There are days when I feel like I’m drowning in it all—the endless scroll of news, the pressure to stay connected, the constant stimulation that comes with wanting to show up for those needing care. As someone who lives at the intersection of being Black, queer, and Buddhist, the weight of this moment often lands heavy. This is why imagery of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom, strikes me so deeply.
In Buddhist traditions, Manjushri is revered as a bodhisattva; he’s dedicated to awakening not just for himself, but for the liberation of all. He embodies prajna, transcendent wisdom, the kind of knowing that opens the gates of awakening. Manjushri is often depicted holding a flaming sword in his right hand, symbolizing the wisdom that cuts through ignorance, duality, and false views. In his left hand, he holds a lotus, sometimes with a text or scroll resting upon it, representing the perfection of wisdom teachings. He’s also sometimes shown riding a lion, a powerful symbol of fearless wisdom and the thunderous roar of truth.
Images of Manjushri light something up inside me, not because of the violence we usually associate with swords or weapons, but because of what the sword represents: the power to slice through illusion, the strength to meet confusion with clarity. And let’s be real—a flaming sword is badass! Right now, we need that kind of energy more than ever.
The noise around us is deafening. Overwhelm permeates our feeds, our conversations, even our inner lives. We’re overstimulated, dysregulated. Many of us are experiencing pain linked to the very bodies and identities we inhabit. Pair that with algorithms that amplify outrage, unchecked misinformation, and the constant flood of content that makes it hard to know what, or who, to trust. The result is exhaustion and confusion, keeping us from asking deeper questions, holding our ground, or seeing what’s true.
Manjushri reminds us that wisdom is alive—speaking, teaching, acting, clearing away the fog so we can see things as they are. In a world fractured by division and steeped in polarization, Manjushri calls us back to clarity and what truly matters.
Illusion is everywhere. Artificial intelligence generates convincing falsehoods in seconds. News cycles spin half-truths for clicks. Entire platforms thrive on misdirection and outrage. We’re living in an age where information is abundant, but truth feels scarce. Manjushri’s sword offers another way forward. It invites us to pause and ask: Is this true? Is this useful? What lies underneath this surface-level noise? Cutting through the BS means rejecting distortion and reclaiming our capacity to orient toward what’s real, trustworthy, and nourishing rather than depleting.
To take up Manjushri’s sword requires effort and courage. We don’t need more frantic striving or reactive doing. What’s needed is intentional, courageous, and skillful action. Mindfulness is often mislabeled as passive, as if it’s merely observing. But Manjushri teaches that clarity demands engagement. The sword must be lifted and swung.
Many of us have been conditioned to doubt ourselves, to second-guess our intuition, to shrink or silence our wisdom. Fearlessness, paired with effort, reminds us that we have the capacity and agency to see clearly and act from that clarity.
But wisdom alone isn’t enough. Manjushri reminds us that discernment must always be paired with compassion. Our world is shifting. Hearts are breaking open in the face of injustice, division, and transformation. More people are waking up to the need for care, connection, and radical imagination. In this landscape, compassion must anchor our clarity.
Wisdom asks: How do I discern what deserves my energy? Compassion asks: How do I stay grounded in care—for myself, my people, and my communities—even as I move through division and noise? Together, wisdom and compassion guide us to act in ways that sustain and repair rather than deepen the cycle of suffering.
When confusion is amplified and division is fed, Manjushri reminds us that clarity requires more than hope—it requires effort, discipline, and deep trust in our own discernment. To wield the sword of wisdom is to recognize that cutting through illusion is ongoing and shared—a practice belonging to all of us if we wish to sustain ourselves and our communities.
Self-Inquiry Questions to Consider
- When picturing Manjushri’s sword in my own hands, what illusions or distortions would I be willing to cut away first?
- What does fearlessness look like for me in this season—not in theory, but in practice, relationships, and daily choices?
- If clarity is a collective practice, how am I contributing to it—or clouding it—in the spaces I inhabit?
