide’s Teaching Before the Monks
Later, Shide was assigned the duty of caring for cattle.
One day, during the temple’s semi-monthly Uposatha ceremony, a monk was explaining Buddhist precepts to the assembly.
Shide led the cattle to the entrance of the Dharma hall, leaned against the door, clapped his hands, and laughed:
“How leisurely! Gathering together to create appearances — what is this truly?”
The monk felt offended and criticized him:
“A lowly servant behaves foolishly and disrupts the teaching of the precepts.”
Seeing anger arise in the monk’s mind, Shide recited:
“Without anger, there is the precept.
With a pure mind, there is leaving worldly attachments.
My nature and yours are not separate;
all teachings are ultimately without difference.”
The monk became even more upset and came down from the platform, intending to drive Shide away.
Revealing the Past Lives of the Cattle
Shide then said:
“I will no longer drive these cattle away. These cattle were respected temple officials in their previous lives. Each had their own Dharma name. If you do not believe me, watch.”
He pointed toward the cattle and called:
“The former precepts teacher Hongjing, step forward.”
A white cow responded and walked forward.
Then he called:
“The former kitchen administrator Guangchao, step forward.”
A black cow responded.
He continued:
“The former temple supervisor Jingben, step forward.”
Another cow came forward.
Finally, Shide touched one cow and said:
“In your previous life, you neglected the precepts. Although you had a human appearance, your heart was filled with animal tendencies. You now experience the consequences of your actions. Whom can you blame? Although the Buddha’s compassion is vast, you failed to honor that kindness.”
After witnessing these events, the monks realized that Shide was not an ordinary person and no longer regarded him as a foolish or eccentric figure.
The Departure of Hanshan and Shide
Later, Master Fenggan, who was traditionally believed to be a manifestation of Amitabha Buddha, told the local governor Qiu:
“Hanshan and Shide are manifestations of Manjusri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas.”
After revealing their true identities, Hanshan and Shide quietly departed from Guoqing Temple, and their later whereabouts became unknown.
The Eternal Companionship of Manjusri and Samantabhadra
In Buddhist tradition:
- Manjusri Bodhisattva is regarded as the embodiment of wisdom and is sometimes called the “Mother of All Buddhas” in symbolic teachings.
- Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is regarded as the embodiment of practice, vows, and compassionate action, sometimes described as the “Eldest Son of the Buddhas.”
Together, they often appear before Buddhas throughout the universe, carrying out compassionate activities and manifesting in the human world to guide beings.
The Manifestation of Manjusri and Samantabhadra in the Human World
During the Chunxi period of the Southern Song Dynasty, according to Buddhist legends, Manjusri Bodhisattva manifested as Jie Chan (戒阇黎), a Buddhist teacher at Doushuai Temple.
At the same time, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva manifested as a woman from the Zhou family, known as Zhou Qiniang (周七娘).
From birth, she was said to display extraordinary qualities. When she grew older, she refused marriage and spent her days practicing charity and wandering among the markets.
At night, she often rested beneath Puji Bridge and frequently appeared together with Jie Chan.
Their actions were mysterious and beyond ordinary understanding.
Because people did not understand them, they mocked them as foolish or eccentric.
Later, a holy person composed a verse:
“The precepts teacher is Manjusri.
The woman Zhou is Samantabhadra.
Walking side by side, shoulder to shoulder,
their story will be remembered through countless generations.”
Only afterward did people understand that these figures were believed to be Bodhisattvas manifesting in the human world.
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