The Mother of 70 Million Buddhas: Cundi Bodhisattva

Cundi: The Mother of Seventy Million Buddha

Maha Cundi("extremely pure") Bodhisattva is highly revered in Chinese and Japanese Esoteric sects. She is lesser known in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist Community. She is referred as Zhǔntí Púsà or Zhǔntí Fómǔ in China and as Juntei in Japan.

The Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra, a Sūtra centered around Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, is the first ever Buddhist scripture where Cundi is mentioned. This Sutra is believed to date back from the late 4th century CE to the early 5th century CE.

Cundi Buddha, also known as Mother of the Seventy Million Buddha. She is the sentient's defender and has granted all humanity's wishes, bestowing the greatest blessing. Her wealth and knowledge are limitless. She has been praying for a millennium and is a powerful sorceress.

As she assists us in achieving the Samadhi of Spiritual Power of Transformation of Ocean and Space, she is the Bodhisattva who is thought to be the true embodiment of the World-Honored One. The Cundi Guan Yin is another name for the Bodhisattva Tsundri.

In China, the Tangmi practices of Cundi are prevalent among the general masses and the elites. From the Tang dynasty until the adoption of esoteric teachings by other sects of Buddhism in China, the Tantric goddess she was the focus of widespread esoteric activity in Chinese Buddhism. She is one of Guanyin's more well-known incarnations in contemporary Chinese Buddhism. She is occasionally referred to as the Queen of Heaven or Marci. Tradition dictates that statues of her are kept in vegetarian halls (zhaitang) at Chinese Buddhist temples throughout Southeast Asia.

18 Arms Cundi Bodhisattva Iconography 

Source: Enlightenment Thangka

Cundi is often depicted on a lotus seat with 18 arms. Each arm holds a sacred Buddhist item, each with a significant meaning-upaya. The 18 arms signify the 18 paths of attaining Buddhahood. It is described in her incantation as well. They possess the significance of profound principles. According to the Mahaprajnaparamita, these eighteen qualities identify a Buddha from a Bodhisattva. There are 18 characteristics are;

1. Her perfection of speech.
2. Her embodiment of the body.
3. Her perfection of memory.
4. Her serenity.
5. Her perfection of impartiality to all.
6. Her self-sacrifice.
7. Her unfailing thought salvages sentient beings.
8. Her unflagging zeal to rescue sentient beings.
9. Her unceasing desire to recover sentient beings.
10. The unceasing wisdom to save sentient beings.
11. Revealing perfect understanding in the deed.
12. The principle of the powers of deliverance.
13. The powers of salvation.
14. Perfect knowledge of the future.
15. Revealing perfect wisdom in thought.
16. Excellent knowledge of the past.
17. Revealing perfect wisdom in word.
18. Perfect understanding of the present. 

Hand Meaning

1. The original two hands on making the Root mudra to clarify the Dharma representing the simplicity with which the Dharma can be articulated.
2. The hand holding the majestic, precious banner stands for the capacity to form a genuinely enormous monastery.
3. The hand gesture as the Fearless Mudra symbolizes the power to free sentient beings from all fear and dread.
4. The hand holding a lotus flower symbolizes cleansing the six senses, which are as pure as the lotus flower when they are uncompromised.
5. The depiction of a hand wielding a sword of wisdom alludes to the cutting apart of the three poisons of greed, rage, ignorance, and the entanglements of sicknesses.
6. The holding of the empowerment vase signifies the flow of nectar for nurturing all the sentient beings to receive the empowerment of the Buddhas.
7. The hand clutching an elegant, jeweled headdress symbolizes the desire to be associated with outstanding dharma art.
8. The vajra lasso-wielding hand stands for the ability to draw everyone into the yoga tantra.
9. The hand holding a majestic celestial fruit symbolizes the achievement of enlightenment and the general cultivation of good karma.
10. The hand holding an eight-spoke wheel symbolizes the enormous dharma wheel, continuously evolving and emitting beautiful lights into the three lower realms.
11. An axe in hand symbolizes the destruction of all evil deeds and the cutting off of all attachments to oneself and others.
12. The hand holding a conch shell represents the universe-shaking pure Dharma that is proclaimed.
13. The hand holding a vajra hook stands for the ability to magnetize and draw all phenomena into one's field of vision.
14. The hand carrying a vase that grants wishes symbolizes the ability to summon any resource or scripture at will.
15. The hand holding a vajra symbolizes the eight classes of celestial beings and dragons coming together to help one another. Additionally, it stands for the exploitation of rebellious sentient beings.
16. The hand holding a wisdom sutra stands for the self-knowledge of understanding the profound truth without a teacher's aid.
17. The hand clutching a Mani, or wish-fulfilling pearl, symbolizes the radiant, immaculate, and ideal mental state.
18. The Dharma Expounding Mudra is performed with the two original hands, starting with the first hand.

Maha Cundi Dharani 

Cundi (Zhunti) Bodhisattva mantra lyrics:

”Namah Saptanam Samyak Sambuddah Kotinam tayatha Om Cale Cule Cundi Svaha.”

" I take refuge in Seven Million Perfectly Enlightened Buddhas. This is the mantra: Om! Cale Cule Cundi. May this be true!"

Practitioners invoke Cundi to purify karma, draw wealth, offer protection, and encourage a happy rebirth. This mantra should be recited to remove any bad karma that prevents the practitioner from reaching samadhi and advancing down the Path to Enlightenment. Additionally, this spiritual practice is one of the most effective forms of Tantrayana. The practitioner will develop a perfect aura due to this practice, which embodies infinite power and benefits. Thus, the instantaneous realization of the great prajna transcendental wisdom is made possible by this mantra, which accounts for its enormous potency.

Shakyamuni Buddha have stated,

"This great Dharani of Cundi is a brilliant mantra spoken by all Buddhas of the future, all Buddhas of the past, and all Buddhas of the present time."

Cundi Mantra Benefits 

If there are sentient beings with little merit, lacking the roots of righteousness, natural capacity, and the Factors of Bodhi, they will rapidly comprehend the achievement of Anuttarā Samyaksaṃbodhi if they learn about this dhāraṇī technique. Practitioners who can consistently recall, repeat, and uphold this dhāraṇī shall all get immeasurable roots of kindness. 

Traditional Tibetan Cundi Gold Glided Statue

Click here to view our Gold Plated Cundi Statues

The artist of Termatree, who have decades of expertise in handcrafting exquisite statue of Buddhist deities, has artistically crafted the sculpture of Cundi. Here in the figure, the deity is seated atop the moon disc lotus seat with 18 arms. She has serene facial expression with three eyes on the face. The two hands are in root mudra, and the other 16 hands hold different Buddhist items.

The body is molded using copper, where artists have hand-carved intricate design patterns. Each sacred item is crafted meticulously. Then it is glided using genuine 24K gold. To further highlight the feature of deity, acrylic paintings are used. This process took total devotion and months and months of hard work for the artist. The materials used in the statue are of the highest quality and, with proper care, will last for years.

You can use figurines for Buddhist Rituals and regular practices such as meditation, yoga, and even home décor. You can use this in your shrine; it will be a great help when you visualize Cundi or reciting her mantra. It will be a perfect gift for a practitioner like you to aid in your practices.