普贤,梵名Samantabhadra ,或 Vis/vabhadra。音译三曼多跋陀罗菩萨、三曼陀■陀菩萨、邲输■陀菩萨。又作遍吉菩萨。我国佛教四大菩萨之一。与文殊菩萨为释迦如来之胁士。即文殊驾狮子侍如来之左侧,普贤乘白象侍右侧。若以此二胁士表法,文殊师利显智、慧、证,普贤显理、定、行,共诠本尊如来理智、定慧、行证之完备圆满。文殊、普贤共为一切菩萨之上首,常助成宣扬如来之化导摄益。以此菩萨之身相及功德遍一切处,纯一妙善,故称普贤。
普贤之名始出于三曼陀罗菩萨经,后广见诸经而成普遍之信仰。据法华经普贤劝发品载,普贤菩萨乘六牙白象,守护法华之行者。台宗二百题卷十立有相普贤论题,依礼忏诵经之有相行,达成感见普贤之旨。又华严经普贤行愿品卷四十说普贤菩萨十种广大之行愿,即:礼敬诸佛、称赞如来、广修供养、忏悔业障、随喜功德、请转法轮、请佛住世、常随佛学、恒顺众生、普皆回向。经中一一述此十大愿,明其功德无量,临命终时,得此愿王引导,往生阿弥陀佛极乐世界。然此十大愿为一切菩萨行愿之标帜,故亦称普贤之愿海。以此菩萨之广大行愿,一般称为大行普贤菩萨。
在密教中,普贤与金刚萨埵同体,列于金胎两部曼荼罗中,是为密教普贤。金刚界曼荼罗中,为贤劫十六尊之一,安置于北方四菩萨之最下位。密号普摄金刚。种子奥(ah!)。三昧耶形为剑形。形像依会之不同而有别,微细会左手握拳安腰,右手执利剑;供养会以二手执莲花举于胸前,莲花上有利剑。胎藏界曼荼罗中,列于中台八叶院之东南隅,身呈白肉色,戴五佛宝冠,左手以拇指、食指执莲花,莲上有火焰围绕之利剑;右手臂伸开仰掌,屈无名指、小指。种子蛊(am!)。三昧耶形为莲上剑。密号真如金刚。此外,尚有以普贤延命菩萨为本尊之修法,称为普贤延命法。
我国四川峨眉山夙为普贤菩萨之道场,传为晋代蒲翁所开创,于圣寿万年寺安置普贤之像,宋太宗敕造二丈
金铜像,并建大阁以安置,尔后崇信甚盛。[旧华严经卷六十入法界品、大智度论卷九、法华义疏卷十二、大日经疏卷一、卷九](参阅“普贤”5000)
(菩萨)又曰普贤萨埵,普贤大士。同一体也,见普贤条。
Visvabhadra Bodhisattva == 普贤菩萨
As one of the Four Great Bodhisattva, he is the one with the highest conduct. Visvabhadra, also known as Samantabhadra, means universal worthy. He is the lord of the fundamental law, the dhyana ( taking precepts) and the practice of all Buddhas. Visvabhadra, the guardian of law, is often placed on the right of Shakyamuni, while Manjusri, the guardian of wisdom, is the left. He always rides on a white elephant, is the patron of the Lotus Sutra, and its devotees, and has close connection with Hua-yen Sutra. He has Ten Great King Vows, which give an excellent guideline to all Buddhists to practice and cultivate the Buddha Way.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva == 普贤菩萨
Also called Visvabhadra Bodhisattva, Universally Worthy Bodhisattva. Being one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas, he is the Bodhisattva of Great Conduct, representing the Law. He has Ten Great King Vows, which are the guidelines in practising Buddhism, and cultivating the Buddhist Way.