The Lecture Hall is located on the Ground Floor of the Main Shrine Building. Speeches, Dharma lectures and a variety of events and activities are conducted here. At the southern end, a statue of Maha Cundi Bodhisattva watches over the Lecture Hall.
Maha Cundi Bodhisattva
Maha Cundi is one of the most widely worshipped Bodhisattva by Buddhists in China and Japan. The Cundidevidharani (Cundi-to-lo-ni Ching) describes her as the “Mother of Seven Knot Kotis of Buddhas” therefore depicting her as the Great Mother of Mercy, Compassion, Wisdom and Merit Empowerment. She is portrayed with 18-arms form.
Maha Cundi Bodhisattva is prayed to for protection from all kinds of harm. The articles which are held in her hands possess great power and have symbolic meanings. Because of her many arms and eyes, she is often mistakenly taken to be Guan Yin with a Thousand Eyes and Thousand Arms, but a closer examination will reveal that the articles that she is holding are quite different from those of Guan Yin. An easier way to differentiate them would be by way of the “Mudra” which is peculiar to Maha Cundi Bodhisattva. Although their forms are different, they are of same aspect and share the same limitless compassion. This means that Maha Cundi Bodhisattva will respond to prayers that are sincere and selfless.
Maha Cundi Bodhisattva’s mantra is recited as:
“Namo Saptanam Samyaksambuddha Kotinam, Tadyatham, Om, Cale, Cule, Cundi Svaha”