Eastern Indian School of Mediaeval Sculpture c8.5

c8.5

The principal difference between M. Foucher's work and that of his pupil lies in the mode of treatment. While M. Foucher's work classifies the *Sādhanas* into a number of natural groups, Mr. Bhattacharyya's work is based on the divisions of the Mahāyānic Buddhist pantheon. Mahāyāna of the early mediæval period of Indian history recognised a triple series of five deities. These five deities are known as the five divine Buddhas, Akshobhya, Amitābha, Ratnasambhava, Amoghasiddhi, and Vairochana. Each of these five divine Buddhas possesses an earthly counterpart called the *Mānushī* Buddha and a separate emanation known as the Bodhisattva. In the classification of the Buddhist pantheon, the earlier Buddhists make a divine Buddha the head of a particular genus. The Bodhisattvas, the lesser deities, the female deities and semi-divine beings are divided in the *Sādhanas* into five different groups. Thus, in the genus of Amitābha, the Bodhisattvas bear on their head-dress a seated figure of this divine Buddha and this attribute is shared in common by all other male and female deities.