Hierarchy of Buddhist gods and goddesses,
In this chapter an attempt is being made to give a connec¬ted idea of the hierarchy of Buddhist gods and goddesses, which I prepared for my own use. Part of this is directly relevant to my subject, in so far as it has a bearing on the finds of Buddhist images discovered in Bengal, lhe rest is not presently pertinent. I have, however, incorporated a systematic account in the hope that it may help to give a broad and general idea of the peculia¬rities of Buddhism whieh was developing in some of its later phases, although
specimens representing them, as full as the text concerned, are not available in many cases. From the Shdhanamala we get a description of images and it is rather surprising to notice that the images tallied most remarkably with the descriptions given in the text. Although many of the corresponding sadhanas are without samples discovered so far in Bengal, these have not been left out of account in this chapter, as future discoveries may show the advantage of dealing with the texts comprehensively, particularly in supplying links of an integrated system.
Besides the Sadhanamala there is the book entitled Nispanna- yagftv^Lf of Mahapandita Abhayakaragupta. It is a work on Mandals (i.e. Circles) and presents valuable information about the Buddhist deities. It may be noted that the Buddhists did not stop with the
making of images of Buddha alone but ’under the influence of Mahayana and Vajrayana, Buddhist gods and goddesses appeared and multiplied’ as the devloped iconography clearly establishes.
The Buddhist deities, particularly noticed in this chapter with special reference to the tests studied, include ? Adi-Buddha, Dhyani-Buddha, Bodhisattvas and their multiple forms with special reference to Avalokitesvara and Manjusrl. A separate section is devoted to the divine emanation of the Dhyani Buddhas. Female deities are dealt with in a new chapter with special reference to Tara, Prajhaparamita, Gunda, etc. Minor deities are also not excluded from this study.
In primitive Buddhism i.e., Hinayana, there were no gods and goddesses. In the earlier School of Art at Sanchi and Bharhut, representation of the Buddha as in image is absent. It is believed by some scholars that the Greeco-Buddhists of Gandhara were the first to carve out from stone images of Buddha.1 But Coomaraswamy thinks that the Mathura School produced the earliest image of Buddha. Early references to Buddhist gods and goddesses are found in some literary works. The Manjusrimulakalpa gives a description of a number of them. But a more systematic account is found in the Guhyasamaja Tantra, describing the five Dhyani Buddhas with their mantras, mandalas, and saktis. Asahga in ths 3rd century A.D. also referred to the Dhyani Buddhas and their emanations. Besides, under the influence of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist gods and goddesses A. Foucher, Beginnings of Buddhist Art and other Essays, 127.
appeared and multiplied. In speaking of the later development of this aspect of Buddhism, B. Bhattacharya remarks * ‘virtually, there was an epidemic of deification in which every philosophical dogma, ritualistic literature, abstract ideas, human qualities, even desires such as sleeping, yawning and sneezing were deified or given a deity form*. Thus did the Buddhists get a systematised and well-classified pantheons, with its profusion of gods and goddesses* The Buddhists applied a systematic principle in classi¬fying their deities as found in the Ssdhanamala, which described their characteristics. The Sadhanas, incorporated in the text called Sadhanamala, were composed in ancient nx> nest cries of Bengal and Bihar.
A detailed account of the Buddhist deities are given below s
Vajradhara (Adi-Buddha) s
As the name Adi-Buddha means the first Buddha and Vajredhara being an Adi-Buddha, he is also regarded as the first deity in the Buddhist pantheon. Adi-Buddha is the progenitor of five hulas or families of Buddhist gods and goddesses and the originator of the five Dhyani Buddhas. He is the embodiment of ’sunya’. The original conception of Adi-Buddha is regarded as the product of the Nalanda monastery about the 10th century A.D. In the Kalacakra Tantra the doctrine of Adi-Buddha was for the first time included. It is also a work of the 10th century A.D. In the Sveysmbhu Pursna it is said that Adi-Buddha first ’manifested himself in
Nepal in the
form of a flame of fire, and Manjusri erected a temple over it in order to preserve the flame, This ancient temple is known as the Svayambhu Caitya.* There are two forms of Vajradhara : single and Yab-yum. In the former form, he is seated in Vaj raparyahka attitude covered with ornaments with his hands crossed against the breast in the vaj ra-hun-kara-mudra. holding the vajra in the right hand and the ghanta in the left. The vajra stands for sunya while the bell represents prajna or wisdom.® The second form is iden¬tical with the above except that he holds his sakti in Yab-yum attitude* She is dressed and covered with jewels, carries the kart ri and the k an ala (skull cup) both of which have symbolic sense. The female associates of Vajradhara, according to Getty, is Prajnaparamita.7 Besides, the Nispannayogavali gives a description of Vajradhara as the principal deity of the ^ajrasattva Mandala.
He occupies the central position in the Mandala. He is reddish white. He possesses three faces and six arms. With the two prin¬cipal hands carrying the valra and the ghanta. he embraces his Prajna. In the other two right hands she carries the sword and the ahkusa and in the two left hands the kapala and the noose. He stands In the Ardhaparyanka pose and dances the Tandava dance. A specimen of va.jradhara is preserved in the Baroda Museum. Vajradhara was not universally accepted as the Adi-Buddha and some tried to identify Adi-Buddha with Vajrasattva, and some with others. However, he was very popular in Nepal and Tibet.
Next to Vajradhara, the five Dhyani Buddhas are important in Buddhist iconography. They occupy the central position in the pantheon of Northern Buddhists, ’are the progenitors of the five families of deities constituting the whole of the Buddhist pantheon’ The Buddhist believes that the world is composed of five cosmic elements or skandhas* The five skandhas are Rupa (form), Vedana (sensation), Samjna (name), Sa'nskara (Confirmation) and ViinSna
(Sensation) • These cosmic forces are without a beginning or an end and are defined in Vajrayana Buddhism as the five Dhyani Buddhas’.
'the Dhyani Buddhas are Buddhas who are exempted from passing through the stage of a Bodhisattva* There are five Dhyani Buddhas, namely, Vairocana, Ratna^ambhava, Amitabha, Araoghasiddhi and Aksobhya. l‘o these Vajrasattva is added subsequently, thus raising the number of the Dhyani Buddhas to six- Vajrasattva was regarded as the priest of the five Dhyani Buddhas.* ’They are always engaged in peaceful meditation* and ’they restrain themselves from the act of creation’* The Guhyasama^a gives us the theory of the
Dhyani Buddhas for the first time .^8 In this wo Tic the five Dhyani Buddhas are described with details regarding ‘their mantras, their mandalas, their saktis or female counter-counterpart s’J-4 The Dhyani Buddhas ere in all cases shown as resting on a lotus with crossed legs in a contemplative mood* The hands are either empty or with a bowl placed on the lap. In bare heads are thick curls decorating like a flame of fire. ‘They wear the monastic garments withi the right shoulder usually bare, and no ornament s.^-® When repre¬sented they bear a common appearance. But in fact they vary in regard to their recogniting colour, mount (vahana). symbols, saktis, offsprings, direction, mantra and characteristic display of their hands. These features of the Dhyani Buddhas are portrayed below ‘The emanation or offsprings of these Dhyani Buddhas constitute their families’.^7 The member of each family is required to bear the miniature figure of their parental Dhyani Buddha on their fore¬heads. Bach deity is given a different form. On the four sides of the stupa symbolising the Buddhist universe, are to be represented four Dhyani Buddhas. Only Vairocana, who is the deity of the inner shrine, is usually unrepresented; he may, however, be placed between Ratnasambhava in the south and Aksobhya in the east, in exceptional cases, Vsg resat tvn is regarded as the sixth Dhyani Buddha and their
Guhyasamaja, chapter I.
priest. He is portrayed with priestly symbols, viz. the va.1 r& and the ghanta. He is later than the Dhy&ni Buddhas.
Vairocana is regarded as the first Dhyani Buddha. As mentioned above he is regarded as *the deity of the inner shrine*, and is not therefore represented on the stupa. But as noted above, there are exceptions to this rule, as noticed in Nepal. The Dhyani Buddha Vairocana is well-known in India, Nepal, China, Japan, etc. In Nepal he was worshipped both as Adi-Buddha and Dhyani Buddha; the Chinese and Japanese Buddhists believe that the Yogacarya doctrine was communicated by him to Va^rasattva. The distinctive colour of Vairocana is white. Both his hands are held on the chest with the fingers arranged to symbolise a combination of physical and mental happiness. His vahana is a pair of dragon and his recog¬nising symbol is cakra or the disc.
Vairocana with four faces and eight arms is known as
. Vajrad^tlpu, this form of Vajrad&thu Buddha is represented in the
VaJra^tflu-mandala of the Nispannayogavali. Here he is represented seated in Vairaparyahka pose. Although he is white, his four faces are of four different colours. Another form of Vairocana is known as Garbhadhatu . The goddess MarXci bears an image of Vairocana on her head-dress.
Aksobhya *
Aksobhya isA second Dhyani Buddha according to the Nepalese Buddhists* He is very popular in Buddhist countries* He is best described in the Pancakara section of the AdvayavaJ rasehgraha Here he is represented as seated in the vajraparyanka pose. He is two-armed with the left hand lying on his lap in ’meditation mudra* and the right in Bhumisparsa mudra. ’He represents the primordial cosmic element of Vijnana (consciousness)’. Many other forms of Aksobhya is noticed in ‘Xantric works. He is also recognised by his vahana - a pair of elephants and his recognising symbol Is the vdra or thunderbolt. His colour is blue. He is the chief deity of the Aksobhya-mandala. He was known as early as the 3rd-4th century A.D. It may be noted that the Sadhana quoted by Voucher states that Aksobhya should be on the tiara of Manjusri while the other Dhyani Buddhas should be on the four sides*2® From the SadhananfSla it appears that the head of Heruka should be decorated with a garland of skulls and by Aksobhya.
An image of Heruka shows the figure of Aksobhya on his tiara. It was found at Subhapur, a village north of Badkamta,
district in Tippera.
An image of Tar® recovered at Khailkair (Dacca) depicts two Dhyani Buddhas on the two sides of the head of the goddess, Aksobhya being on the left.27 From a sadhana we find that in the Jatamukuta of Mahacinatara there is an image of of Aksobhya.28
Ratnasambhava, the third Dhyani Buddha is mentioned for the first time in the Guhyasamaja. His description is found in the Pancaka^a section of the Advayavaj rasangraha » Ratnasambhava’s colour is yellow and faces the south, with his left arm lying on his lap and the right exhibiting the l/arada mudra; he is repre¬sented seated with legs locked, fie is distinguished by his vahana, a pair of lions and shining jewels CRatnacchata). He may be two or more armed. The Nispannayogavali refers to another fora of this Dhyani Buddha.
Two images of Ratnasambhava have been recovered from Bengal. One of them is reported to have been discovered from Vikrampur. The other is preserved in the collection of the Vahgiya Sahitya Pari shat Museum.
It may be noted that on an image of Tara found at Khailkair two Dhyani Buddhas are depicted on the two sides of the goddess : on the right Ratnasambhava and on the left Aksobhya.
Amitabha *
Amitabha is regarded as the fourth Dhyani Buddha by the Nepalese Buddhist; in India he is regarded as the most ancient among the Dhyani Buddhas. As described in the PancSkara section of the Advayavaj rasamgraha he is of red colour. His recognising symbol is the lotus and he exhibits the Samadhi mudra" in his two hands which lie on his lap. His vahana is a pair of peacock and as already mentioned, lotus is associated with his name.
Small images of Amitabha are found on Lokanatha’s crest, on the image of Manjusri, Vt3ra Tara and Bhrkuti Tara, as described below s on an image of Lokanatha found at Bandarbazar, Sylhet, Amitabha in miniature is represented on his crest. This image may be assigned to the 8th-9th century A J). An image of Khasarpana Lok a n at ha found at Mahakali in Vikrama*- pura in Dacca appear on the head along with four other Dhyani Buddhas, Amitabha occupying the central seat.33 An image of Manjusri was found from a tank called Yugi Badir Pukur in the village of Jalkundi, district Dacca.33 On the head of this image there are to be seen miniatures of four Dhyani Buddhas viz., f Vairochana, Ratri^sambhava, Amifabha and Aksobhya. On the prabha mandala of the image of Vajra lara also appears the figures of some of the Dhyani Buddhas including Amitabha.
An image of a goddess Identified by some scholars with Bhrkutl far®, found at Bhavanipur, Dacca district bears a representation of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha on the tiara. Images of Amitabha are quite familiar in Tibet ^ and China. It may be noted that images of Padmanarttesvara and two-armed Raktalokesvara forms of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, are rarely to be found in India, fhe Sadhana devoted to their worship states that on their Jatamkutja there is to be an effigy of Amitabha. Amoghasiddhi s
Amoghaslddhi occupies the fifth plaee among the Dhyani Buddhas, fie is to be shown as seated firmly with his left palm resting open on the lap; the right hand being in the Abhaya (protection) imidra. He is well represented in many 1'antric works
and is described in detail in the Advayavajrasangraha. His colour is green. His vahana is a couple of Garudas. He is 44 recognised by his double thunderbolt, Visvavajra.
Amoghasiddhi is present on the tiara of Parnasavari. An image of this goddess is found in a village in Dacca district
with Amoghasiddhi placed in the centre of the tiara. According to a sadhana quoted by Poucher Amoghasiddhi may also appear on tiara of Manjusri along with the other Dhyani Buddhas. Amoghasiddhi is popular specially in ‘iibet and China.
Vajrasattva is regarded as the priest of the Dhyani Buddhas among whom he stands in the sixth place. Some scholars are in¬clined to identify him with Vajradhara? others think he is Adi-Buddha. He is of white colour.
Unlike the other Dhyani Buddhas he is not represented on the stupa. Separate temples are built in his honour where he is secretly worshipped. Vajrasattva is known in two forms, viz., single and Yab-yum. He is to be represented as seated on a lotus, dressed grandly with ornaments and having a crown in which there is often the image of Aksobhya, usually holding a va.1 ra in his right hand and a ghanta (bell) in the left hand. This form of Vajrasattva is common. The other form, known as Yab-yum in which he is associated with his sakti named Vajrasattvatmika, bearing the Kartri and Kanala in his right and left hand respective¬ly. He is also described in the Advayavajrasangraha- He is common in many Buddhist countries* An image of Vajrasattva belonging to the 10th century, is
kept in the house of a local resident in Dacca. It sits in'Abhanga pose with the legs ’one upon the other’ (and not locked). Vajra- sattva is also found represented on an image of Khasarpana Lokanatha found at Belasa, P.S. Badk&mta, District Tippers. In this instance Lokanatha appears in Ardhaparyyahka pose, seated on a lotus throne. Underneath the locus seat is displayed an image seated in Vajrasana with a thunderbolt in his right hand resting on the sole of the left foot, and a bell resting on the sole of the fight foot. This image is regarded as the replica of the God Vajrasattva.
Similarly, an image of Syama Tara found at Somapura, in the village of Vajroyogini, Dacca district, we find the goddess seated on a lotus throne with two images depicted beneath the throne, one of which is Vojrasattva, is shown seated with a Vajra in the right hand and the bell in the left. It may be noted that Vajrasattva when represented on other images, is assigned a place underneath the lotus seat, occupied by the chief god or goddess with whom he is associated. On the other hand, the place for the other five Dhyehi Buddhas in similar case were on the crest or tiara of the central deity.
Bodhisattvas are so called because their essence (Battvs) is purified by wisdom or enlightenment (lie. bodhi) . The Bodhi¬sattvas derived their origin from the five Dhyanl Buddhas and constitute a group which has a definite place in the Mahayana .system. The Bodhisattvas are of two classes « mortal and celes¬tial. A mortal Bodhisattva is one who previously appeared in human forms and then through a series of incarnations gained enlightenment (bodhljnana) and finally reached the goal (i.e., Buddhahood) The Bodhisattva reaches the second stage when he becomes illuminated by the consciousness of desire for the attain¬ment of Buddhahood (Buddha-citta). As a Bodhisattva, Buddha is decorated with crown and jewels. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston displays such images. There are thus many Bodhisattvas. Among them Avalokitesvara and HsSjusri are more prominent and are dealt with separately in greater detail.
The five Dhyanl Bodhisattvas, Samant abhadra, Vajrapani,
Ratnapani, Padmapani and Visvapanl form a special class. The
Dhyani Bodhisattvas are the spiritual sons of the Dhyani Buddhas* 'The Dhysni-Bodhisattvas of this group of five have a definite place in the Mahayana system’ and have created each in his turn a world* They are in many cases found in association with others in mandalas
A group of eight Bodhisattvas found in Northern Buddhist temples on either side of an important, divinity. The Gods on the right are Avalokite’svara, Akasagerbha, Vajrapani and Xshitlgarbha, while on the left are s Sarva-ni varans* vishkambhin, Maitreya, Samantabhadra and Manjusrl*
In the Nispannayogavalf of Mahapandita Abhayakara Gupta, forty-eight Bodhisattvas are mentioned, in three separate lists, as follows > List No.l. Samantabhadra, Aksayaraoti, Ksitigarbha, Akasagarbha,
Gaganaganja, Ratnapani, Sagaramati, Vs^ragerbha, Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, Chandraprabha, Jaliniprabha, Amitaprabha, Pratibhsnkuta, Sarvasoka- tamonirghatamati, Sarvanivaranavtskambhin.
List No*2* Waitreya, Manjusri, Gandhahasti, JKanaketu, Bhadrapala, Sagaramti, Aksayamati, Pratibtianakuta, Mahasthama- prapta, Sarvapayanjaha, Sarvasokatamonirghatamoti, Jalinlprabha, Candraprabha, Amitaprabha, Geganeganja, Sarvanlvaranavi shkambhin.
List No. 3* Maitreya, Amoghadarsin, Apayanjaha-Sarvapayanjaha, Sarvasokatamonirghatamati, Gandhahasti, Surangama, Gaganaganja, Jhananaketu, Amrtaprabha, Candraprabha, Bhadrapala, Jalinlprabha, Vajragarbha, Aksayamati, Pratibhanakuta, Samantabhadra.
Each list consists of sixteen names of Bodhisattvas; some names occur in all the three lists. Out of the forty-eight names only twenty-five names occur only once with their attributes.
A Dhyani Bodhisattva is iconically represented as richly attired and ornamented with thirteen precious ornaments including two garlands, one reaching the thigh and another the navel, a girdle, etc. In the middle of the crown is an image of his Dhyani Buddha or ’spiritual father’. The hair is arranged in the form of a bejewelled ushnisa. He generally has the uma on the forehead .f
If the Dhyani Bodhisattva is in a sanctuary with his Dhyani Buddha, the former is in a standing posture; when he is in his own chapel, he is represented seated. The Dhyani Bodhisattvas may be shown in company with their sakti in Yab-yum attitude.
Some of the more important Bodhisattvas are described below.
Samantabhadra is one of the most popular Dhyani Bodhisattvas. In the Nispannayogavalf he is made the ^Lhief out of the sixteen Bodhisattvas. In this text his name occurs frequently.
In the Aksobhyamandala he is found in the company of seven with no independent form; in the Vaj radhatumandala he resembled Amoghasiddhi with the Garuda vehicle and the right hand in the abhaya mudra. In the Durgatiperi^>dhana-mandala he appears in an independent form with a bunch of jewel in the right hand and the left rests on the hip. He is of yellow colour. In the Kalaeakramandala he is represented with his sakti Dharmavajra, and in the three right hands he holds the vajra, knife and oara^u and in the three left hands, ghanta. kapala and ‘severed head of Brahma* (or night lotus). He is blue. In the Dhamadhatuvagis- varamandala he is yellow with two arms ‘showing the varada in the right hand* and holds on the left ‘sword on lotus’.
In the Sadhanamala he is described as ‘pitabho ratnotnalavarapradah* i^. of yellowish colour, holding a jewel on a lotus with hands in the varada mudra According to Getty, he is to be represented with the crown, decorated with ornaments and dressed in a princely style with his symbol, the clntamanj in his left hand and the right hand in the vitarka mudra. The figure may be either seated or standing; and is sometimes accompanied by his sakti. As a member in the group of eight Bodhisattvas, he appears in standing posture with his hand in the vitarka and charity mudras. holding stems of lotus flowers supporting his special symbol, the clntamanj on the right
side and the vaira on the left. This description does not fully tally with the different accounts found in the Nispannayogavoli referred above. Although there may be some similarities, his peculiar features in the Nispannayogavoli are sword on lotus? hand on hip; double lotus? abhaya and varada mudras. etc. These are not only found in the above mentioned text but also in the statuettes discovered in China. A painting of Samantabhadra Lokesvara is preserved in the Machhanda Vehal, Kathmundu, Nepal. This Samantabhadra Lokejjvara is seated in the va.iraparyanka pose on the lotus. He displays the varada mudra with his right hand and against the chest he holds the stem of a lotus with his left hand .
Samantabhadra was very popular in some Buddhist countries
outside India. In Japan he is represented on the tetra of Manjusrl in the company of Sakyarauni. This form is also popular in China where Samantabhadra is found seated on an elephant. Many images of Samantabhadra have been found in Peiping .21
bodhisattva Vajrapani is the spiritual son of the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya and Mamakr. His special attribute is vajra; he may be either standing or seated. Pander’s Pantheon shows him as seated with the legs locked, holding the vajra in his hands placed on the lap in ’meditation’ mudra. He may also be represented in the bhhmisparse mudra with the va.1ra ’being balanced in the palm’ of his left hand resting on his lap. This specimen is found displayed in the miniature painting in a MS. Add 1643 presented in the Cambridge University library. He is one of the Dhyani Bodhisattvas found in Northern Buddhist temples. In the S"Sdhanamala23 Vajrapani is described as ’suklabo va.1 rahasto varapradah i.e., of white colour, carrying the va.1 ra in one hand and displays the abhaya mudra in the other. Curiously, Vajrapani is not mentioned in any of the lists furnished in the Nlspanna- yogavalf.
Vajrapani is a popular name in many of the countries outside India. Various legends and accounts about him are available in which this name occurs in different contexts. In Japan he is often represented in ’mystic diagrams’; in Tibet he has several ferocious (Dharmapala) forms viz., Vajrapani-acarya, Nilambara- vajrapani (fi-dam), Acala-Vajrapani, Mahacakra-Va^rapani, etc. Besides, mention may be made of Vajrapani, the 1‘hunderbolt-Wielder in the aspect of a spell deity, explained by Getty as ’the deified form of a snake charm, the Protector against snake-bites’. In this form he is found seated on a lotus throne supported by peacocks with his right hand holding ’at his breast one end of a noose, with which to catch the snake demons? while the left, on his hip, holds the other end of the noose’. He is accompanied by two Bodhisattvas. Not only he wears many ornaments but 'snakes are coiled around his arms and ankles’. If painted, he is to be of white colour.
Vajrapani is also found in Garuda form. ? He is, again, the Protector of the Nagas, as the enemy of the demons. Different views are held about the identification of Vajrapani for instance, Hodgson calls him 'aeon of Vajrasattva Buddha* and De Groot 'reflex of Vajrasattva*According to Getty he is both 'the ferocious emanation of Vajradhara and the spiritual reflex, the Dhyani-Bodhisattva of Aksobhya'. Grunwedel identifies Vajrapani with Hakra or Indra. Hiuen-tsang mentions Vajrapanl with the ifithagata ’when he subdued the gigantic snake in Udayana*. It seems that the name Vajrapani may not have denoted the same God or demi¬god. Bis identification in any particular case should depend on the context in which the name occurs. Obviously, he is not Vajrapani of the group of eight Bodhisattvas in all cases without exception. Images of Vajrapani have been found in some parts of Bengal including the life-size image of Bodhisattva Vajrapant from Subhapur (5 miles north of Bad-kamta, lippera district).
Bodhisattva Ratnapani is the descendent of the Dhynni Buddha Ratnasambhava and his consort Vajradhatavisvari. He belongs to the Ratnakula. The Nispannayogavali describes him in the Dharmadhatu- vagisvara-mandala as ’sySmo daksinapahina ratnam vamen'abjastha - candar-mandalam-bibhranah’ i.e., green in colour, holding the jewel
in the right hand, and the disc of the moon on lotus in the left hand. He is represented either seated or standing ’he holds the stalk of a lotus on which appears the kula symbol which is here the jewel (ratnacchata) • He is well known in Tibet. A metal image of standing Ratnapani was found in Nepal and a sitting image is also found. A painting of Ratnapani Lokesvara is preserved in
th© Machhandar Vahal, Kathmandu, Nepal. It is a seated figure with a sword in his left hand and ths other hand in the varada mudra.36
Bodhisattva Aksayamati is given the second place in the Nispannayogavali. He is also mentioned in Buddhist ritualistic literature, and is always represented in Mangalas with other deities. In the Mahjuvajra Mandala she is represented with a golden complextion,ythe clenched left hand is held against the chest with the varada with rosary in the right handw ( •••••• ••• vamamustim hrdyavasthaova savyena varadamudrah)•
In the Dharmadhatuvagi^vara Mandala he is described as yellow in colour, wielding sword in th© right hand and exhibiting the abhaya with lots in the left. In th© Durgatipariiodhana Mandala he is represented white and with his two hands holds the bowl with the nectar of knowledge • (.inariamrtakalasa dhSri) »
In another place Aksayamati takes the same form as
. Amoghasiddhi with Abhaya in the right and the left lying on the lap. 40
Ssitigarbha is another Bodhisattva. In the Hispannayoga- vali he is described ’as identical with his sire Vairocana with the Dharmacakranudra and the cakra symbol- In the same work he is described as yellow in colour showing the earth touching mudra in the right hand and a lotus with the Kalpa tree (kaloavrksa) in the left. The Sadhanamala, however, describes Ksitigarbha under Lokanatha Sadhana as of green colour and displays in his two hands the jar and the abhaya mudra«. ^ Ksitigarbha is not common in India but in other Buddhist countries he is quite popular and well represented, Akasagarbha : Another Bodhisattva is akasagarbha i.e, the Bodhisattva who lives in the womb of the sky- He is also known as Khagarbha. In the Hispannayagavail he is represented in the Dharmadhatu- vagisvara Mandala as of green with the right handjin the attitude of showering jewels and the cintamani jewel in the
left. (....Savyena Sarvaratnavarsi vamana cintamanibhrt In
this work Akasagarbha is somatimes given the same form as his sirs Ratnasambhava with the varada mudra and the jwel.4^
In the Sadhanamala, Akasagarbha is known by his second name Khagarbha and described as of green colour and holds the cintamani jewel in one hand and exhibits the varada mudra in the other (...•cintamanivarapradah..)'F’
Getty however, includes him In the group of eight Bodhi¬sattvas and thinks that his essence is ether (l.e. essence of the void space). He is represented as "standing -with his hands in vitarka and vara mudra. and his special symbol, the sun is supported by a lotus at his right shoulder, while at his left is a lotus-flower supporting a book Ikasagarbha is differently represented. in other Buddhist countries.
Another Bodhisattva is GaganagaSja who is affiliated to to the Dhyani Buddha Ratnasambhava of yellow colour in the Nlspannayogavali* Besides, the same work associates her with different mandalas s Thus, for example* in the HaSjuvajra mandala Gaganaganja is of golden yellow colour. In the left hand he holds the vajra in clenched hands which is proudly placed on the hip (..Va,1 ramus tim garvena Katvam nyasya .••) while the right is raised upwards in. the sky. 51 In the Dharmadhatuvagisvara Mandala he is represented as of yellow colour with the right hand holding the cintamani jewel and loft a bowl from which the kalna tree is suspended (Salpavrksm dadhanah) . Lastly, he also finds place in the Burgatiparisodhana Mandala. Here he is described as of white colour, holding the dharmaganga on lotus in the right hand (padmasthadharmaganiadharah .•) while his left arm rests on his hip (on lap) CKatisthvamahastah) » In the Sadhanamala he is represented red holding the lotus and exhibits the varada mudra in his two hands.
The next Bodhisattva is Sagaramatl (ocean mind). He is mentioned in the Nlspannayogavali and represented in mandalas. In ths Dharmadhatuvagi^vara Mandala he is described as of white colour holding the conch in the right hand and a sword marked with a vaira in the left In the Manjuvajra Mangala he is described as of white colour'with both hands outstretched and the fingers displaying the.sea-waves.M ( . .. hastadvavanrasaritah sarvanRulibhistar^ angabhlnavi...)
Vagragarbha *
Another Bodhisattva is Vagragarbha. He is described in the Nispannayogavali and in one place he is identified with the Dhyani Buddha Amoghasiddhi. In the Dhanaadhatuvagi^vari Mandala he is described as having the colour of the petal of a blue lotus (nilopaladalavama) with the right hand holding the va.1 ra and the left showing the Desabhwnike book-57® He is also represented in the Durgatipari^odhana Mandala as of bluish white colour (niiasitah) and holds the blue lotus in the right hand while the clenched left KO rests on the hip-Mahlsthamaprapta s
Mahasthamaprapta is a Bodhisattva who has obtained greatness of strength* In the Dharmadtiatuvagisvara Mandala, he is described as yellow in colour with the right hand holding the sword and the left the lotus In the Maffjuvajra Mandala he is depicted white and holds in his left hand a bunch of six full-blown lotuses (sat-vikasi tapadmadhari-.*) while the left left hand shows the - 60 varada mudra-Candraprabha *
Bodhisattva Candraprabha i.e., light of the Moon, is first Identified with his parental Dhyani Buddha Amitabha in the Nispannayogavall. In the same work he is represented differently in the Mandalas* In the Menjuvajra Mandala he is described as of white colour like the moon. He holds in the left hand the Moon on lotus and shows the Varada in the right. Next he is described in Dharmadhatuvagisvara Mandala as white. He holds in his right hand discus masked with a valra. and in the left the disc of the moon on a lotus (VSiaena padma stha- candramandalam dhatte) . jn the Durgatiparisodhane Mandala he is depicted white, holds the moon on lotus in the right hand while the clenched left rests on the hip (... padmasthacandra - bimbam bibhranah katisthavamemust ih) * From the above it appears that the recognising symbol of Candraprabha is the moon on lotus. .
Jeliniprabha :
Jaliniprabha or Suryaprabha is another Bodhisattva. He is described in the Nispannayogavali first in the Manjuvajra Mandala as of red colours and holds in the left hand the sun or£ a lotus 65 and the right displays the varada mudra. Secondly, he is described in the Dharmadhatuvagi^vara Mandale as reddish white in colour (sitaraktah)« He holds the sword in the right hand and in the left the disc of the gun on a lotus.®® ihirdly, in the Durgatiparisodhana Mandala he is described as red in colour a 4 and holds in the right the Va J ra-panJara (i.e. vaj ra marked caged) and the left rests on the hip.®? His symbol is the disc of the sun. His red colour suggests that he is the spirited sun of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha. In fact, he is identified with Amitabha in this work.®8 Amitaprabha or Amrtaprabha
Amitaprabha (boundless light) or Amrtaprabha (light of Nectar) is another Bodhisattva who is represented in different Mandalas in the Nispannayogavali. In the Durgatiparisodhana Mandala he is described as of white colour. In his right hand he holds the Jar of nectar on the crown of his head and his clenched left hand rests on the hip (. ._.mukutoparyamtakala£abhrtsavyekarah katistha- vainamustih) In the MaSJuvaJra Mandala he is described as of
red colour and holds in his two hands the Jar required in the bath of initiation ( ? hestadvayena abhisekakalasadhari) .?° In the Dharmad.hatnvagi'svara Mandala?-*- he is described as of white colour, -With the right hand he holds the double lotus and with the left hand a Jar on lotus. In all representation of Amitaprabha, the Mar* appears. Probably the *Jar of consecration1 is his symbol of recognition. We find that on two occasions he is
described as of white colour and once as of red. ”If this appears that Amitaprabha. should belong to the family of Vsirocene because of his white colour. His spiritual father will be Amitabha when he is red in colour0 »
In the Nispannayogavali, the Bodhisattva Pratibhanakinta is represented in different mandals in different colours, “thus affiliating himself to the families of Amoghasiddhi, Ratnasambhava and Amitabha” «
In the Manjuvajra Handala he is described as of green colour. His clenehed left hand is placed on the lap, while he flourished the whip with the right hand • •• utsanga-vamamustir-daksinana chotlkapradah. In the Oharmadhatuvagi^vara Malala he is described as of yellow eolour and holds in the right hand the stick and in the left the sword on lotus. But in the Durgati- parisodhana Mandala he is of red colour and holds in his right hand a crown on lotus and the left rests on the hip. S arvasok atamoni rghatamati ’
As the name of the Bodhisattva suggests that he is the destroyer of all sorrows and inertia. He is also represented in
the Mandalas In the Nispannayogavali. In the Durgatiparisodhana Mandala he Is described as of whitest yellow in colour and holds in the right hand the rod and the left rests on the hip. In^Manjuvajra Mandala he is of golden colour and his hands display the attitude of striking (praharabhinayl)* In the Dharmadhatu- vagisvara Mandala he is described as of red colour. With his right hands he holds the va.1 ra with five things (pancasucikakuli- sam) and with the left the sakti. His yellow colour, referred to twice, affiliate him to the Dhyani Buddha Ratnasambhava; and red colour to Amitabha. He is also identified with the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya.
Sarvanivaranaviskembhin : (Viskambhin) s
In the Manjuvajra Mandala he is described either of blue or white colour (nilah suklo va). His left hand displays the bhusparse mudra and the right the act of pacification (prasams- bhinayi) * In the Dharaadhatuyagievara Mandala he is blue in colour and holds the sword in the right hand and flag marked with a double thunderbolt ( ... visvavajrahkapata kadharah) . As his colour is either blue or white, he is identified by some with Akspbhya and by others with Vairocana.88 In the Nispannayogavalf
he is identified also with Amoghasiddhi. In the Lokanatha- sadhana he is called Viskambhln and represents him with two hands, one holds the excellent jewel and the other displays the .... ...mudra. His colour is ash.
Maitreya *
Bodhisattva Maitreya is described many times in the Nispanna- yogavali. In the Manjuvajra Mandala he is described as a four¬armed God. The two principal arms display the dharmacakra mudra. The other two hands show the varada mudra in the right and the twig of a Nagakesara with a flower in the left. His colour is golden. In the Durgatipari^odhana Magdala he is represented yellow and holds in the right hand the Nagakesara flower and the Kundi or bowl in the left. He is sometimes identified with the Dhyahi Buddha Vairocana or Aksobhaya. In the Sadhanamala he is described as of yellow colour and shows the Nags flower and displays the varadS mudra.98 His recognising symbol is Nagakesara flower.
Bodhisattva Gandhahasti is mentioned in the Nispannayogavali. In the Maftjuvajra Mandala he is described as of green colour and holds in the left hand an elephant trunk on a lotus and the right
hand displays the varada mudra. In the Durgatiparisodhana
Mandala he is described as whitest green in colour. He holds in his right hand the conch containing sandal paste while the left rests on the hip. He is sometimes identified with the DhySni Buddha Ratnasambhava.
I’he Bodhisattva Jnanaketu is described in the same text. In the Manjuvajra Mandala he is described as yellow in colour ahd holds the flag marked with cintamani jewel in the left hand end the right displays the varada mudra.98 In the Durgatiparisodhana Mandala he is blue in colour; the right hand holds the cintamani flag and the left rests on the hip. in another place he is made identical with the Dhyani Buddha Ratnasambhava.9
Another Bodhisattva is Bhadrapala. In the Manjuvajra Mandala he is depicted red> He holds in his left hand the jewel and displays the varada mudra in the right.98 In the Durgatiparisodhana Mandala he is white and holds in his right hand jewels and the left rests on the hip.9? Sarvapayanjaya J Apayanjaha s
Apayanjaha is described in the Nispannayogavali. In the Man^uvajra Mangala he is described as white in colour and displays with his two hands the act of removing sin (hastadvayena n'spskse-
panabhinayi) . In the Durgatiparis&dhana Mandala he is of white colour and holds the ankusa (goad) in both hands." In another place he is identified with his spiritual father Aksobhya Amoghadarsin :
Another Bodhisattva is Amoghadarsin. He is also described in the same text. In the Durgatiparisodhana Mandala he is described as yellow in colour and holds the lotus in the right hand and the left rests on the hip.
She Bodhisattva Surangama is referred to in the Durgatipari- sodhana Mandal of the Nispannayogavali. Here he is described as of white colour, holding the sword in the fight hand and the left rests on his hip. He is also identified with the Dhyani Buddha Retnassmbhava .^03 •
Avalokitesvara is the roost popular God in Mahayana pantheons (the spiritual son of Dhyani Buddha Amitabha and his sakti Pandara) . There is difference of opinion among scholars regarding the anti¬quity of the cult of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. According to B. Bhattacharya ‘the conception of Avalokitesvara is as old as the 3rd century B.C.‘ In fact, ’Avalokitesvara is said to be the Bodhisattva who rules during the period between the disappearance of the mortal Buddha, Sekyasimhe, and the advent of the future, Maitreya**^ In the Mahavastu Avadaha he has been characterised as the ‘Bhagavan who takes the form of a Bodhisattva whose duty it is to look around (Avalokita) for the sake of instructing people and for their constant welfare and happiness* In the Sukhavati Vyuha8 his appearance is noticed for the first time. But the actual date of this work is not known.
His name is referred to in the Suvarnaprabhasa Sutra. Getty believes that in Northern India his worship became popular towards the 3rd century A.D. and that it reached its climax in the 7th century. Both Fa-hien in the Sth century A.D. and Hiuen Tsang in the 7th century A.D. spates"
ebout Avalokitesvara in their accounts* His worship began to decline towards the 8th century and practically disappeared by the 12th century* The Chinese called him Knan-yin as early as the 1st century A.D. Avalokitesvara was introduced into Japan and Tibet in the 7th century A.D. , He is regarded as the embodiment of all that is good, ‘the best of the sangha1; the Measured ‘Light of the Sun and Moon**, the spiritual son of Amitabha, the personification of Power of universal pity* He is indeed the most popular divinity in the Mahayana Pantheon, specially in Nepal and Tibet. Getty says that •his worship still extends northward to Lake Baikal and from Caucasus eastward to Japan*. Various forms of Avalokitesvara are described in the Sadhanamala.® Numerous images oi’ different varieties are also found. Most of the forms noted in the Sadhanamala bear the figure of Amitabha, his spiritual father on the crown (except Vajradhara). In the earliest images Avaloki¬tesvara is represented with one head and two arms. Later their number increased. Some forms of Avalokitesvara s
1. Sadaksara-Lokesvara :
In the Sadhanamala four Sadhanas are offered to this God, who mey be either alone or may be together with Sadaksari Mahavidya and Manidharma or may be in the company of two others* He is represented as profusely ornamented with four arms, carrying a lotus in one of the left hands and a rosary in a right hand, The other two hands are joined and elasped against the chest. He is white. The Sadhanamala, besides, contains another Shdhana about Sadaksarl-Lokesvara, according to which he should be holding the book and the lotus* The Karap|davyuha contain? a dhyana about Saaaksari Loke^vara. An image of seated Sadaksarl-Lokesvara is preserved in the Indian Museum. Here Sadaksard is accompanied by Manidhara and Sadak- sari Mahavidya on both his sides. Sadaksarl-Lokesvara is ornamented and beaming. An image of Sadaksari-Lokesvara group was found in the Birbhum district* It is partly muti¬lated - two hands probably holding the rosary and the lotus respectively are missing; the other two hands are in the Ahi all mudra. Miniature figures of Manidhara and Mahavidya (broken) accompany the central figure*
Another image belonging to this group was found in Niyamatpur (district Rajshahi). Sadaksari-Lokesvara is here represented seated cross legged on a full-blown lotus - two hands are shown in the anjali pose and the other two holding rosary and lotus are damaged: wearing a jatanuktS he is accompanied by Manidhara
with two arms and Sadaksari-Mahavidya. His hands are displayed in the same manner as those of Sudeksari-Lokesvara. She bears miniature Images of Amitabha and four Dhyani Buddhas on his head* This image may be assigned to the 11th century A.D.
An image of the same period was found at Rani pur (Maldah)
and is probably preserved in the local, museum. It is a four-armed Avalokitesvara, with his front hands in the enjall pose and the other two hands in the form, as presented in the Sadhanamala, ’carrying a lotus in the left and a rosary in the right’. On the .1 atamakuta miniature figures of Manidhara occur in the right and Sadaksari Mahavidya on the left respectively. The image is gracefully ornamented.
In this context reference may be made to two images preserved in the Sa math Museum. In one of the images Sadaksari-Lokesvara is accompanied by Manidhara and Mahavidya, all seated on lotus thrones- Under the throne are four small figures which according to B. Bhattacharya ’none else than the four guardians of the gates of the Sadaksarl Mandala, as prescribed in the Karandavyuha•; another Sarnath image of Sadaksari-Lokesvara is seated in a
.. different pose. Sadeksari-Lokanath is very popular and also common in Nepal. He is worshipped in all monastery there.
Simhsnsnda s
Simhananda is regarded as the healer of diseases.1® The name Simhananda has been differently interpreted. According to Grunwedel it may have reference to ’an ancient legend in which the roaring of a lion awakened still-born babes to life’. Getty believes the title ’Simhananda’ means ’with the voice of a lion*.1® Four Sadhanas are offered to this God in the Sadhanamala.
Simhananda has three eyes, a .1 at amukut'iTbut no ornaments. He wears
a tiger-skin, seated on a roaring lion with royal ease. ’In his right there is a white trident entwined by a white snake, and in his left there is a lotus - bowl full of fragrant flowers. From his left hand rises a lotus on which there is a sword burning like fire’. But the images discovered do not always agree with the Sadhana. The God may be decorated with ornaments.
Many images of Sifthananda have been found in India. His great popularity in Nepal is shown by the fact that at Paten (in Nepal) most of the monasteries are decoratdd on the staircase by a pair of images of Simhananda. Simhananda is also popular in Tibet and China. In India images of this God are preserved in the different Museums of India and Bengaladesa.
Khasarpana Is another form of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
He bears a strong resemblance to Ldkanetha. Like Lokanatha, he has one face and two hands. But unlike Lokanatha, he appears together with four Gods viz., Tara, Sudhanakumara, Bhrkuti and Hayagriva. He is white. He is decorated with ornaments, wears y
the jatamukta and has a joyous face and his body spreads rays. He sits either in lalita or ardhaparyanka attitude, on a lotus throne. In front of hiiBfis Tara of green colour. Next is Sudhanakumara with hands in the sn.lali pose and with a book. Hayagriva stands in the North. ixe is with a bulging stomach. Bhricutl stands to the west of KMsarap^na. These are the four companions of Khasarpana. The Sedhanamala contains a number of Sadhanas devoted to him. A black stone image of Khasarpana was found in Mahakall (Dacca - Bangladesh) with an inscription belonging to the lOth-llth century A J). He is accompanied by Sudhanakumara and Tara on the right, and Hayagriva and Bhr|kuti on the left. He is represented seated in lalitasfena "underneath a trefoil arch on a double-petalled lotus carved on a saptaratha pedestal with many additional images such as "Suchiraukha, the donor couple, ,.. ratnas, a female figure dancing to the tune of musical instruments played by others, etc." The upper portion of the prabhavaii is decorated with figures of Pancha-TatHagatas. The artist deserves high appreciation for his skill in producing this masterpiece, which is regarded as "one of the noblest objects of religious art in Bengali"^9 and considered to be one of the finest products of the PaleT School of Arts.
An extremely mutilated Image of Khasar|pana Lok snathe of the 10th-11 th century A.D. In the ardhaparyahka posture was found at Belasa (P.S. Badkamta, in the ‘lippers district). Of the four accompanying deities only the figure of Bhriikf'l is not damaged.
- o the left of the Nages, underneath the lotus seat is ; depicted a draped figure sitting in vairasana with legs locked*... He bears a thunder-bolt in his right hand and a lotus in his left. This, according to N.K. Bhattasali, is a representation of on Vajrasattva.
In the lowest panel, are represented from left to right : 1. Horse, 2. Swordsman, 3. financier, 4. damsel, 5. jewel, 6. wheel, 7. elephant, These are supposed to symbolise the Buddhist conception of the Seven Jewels.
In the Indian Museum there is a mutilated image of Khasarpanalis popular in Tibet and China. A standing image of Khasarpana is found from North Bengal (Chowrapara - Rajshahi) belonging to the 12th century A.D.^1
Lokariatha s
Lokanatha is the fburth form of Avalokite^vara-Bodhisattva. He appears either single or in the company of more than two. In Bhattasali, 26.
some eases he appears in a group of eight Bodhisattvas, four goddesses and four guardians of the gates. The latter form of representation of Lokaiiatha with different deities etc., possibly reflects the entire mandala of this Bodhisattva.
Lokanatha has two hands, the left hand carries a lotus and the right is in the varada pose. He wears the ;latamukutgt and he is seated in‘the lalita attitude with a delightful beaming face. He is white coloured. He may appear in the pranvahka or vairapranyahka attitude, standing images of Lokanatha are also eome across. Tara is on his right and to the left is Hayagriva in a bowing gesture, carrying the staff in his hands. He is red in colour, appears terrible and is clad in the garment of tiger-skin. The Sadhanamla describes the eight accompanying
Bodhisattvas, represented on the eight petals of the lotus-seat on which Lokanatha is seated, as follows :
Maitreya yellow Haga, (Kesara) flower varada pose Ksitigarbha. green KalW abhaya nose Vajrapani whitish va&a abhaya mudra xlanjughosa golden complesion sword & 'botzk
Colour Symbol Exhibit
Gaganganja
red lotus varada mudra
Viskambhin
ash excellent jewel n « Samantabhadra yellowish lotus » w Many Sadhanas are denoted to Lokanatha. In this he appears
to Haw enjoyed considerable popularity* Mis imagos ar© found in Bengal*, An image of Lokanatha was discovered at Haghurampur, in Dacca district* He is seated in lalitasana: his left hand carrying a lotus and the right exhibited in the abhaya mudra* An image of Lokahatha, in the ardhapagyyahka posture, probably of the 8th-9th century a.D.$ was found in the Sailadaha river, in the border of the Faridpur and Barisal district4 He is found carrying a lotus in the left hand and the right hand in the abhava muclra*
An image of Lokanatha, standing on a lotus, probably of the 8th-9th century A.D. was found at Bardarbazar, Sylhet. He is carrying the lotus in his left hand and ’blesses mankind vith his right hand’. He is dressed up to the-ankles with long hair falling on bis shoulders* Th© Dhyani Buddha, Amitabha is engraved on his crest. A twelve-armed image of Lokanatha, found at Sonarang,
Dacca district, is preserved in the Museum of the Vangiya Sahitya Parisat, Calcutta.23 A seated image of Lokanatha, surrounded by five Dhyani Buddhas, is reported to be included in the collection of the Rajshahi Museum* An image of Lokanatha in ardhanarvanka pose seated on a lotus throne with right hand in the varada mudra pose, was found in Poondri, Dinajpur district in North Bengal* He is dressed in dhoti and also jewelleries and wears the .iatamukW with an effigy
of Amitabha. On its top there arc two stupas on both sides. The inscribed pedestal contains the usual Buddhist formula ; *Ye Dharma hetu
The Cambridge MS. Ho. Add 1643 gives the following accounts of some images of Lokanatha found in East Bengal5- An image of standing Lokanatha in abhahga pose from the village Campitala in the Tippera district with boon in his right hand and a long stalk in the left. Tara, and Hayagriva are on his right and left respectively. Two Vldyadharas are represented on the two sides above the head of lokamtha. An image of Lokanltha seated on a lotus with the right
leg hanging with. Tara and Hayagriva on his two sides* His right hand is in the varada mudra and the left holds a lotus with a stalk. This image was discovered in Jayatungavarsa in the Tippera district*
A standing image of Lokanatha found from Harikeladesa (East Bengal) as described by Poucher has six hands of which on the right are respectively in charity, holding a lotus, a rosary mudra. Of the left hands, one is in the charity mudra and the other holds a book. The image is accompanied by four figures: two on the right and two on the left. Those on the right are kneeling figure with *an enormous belly’, with’a beak-shaped mouth * supposed to represent ‘preta’ and the other Bodhisattva is a Green Tara. On the left are Tara (rad) and Tara (yellow) with four hands* In this connection reference may ba made to some terra¬cotta slabs, found in Baja san. at Sabhar, district Dacca, containing eight niches with a figure, diagonally arranged in different 7_ postures - they probably represent the Buddhist Trinity Sakyamuni, Mahjusri and Lokanatha. Here was also found a small and thin plaque containing probably a figure of Lokanatha.'54
lialahala s Halahala, another form of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, is not popular in India., The Sadhanamala provides some Sadhanas which help the identification of the deity. Halahala possesses three faces -sparkling with delight and love. He is always with his saktl whom he carries on his lap. In a stone image found in Nepal he appears alone unaccompanied by his Saktl. An image of Halahala was found in China.33 Padmanarttesvara i
The sixth form of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is Padma- narttesvara. His worship is not popular in India. No example of this form of Bodhisattva has been found in Bengal. A few have been found In Nepal and China. Thera are three Sadhanas in the Sadhanamala, each Sadhana gives a different form of Padmanartthes- vara* according to one Sadhana, Padmanarthesvara is one-faced with eighteen arms, be standing in.^ardhanaryahka attitude with an image of Amitabha in his .iatamukuta. An image of this kind belongs
to Nepal.3? The second Sadhana refers to an ornamented one-faced figure also in ardhaoarvahka attitude but unlike the former with eight hands, h peculiar feature of this deity is that he is encircled by eight goddesses.58 A two-armed, one-faced Padtna- nartiesvara is portrayed in another Sadhana. According to the text
he is seated on an animal with a representation of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha on the crown and is ’embraced by Padmavasini*. This Sadhana is accompanied by a Dhyana which gives details about the Mandala and the lotus throne.
The name of this form of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is made up of three ’Hari’s' together. As the vehicle of Lokesvara is cons¬tituted by lion, Garuda and ¥isnu, each called Hari, he is given the name Hariharihari vahana. This form is illustrated in the finds from Nepal and China Hariharihari is white and well dressed with the .1 atamukuta on. He is six-armed. Details about the display of the arms are given in the Sadhanamala. 1 railokyavasankara :
Ankara or Oddiyana Lokesvara is another form of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara* There are two Sedhanas about this God in the Sadhanamala. One of the two Sadhanas relating to this God was composed by Mahasiddha Sarahapada. He is one-faced, two-armed and three-eyed and is seated on a red lotus in a va,1 ranarvahka attitude. Images of this God very rate.
Baktalokesvara s
Pour-armed Baktalokesvara is another type of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is that of red colour, dressed in red and red unguents, also called ’Caturbhuja Avalokitesvara* in China, when four-armed. A two-armed variety is also mentioned in a Sadhana. There is another form of Raktaloke^vara who possesses two arms, dressed in rich clothing, ornaments, .1stamuletS with representation of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha. He is also red and carries a red lotus in the left hand. There is such similarity between a two¬armed Rektalokesvara and Vajradharma.
The Mayajala Tantra refers to a fierce form of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara named after the Tantra* He has five faces, three eyes and twelve arms. He stands in the frretyalidha attitude with , a tiger skin on his body decorated with a garland of heads. His images are rare in India; only a few ere found in Tibet and Nepal.
Nllakantha «
Another form of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is Nilskantha* He
is yellow* He is seated on a lotus in the Vajraparyahka attitude and 1 his two aims are in the samadhi mudra. *His throat shows a blue pill (of poison) ’ 3® He wears no ornament but his .1 atamukuta bears the image of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha. It is held that ’the conception of this God is modelled on the Hindu deity Siva1. There are some similarities between Nilskantha and Va^JrarSga, a form of Manju^ri* An image of Nilskantha was found in Samath.
Sugsti sends Tsana s
Sugatisandarsana Lokesvara, as known from the SSdhanamela, has six hands, with a rosary in the three right hands, exhibiting the varada and the abhaya pose. In the three left hands he carries a lotus, a water-pot and a staff with three horns. He is dressed with ornaments and wears sacred thread. He bears a peaceful appearance, Standing on a moon over lotus'* An linage of this God is preserved in the Indian Museum, there is also a Nepalese drawing of this image.44 Pratasentarpita s
Pretasantarpita, another form of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is covered with ornaments. He wears the sacred thread. He bears an elegant appearance, standing on a lotus. He is white with six arms, 'exhibiting in the first pair of hands the varada poses, carries in the second pair the jewel and the book, and in the third pair holds the rosary and the IridandT (staff with three
horns)*. ® A Nepalese illustration of this type is available.
Sukhavati Lokesvara *
She Dhannakosasangraha of Amrtananda gives a description of Sukhavati Lokesvara. He is seated in lalitasana pose with a caitya on the top. He is three-faced, six-armed? one of his right hand is 'in the act of shooting an arrow', the remaining two have the rosary and the varsda pose. In one of his left hands
be carries a bow (and the lotus ?) and another is placed on the thigh of iara. He is surrounded by Va^ratara, Visvafara, Padrna- tara, and the like. Images of Subhavati Lokesvara are rare in Bengal.
Vajra dharma ‘
Vajredharma is represented seated *on the moon over lotus on the back oi' a peacock*. He holds the stem of a lotus in his left hand and *the right causes it to blossom against his chest* with the five Dhyani Buddhas represented on his crown. Section D
Manjusri Bodhisattva Magus'll has been assigned the highest rank among the Mahayen!st Gods. Many legends are connected with his name, lhe different Buddhist countries haw interpreted his greatness differently. He is the ’personification of .transcendent Wisdom’. - He is the first Bodhisattva whose name occurs with SSkya-muni in ’lotus of the Good law*. He is called Adi-Buddha, but in some Sutras he appears as historical figure- Getty tells us that Mnjusri was born out of the celestial light emanating from the forehead of Gautama Buddha. Ihis ray gave birth to a jambu, later a lotus and ’from the interior of the flower was bom the prince of sages, Arya Mahjuiri•».According to the Svayembhu Purana originally Manjusri lived on mount Paneasirsa (the Hill of five Peaks) in China, where he had many followers including the king of China, named Dharmakar®. Later Manjusri left China for Nepal to visit the shrine of Svayambhu (Adi-Buddha) near lake Kalihrada,® which was unapproachable. Dharaakara who was bent upon bringing the God within the reach of the people opened the valleys on the southern sides of the lake, the water rushed through the opening, leaving dry land at the bottom and thus bringing Nepal into existence, fhe Svayambhu Purana goes on to say that Manjusri made
a dwelling for himself and a monastery (known as M^&Jupattana) for his followers. Dharmakara was made the king of Nepal. After fulfilling his desires he became a Bodhisattva. Thus according . to the Svayambhu Purana it was Manjusri who introduced Buddhism in Nepal from China but it is not known when exactly and under what circumstances Buddhism made its first appearance in Nepal. Some scholars hold that he himself was the author of the Svayambhu It is believed that Malijusri laid the foundation of Nepalese civilisation or ’a wanderer who carried Buddhism into Nepal * .
MaSfjiXsri as a Mahayanist deity does not finds a place in the Gandhara and Mathura schools of sculpture. He was not known to the early authors like Asvaghosa, Nagarjune, Tiryadeva, etc. The AryamaKjusrimulakalpa refers to Manjusri. He is also mentioned in the Guhyasamajatantra (A.D. 300), the Sukhavati Vyuha (or the Amitayus sutra) ® Fa-hien, Hiuen-tsang, I-tsing, etc. There are forty-one sadhanas devoted to ManjusrT in the Sadhanamala. In the Namasangiti he is called Adi-Buddha, but in some of the sutras he appears as a historical figure. In the Sadhanas he is occasionally spoken of as having descended from either Amitabha or Aksobhya. The different colours of Ma'nju^ri may be explained as due to the ’allegiance to several kulas or families’. As a
Bodhisattva MahjusrI is decorated with all kinds of ornaments worthy of e prince. In his commonest form MaKjusri carries a sword in his right hand with a Pralnanaramlta manuscript in the left*® In other variety two symbols are placed on a lotus. He is accompanied only by Yaniari or by his sakti or female counter¬part or by Sadhanakumare and Yamari or by four divinities* In the Hispannayogavali Manju/tf is depicted in the Maftjusri Mandala with three faces, of yellow, blue and white colours^ six-arms, in the three right hands he holds the sword, varada mudra and the arrow and the three left hands show the Prajnaperamita book, the blue lotus and the bow.18 The different forms of Manjusri are noticed. Particularly interesting is a gold-plated bronze figure of Mahjusrl recovered from North Bengal and preserved in the Rajshahi Museum. In this image Manjusrf is represented as standing in the dvibhanga pose, with an image of Aksobhya engraved on his .latamukuta. She left
arm displays the vitarka pose, the right arm is broken. The Sadhanamala describes Va.1 raraga Mahlusri as having one face^2 and two arms in the samadhi or dhyaha mudrff. lhe image of Dhyani Buddha Amitabha being represented on his tongue. He is white. ‘He is decked in all princely ornaments, wears the five pieces of monkish garments.....’
I'he Sadhanamala describes Dharmadhatu Vagisvara with, four faces ©nd eight arms* Xhe Nispannayogavalf gives an account of the DharmadhStuvagiisvara Mandala* In this Manjughosa is given the chief place. He is represented as seated in va.1 raparyanka attitude - he is four faced and eight armed* hands are in dharmacakra mudrg* with the other right hands he holds sword, irimirunjirT
the arrow and the vajra, while the left hands carry the Pra.IniF paramita manuscript, a bow and a bell* A few specimens of this form come from Tibet and China. Manjughosa is another form of Manjusrf* The Sadha.naraale’ describes Manlughosa as riding a lion with two arms exhibiting the vyakhyana mudra he holds.a lotus in the left. He is sometimes associated with Yamari and Sadhanakumara on his left and right respectively. Images of Mgfiijughosa are rare.
There are some Sadhanas in praise of Siddhaikavira, another form of Manjusri, seated in the vajraparyanka attitude with right hand in the varada mudra and the left hand holds the blue lotus with the effigy of the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya on his crown. In one Sadhana describing the Mandala of MaHjusri, Siddhaikavira is given the central position associated with four Gods, viz., Jsliniprabha, Candraprabha, Kasini and Upakasinl’. A standing figure of Siddhaikavira hafitbeen found in Sarnath- In this aspect Va.1 rahanga Man^usri Is presented as an embodi¬ment of love with the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya on his crown; he is six-armed carrying a bow of flowers filled with the arrow of a lotus budx in his two principal hands; he carries a sword, a looking glass, a lotus and the Asoka bough respectively with the remaining four hands# He is represented as a youth of sixteen years displaying mt the sringara rasa A6 the Hindu God of love, Madana may be regarded as his replica, there is a solitary Nepalese drawing of this God#
No images of Namasangiti Mafijusri have come to light from India# there is a Nepalese drawing of this God. His images are found in China. the Sfidhanam^la also gives only one Dhyana in honour of this God# Namasangiti MaSjusrI is seated in the vajraparyanka attitude in the orb of the moon on a lotus with an image of Aksobhya on his crown. He has three faces and four arms holding respectively the Pra.1 naparamit a. a sword, a bow and the arrow the Sadhanamala describes Vagisvara another form of Manju^ri, whose head bears the figures of five Dhyani Buddhas in a decorative style# He is seated on a lion in the ardhyaparyanka attitude. He carries the night utpala in his left hand. Xk In the Indian Museum there is an image of Vagi'svara which does not follow all the details found in the Sadhanamala account.
This image carries a bell in the right hand, and sits on a lion throne instead of a lion. Images found inNepal offer slight differences from the account as quotdd in the Sadhana- ioala. Vagi^vara is a popular deity in Nepal end is also known to the people of Tibet. In another variety he is known as Maharajalfla Macular!. He is represented seated on a lion throne or on a lion. He is yellow. Maharajallla Manjusri when represented as seated on a lion appears very much like Siraha- nanda-Lokesvara. MaKiuvara is differently described in two Sadhanas in the
Sadhanamala. In the first Sadhana he is shown seated on the lion in the lalita or ardhaparya&ka attitude with the effigy of the five Dhyani Buddhas on the head. His hands are in the dharmacakramudra with the blue lotus bearing the Prajnanaramita manuscript (Dharmacakramudra - samyuktam. Prajnaparamitanvitot- p~gladharinam ....) .2^ On the other hand in the second Sadhana Matijuvara is associated with Yamantaka bearing a fierce look, the latter is shown carrying a staff in one of the hands and touches the feet of Manjuvara with the other. He carries Ln his left hand the lotus with the Prajnaparamita on it. He is shown seated in the ardhaparyanka attitude, not on the lion. Many Images of Manjuvara have been discovered from Bengal. An image of one of these was discovered at Bara in Birbhum district with the effigies of the five Dhyani Buddhas over the head and accompanied with Sadhanakumara and Yamantaks on the right and
SadhanamKlS', ill. left respectively. As regards mudra"or poses they closely agree with those noted in the Sa dhan a referred to above Two seated images of Manjuvara are preserved in the Indian Museum. In both, the hands are joined against the chest in the dharmacakra mudra". In one case Manjuvara is accom¬panied by two female divinities, supposed to be the wives of Manjuvara-Manjusri, viz. Kesini and Upekesini. In the Museum of the Varendra. Research Society there is a six-headed image of Bodhisattva Manjusri surrounded by five Dhyani Buddhas. In the Rajshahi Museum there is an image of Maneuvers of the 11th or 12th century A.D. decorated with ornaments* He is seated on a lion in the laiitasana pose and his hands placed near the breast exhibit the dharmacakra mudrsT. A book is placed on a lotus flower, held by its stalk in its left arm. A portion of the prabhavali is broken? the figures of the Dhyani Buddhas Amitabha and Aksobhya are, however, preserved. This image was found at Talanda. Manjuvara is also worshipped in Tibet.
Another form of Manjusri is Manjuvafra who is accompanied with his sakti. His different forms are best described in the Sadhanamala and the Nispannayogavali of AbhaySkaragupta. In all these accounts he Is represented with three faces and six arms* It may be noted that there are some similarities
between the Sadhanatnala and that given in the Hispsnnayogavali.
A third description of Man^uvara found in Mspannayogavall is somewhat different and does not tally with the other accounts* Manjuvara is well known in Tibet and China* An .eight-armed Ma&juvara with his sakti is preserved in the Baroda Museum.
Another form of Manjusri is Manjukumara. In this form he is decked with princely ornaments and seated on an animal (suttvaparyankinam*.«) He is three-faced and six-armed, in two right hands holding a sword, an arrow and the third in the varada pose; while those on the left side carry the Prajnaparamita, blue utpala and a bow respectively* He wears the dress of a mendicant.
Aranachana. a popular form of Manjusri is widely represented. The Sadhanamala' providing more Sadhanas for this God testifying to his comparative importance. He is seated in the vajraparyanka attitude either on a throne or on an animal, with his legs closely locked* H© is associated with four figures, those of Keslhi, Upakesini, Candraprabha and Suryaprabha*
Several very fine images of this God are found. An image was found at Jalkundi probably belonging to the 12th century
a..D. Arapachana is seen seated in the va^raparyanka pose on a lotus carried by two Hagas. Out of his two anas, the right forearm is missing while with his left he carries the Prajna- par emit a. He has a smiling face and he is associated with the four divinities vis. Jalini, Upakesini, Suryaprabha and Ghandra- prabha and on the prabhavali appears four Dhyani Buddhas,. namely, Vairochana, Aksobhya, amitabha and Hatnasambhava. T
wo speci¬mens one from Mepal and the other from Baroda are also available. The Sadhanamala describes Arapachana in another Sadhana as Sadyonubhava - Arapachana or Sad^ubhava Man3u4ri| more or less on similar lines* Here he has a smiling face brilliant like tho moon (smitavikasitavadanam sasahkakuntitulya sebham), he is decked with princely ornaments and represented seated on a double lotus in the vajraparyahka attitude. He carries the sword and the book and (wears the five drakes (rags) which are slightly folded1. He is associated with four divinities viz., Jalinikumara, Gandraprabha, Xesini and Upakesini’. In the Timkar collection, Hew York, there is an image of ITrapcana I-Ian^sri from Bengal (11th century A.D.). Black slate 3’91”. It was exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of art.29 arapcans is worshipped in Tibet. The Tibetan Arapeana carries a bell in his right hand. He is also known in China.
Sthiracakra. another fora of Manjusri is mentioned not in an ordered fora in the Sadhanamala. He is represented as holding a sword in one hand and the other exhibits the varada pose. He is seated on the moon supported by a lotas. He is associated with Pra.iha and both of them Misplay the sentiment of passionate love*. Be was also known in China. An imago of this god, discovered at Maida, is preserved in the Museum of the Vangiya Sahitya Parisad. It has certain special features with a sword on a lotus with its stem held in the left hand, the right hand being in the varada pose* Seated in th® lalita posture over a lotus, the God is accompanied by his saktl on his left side. The 34 Dacca Museum possesses an excellent image of standing Sthiracakra.
Vadirat is a form of MaK^u^ri* The Sadhanamala gives an Idea about it la a Sadhana. *e is represented as a young man of sixteen years age, decorated with valuable ornaments. H© is seated on the back of a tiger in the ardhanaryahka attitude and his hands exhibit the wakhyana mudra. lie is decked with various ornaments* One specimen of this God is found in the Chinese collection* There are at least thirteen forms of Manjusri according to ´ Dr- B. Bhattacharya. Account given by Getty broadly classifies them into two categories s (1) Human and (2) Tantra. Of the two, the first is subdivided into three forms, viz.
With sword and book : colour symbol mudra
1* ManjJughosa white lotus supports Vitarka mudra
2. simhananda Manjughosa yellow « « Dharmacatera
3. Manjusri yellow Siinharianda sword held in the hand.
II To the second category are assigned the following :
With blue lotus :
4. Uaharajallla Manjusri yellow on lion throne ‘royal ease*
3. ilanjusri yellow rt n tt dharmacakra
6. Simhananda Manjusri n seated on a lion (legs locked)
7. Dharmasanka- samadhi- Manju^ri white dhyana
8. siddhaikavira Manju^ri it less locked varada mudra III With sword and utnala 9. llanjusri black or dark blue kneeling, third eye W Tantra, form :
There is much similarity between Manjusrl and Prajnapararaita. . The latter Is regarded as the embodiment of wisdom and Manjusri is the male personification of wisdom. Images of both carry lotus and book, but there are certain distinguishing features ’either a sword is added to th© other symbols or the posture differs, or ths figure is masculine’.37 The greatest contribution of Mahayana Buddhism was the Bodhisattva conception. This idea brought great success to the Buddhist religion •and that it proved capable of converting the whole of Central and Sast Asia, and of winning for a time more adherents than any other religion*. This ideal was so great that even the Hinayana schools incorporated some of its character¬
istics into iato own systems.
The account given above is not merely a theoretical classification and categorisation of the Bodhisattvas. It is interesting to note the Bodhisattvas soon became objects of religious worship with many followers. They were given names, they had different attributes, spiritual and visible as described
33
above. They are regarded as worthy of worship as Buddha.
Section S
Emanation of Dhyani Buddhas as Gods
Emanation of Amitabha : . Two gods namely Mahabala and Saptasatika Hayagriva emanated fro© the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha. The Sadhanamala describes Mahabala as red with one face and four arms, standing in the nratvalidha attitude. The image of Mitabha is on his crown. Satpasatika Hayagriva is also red and bears the image of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha on his crown. He is fierce looking with three eyes and protruding belly, fie wears a chain made of skulls. The appearance of one of his face is like that of a horse. T&"
A number of male deities emanates^from the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya., They are fearful in appearance with the exception of Jambhala. Images of some have been found in Bengal. The male ‘ Gods emanating from the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya are listed below s 1. Candarsona is yellow with one face and two arms, tte has a terrible face with a garland of *severed heads’. He is dressed in tiger skin and his ’sacred thread consists of a white snake* (mundaiaalas/iraskam... .sitasaroavainooavitam waghracarmanivasa- nam..».). It is said that he should be always represented in 2 vabvam but the Sadhanamala does not say anything about it.
2. Heruka is regarded as the most Important member of this group. There are three varieties of Heruka, viz., (1) twc-armed Heruka (dvibhuja Heruka),® (2) Heruka in Yabyam, and (3) four-armed Heruka (caturbhuja Heruka) . &any sadhanas are offered to thia God in the SMhanamala and Hispannayogavali • His iconographical features may be briefly summed up. He stands on a deed body in the ardhanaryarika attitude, with his body covered with human skin and wears a garland of human heads. His hair is arranged in the form of a crown and on it there is an effigy of the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya. The head is decorated with five skulls. (Pingorddhva- kesam Aksobhyamukutam kamakundalam Asthyabharanasobham tu si reh¬
pancakapalakam) » He manages the vajra in the right hand and from his left shoulder hangs the khatvahga with a flowing banner, like a sacred thread. He carries in his left hand the kapala full of blood. In this connection it may be noted that in another sadhana ‘the khatvaiiga is described as being marked with a vajra of five thongs and decorated with a banner with Jingling bells, human heads and a double lotus, the lower part of the khatvanga resembling the vajra with one thong.....His left leg rests on the double lotus (and not on the corpse)’. An image of Heruka which may be assigned to the 11th century AH)., was discovered from Subhapur, north of P.S. Badkamta (Tippers) and kept in the Dacca
Museum- Heruka Is seen standing in the ardhaparyarika attitude with a face beaming with job* the hands appear to have held a kanala and a vajra. The Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya can be seen on his tiara. the other features agree well with those described in the Sadhana. Getty is inclined to identify this image as the goddess Kurukulla. In the Indian Museum there is an image of Heruka, found in North Bengal. Dr. P.C. Bagehi is Inclined to identify this with Sambara and assigns it to the 12th century A.D. Hevajra occupies an important position among the Tibetan Buddhist pantheons. 1‘his God made his appearance during the last phase of Buddhism. It may be noted that there is not much differ¬ence between Heruka and Hevejra; the latter name is given when he is accompanied by his Drains. There are at least four varieties of Hevajra, viz. (1) two-artned, (2) four-armed, (3) six-armed and <4) sixteen-armed. All have the blue colour and are represented in the ardhaparyahka attitude. The first two varieties have one face each, the third variety is with three faces and the last with eight faees* This variety bears the image of Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya on his crown. He has four legs, trampling the four Maras. In the right hands he carries the valra. the sword, the arrow, the discus, the wine-glass, the staff, the irlsula and the goad. In the left hand he has the bell, the lotus, the bow, the
raised khatvanga. the skull-eup, the Jewel, the raised index finger and the noose* Some images of Hevajra were discovered in different parts of Bengal J (1) An image of 16-armed Hevajra in Yab-yum attitude with his nraina^from Murshidabad. Its iconographical features agree more or less with the above. (£) Another image of 16-armed Hevajra was unearthed from Paharpur. (3) A third image was discovered from the Bharamnagar subdivision of the Tripura state. Buddhakapala s One form of Heruka is Buddhakapala. He is represented with his sakti. Citrasena, one-face and four arms, standing in the ardhgraryank a attitude with the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya on his
crown, fin® iraage^is preserved in the Baroda Museum.
Sambara s
The Sadhanamala describes God Sambara, another form of Hevajra. He is three-eyed, two-armed and one-faced with Aksobhya on his crown, standing in the Alidha attitude upon Bhairava and Kai a rat ri. with tiger-skin on his body, a chain of human heads on the neck and head. The Kispannayogavali describes Sambara
13 of the Sawbara Mandala with four faces and twelve arms- Bis iconograph!cal features tally, more or less, with those of two-armed Sambara. He is represented with his dakti. Vajravarahi, who bears the effigy of the Dhyani Buddha, Vairocana on her crown, but Sambara bears that of Aksobhya. Getty's Sambara (ft-dam) i.e., God Protector is also 4-faeed and 12-armed.
3 apt ak sera • . Saptaksara is another form of Hevajra with three faces and six arms. He is represented with his sakti Vajravarahi in the alidha pose.
Mahamaya :
The Sadhenamala and the Rispannayogavali both describe this form of Hevajra. He is represented in the centre of a lotus with his sakti Buddh^cihi in yab-yum. He is four-faced and four-armed. He is associated with four goddesses on the four sides - Bast - Vajradakini; south - Ratnadakint; west - Padmadakini and north - fisvadakini. Mahimaya and his associates have a terrible look.
Hayagriva s
Hayagriva is the God who emanates from the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya and is represented as standing in lalitg attitude with three faces and eight arms having a terrible appearance.
Raktayamari and Krsnayameri •
God lamantaka is called Raktayamari when red and Krsnayamari when blue. He may be worshipped alone or with his sakti< ihe Sadhanamala depicts him as standing in yab-yum in the pratyalidha attitude. Be is one faced, two-armed, ’carries the kapala full of blood in the left hand and the white staff surmounted by a yellow head still wet with blood, in the right’. Ihe effigy of Aksobhya is on his crown. He is dressed in tiger-skin and ornaments of snakes (nagabharana-vibinisanam pingalardhvakasam vyaghracanBam-baradharam......) ^
Krsnayamari * Krsnayamari is of
three different forms. Xwo-armed Krsna- yamari is blue with one face, standing in the pratyalidha . attitude •on the orb of the sun on a double lotus and as riding a buffalo..! Ihe four-armed Krsnayamari is ferocious looking with three faces and accompanied by his nraina. ’His ornaments, are formed by the host of the lords of twice-born serpents who are white like stalk of lotuses. He carries in his right hand the Mudaara and the sword, and his left hand the lotus and the jewel’. ihe six-armed Krsnayamari is also ferocious. He is represented with three (or six)
faces, six arms and six legs, standing in the pratyalldha attitude with the image of Aksobhya on his crown, 1'he six hands carries the khadgas. the mudgare. the vsJra. the ghanta. the vajrapasa and the musala. In the Hispannafcogavali the six-armed Krsna- yamari is regarded as the principal deity of the Yamari mandala. Jambhala :
Jambhala is regarded as a Buddhist counter-part of Kubera- Vaisravana, the son of the sage Vis'ravas hence called Vaisravans. Kuvera*s home was on mount Kailasa and he was made the God of Wealth by Brahma. According to the Buddhists he was a Lokapala. In Buddhist countries he was worshipped in many forms. B. Bhattacharya believes that Jambhala originated earlier than the five Dhyani Buddhas and that being a Yaksa he may be regarded as of non-Buddhistic origin. Kubera has both Yi-dam and Dharmapala forms. As Yi-dam he is called Jambala. He is three-faced and six armed with an effigy of Aksobhya (or Ratnasambhava) on his head. In his hands he carries the citron, th goad, the arrows, mongoose vomitting jewels (or tied round with a lasso, etc. - daksinatribhu.1 aih mstulunga - nkusa - bandharam. ».)ao Jambhala seems to have been quite popular in Bengal, as shown by the comparatively large number of his images found in different parts of the territory. Details about these finds are given below*
1. A small image discovered in the excavation of the Raghurampur ©nd preserved in the Dace© Museum. He is represented seated in the lalltSksepa posture, ‘big bellied, with a citron in the right hand ©nd a she-mongoose in the left* who is vomitting a jewel.
2. Another stone image found in Paikpars, Dacca district with a short inscription on its back ‘Jambhala Jale (ndra) ya svaha* to be assigned to the 9th century A.D. It is a seared figure in a Bhadrasena pose.
3. An image worshipped in Badkamta in the fippera district as reported by Bhattasali*
4 & 5. A beautiful seated image worshipped as God Siva at the village of Sukhabaspur, P.S. Munsiganj, District Dacca, as noticed by Bhattasali. Another Jambhala image was also noticed in the same place. It is of a grayish black stone, ©bout 10 feet in height. 6 & 7. 1’wo images identified as Jambhala, bearing all the characteristics of the Go d, found in Vikrampur and Bajshahi res¬pectively, to be assigned to llth-12th centuries A.D. 8. A beautiful image inches in height) reported to be preserved in the Agganmihapandita Dhammavamsa Maiiathara monastery in Chittagong, i'he pot-bellied god holds a citron in his right hand and a mongoose in his left. ”lhe base contains a few purses full of coins’.26 The image belongs to the 11th or 12th century
9. A broken image seated in the lalitasana pose on a full blown lotus, preserved in the Varendra Research Society Museum.
10. Jambhala is represented in the terracotta art at Paharpur.
I-tsing refers to Jambhala as a seated God with one leg pendent and holding a golden money bag - he was black. Ucchusma - Jambhala :
The Sadhanamala describes a type of Jambhala known as Ucchusma- Jambhala, having the image of Aksobhya on his crown- He is a dwarf. He is represented in the pratyalidha attitude with a protruding belly, standing on Dhanada. In his left hand he holds the mongoose vomitting at jewels 'on his left thigh'... This form of Jambhala is represented in an image found at Sarnath*
Vighmantaka * From the Sadhanamala it appears that he is blue with two arms and One face. He is represented standing in the pratyalidha attitude with a terrible appearance. In one specimen he is seen trampling on the God Ganesa. Vajrahuhkara :
Vajrahuhkara is either two-armed or six-araed. fhe two-armed Vajrahunkara is described in the Sadhanamala as 'terrible in appearance’. His arms display Vajrahuhkara mudra, carrying the ghanta and va.1 ra (Ghantava.i raprayogena mudra - baddhak a radvayam) ; standing in the pratyalidha attitude upon Bhairava. ‘Ihe six-armed Vajrahuhkara is represented in the Vaj rahunkara Mandala of Nisfsannayogavali as its main god. He is blue with three faces and six arms. It may be noted that there are some similarites between the two-armed Vajrahunkara and Va^radhar© In regard to the mudra; but Vajradhara is represented seated in va.1 raparyanka attitude whereas Vajrahunkara stands in the pratyalidha attitude.
Bhutadamara *
Bhutadamara bears a terrible appearance, he is black with four arms end is vividly described in the Sadhanamala.^1 He is regarded as the chief God of the Bhutamandala of the Nispanna- yogavall.
Vajravalanalarka s He is another God with a terrible appearance, four faces and eight arms. He is blue and represented standing in the alidha Qp attitude. ’He tramples upon Visnu with his consort’. Trailokyavijaya * Be is represented as standing in the pratyalidha pose attacking
with his legrMahe^vara and Gauri. His appearance is terrible with blue colour, with four faces displaying different attitudes and feelings; of his eight arras, two are placed in the va.1 rahunkara mudra carrying the ghanta and vaira*
Paramasva
He is represented as standing in the pratyalldha attitude trampling with his four legs Indrani, Sri, Rati, Prlti, Indra, Madhukara, Jayskara and tfasanta. He has eight arms and four faces displaying different sentiments and feelings* He is red. Yogambara • In the Nispannayogavali Yogambara is given the most honoured place (bhagavan Yogambara). He is represented as seated on a lion in the ardhaparyahke pose. He has got six arms and three faces of red, white and blue colour respectively. Embracing his Prajna Jnanadakini. Kalacakra ;
The Nispannayogavall describes Kalacakra, who is introduced for the first time in the Kalacakra Tantra (about the 10th century A.D.). He is represented dancing in the 'alidha pose *on the bodies of Anahga and Rudra*. He has four faces with twelve eyes and twelve arms. He is known in China and Tibet. The above account shows that there were at least twenty Gods emanating from the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya. All of them are blue in colour and have a terrible appearance, except Jambhala who is worshipped in many parts of Bengal. Heraka is also well known. Emanation of Vairocana t
Namasangiti has been described as emanating from the Dhyani Buddha, Vai roc ana, ’the God of the inner shrine*. Many Goddesses have emanated from Vairocana. Namasangiti is a deification of the Namasangiti literature. Getty describes Namasangiti as a ’Dogmatic Form of Avalokitesvara*. An account of this God is
be found in the Dharmakosasahgraha. He is represented with a ‘ in JMamukuta; he is one-faced and twelve-armed, which are/different mudras. seated in the val raparyanka attitude on a lotus with a smiling face. In Nepal many images of this God have been found.
Emanation of Amoghasiddhi ’
The only God emanating from Amoghasiddhi is Vajramrta. The
According to the Nispannayogavali^ajramrta, is the chief deity of the Vajramrta Mandala. He is represented seated with his praina. has three faces and six arms and is green. Emanation of Ratnasambhava s
From the Dhyani-Buddha Ratnasambhava only one male deity has emanated. He is Jambhala. Another form of Jambhala known as Ucchusma-Jambhala, as already mentioned, also emanated from him. According to some scholars Jambhala emanated either from the Dhyani-Buddha Ak^obhya or from Ratnasambhava. Ihe characteristic feature of Jambhala emanating from Ratnasambhava is that ’he carries the mongoose in his right hand and the citron in the left*. He is represented either alone or with his sakti t when alone, he go the mongoose in the left and the citron in the right*. He is seated in the lalita attitude. In the Yab-yum form he is repre¬sented seated in vajraparyehka attitude with his ura,1na. Vasudhara, he is three faced and six armed, well ornamented with a big belly. Ucchusma Jambhala s
He is represented standing in the nratyalidha attitude upon Kuvera with terrible appearance, protruding belly and ornaments made of snakes. ’He holds the kapala full of blood against his chest in the right hand and looks eagerly at it with three eyes, the left hand ....holds the mongoose’.^0 Manusi Buddhas - Gautama Buddha «
N.K. Bhattasali gives a list of images of Gautama Buddha preserved in the Dacca Museum, lhe list of such-images as repre¬sentatives of Buddha includes (a) an image of Buddha seated in
adamantine pose on a Padmasana or lotus-seat, found at Ujani In the Faridpur district. ‘fhere are some miniature representations below the lotus seat? (b) an image of Buddha seated in STaJrasena ©nd in the bhufeisnarsa mudra. It is made of white marble- Found in Hymensingh district; (c) a terra-cotta plaque with the image of Buddha in bhumlsparse mudra. from excavation at Raghurampur, P-S. Munsiganj, district Dacca, with eight stupas including two big ones, at the site- (d) A similar, broken image of Buddha in bhumisparsa mudra ’under a trifolio arch1 with eight stupas is found from Raghurampur, district Dacca, (e) One headless image of Buddha in bhumi spars'© mudra from Ashrafpur which yielded a copper¬plate of Devekhadga. (f) One cubicle slab of sand-stone with four Buddhas, seated in the dhyani mudra. found at Churain, P-S. Munshi- ganj, district Dacca.4* Special mention is to be made of the ancient site of Sabhar in the Dacca district where many Buddhist remains were discovered, fhe finds include » one terracotta slab with eight niches containing representation of Sakyamuni, Manjusrl and Lokariatha seated in dhyana. lalita and mahSrajallla asanas respectively. Probably this type represents decoration used outside a Buddhist structure. One terra-cotta slab containing five niches with a Buddha in bhumisparsa mudra in each ease; one terra-cotta slab with seventeen niches with figures of Buddha in different poses and of two Bodhisattvas were engraved on it; one terra-cotta with Buddha and Bodhisattvas; one thin plaque with single Bodhisattvas in lalitaksepa Bhattasali, 30-33; cf,
f Buddha about a foot high in bhumlsparsa Images of Buddha in different pose are found different parts of East Bengal. Section F Goddesses
The introduction of the female element in the Buddhist pantheon and their growing popularity same in the wake pf the Increasing influence of the Tantra system* when by the 7th century A.D. the rigidity of the Northern Buddhist School had positively declined^ leading to the rise of female deities in many forms including ferocious forms as well as the conception and worship of sakti or female energy of a god*
Tara s The most beloved of the feminine deities are the l’aras ’saviouresses’ who are regarded as the mothers of the world and who protect and fulfil all our hopes.She is known by many different names* Gradually the cult oX‘ Tara became popular with the Buddhists. A group of twenty-on© Taras came into existence during the period between the eighth and the twelfth centuries A.D. In the 7th century A.D. Hiuen-tsang saw many statues of Tara in Northern India. B. Bhattacharyya holds that ’Tara is a common name applied to a large number of feminine deities in the Buddhist pantheon’.
The name T'areT is supposed to be derived from the root 1 tar11 (to cross) i.e., the deity who ferries across (taryatl)• She is the goddess who helps her devotees to cross the ocean of existence and thus become the Saviouress par excellence. In Tibetan ’Tara* is equivalent to sgrol-raa meaning ’saviouress’ or * delive ress’ • In Mongolian her name is ’Dara eke* meaning ’Tara mother i.e., mother of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas’ . There are different legends about the origin of goddess Tara.
Thus some believe that she was born from ‘a blue ray that shown from the eye of Amitabha’. Again, some hold that ’a tear fell from the eye of the god of Misericordia Avalokitesvara, and falling in the valley beneath, formed a lake. From the waters of the lake arose a lotus-flower, which, opening its petals, disclosed the pure goddess Tara^ ’ Lamas believe that ’Tara was incarnate of all good women, the two pious wives of the Tibetan Buddhist king, Srong- M ft tsan-sgam-po were regarded by them as incarnations of Tara’. Many varieties of Tara are noted in Tantric worksTaras of different
colours? Taras with two-arms and more? Taras emanating from the five Dhyani Buddhas? seated and standing; in the company of Ava¬lokitesvara or others? single or in the company of other Gods.
Distinction based on colour •
White Tara « Sitatara : Sitatara* is the name of the w hite Tara symboldsing purity and
highest wisdom. She is the consort of Avalokitesvara and is represented standing. The Sadhanamala represents Sitatara as white with four arms and three eyes (Tarebhagavatlm suklam t rinetrdfe caturbhui am......)* She is adorned with ornaments and wears the images of the five Ohyani Buddhas on her head dress. She is accompanied by Mari ci and Mahamayuri to her right and left respectively.3-° The worship of Sitatara is not common in Bengal but she is popular in Tibet, China, etc.
B. Bhattacharya gives a list of white Taras as follows
1. Astamahabhaya Tara s This Tara is represented seated in the ardhaoaryanka attitude accompanied by ten female deities.
2. Mrtyuvaneana TarsT * seated alone in the va.1 ra paryank a attitude with a wheel on her chest.
3. Caturbhuja-sitatara: is accompanied by Mahameyuri and Marfcf. She is four-armed, the first pair exhibiting the utpala mudra and the lotus, and the second pair in the varada pose.
4. Sadbhuja-sitatara: The SSdhanamala represents her seated in the ardhaparyafika attitude with three faces of three different colours (white, yellow and blue) and three eyes each; six hands - one of her right hands displays the varada pose and the other carries the rosary and arrow. The remaining three hands exhibit the utnala. lotus and bow. She is decked with ornaments and a czu»ur^
W'ith the image of Amoghaslddhi• ’her head is embellished by five severed heads and a crescent moon* (....pamsamundavibhusitam-
astakam archacandrakrtasekharam. *.«) .
5. Visvamata? The Sadhanamala describes her as one-faced and two-armed - the right hand displays the abhaya pose and the left hand carries the white lotus with a white serpent as her vahana.
6. Sukla Kurakulla * Sukla Kurukulla is white with two arms exhibiting a rosary and a cup of utpale. She is three-eyed. She is decked with ornaments of snakes, thus, ’Her hair is tied up by the serpent Anonta of blue colour, her necklace is formed by the milk coloured Vasuki, ....her ear-ornaments by red 'leksska, her
sacred thread is the green Karkkotaka, her girdle is the white Padma the lord of serpents, her Nupura is the serpent Mahapadma..., her bracelet is the yellow sankhapala, her armlet is kulika of the
smoky cloud. *• .(nilansntabaddhakesim....piyusavama - vasukikrta-
haram rakta-1 aksakakrtakamagrakundalam durvasyama - Karkhotakakr -
tayainonavitam. sukla - Padmanagendrak rt a ha ram. mrnalavarna -
M ahapadmak rt anupuram. pita-S ahkhapalak rtakank anafa dhuma bhravat - Kulikskrtakeyurafa....) She wears a crown with the image of Amitabha. She is a passionate lover and possesses a heart 'which Is melting with compassion’ (• . • •sravadamrtavigraheA KaruSardra-
cittasi bhavayet...) Janguli-Tara :
While Janguli-Tara is represented with four arms and one face, herself decorated with a latamukuta. a white searf, ornaments
of gems and white serpent. She plays the yjna~ with the first pair of hands, with the second right hand she makes the mudra of protection and holds the white serpent in the second left. She is bright like the moon.-2-3 Green Tara s Syamatara s
Syoinatara is green Tara, who is regarded by the Tibetans
as the original Tara. The list compiled by B. Bhattaeharya comprising the following *
1. Khadlrevanf Tara" e 2. Vasyatara 3. Aryatara 4. Mahattari Tara 5. Varada Tara ✓ 6. Mahasri Tara 7. Durgottarini Tara 8. Dhanada Tara 9• Janguli 10. Parnasabarl
The Green Tara is represented dressed like a Bodhisattva with a crown, seated on a lotus throne, ’the right legs pendant, with 14 the foot supported by a small lotus’. She is two-armed - the right hand displays the charity mudra and the left in the argument mudra-. She may be alone or in the company of many. In the latter
ease, her place Is to the left of the principal God. Her com¬panions may be ’eight green Taras* dr EkaJataTand Maricf or JahgulT 0 and Mahamayuri . Khadiravani Tara :
Khadiravanl-Tara is represented in the Sadhanamala as of green colour with two hands displaying the varada mudra in the right and the utpala in the left. She is accompanied by Asokakmta Marler and ekajata to her right and left. She bears the image of Amoghasiddhi on her crown (Haritafti Amoghaslddhimakutlm varadot- paladha ridaksinavamakaram Asokakanta - Marley - Eka.1 atavyagradak- 17 sins vamadigbhSgaifi divya - kumarim.. .dhyStva1) She is represented
standing or seated. An image of black stone found at Somapura, district Dacca is preserved in the Dacca Museum. It is a seated image of Khadiravani-Tara. The icon©graphical details tally with the Sadhana. It Is green. The right hand displays the varada mudra and in her left hand she holds a half blown blue lotus. She is accompanied by Asokakanta (Marfci) and Oca J ata. Eight Taras are on the prabhaval? carrying the lotus in their left hands and the right hand is displaying the abhaya mudra. A krlttimukha is shown on the top and a short inscription at the bottom, the the script of which may be assigned to the 12th century AJ).^8
A small Image of Khediravan! Tara is found from Rajshahi. Here she is represented seated in lalitasana on a full blow lotus, the left hand exhibiting a nilotpala and the right in the varada mudra* She is decked with ornaments and sacred thread.19 Recently the Varendra Research Museum have acquired a bronze Khadiravani- TareTstanding in tribhadga pose on a lotus pedestal. She is two-armed. The right hand displays the varada mudra and holds a ’full blown lotus in the left hand in such a way that it exhibits the abhaya mudra. She is adorned with dress and ornaments, ’a prominent tilak mark on her forehead and a trivali on her throat and’a lotus-shaped nrabhavali behind the head of the goddess'. She is accompanied by Asokakanta Marici ©nd £kajata.20 An illustrated manuscript from the Cambridge University library (Add. 1643) contains a picture of Tarff. Voucher incorporated it in his book. Stapleton obtained photographic copies of the same. The image appears to be of Syama Tara of the Khadiravani class with eight attendant Taras. The Cambridge manuscript bore the label 'ChandradvTna Bhagavati Tara ArisastHana'.21 Vasyatara s Vasyatara is represented in the Sadhanawala as seated in the bhadrasaha. She is of green colour with two arms - the right displays the varada mudra and carrying the utpala in the left. She
bears the image of Amoghasiddhi on the crown.
Arya-tara : .
Another name of Vasyatara is Arya-tara. She is represented seated alone in the ardhaparyanka attitude. In the Nalanda copper plate of Dharmap"Sla there is a reference to Arya-tara". Mahattarl-tara * Mahattari-Tara is green and she is represented seated alone in the va.1 raparyafika attitude . Varada-tara s
Varada-tara" is represented seated in the ardhaparyanka attitude. She is accompanied by four other deities, viz., Asokakanta, Maricf, Mahamayuri", Ekajata and Janguli. Mahasri-tara :
Mahasri-tara is not included by B. Bhattacharya in the list of green Taras. There are great similarities between her and the Varada-tara. She emanates from the Dhyani Buddha Amoghasiddhi as her colour is green. She may be in the list of green Taras. The Sadhanam'Sla gives a vivid description of this goddess together ✓ _ with her companion deities. Mahasri-tara is represented seated on a golden throne covered with many kinds of flowers (suvarna- simhasana pari ». .naria puspa....). with one face and two heads displaying the vyakhana mudra. She is decked with ornaments and crown bearing the image of Amoghasiddhi ( ».sarvalank ara^
bhusitam...Amoghasiddhlwukutinim..) Bkajata and Ary a Janguli is to the left of Mehasri-taTa and Asokskanta and Mahamayurf to to the right. Seajata is seated in the ardhanaryanka pose and bears an angry face with a swelling abdomen (. •..sakrodham lamboderam. ) She holds in her two arms the kertri and the kapala and she wears a dress made of tiger skin. Her colour is blue but her hair is red. Arya-tS’ra' is of green colour holding in one of her hands a snake and the other is in the varada mudra" (Arya - Janguliit syamavarnam sa rpavsradahasta&)Asokakanta is represented with a crown and holds the vsjra end Asoka flower in her hands. She is yellow. Mahamayurf displays the peacock’s feathers and the varada mudra (mayurapicchavaradahastam) . fortunately we have got a beautiful image of Mahasrl-tara preserved in the Indian Museum- She is seated on a throne in the Ea3 all la pose with the right leg pendant and resting on a lotus (It appears that the five Dhyani Buddhas are on the prabhavali)^ She is accompanied by four goddesses i’he i co no graph! cal features ol' this lara agree to a great extent with the description found in the Ssdhanamala.
D urgottaripi-tara :
Durgottarini-tara is represented on a lotus with four arms displaying the noose, goad, lotus and the varada mudra. She is of green colour. In this connection reference is to be made to the Mainamati copper plate of Ranavankamalla Harikaladeva (Saka 1141) where mention is made of a monastery named Durgottara- vihara. As the name shows it was a vihara dedicated to the goddesses named in the SKdhanamala'as Durgottarinl-tara7 Dhanada-tara :
Dhanada-tara is another variety of green Tara7 She is represented seated on an animal with one face and four arms, displaying rosary, varada pose, utpala and book <.. .caturbhujem aksa sutravaradotpalapustakadhanam. ...) . She is decked with ornaments and a crown with the effigy of Amoghasiddhi* She is accompanied by eight goddesses. Wealth and wisdom are combined in this form of Tara; ’Her name as Dhanada-tara is significant, as one of the appellations of Kubera is known as Dhanada’ . Jahgv.li-l’ara :
Green Janguli-iara is four-armed and there is much similarity with the white Tara of the same name. The mudra being same in both the cases but the symbols ere different. The symbols of the green Jahgulf-tara are trlsdla, peacock’s feathers and snake. • Parnasabari :
Parnasabari of two varieties are known: yellow and green. Yellow Parnasabari bears the image of the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya and Green Parnasabari that of Amoghasiddhi. fhe former bears a smiling face (lalitahasinim •) while Green Parnasabari bears an angry smile (....sakrodhehasitananam...) . 1‘he vahana of Yellow Parnasabari is ’Vighnas* and of Green Parnasabari ’diseases’ which she tramples under her feet (asesarogamaripadakrantam...) fhere are similarities with respect to the other features- She is represented in the pratyalidha attitude with three faces, three eyes and six arms (• -triwukhafe trinet ram sedbhujam... Her three
faces are of three colours, blue, white and red and in her six arms she carries - vajra, narasu. arrow, bow, cluster of leaves and tarianipasa. Yellow Parnasabari is well dressed with a garment of leaves and ornaments including a ,5atamukutF with the image of
Ak sobhya ( • • • .parnapicchikavasanam-.-. sarVSlahkaradharam •.. • J atamukutastha Aksobhyadha rinim....). Green Parnasabari wears tiger skin and a garment of leaves, ’has a slightly protruding belly, her hair tied up above* (•• •.saptatramalavyaghraearmani vasanam isallambodarim urdhyasamyatakesim adho.-3S Ihe mantra dedicated to her worship is ’Pisaei’ and
S arvamaripra^amani* which makes her ’the destroyer of all disease and epidemics’ -* Grunwedel points out that another name of Parnasabari is ’Sarvasavarinaro bhagavati’ which he thinks mens ’goddess of all the Savaras (Savar or Saora)*. Grunwedel is of ’ the opinion that Parnasabari is the goddess of the aboriginals tribes of India. ‘Her name, some of the iconographic features
such as the leaf garment, end the characteristic epithet pisachi applied to her in the dhyana-mantra indicates the Savara tribe as the source from which she was adopted in the later Buddhist
pantheon...* Images of Parnasabari, though rare are found in Bengal. An image of Parnasabari is preserved in the Indian Museum. 1'he face oX’ the goddess is broken. She is six-armed and trampling upon Gsnesa (i«e. Vighna). iwo identieal images of Parnasabari with three heads and six arms have been found in Dacca. Iheir iconographical features agree in detail with those furnished in the Sadhanamala. On the Prabhavali the five Dhyani Buddhas are depicted and Amoghasiddhi occupies the central position. Xhe goddess tramples with her feet ‘two prostrate male figures’ which symbolise diseases and epidemics against which the goddesses fight. On the base is the god Ganesa with a shield and a sword in hand. One of the images is worshipped as Ji yas Xhakurani at the village of Naynanda, Dacca; the other was discovered near the village of Va^rayogini, P.L. Munsigan^, district Daeca.
Yellow Sara ?
Getty gives a list of four Saras, including Bhr^kuti, Khadi- ravsni-Tara, Vajra-Tara and Jahguli lara as yellow Saras* B. Bhattacharyya gives a more or less similar list - only Khsdiravani Sara is replaced by Parnasabari. Bhr|kuti :
In the Sadhanamala there are two Sadhanas in honour of Bhr|kuti. She is represented with four arms, one face, three eyed and yellow (caturbhuj akamukhlm pitam trinet.ram* ..>) > Her two right arms display the varada-mudra and the rosary? the two left arms carry the tridandf and the kamandula. She bears the image of the Dhyani Buddha Amitabha on the crown: she is seated ’on the orb of the moon over a lotus* (padmachandrasanastham....) .4Q
Another foi*m of JBhr|kuti with blue colour is known. She is 41 represented with three heads and six arms.
A beautiful, partly mutilated image of lara found at Bhavanipur in the Munsigan^ subdivision of the Dacca district is preserved in the Dacca Sahitya Parisat. The image is made of greyish black stone, seated on a lotus throne, with three faces - the front face bears a lovely expression and the right smiling; eight arms (partly broken) - she is decked with ornaments and a crown with the effigy of Amitabha.
Below the lotus seat are two lines and four images of Gapesa. ’This shows that she is to be regarded as © sort of Dharmapala - i.e. Defender of the Faith. ihis image may be assigned to the 9th-10th century £.0. Scholars sometimes identify this with the goddess Maliapratlsara.42 Vajraters : Another variety of yellow i'ara Is known as Vajratara. She is a popular deity and accounts about her are found in the Nispanna- yogavali and in the Sadhanamala. Her images are also found in other countries as well as in Bengal. Vaj raters is represented in the Vajratara mandala as golden yellow with four faces and eight arms - carrying vajra. noose, arrow and conch in the four right hands and yellow night lotus, bow, goad and raised tariari in the left hands • (astabhu.la sevyair - va.1 ram nasam saram sankham ca
vibhratT vamaih pitopalam capam ankusam tar.1 anim ca.<.) • The Dhyani-Buddha Ratnasambhava is the spiritual father of Vajratara ( Vai ratarayah kuleso Ratnasah. . . .) In the Indian Museum there is an image of Vajratara with the accompanying deities in a mandala as found in the Nispannayogavali, to be discussed below, The Sadhanamala describes Vajratara, well decorated in a circle with other Goddesses. She is eight-armed and four-faced (Matrmandala-
madhyastham Taradevim vlbhavayet/ Astabhujam caturvaktram sarva-
lankarabhusitam/). On her crown are the five Dhyani Buddhas ( Pancabuddhamukutim.. ») . She is seated on a double lotus and
radiates red-hued light in the va.1 raparyanka attitude. 1’he Sadhanamala describes the four deities on the four sides and also the Guardian deities as follows • Deities on the four cardinal points - Puspatara, Dhupatara, Dfpatara and Gandhatara - all of them are covered with ornaments. Guardian deities - Vajrankusi, Vajrapasf, Vajrasphoti, tfajraghanta, Usnisavijaya, Sumbha. The Guardian deities are represented standing in the Alidha attitude and wear ornaments made of snake. Poucher also gives the Sadhana and an illustration of this goddess.
We are fortunate in having a very beautiful image of tfajratara well preserved in the Indian Museum obtained from Patharghata in the Bhagalpore district. A highly ornamented pedestal (about eight inches high) holds an eight-petal lotus on the top. The central position of the lotus bears seated Vajratara, with her legs closely locked* eight armed. The dlght petals are numbered and the ’concave side’ of each petal is occupied by a female deity. It is interesting to note that ’the lotus expands and closes hiding and exposing inside figures by a skilful mechanism. When the petals fold together... ..it gives the appear-
47 ance of the bud of a lotus’. Voucher explains its method 'as a convenient method of representing her (i.e. Vajratara) in Mandala'. It may be assigned to the 10th century A.D. Another image of Vajratara" is preserved in the Dacca Museum. It was discovered from a tank in the village of Majbadl, two miles west of the P.S. of Kotalipada, district Faridpur. Another image of this goddess was in the Dacca Museum, it is in a mutilated
condition. It may be noted that in the Calcutta Museum image, the attendant goddesses are female figures standing in alidha posture• In the Dacca Museum image, the petals are occupied by dancing female figures.
Janguli-Tara *
Jahguli-Tara may be of different forms and colours. Four Sadhanas are found, in the SadhanamalsF in praise of Jahguli-Tara. In one Sadhana Jehguli-Tara is represented seated on an animal with four arras, one face. She is covered with ornaments of gems and white serpents (•..sitaratnalankara - bhusitam suklasarpair-
vlbhusitam*...) . With two hands she plays the vina, with another
hand she carries the white snake and the fourth hand displays the Abhaya mudra. She is white. Her symbol is snake or vina. No image of this Janguli-Iara is green. There is much similarity and dissimilarity between these two forms of Jahguli-Tara. Beth these forms of Jahguli-Tara are discussed above. The yellow Janguli-Tare is represented in the Sadhanamala with three faces and six arms (Ary a - Jangulim atmanem jhetiti nispadayet pit am.
tr imuk'ham sadbhujam.. In her three right hands she carries the
sword, va.1 ra and arrow and tn the left hands, the tariari with the noose, blue lotus and bow. She is seated on the ‘expanded hood of a serpent*; and bears the image of Aksobhya on the crown C..sphitapha- namandelasi rahstham sarvadlvyavastrabharana-bhusitaa.. .Aksobhya- L * krahtamastakam..») . Her vahana is snakeAlthough female deities
were not worshipped, earlier, still it is believed that Janguli-Tara is as old as Buddha himself. The mantra for her worship is said to have been Imparted by Buddha to Ananda. JanguliXCari can remove poison, heal a victim of snake-bite and even prevent such a mishap. She is popular among the Buddhists. Scholars have tried to connect Janguli-Tard" with the Hindu goddess Manasa. Ksitimohana Sen pointed out that in South India among the lelegu and Kanarese speaking people - a snake goddess known as Manchamme or Mother Mancha is worshipped. He connects the goddess Mancha with the Hindu goddess Manasa". Blue iffra ? Two varieties of blue Tara are known via., Ekajaji and Mahacina Tara.
Ekajata •
EkaJatsT is the most powerful and ferocious Tar®. Powerful, because if one is fortunate in hearing her mantra uttered it will bring him good luck and prosperity and free him from all diffi¬culties. Ferocious, because her appearance is terrible. The Sadhanamala describes her three forms *• more or less similar. All forms of Eke^ata" are of blue colour. Only difference lies x-ith regard to the number of arms ranging from two to twenty-four. The Sadhanamala represents her clad in tiger skin, with one face and three eyes (vyaghra - earmavrtah / Ekavaktrah lrinetrases..«) . She is short, ’pot-bellied’, angry-looking and stands in the pratyalidha attitude (•..kharva lambodara raudrah pratyalidha -
padasthltah/. ...) . She wears a long garland of heads with corpses lying near her feet (rau^damalapralambitah. • . ») On her crown there is an image of Aksobhya. The hands are in different poses and holds different symbols. An image of Syama Tara found at Sompara district, Dacca is in the Dacca Museum. This Syama Tara is asso¬ciated with other Taras including Asokaksnta and Eksjata to her left and has kartri (knife) in the right hand and a karo (skull cup) in the left. Ekajata” emanated from the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya. The Sadhana- mala gives a description of the Mandala of the Astabhuja - Kurukulla. In the western gate of this Mandala rests Ek a j ata (pa'scimdvara Ekajatam...) ; Ekajate is one of the companion deities of Mahasri-
Tara and sits to her left in the ardhaparyanka attitude. Ekajats is also a companion of Khadiravani-Tara and appears on her left.6^
Vidyujjvalakali s
Vidyujjvalakali is another form of Ekeja^ei Her appearance is terrible and ferocious. She is represented with twelve faces of different colours - each having three eyes? twenty-four arms carrying (3S5) different symbols; stands in the pratyalldha attitude and ’tramples upon the four Maras’; her ornaments are made of snakes and wears a Jatamukuta with the image of Aksobhya.
Mehaclnatara :
Mahacinatara emanated from the Dhyani Buddha Aksobhya. On her crown she bears the image of this Dhyani Buddha (i.e. Aksobhya) ♦ She is called MahacinatSra because it is believed that she cane from Mahacina and was incorporated in the Hindu Tantric pantheon. The Sadhanamale gives a description of this form of Tara whose appearance is more terrible than that of Bkajata". She is repre¬sented standing in the Pratyalldha attitude wearing a chain made of
heads (Pratyalldha - padam ghoram wundamalavibhusitam.....) and
ornaments made of snakes, with tiger-skin on. She stands on a corpse: she is one-faced and three-eyed, short with protruding belly. On her four hands she carries the sword, kartri. utpala and kapals.
Red lara * ,
Kurukulla is the only form of Red lara known so far. But there are Kurukullaswith white colour also. There are many forms of this goddess. She is one faced and arms ranging from two to eight. The mantras of Kurukulla can cast spell on different categories of people. The different forms of Kurukulla, besides the £ukla Kurukulla referred, above, are as follows *
Uddiyaha Kurukulla :
Uddiyaha Kurukulla, as the name suggests, is a form of Kurukulla, worshipped in Uddlyana identified by B. Bhattaeharya with modern Va^rayogini in the Dacca district. Uddiyaha Kurukulla bears a terrible appearance. She wears a garland made of skull and a garment made of skin and sits on a corpse in the ardhayaryanka attitude. Her colour is red. She is three eyed and four-armed. It is believed she is worshipped in Oddiyana but no images of her are found in Bengal. Astabhuja Kurukulla s
fhe Astabhuja Kurukulla with its Mandale constituting the
Principal god and twelve accompanying goddesses are described in a Sadhena attributed to the Siddhaearyya Indrabhut1. She is red and wears all kinds of ornaments* She is eight armed - the first pair exhibit the t railokyavi ja ya mudra,while the others carry ahkusa, arrow, noose, bow, utpala. etc. Her appearance is peaceful. In the Sadhanamala she is represented seated in the va.1 raparyanka pose. *0n the orb of the sun over the lotus with eight petals and resides in the sanctum1 (Va.1 raperyafikanisannaft kutagaramadhya-
nivasinjm nrathamakaradvayena 64 on the eight petals rest female divinities viz., PrasannatarS, Nispannatara, Jayatara, Karnatara, Cunda, Aparajita, Pradiptara, Gauritara. All of these Sadhanamala, 351-52 goddesses are represented seated In the vajraparyanka attitude. Colour red and bears the five Dhyani Buddhas on the crown. On the four gates of the four quarters are stationed Vajravatali, Aparajita, •Ekajata'and Vaj ragandhari - they are represented in the Alidha attitude with different colours, viz., red, yellow, blue and golden.
Mayajalakrama Kurukulla »
Mayajalakrama Kurukulla is red in colour with red garments. She is shown seated on a red lotus with eight petals in the va.1 raparyanka attitude. She is six-armed. Her hands display the t railokyavl.1 aya mudra. abhaya mudra. kunda flower, rosary and kamandalu. the five Dhyani Buddhas are on her crown.
Tarodhava Kurukulla s
larodhava Kurukulla is represented in the Sadhanamala as red in colour with red garments ©nd ornaments and seated in the va.1 raparyanka attitude on a red lotus. She is four-armed exhibiting the abhaya mudra and the arrow in the left hands and bow and red lotus in the right hands- She is accompanied by Kamadeva and his wife. She wears a crown with the image of Amitabha. She displays ’ amo rous sent i meat s1 Son© images of Syama Xara have been recovered in Bengal. H.K. Bhattasali gives an account of these in his book. Following details Bhatt-I, 149.
about them are supplied by Mm
1. An image made of sand-stone, representing a Syama-tara standing in t id bhangs pose, The right hand displays the yarada mudra and holds a half-blown blue lotus with the left hand. It is discovered from Sukhabaspur, P.S* Munsigang, district Dacca. Preserved in the Dacca Museum*
2. A highly ornamented and beautiful image of T&ra in black stone is found at Khailkair, P.O. Gachha, P.S. Jaydevpur, district Dacca. Preserved in the Dacca Museum, lara is seated on a lotus throne with one leg pendant and plaeed on a lotus, The left hand holds a half-blown blue lotus. The right arm is in the varada pose. To the left of Tara there is a miniature Tara. Two Dhyani Buddhas are seen on the two sides of the urabhavali - identified as Patnasambhava and Aksobhya. On the base of the lotus-seat is inscribed the Buddhist creed ’Ye Dharma’ - the script may be &? assigned to the 9th-10th century A.D.
3. A lovely image of standing Tara made of black stone was obtained in Vikrampura, district Dacca. Tara here is represented, decked with ornaments and crown, standing on a lotus. On the top of the prabhavali are the five Dhyani Buddhas and on the two sides are two miniature figures. Tara is standing in an elegant pose.6® Images cf Tara are found from different places in Bengal. K . Lev visited the Aggamehapandita Dharmavamse Mahattare which is a well-known monastery in Chittagong. He noticed here the following images of the goddess Tara
I. An image of Tara in lalltasana. height five inches with a lotus in her left hand. (2) Black chlorite stone figure of Tara seated in lalitasans, th© right hand displays the varada mudra. ’The base contains two lions, eouehant on two sides and a pair of devotees in th© middle*. These two images ere assigned to the 11th or 12th century A.D.
II. The VF-S acquired a miniature figure of Tara, ihis Tara is represented seated in lalita pose, right hand resting on the knee and the left exhibiting a nilotnala (blue water lily) • The slab is ornamented with images of Buddha in bhrnai sparse mudra . III. Image of Tara found engraved on a banner. In the Hesarika grant of Govinda III (Sska 727) it is said .that Govinda III brought from king Dharma (i.e. King Dharmapala of Bengal) an image of goddess Tara'. It is quite possible that Dharmapala at the time of his surrender to Govinds III, offered him an image of Tara. Dr. B.C. Majumdar holds the same view and adds that possibly Govinda III was attracted to Buddhism by his contact with the Buddhist Paia
ruler, Dharmapala. But D.C. Sircar holds a different view that the inscription shows that it al the figure of the goddess Tara. Of course, it is difficult to say whether the figure^ of the goddess was fixed to the top of a pole or was painted on the flag cloth- Hence the idea that not the ensign but merely an image was carried away by Govinda III from Dharmapala is unwarranted-
IV. A small seated image of fare was found from the ruins of 74 Karnasuvama»
V. Hear the Paharpur temple there was a rectangular brick temple dedicated to the Buddhist goddess Tara, situated in a compound studded with votive stupas- The temple was founded by a monk named Vipulesrimitra in the 12th century A .D. as evidenced by the Nalenda inscription.7® VI. A Bronze image of standing Tara in varada mudra with the head and halo broken off as preserved in the Halanda Museum. It was discovered from the ffalanda monastery, site Ho -4 (Devapala level) *
VII- A bronze image of Tara from near Mangalbari, district Dinajpore. She is represented seated in the 1 alltasana on a full blown lotus. Her right hand displays the abhaya and the left hand holds the stalk of a lotus- The figure is dressed in dhoti, and (S61)
decked with ornaments - on the whole she bears a pleasing sppear-
VIII• Another addition to the VFS is a miniature figure of Tara. Here Tara" is represented seated in the lalita pose, right hand resting on the knee and the left exhibiting a nilotnala. ’Above her head is shown a miniature stupa’.
Prajnaparamita :
Adi-Prajna (i.e* Prajnaparamita) is the female counter-part of Adi-Buddha. She is regarded as the mother of all Buddhas and thus earlier than the Dhyani Buddhas. She did not emanate from the Dhyani Buddhas. Pra^naparamita is the sacred book of the Buddhists which Buddha himself kept in the custody of the Wages kor serpent gods). Nagarjuna, in the 2nd century A.D. discovered this book of wisdom and founded a new school of Buddhism, The goddess Pra^naparamita is an embodiment of this book. In most cases the goddess is printed on covers of the Prajnaparamita manuscripts- Prajnaparamita was very popular in Cambodia, Japan, Java, Indo-China, etc. She was also worshipped in Nepal, but in China she was unknown. In the Sadhanamala there are a few sadhanas tn honour of Pra^naparamita. Arya Asahga also composed one Sadhana. Different forms of Prajnaparamita represented in the Sadhanas a*
on the basis of colour are the following :
Sitaprajnaparemita :
Sitapraj naps remits is white in colour with one face and two arms* In her left hand is the sacred book, the P raj nap a rami ta and in her right hand, the red lotus* She sits in the va.1 raparyanka attitude decked with all sorts of ornaments with an image of Aksobhya on the crown. She bears a pleasant look (*.*va.1 ranaryanka- samsthitam // sarvalankarasampumam.. • .Aksobhyamudritaceyam.. *)
Pitaprajnaparamita :
Pitaprajnaparamita bears a similar form, only there is a difference of colour. Unlike Sitaprajnaparamita she is yellow, the two arms display the vyskhyana mudra. The Praj nape remit a book rests on a lotus to her left.
Xanakaprajiiaparamita s
Kanakaprajnaparamita also bears an identical form but her colour is golden; and the display of the arms - which exhibit the dharmacakra mudra ’there are two books on two lotuses rising from under her two arm-pits*. An image representing this form of Prajifaparamita is in the Indian Museum.8^ Although this is partly mutilated its iconographic features agree to a great extent with
those given in the Sadhana. It may be noted that P raj nap8 rami ta is represented in the foimis found in the Sadhanas but ’the spirit of divine wisdom’ is not represented in the images found in Bengal. Prom the Raghurampur excavations two images of Prajnaparamlta were found* (i) A mutilated image of a goddess made of white sand-stone. The goddess is represented seated with legs locked in meditative pose, left hand in the varada pose* She is accompanied by a male attendant to her left. Tribhariga pose. (2) A two-armed Prejnaparamita is also found from this excavation. (3) Besides, we have noticed a four-armed Prajfiaparamita. In this case Prajna- paramita is ’invoked as holding out abhaya with a right hand and with a stem of lotus with a book on it, twining round a left ar®;
the remaining two hands perform the mudra of dharmaeakra. (4) in the Maldah Museum there is an image of seated Prajna- pSramita. (5) An image was installed by a Bhiksu named Dharma-srtpala, originally an inhabitant of Karnatakam. From there he migrated to North Bengal. This image is preserved in the Indian Museum. (6) A broken image was discovered from Hili, Baghaura. It is now in the Rajshahi district. The Vajrayogini grant of Samelavarman88 records the gift of some land in favour of a temple of Prejnaparamita and other deities* Two illustrated manuscripts
of Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita contain images of a number of
Buddhist deities of India.
Marici :
Like Sara, Marici is also popular among the Buddhists* She is worshipped in Indie, China, Japan, Tibet, etc* She is invoked by her followers differently in different countries* Thus, the Chinese regards her as ’Queen of the Heaven’, and ’Mother of the Dipper’; in Tibet as ’Goddess of Dawn'. The Sadhanamala gives different forms of this goddess; the classification being based on the number of arms, faces and colour. Her recognising symbols are ‘ chariot with seven pigs, her 'sow face', and her four companions, viz* Varttall, Vadall, Varali and Varaharaukhi• She emanated from Vairocana. Some scholars are inclined to identify Marie! with Vajravarahi. B. Bhattachsryya does not accept this view. Getty, however, identifies Ma riel with the goddess Aurora (Usha) of the Aryans* Marie! in different forms and with different names is mentioned below.
Asokakanta s
The Sadhanamala represents A^Jkakanta as standing, displaying with her left hand the bough of an Asoka tree and the right hand in the varada pose. (....Asokavrksas^hagravilaKham vamapanina // Blbhratim varadakaradaksinakara pallavam //....)9^ Her colour is yellow and she is decked with ornaments including a crown with Valrocana. Her vahena Is a sow (pig). Getty, however, represents UA differently.92 In this form she is accompanied by Green Tara, seated with a third eye.
Arya-Marici :
Arya-Marfcl is identical with Asokakenta except for the display of her arms • she carries in her two arms the needle and the string.
Marlcipicuva *•
Mariclpicuva Is known by other names such as Astabhujapita or Saiaksipta-Marici. Her colour is yellow, with three faces, with three eyes each, of three different colours displaying different sentiments; eight armed exhibiting needle, string, ahkusa. noose, bow, arrow, vajra and branch of esoka. She stands in the alidha attitude on a chariot drawn by seven pigs. Underneath the chariot stands Rahn. She Is accompanied by four goddesses of different colours and dress ! Varttali with four arms and a face like a sow is red in colour; Vadali carries In her four hands noose, va.1 ra. branch of asoka and needle. She is yellow; Varali is of white colour and Varahamukhl carries the vaira. arrow, asoka and the bow. She is of red colour.
Images representing this form of Martel are found in Bengal.
1. A beautiful Image of Maricl in black stone, found In Farldpur, is preserved in the Dacca Museum. Its
iconogrephlcal features described below, agree with the Sadhana
almost in all respects- Voucher gives a vivid description of this image of Marie!. She Is good-looking with the Dhyani Buddha Vairocana on her talra. She has three faces with three eyes each eight hands-••-The goddess is placed Inside a caitya..-- her chariot is drawn by seven pigs and driven by Rahu- She is accompanied by four goddesses-
2- In the Dacca Museum there is a crude specimen recovered from Ujani in the Farldpur district- This image does not entirely tally with the iconographic details given in the SadhanamslS. The Dhyani Buddha Vairocana is absent from her hair-dress but she is accompanied by five attendant goddesses (instead of four) . The plgi driving the chariot are not well represented. 3- A beautiful image of Marie i is worshipped as goddess
Kali in Badkamta, district Tippera.
4 & 5. Two more images of Marie! worshipped at Dacca, as reported by N.K. Bhattasali, are preserved in the Rajshahi Museum. 6 & 7, Two beautiful images in the Indian Museum, Calcutta- Their iconographical features ere the same as noted in the S adhanamala .9?
Ubhayavarahanana *
This form of Marler is three faced with three eyes each. The central face bears an expression of delight and love; the other two faces ere sow like; twelve arms carrying different attributes: dressed in tiger skin, a red scarf and decked with ornaments and the Dhyani Buddha, Vairocana on her talra. She stands In the alidha attitude treading on Brahma, Visnu, ^iva and others. She rests inside a caitya. Images representing this type of Marici are rare in Bengal.
Dasabhujasita - Marici *
In the Sadhanamala Dasabhujssita-Maricl is described as possessing five faces of different colours? ten arms displaying different attributes: with her four legs she stamps the four
Hindu gods, vi^. Indra, Siva, Visnu and Brahma; she is white in colour and rides a car (chariot) drawn by seven pigs. Her crown is decorated with the image of Vairocena. She is also accompanied by three other goddesses of different colours. Below the chariot are the nine planets- Vajradhatvisvarimaricis Uddiyana Marici: Vajravetali :
These three forms are the most frightful representations of Marici• There are resemblances between these three forms of Marici- They are six-faced with three eyes each and a protruding tongue; twelve arms exhibiting different items. They appear inside a caitya in the ~alidha pose with tiger skin on aand serpent ornaments and the images of Vairocana on their crowns-
Mahapratisara s
Mahapratisara is regarded by the lentric Buddhists as one of the Raksa deities* She is represented either singly pr in a group. She is regarded as the Protector of evils. Her colour is yellow, with three to four faces and eight to ten arms. She is shown seated ’on the ardhanaryahka or the lalita attitude’ with the image of Ratnasambhava on her crown. Her hands exhibit different attributes*
Mahapratisara - alone s
An eight-armed and three-faced goddess of black stone is found in Vikramapura in the Munsiganj sub-division of the Dacca district, 'ihe faces are sparkling with joy. In her eight hands she displays different items, such as sword, arrow, trident. di . discus, thuner-bolt, bow, ’lasso with a ring tied to the end, held in the tariani mudra between the breasts’, hatchet. She is seated on a lotus seat with many ornaments on. Her taira is decorated by a caitya.10^ This is a lovely piece of sculpture and may be assigned to the Fala period and ’approximately dated in
the 11th century A.D. Ihe above image is compered to another image preserved in the Dacea Museum. It is found at Bhavanipur in the Munsiganj subdivision of the Dacea district. Bhattasali identifies this goddess with Bhrlkuti iara.
Mahapratisara In a Mandala *
The Nispannayogavali describes Mahapratisara as having a ’yellowish red halo’ with four faces and twelve arms (Mahanrati-
sara nitabharaktaprabhamandala caturmukha •..dvadasabhuia••.) u Her place is in the centre of a Mandala together with the four other Raksa deities viz., Mahasahasrapramardani, Mahamantranu- sarini, Mahesitavail, Mahamayuri, who are placed in the four directions.
MahasTfavati
Emanated by Amitabha. She is represented in the ardhaparyanka attitude with four arms and red in colour. Vagisvara s
From different parts of Bengal images of the Vajrayana goddess Vagisvara are found.10$ A four-armed mutilated image of Vagisvara was found in Kachra in the Dinejpore district. She Is represented seated on a lotus in lalltasana pose* The lotus is placed on a ’triratha pedestal Including a lion, ’the vehicle (vahana) of the deity, and a demon’. Two of her original hands display the varada mudrS and in the other two she carries a sword and a shield. She is accompanied by a female attendant. Besides this, the Rajshahi Museum possesses another image of Vagisvara made of bronze,W? and there are a few in the Indian Museum. There are no Sadhanas in praiso of this goddoss. Hariti : (yakshini) :
Hariti is a Takshinl* There are no sadhanas in honour • of her in the Sadhanamala. But there are logends about her in Buddhist mythology.. According to the Samyuktavastu, Hariti stole all the children in Rajagriha and at© them up. The bxereaved parents wont to Buddha for protection. At that time Buddha was living in Rajagriha. He thought out a plan to punish Hariti. Buddha stole Hariti? s youngest and the most favourite son and hid him in his begging bowl. Hariti was greatly agitated when she saw her son missing. She went to Buddha and requested him to let her see her son. Buddha replied that her son would be. restored on one condition only i.e. she must follow Buddha’s teaching and allow the people of hajagriha to live in peace. Hariti agreed. But she asked Buddha how she will maintain herself and her five hundred children* At this Buddha asked the monks of the vihara to supply to Hariti and her five hundred children daily with the same kind of food which they themselves were accustomed.3,09 It may be noted that in all monasteries in India and Sepal the conaaana of Buddha was obeyed and on th© altar of all monastery, dedication is made to Hariti. Hiuen-tsang and I-tsing noticed in every monastery they visited in Horth India an altar dedicated to Hariti. An image of black stone was found in the
village of Paikpada, district Dacca* it is preserved in the Dacca Museum* The goddess is represented seated on a lotus seat with four arms. With her two original hands she carried a baby on her lap; the upper right hand exhibited a fish and the upper left hand a bowl* This image had been identified with Hariti. The Varendra Be search Society Museum has four specimens of Hariti. Also two images are found from the ruins of Khadi. Sitatapatra :
A beautiful image found in Tippera was preserved in the Dacca Museum. Made of octo-alloy metal* On the top over the head of the goddess is the parasol. She is represented seated on a lotus seat with one leg pendant, resting over a lotus. She bears a sweet expression and eight-armed. In her four right hands she carries the wheel, bow, sword, vara mudra and in her three left hands she holds the thunder-bolt, arrow, lasso. To the image 1® attached two seals. Sitatapatra is described by Getty as a goddess white in colour, who may have three heads. *She has eight arms and with the'two normal hands holds her special symbol, the Parasol, under which she is believed to protect all true believers*...The other hands hold the wheel, bow, arrow, book and
lasso. Her expression is sweet. The Sadhanamala describes a goddess called Sitatapatra Aparajita with three faces and six arms who is distinguished ’tfcp' lift from other Aparajita.
Aparaiita i
In the Sadhanamala, a description of this Buddhist goddess is found* She is depicted yellow in colour with one face, two arms, ’the right hand is raised, displaying the act of dealing a slap, while the left carries the noose round the raised index finger against her chest*. She is terrible looking and tramples upon Ganesa and her parasol is raised over her head by the host of wicked and ferocious gods, Brahma and others”. A broken image of this goddess is found in Halanda. The upper part is lost, showing only the lower half. The figure to the right of Aparajita (?) appears to be Indra and the rod held 118 by him may be the parasol* Another image of this goddess is in the Indian Museum* It is similar in description to that found in the Sadhanamala and resembles the Nalanda image*
Aparajita is also represented in the Astabhuja-kuakulla. She is found in the company of other deities standing in the alidha attitude* Aparajita is assigned a seat in the southern gate. She. is yellow in colour with the Image of the Dhyani Buddha Ratna- sambhava oil her hair dress* She is four-armed; in her two right hands she holds the staff and the goad; and in the two left arms
ns the bell and the noose.
Vajrayogini :
An important Buddhist goddess is Vajrayogini. She does not bear the effigy of any Dhyani Buddha on her crown. There are three forms of this goddess. (I) Headless form :
In the Sadhanafflala12^ the headless form is terrible in appearance. She is of yellow colour. She is nude, her right leg is stretched and the left is bent down; she carries in her own head severed by herself with her own kartri (Svakartrikartita- svaaastaka-vamahastasthitam held in the right hand and meditates on the blood issuing from the body. She is accompanied by two Yoginis, Vajravarnani and Vajravairocani. On all sides of the yoginis is depicted the awful cremation ground. Tills form of Vajrayogini may be compared with the Hindu goddess ChHinnamasta. B. Bhattacharyya concludes "that this Buddhist goddess was borrowed and incorporated wholly into their pantheon by the Hindus* (II) Red form :
Vajrayogini of this form is represented standing in the alidha attitude with red complexion on the burning ground. She rides a corpse, nude with three eyes, protruding belly and is endowed with six auspicious symbols. She carries the kapala in the left hand and va;tra in the right. She is identical in many respects to the forms of Wairatma and Vajravarahi. (Ill) Yellow form s
This form of Vajrayogini is more or less similar to the above form except for the attributes she carried in her hands which are kartri and kaoala and not kapala and va;ira» .ska, Vo
Va^rayogini is a consort of Heruka and^represented in yab-yum form. .
Prasannatara :
The Sadhanamala gives us a description of Prasannatara of yellow complexion and terrible appearance with three eyes, eight faces of different colours and sixteen arms, with a necklace made of half-a-hundred heads (Sardrasatardhamunda malakrtaharam*..) She is represented standing in the pratyalldha attitude on the moon over the double lotus and tramples under her left and right feet Indra and Upendra and presses Budra and Brahma between the two, and destroys ths veils of ignorance.132 Prasannatara also appears as a companion deity in the Astabhuja- Kurukulla. She is placed in the va^aparyarika attitude on the petal in the east. She is of red colour.
Collective deities s
The Buddhists created ten Gods of directions s North, South, East and West; the four intermediate corners, such as, Vayu, Agni, Isana and Itfairrta; to the top and the bottom* -• Probably the Buddhists got this idea from the Hindus, (cf* Dikpalas). The ten deities are described in the different Mandalas in the Ilispannayogavali and in the Sadhanas. They are the following 2 Yamantaka, Prajhantaba, Padmantaba, Vighnantaka, Takkiraja, Niladanda, Mahabala, Acala, Usnisa and Sumbharaja. Besides, there were six goddesses of direction as mentioned in the Vajratara mandala in the Nispannayogavali123 and in the Sadhanamala,as follows : Vajranku^i, Vajrapasi, Vajrasphota, Vajraghanta, Usnisaviaya and Sumbha. In addition to the above six we may add also Puspa, Dhupa, Dipa and Gandha, thus making the total number ten.
Eight Usnisa Gods 2
The word ’Usnisa* means *the crown* but B. Bhattacharya125 points out they have nothing to do with crown. They seem to be an extension of the four Dhyani Buddhas with their known symbols and mudras. In fact, they are. placed like the Gods of directions in th© four principal and intermediate directions* They are mentioned in the Durgatiparisodhana Mandala12^ of the Nispanria- yogavSli. These deities are too-armed and on© faced# They are well dressed, decked with ornaments including a crown. They are represented seated on human beings.#, Thenar© the following : Vajrosnisa, Ratnosnisa, Padmosnisa, Vi^vosnisa, Tejosnisa, Dhva^osnisa, Tiksnosnisa and Chhatrosnisa.
The Pancaraksa :
Both the Sadhanamala and the Nispannayogavali refer to tho Pancaraksa deities# They are worshipped either single or collectively in a Mandala. In Nepal the Pancaraksa deities are very popular# They are artistically engraved with the Dhyani Buddhas and their saktls on Pancaraksa manuscripts. In Nepal the chief of the -Pancaraksa deity is Mahamayuri; according to Poucher *the Raksa are presided over by Mahs-sahasrapramardani*. But in the Sadhanamala12? and the Nispannayogavali Maha- pratisara is the principal deity* while the four others occupy tho four cardinal directions# But there are no fixed rules and any one of the Raksa deities may occupy the central position. Mahapratisara is yellow with four faces and twelve arms. Her head is decorated with a caitya and she sits in the vairanaryahka attitude# She is also described as bearing the image of Ratna-sambhava in the hairdross. Her recognising symbol is the umbrella or jewel*. •
Mahasahasrapramardani :
She Is represented white with four faces of different colours, and ten arms* She is assigned to the eastern direction, seated in the lalita attitude on the orb of the moon placed on a double lotus. Mahamantranusarinl : The Nispannayogavali describes the third pancaraksa deity as of blue eolour with three faces and twelve arms. She sits in the va.lraoaryahka attitude over a double lotus in the southern direction. Her symbol is va.1ra>
Mahas'ltavati
Mahasitavati, another pancaraksa deity is described in the ilispannayogavali as of red colour with three faces and eight arms. She is. represented seated in the orb of the sun on, a double lotus in the western direction. In the Sadhanamala she is represented in green colour with sis arms.
Mahamayuri : '
Another pancaraksa deity is Mahamayuri described in the Nispannayogavali as of green colour with three faces and eight arms. She is represented seated on the orb of. the moon on a double lotus, with "tho halo of the moon and sitting on a man”. The Sadhanam§rla“depicts her in yellow colour with eight arms. Gauri group of goddesses 1
The Sadhenamala^ and the NispannayogaVSii describe the eight deities of the Gauri group. They are presented with a violent and fearful look with ornaments and garlands dancing in the nratyalidha attitude and 'show the raised index finger with
clasped fist against the chest, as the common gesture'. They are the following s Gauri, Cauri, Vetali, Ghasmari, Pukkasi, Tabari, Candali, Dombi. Four animal-faced goddesses
The Nispannayogavall describes four deities with animal faces and four deities with bird faces. In their two arms they carry the kartri (chopper) and kapaia (skull-cup). They carry the Khatvanga on their shoulders. They are sometimes four-armed. The principal face is either human or animal. In the former case, the animal face is depicted over the head or on the crown. The NairStma" Mandala gives the following : Ha^yasyaT (horse face); Sukarasya (sow-face); Svanasya (dog face)’ Siwhasya (lion face). Four Dakini groups s
The Nispannayogav&Li and the Sadhanamala refer to goddesses of this group. In the Sadhanamala they are the represented with one face, three eyes, four arms, carrying in their left hands the kapala-maiked khatvanga and the kapaia and in the two right hands the Damaru and the knife; stands in the alidha attitude with ornaments made of five bones. They are the following : Dak ini; Lama; Khandaroha; Rupini. The Nispannayoglvali also gives a list of deities under the following heads s Paramites; Visits goddesses; Bhumls; twelve Dharlnls? four Pratisamvits; four Dance deities; four Door Goddesses; four light goddesses.
Before concluding it may be noted that Hindu Gods were not unknown to the Buddhist Pantheon. In fact, many Hindu gods were incorporated and given independent forms in the Sadhanas* some were made companion deities in Mandalas and lastly, they were also assigned humiliating positions i*e. they were trampled upon by angry Buddhist Gods. They are the following « Mahakala, Ganapati, Ganapatihrdaya, Sara swat 1, Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara, Karttikeya, Varahi, Gamunda, Bhrngi, Nandikesara, etc., etc.
Mention may also be made of the saktis of the Dhyani Buddhas : Pandara (sakti of Amitabha), Mamaki (sakti of Aksobhya), Locana
(sakti of Vairoeana), Tara (sakti of Amoghasiddhl) , Vsjradhatvls- vari (sakti of Ratnasambhava), Vajrasattvamlka (sakti of Vejra- sattva) Getty gives a different account where Mamaki is the - _ / - sakti of Ratnasambhava; Locana of Aksobhya; Vajradhatvisvarl of Vairocana? Getty’s list does not include Vajrasattvamika sakti of Va3rasattva.^30 According to her all the five slktis are dressed as ’Bodhisattvas with five-leaved crown’, sitting in
lalitasana ‘the right hand in vara mudra and the left in viterka pose, except Vajradhatvisvari whose hands are in dharmacakra mudra*.131
A popular but mysterious goddess in the Buddhist world, both in India and outside is Cunda. This name in India is found in different forms Panda. Candra. Cundra. C-undra. Some of these
variations seem to be of an orthographic character. The name is sometimes described as of "moon-like colour", as will be seen later . As suggested by E. Conze, "The Chinese and Tibetan equivalents Tchouen-t1! (T’siuen-d’ie) or Tchou-en-tche, and Tsundahi or Tsundehi - may go back to Sanskrit Cundi, Candi (s Durga 0, Cunda, Chundi, or Cun|i. The Japanese Shingon sect is in doubt as to whether the name of Jundei But sumo, or Jundei Kwannon, is derived from the Sanskrit sundhi (purity), Sunda (bright and beautiful), cunti (a well), or cundi (to become
smaller)" . Getty points out that in Japan "the only feminine form among the seven Xwan-non is Jun-tei (...). She is called Koti-srl or Sapta-koti-Buddha-matri-Cunti-devi, or the goddess
C until, mother of 700,000 Buddhas. It is believed by the Japanese that the goddess is taken from Indian mythology and is Burgadevl, wife of Siva (...)“ The form Cunda is come across in the Siksasamuccaya of
Santideva, the Nlspannayogavall of <Sbhayakaragupta and Sadhanateala. A But the most important literary evidence regarding Cunda is furnished by the Astasahasrika Pralnauaramita manuscript preserved
in the Cambridge University library, dated in the 11th century A.D. (fig. 1) . This manuscript contains the miniature of Cunda with a label which reads as follows * Pattlkere Cundavarabhavane Cunda, which means that it represents Cunda of the temple of Cunda at Pattikera (Tippers district In Bangladesh). The Cambridge manuscript reference signifies that in the region to which It refers the Buddhist goddess was known by this name in the 11th century A.D. The lanjur mentions Cunda-sadhanas in many places without referring to their authorship, though elsewhere Buddha- klrti is referred to as the author of the woik entitled Arya-Cunda- sadhana. The nan© Candra appears in the Arya-manlusrimulakalna and Cundavajri in the Tantric work entitled Guhyasemaia. Nothing definite is mentioned about her origin. She is sometimes called “Mother of Buddha" * According to the Nispanna- yogavali, Cunda "is the embodiment of the Buddhist dharini __ _ ~ g work called Cunda-dharini" • The Nispannayogavali knows twelve Dharini deities* The Sadhanamala gives the mantra in which the goddess Cunda is Invoked s Om Cale Cule Cunde Sv aha. The name being used here in the vocative case.
Cunda is affiliated to different Dhyani Buddhas* Thus, on the basis of a statement in the Nispannayogavall under the Manjuva.1 ra-mandala, she appears to be affiliated to the Dhyani Buddha Vairocana. In the same work but under a different mandala, viz Dheroadhatu-Vagisvara-mandala. Cunda is regarded as one of the Dharini goddesses and assigned to the Dhyani Buddha Amoghasiddhi According to Getty she emanated from Vajrasattva whose image may be exhibited on her head-dress* The available representations of Cunda in art and icono¬graphy and her description in literature may conveniently be classified according to the number of arms with which the goddess is endowed, though in some cases, as we shall see later, the question of her identification remains controversial. For this (384)
classification we have to take into account s (a) images preserved in the different Museums, (b) descriptions of the goddess in the sadhanas* (c) her association with other deities as indicated in respective mandalas, and (d) manuscript-paintings, especially
those on the Cambridge manuscript already referred to.
In the first place a two-armed goddess Gunda appearing in a mandala is described in the Nispannayogavali as of white colour, holding in her two hands the rosary on which a kamandalu is suspended (Gunda sukla aksasutravalambita-kamandaludhara) « In this context reference may be made to two two-armed images, one preserved in the Djakarta Museum with her pair of hands in the dhyana-mudra identified by some with Prajnapa remits but with Gunda by Conze. ’the second image is a Java bronze holding a bowl. She is also identified with Prajnaparamita, but Conze identifies her like the one above, with Cunda.
A four-armed goddess is mentioned in the Sadhanamala with “colour of the autumn moon", one face, and four arms displaying the varada-mudra in the right hand and holding a book on the lotus in the left. The other two hands hold a bowl. She is to be decked in all kinds of ornaments (saraccandrabham caturbhujam dakslnena varadam vame pustakankitanadmadharam karadvaye
pathadharam sarvalankarabhusitam *^8 It may be noted that the image holds a bowl (patra). as mentioned in the above text but the two hands are in the dhyana-mudra though not specifically mentioned as such in the sadhana, quoted above* An image corresponding with the above sadhana is said to have been in the collection of W.B. VJhitney of America, now preserved in the Freer Gallery of Art.^-9 Getty's description of the goddess is slightly different* She is described as “red in colour*1, the upper hand holding a rosary
and a book respectively, while the lower one is in "meditation*1 mudra holding a vase; she has a sweet expression. With this description agrees the miniature of the goddess from Vumkaranagare in Lahtadece (read Lata), illustrated in the Cambridge manuscript: ^ »»BOdh. fem. rouge, assise a 1'indlenne, a quatre bras, la l1^ palre de m. est dans la pose de la meditation et tient un vase arrondi; la 2me palre tlent a d. le rosaire, a g. le livre. - Halo. - Per..." (fig.2). And also the four-armed Cunda on the outside panel of the temple of Candi Mendut in Java. Clark has reproduced a "Caturbhuja- Cunda" of China, the first two hands displaying the varada-mudra and the other two hands like the above, holding a bowl. She (386)
has also a sweet expression and is well decked* R. Linossier mentions a four-armed yellow goddess on a ‘Jibetan banner and identifies her with Cunda, whose right hand holds a vajra, the left rests in the lap, holding a bowl, ihe second right hand holds the rosary, the second left the book. A four-armed Cunda is portrayed in Cave no .12 at Ellora, two of her hands displaying the dhyana-mudra with a bowl or vase. Besides thene, some examples of four-armed Cunda as represented in mandalas are available, Thus in the Astabhxda-Kurukulla-mandala the two right hands of the goddess display the varada-mudra and the arrow drawn to the ears and the two left hands hold the blue lotus and the bow.
In the Kalacakra-mandala Cunda is with four arms. In the two right hands she carries a mudgara (club) and a kunta (knife) and in the two left hands a padma (lotus) and a danda (staff). Thus from a study of the images so far recovered and the relevant texts quoted above, it will appear, generally speaking, that the four*armed Cunda, a popular goddess, had as her attributes book, lotus, bowl or vase, rosary, bow and arrow, club, knife, staff, etc. The gestures of the arms of this goddess as noticed are the varada-mudra and the dhyana-mudra. In respect of the latter mudra, the texts, as we have seen, describe the two hands as holding a vase or natra< without naming the mudra as
dhyana-mudra. The mudrS. as depicted In the images, shows the posture of meditation, with a vase on the two hands* The discussion on the dhyani-mudra is relevant to four-armed images 0 "f* BW-CL4C£. | *4-0 Ado not show this characteristic* The presence of the vessel on on the palms may find some explanation in a story which runs as follows * ’’....On the seventh day of the third month the spirit of a tree under which Buddha had for seven week been in a state of samadhi (deep meditation) took notice of Buddha’s long absence from food. Some travelling
merchants passed at that moment, and, their way being blocked by insurmountable objects, they asked the spirit of the tree to help them. He called their attention to the presence of the Buddha, end told them that they should offer him food. The four kings of the Devas (Lokapela) had four sweet-smelling bowls, which they filled with the barley mixed with honey that the merchants offered. Buddha took all the four bowls through fear of offending one of the kings, and, placing one on top of the other on his left hand, formed them into one. It is believed that when Maitreya comes upon earth as a Manushi Buddha the pgtra will again become four bowls'*. This story is somewhat signifi¬cant in explaining the dhyana-mudra and the bowl in a four-armed Cunda. A Cunda with six arms is portrayed in Cave no.10 at Ellora
and an eight-armed Cunda is kept in the Leyden Museum of Ethnology, while a second one with eight arms is illustrated on a panel in the Candi Mendut, Java s it is represented standing.
A twenty-armed goddess made of bronze, discovered from site No.l at Nalanda, is sometimes taken as an image of Cunda. But F.D.K. Bosch and others have identified her with a special form of Parjafiaparamita. A. Ghosh gives the attributes in the left hands from below upwards as a flask, noose, sankha. book-on-lotus and dhvjfa. The attributes in the other hands are fruit, rosary, sword, abhaya-mudra and an indistinct object.2®
Cunda is depicted as a sixteen-armed goddess in an illus¬tration in the Cambridge University manuscript, already referred to (fig.l). She is shown seated on a lotus throne in vajrasana. Foucher describes this goddess as * "Bodh. fem* jaune, assise a 1’indienne, a seize bras* La premiere peire de m. ©st reunie dans le gestecde 1’enseignement • les quatorze autres sont? a d. io ©n charite,j on tenant 2° le foudre, 3° le disque, 4° la massue, 5° 1’epee, 6° la fleche, 7° le rosaire; a g. 1° le flacon, 2° la hache, 3° le trident, 40 1’arc, 5° le couteau recourbe, 6° ?, 7° le sceptre d’or - Halo“ • (Female Bodhisattva with sixteen arms. She is yellow, seated cross-legged. The first two hands
are Joined in the gesture of teaching* One of the fourteen hands (on the right) is in the varada-mudra. the other hands hold thunder-bolt, discus, club, sword, arrow and rosary; the seven left hands respectively carry * flask, axe, trident, bow, curved knife and sceptre. Ro clear idea can be formed of the object held by it on the sixth left hand. lhe attributes in some cases have been differently identified but it is certain that the goddess, so represented, is Cunda, as she has been named as such in the label of the manuscript. Considering the nature of some of the different attributes held by the goddess, Getty concludes that “Cunda with sixteen arms is war-like in appearance, (compare the Hindu goddess Candi worshipped in her military aspect)’1 *
In this context reference may be made also to an image from Nepal described by B. Bhattacharyya as sixteen-armed, now pre¬served in the Baroda Museum (fig. 3). On the pedestal there is the prostrate figure of a man lying on his back, on which the goddess is found seated in the paryarika-asana. richly dressed and covered with ornaments. The two principal hands are arranged in the form of a mudra.“which is akin to dharmacakra” . lhe remaining seven hands display (downwards from the top), 1. sword, 2. damaru (kettle-drum), 3. knife, 4* (broken), 5. hammer, 6. garland of
jewels, 7. abhaya-raudra. Ths remaining seven left hands show likewise 1. discus, 2. bell, 3. noose, 4. dagger, 5. goad, 6. arrow and 7. varada-iaudra. The deity is one-faced.3® B. Bhattacharyya identifies the Baroda Museum image with Cunda in spite of some minor variations as he himself notes.3® Van Lohuzien-de Leeuw describes some of the features differently and criticizes the proposed identification mainly on the following grounds as advanced by her ’ (1) the first pair of hands are not in dharmacakra-mudra
"as is customary for all Cunda figures with numerous arms”, (2) such attributes as the flask, lotus, rosary and book which occur in all Cunda images are conspicuously absent, and (3) finally she points out that none of the known represen¬tations of Cunda whether many-armed or otherwise, are actually seated on a human figure.3^ According to B. Bhattacharyya, however, "The special feature of the Baroda Museum image is its seat which is on the prostrate figure of a man” -> Although absent in all the other available images of Cunda, this, in his opinion, is really a characteristic of Cunda, “which is not against the- direction of the Sadhana”. Cunda, he points out, is said in the sadhana to be seated on a sattvaparyanka or a seat spread on a sattva, which usually scans a man or an animal. The identification proposed by B. Bhattacharyya, is thus shown
to be supported by textual authority. It rosy be said, however, that the number of arms and the attributes carried in most of them are not clear from the annexed photograph (fig. 3) • The note received from the Curator of the Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery places the image in the 16th century. The grounds for this dating are not mentioned.
An eighteen-armed image of a goddess made of stone, found at Niyamatpur in th® Rajshshi district (Bangladesh), probably to be assigned to the 9th century A.0., is preserved in the Varendra Research Society Museum (fig* 4) .40 Here the goddess is represented seated with legs crossed on a full-blown lotus, the stalk of which is held by two Nagas, with female deities to the left and right. She wears a iatamukuta and her head is covered by an umbrella. Her main pair of hands are in the dharmacekra-mudra and the second pair is
raised, holding a lotus. On the remaining right hands she carries vase, chisels (?), sword, ankusa. hatchet, va,1 ra and rosary. In the three of the left hands she holds a vase, and in the remaining hands dhvaja, np#»e, ahkusa. umbrella (?) and book. It is curious that the image holds a vase in three hands according to the identification proposed. Since the symbols are not quite clear one cannot be sure, however, that the attributes in all cases have been correctly identified. Varendra Research Society Annual Report, 1936-37, 29*
A bronze goddess with eighteen arms was found at Nalanda in site No .4 (fig.5). this goddess is seated on a full-blown lotus supported by two Nagas, with an umbrella on her head. The main pair of hands are in the dharmacakra-mudra. The attributes in the other left hands as described by A. Ghosh are * bell, noose, flag, disc, conch, pot, book-on-lotus and an indistinct object. The right hands show fruit, conch, sword, vajra, rosary, varada- mudra and two indistinct objects. ^ This description of the goddess by Ghosh is not acceptable to van Lohuizen-de Leeuw, whose contention is that "Ghosh describes the objects from below upwards taking the half-raised hand last" . Some similarities between this image and the one found at Niyamatpur are noticeable. It is to be noted that this particular Nalanda image has been identified as Tara by some and with Prajnaparamita by others*4®
Reference may be made in this connection to another female image made of stone, with eighteen arms, found at Nalanda and preserved in the Indian Museum* This goddess is seated on a full-blown lotus with an inscribed, base. Her main pair of hands <Buu In the dharmacakra-mudra. The attribute in her lowest right hand is a round object and in the other she holds a lotus. The other attributes in the other hands are indistinct. The objects held
in the left hands are pot, conch, wheel, elephant-goad, end lotus, the rest being indistinct. According to von Lohuizen-de Leeuw the descriptions are not in proper order. It is difficult to say if the order in the display of the attributes should be a decisive factor in settling this controversy. This image was identified by R.D. Banerji with Tara. ® ihe other view is that the image is one of Cunda. This controversy appears to be due to the different views concerning the identification of the objects held by the goddess in her different hands.
Poucher identifies a many-armed stone image kept in the house of the Mahant at Bodh-Gaya as a representation of Cunda with eighteen arms. The image is seated on a double lotus, the stalk of which is supported by two Nagarajas. The first pair of hands (broken) are held in dharmacakra-nmdra. Of the right hands the second is broken, the third is stretched out half-way showing an indeterminate gesture in between varada-mudra and abhayapani- ffiudra. the remaining holds sword, jewel, thunderbolt, elephant¬goad, club (in the form of khatvanga) • The second of the left hands is broken; in the remaining|aands she holds club (stick), noose, discus. The eighth and the ninth are broken. In regard to some details, Poucher’s account has not been followed by van
I»ohuizen-de Leeuw.5® But there is no difference of opinion about the first two arras being shown in the dharmacakra-audie. But the fact that the hands supposed to be in this mudra, are broken, may raise a doubt about the correctness of this view. B. Bhatta- charyya referred to another Cunda image with eighteen arms noticed by him in a Durga temple near Kuikihar in Bihar.
In this context reference may be made to an Indo-Javanese bronze female deity with eighteen arms preserved in the Museum fur Volkerkunde, Vienna, Austria (fig. 6), which Heine-Ge idem describes as Cunda? the attributes and mudras of this deity are as follows * "the main pair of hands are in the dharmacakra-mudra. 1’he right hands show from below upwards t abhaya-mudra. curved knife (?), a globular attribute, three strings ending in small round objects (remains of a noose), two handles of broken attri¬butes, vajra, rosary. Ihe left hand shows in the same order * flask, broken handle, one end of a broken (bow 7), sahkha, cakra, stalk of lotus (7), pot, book, etc.” Some scholars have, however, compared her with Prajnaparamlte.5^ It appears to us that the image as described above, may be fittingly compared with the eighteen-armed Cunda image found in different parts of India,
referred to above. 1'his goddess with eighteen arms may also be compared with the Jundei Kwannon with eighteen arms from Japan. Clark gives an illustration of a “Baiaibhuja" Cunda (devi) . She is represented with three faces and twenty-four arms* If she has been identified correctly by Clark, this is a unique specimen of the goddess with three faces and twenty-four hands as counted by me.
l'he Mspannayogavali gives an account of Cunda with twenty-six arms as she appears in a mandala, described below. Colour moon-white (candravarnaX * She two principal hands exhibit the dharmacakra- mudra. the remaining right hands show the abheya-mudra. sword, garland of jewels, citron, arrow, axe, club, hammer, goad, thunder¬bolt, tripataka and rosary. In the remaining left hands she shows the flag marked with cintamani jewel, lotus, kamandalu. noose, bow, javelin, discus, sword, tarlani (raised index finger), bowl, bhindipala and the Pra.1 naparsmita scripture. ° Van Lohulzen-de
Leeuw believes that the twenty-six armed Cunda is only an elaboration of the more commonly known form with eighteen arms* Cunda as Companion Deity in Mandalas * (1) Cunda as companion deity of Astabhuja Kurukulla is
described in the Sadhanamala.®® Cunda is represented seated on the lotus petal in the fsana comer of the Kurukulla mandala. The other goddesses in the same mandala also take their seats on the remaining petals, Thus, Prasannatara in the east, Nl.spannatara in the south, Jayatafa in the west, Karnatara in the north, A partita in th®. Agni corner, Pradiptara in the Nairrta corner and Gauritara in the Vayu cpraer- These portrayed deities including Cunda, in the present instance, look alike, They are red in colour. They wear a crown with the figures of the five Dhyani Buddhas, and sit in the vairaparyanka attitude. The two right hands exhibit the varada mudra and an arrow drawn to the ears. They carry in their two left hands the blue lotus and the bow.
(2) Cunda in the Kalacakra~mandala is described in the Nispanna- yogavali as the wife of Takkiraja, who resembles the Dhyani Buddha Ratnasambhava, is white in colour with four arms. In her two right hands she carries a club and a knife and in the two left arms a lotus and a staff.6^ In this mandala Cunda appears in the company of » * many deities* She and Takkiraja are in charge of the gate in the south direction. She is here regarded as a krodha deity. (3) Cunda in the Dharmadhatuvaglsvara-mandala is depicted with two arms, she carries in her two hands the rosary on which a kamandalu is suspended. In this mandale all the twelve dharinl deities including Cunda were stationed in the northern direction. All the twelve dharinis are placed in the family of the Dhyani / Buddha Amoghasiddhi of green colour.
(4) Cunda in the MaaS.luva.1 rarmandala appears with a large number of gods and goddesses. She is assigned a place with others in the Manjuvaj rakula in the isiana comer. She is represented as possessing
64 a moon-white (candravarna) complexion with twenty-six arms-
In none of the mandalas is Cunda given a central position. In Japan Cunda is most popular in paintings of mandalas (mystic diagrams) • In the Garbhakosa-mandala she is stationed “in the second enclosure called the Sarvagna parsed, where she is figured with eight (oi* eighteen) arms?* Attributes and Gestures * Their Significance :
Some observations may be made here on the attributes and poses of the hands of Cunda with arms exceeding four, which we have already discussed, the list of attributes as available from extant texts and images includes rosary, arrow, sword, club, cakra. va.1 re. dhvaja. curved knife, bow, trisula. axe, flask, ahkusa. jewels, noose, broken handle, ratnadana, globular object, fruit, conch, hatchet, chisel, pot or bowl or vase, umbrella, book, lotus, hammer, c
spear, drum, ghanta. dagger, etc. The gestures being the dharma- eakra-mudra. abhaya-mudra and the varada-mudra.
It may be noted that ven Lohuizen-de Leeuw regards the dharmacak ra-mudra as an essential mark of identification of this goddess (i-e. Cunda with wre than four arms). She states ? •‘For we have already seen that the Cambridge manuscript clearly identifies a female deity holding its main pair of hands in dharsaeakra mudra as Cunda. Moreover, the Sispannayogavali
t describes a form of Cunda with twenty-six arms, holding her main pair of hands in the so called mula mudra, and in my opinion B. Bhattacharyya was fully justified when he interpreted this attitude as the dharmseakra mudra on the basis that Cunda is an emanation of he Dhyani Buddha Vairocana who displays the same gesture” . Much of the difference of opinion about the attributes on which depends the identification of the Images concerned is due to indistinct representation. Secondly, there is also a controversy about the
order in which these attributes are placed. & note may be added her© regarding the views expressed by B. Bhattacharyya, Conze, Getty, Coomaraswamy, Xiemer, etc., about the significance of some attributes and poses as found associated with this goddess, three gestures are noticed s (1) the varada-mudra which is a gesture of granting fulfilment? (2) the abhaya-mudra symbolizes the grant of fearlessness, and (3) the dharmacakra-mudra which denotes the pose of turning the “Wheel of Lew” • If Cunda, as held by some, is to be regarded as the “Mother of Buddha” these poses may be appropriate for her- But these poses are not attributable to her only. Among the objects held, the lotus is a symbol of purity; the book held
by Cunda is Cunda-dharini; the rosary is for counting the number r cf repetitions of the mantra; the cakra is the symbol of absolute completeness; dhvaja is the banner of victory? the trisula is held to symbolize “the sun with a flame" but there is much diversity of opinion regarding it; the sword is the symbol of the emptiness which constitutes the core of the doctrine of perfect wisdom, fhe begging-bowl typifies renunciation of all possessions. The spiritual end protective aspects of the goddess are thus brought out symbo¬lically through the medium of certain attributes and gestures suitable for the concept.
It is difficult to say when the worship of Cunda came into vogue. The noted Chinese pilgrims (from the 5th to the 7th century A.D.) who visited India do not refer to this goddess although her concept originated comparatively earlier as is indicated in some of the sources already mentioned. Her popularity as a goddess became evident during the Paia rule as shown by the illustration on the Cambridge manuscript and her images found in Bengal and Bihar. Friendly relations between the Palas and the rulers of Java end
Sumatra may account for the presence of Cunda in Java in addition to the Vienne specimen. As a story shows, belief in this goddess existed in Bengal even before the foundation of the Pale dyenasty kBth century A^.) . Taranatha^ gives a legend from which it appears that it was a popular belief that Gopala put an end to the prevailing anarchy end founded the Paia dynasty through the favour of the goddess Cunda, propitiated by him. Gop'ala, it is said, under the instruction i’aranatha’s History of Buddhism in India, ed. D.P. Chattopadhyaya, Simla, 1970, chap.
of an ^<ar.va carried a hidden club* With this club, he destroyed a riagini. who appeared before him to take his life* f*or several years this nagini used to kill every king elected in an assembly, thus causing anarchy in the country. Gopala, who killed this riagini. was elected king for seven successive days. His faith in Cunda, whom he propitiated, was proved when the nagini*s attempt failed and he was made king permanently. Gopala*s devotion to the goddess may have led to an increase cf her popularity. We do not know about the original type of the goddess* She is found in developed forms with some of the elements borrowed from the conceptions and repre¬sentations of other goddesses whose cults may have been more firmly established* This has resulted in a confusion regaiding the identi-fication of Cuna on a definite basis* She is sometimes confused with
images of Tara, Prajnaparamita, etc. C-undS resembles Prajna- paramita very closely both in regard to her physical and spiritual characteristics. As Prajnap^ramita is regarded as “the mother of all Buddhas?1, Cunda is regarded by her dharini as the mother of seven kotis of Buddha®. Images of Cunda and Prajnaparamita exist having two arms and more. But there are some marked differences also between the two. We have already noticed examples of four¬armed Cunda whose original hands, in most cases, are found in the dhyana-mudra or holding the bowl. This characteristic is not noticed in the four-armed images of PrajHaparamita. Conze also holds a similar view. He states s “...with some care the four-armed Cunda is easily distinguished from the four-armed images of Prajhaparamita by the gesture of the original hands, which are either in dhyana mudra or holding the begging bowl" »68 There are however, difficul¬ties, as shown above, in distinguishing many-armed forms of Cunda from Prajnaparamita. Thus the eighteen-armed goddess from Nalanda has sometimes been identified as Prajnaparamita. Similar is the case with the twelve-armed goddess* Like PrajfiaparamitS, Cunda also resembles Tara. Cunda is again identified with C and! . This suggestion comes from Japan in particular as referred to above. With regard to Candi there ere son® specific stories in Hindu mythology which give her a character of her own. Conze, op. cit., 265. 59 58 Bhatt-I, 223.
