# Mahavira Hall

Mahavira Hall is the spatial and devotional center of the monastery, commonly used for worshiping the Buddha, reciting sutras, holding Dharma assemblies, and giving Dharma lectures. Different monasteries may enshrine different combinations of figures, but the core meaning is always to express the Buddha’s awakening, compassion, and continued presence of the teachings in the world.
“Mahavira,” or “Great Hero,” means a great hero. A person in the world may defeat a million enemies, but is not considered a great hero, because he cannot defeat his own afflictions, greed, anger, and delusion.
Mahavira Hall: It is the “classroom of the Great Hero.” The Buddha could defeat his own false thoughts, attachments, and afflictions, and realize the truth of the universe and life. This is the true great hero.

## Śākyamuni Buddha: A Name That Remedies the Two Great Illnesses of the Present World
Śākya, meaning “able to be humane,” refers to compassion. Beings in today’s world generally lack compassion; they are selfish and harm one another. Through the name “able to be humane,” the Buddha teaches us to treat others with compassion and kindness.
Muni, meaning “silent and still,” refers to purity. Modern people are inwardly restless, filled with wandering thoughts, and deeply affected by greed, anger, delusion, and arrogance. Through the name “silent and still,” the Buddha teaches us to treat ourselves with purity and inner quiet.

## Venerable Kāśyapa and Venerable Ānanda: Perfect Complementarity of Chan and Pure Land, Practice and Understanding
The two great disciples at the Buddha’s seat represent the two legs of Buddhist cultivation:
**Venerable Mahākāśyapa, foremost in ascetic practice and transmitter of the Buddha’s mind seal: **The senior leading disciple. He represents practice and discipline, and Chan, meaning direct realization. Learning Buddhism cannot be only talking without practice; one must truly practice in daily life and precepts, and be able to endure hardship.
**Venerable Ānanda, foremost in much hearing and compiler of the scriptures: **The foremost young disciple. He represents understanding principle and the teaching school, meaning listening to sutra lectures. Ānanda was handsome and had an excellent memory, representing that Buddhist study requires deeply entering the sutra treasury and learning widely through much hearing.

## Great Brahmā Heavenly King and Śakra Heavenly King: Symbolic Dharma Protection by Social Administrators
**Great Brahmā Heavenly King, lord of the first dhyāna heaven: **Represents purity and pure conduct. In the world, he represents noble moral leaders.
**Śakra Heavenly King, lord of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven: **Represents blessings, awe-inspiring virtue, and order. In society, he represents political administrators with authority and the makers of law.
These two heavenly kings stand beside the Buddha as Dharma protectors, representing that whether one stands at the summit of political power or serves as a model of morality, one must follow the Buddha’s wisdom education in order to achieve long-term peace and stability.