The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c10.s2: 1. Amitābha
The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c10.s2
- Language
- English
Contents
- c10.s2.t1 Pāṇḍarā — 8 parts
- c10.s2.t2 Padmapāṇi — 4 parts
1. Amitābha
c10.s2.1
| Colour—Red | Vehicle—Peacock |
| Mudrā—Samādhi | Symbol—Lotus |
c10.s2.2
By far the most ancient among the Dhyāni Buddhas is Amitābha who is said to reside in the Sukhāvatī heaven in peaceful meditation. He presides over the current Kalpa (cycle) which is Bhadrakalpa. As a Dhyāni Buddha he does not create. It is his Bodhisattva Padmapāṇi, also known as Avalokiteśvara, who is responsible for creation. The form of Amitābha is described in the Pañcākāra section of the Advayavajrasaṅgraha thus:
c10.s2.3
“Paścimadale Ravimaṇḍalopari rakta-Hrīḥkārasambhūto raktavarṇo Amitābhaḥ padmacihnaḥ samādhimudrādharaḥ samjñāskandhasvabhāvo rāgaśarīraḥ śukrātmakah padmakulī pratyavekṣaṇājñānalakṣaṇo griṣmarturūpāḥ mlarasaśarīraḥ ṭavargātmā pradoṣavān”. ADV. p. 41
c10.s2.4
“On the western petal on the disc of the sun there is Amitābha of red colour originating from the red syllable Hrīḥ. He has a lotus as his sign and he exhibits the Samādhi Mudrā in his two hands. He is of the nature of the cosmic element of Samjñā (name), is an embodiment of attachment and belongs to the Lotus family. He stands for the vital fluid, and is endowed with the Pratyavekṣaṇā (looking after)
c10.s2.5
knowledge. He represents the summer season and the acid taste. He presides over the group of letters beginning with Ṭa (cerebrals) and rules over the evening twilight.
c10.s2.6
When represented on the Stūpa, he always faces the West and the Nepalese Buddhists regard him as the fourth Dhyāni Buddha. His two hands with palm open lie on his lap, one upon the other forming the Dhyāna or the meditative mudrā. His colour is red and his Vāhana is a pair of peacocks. His recognition symbol is the Lotus.
c10.s2.7
Images, sculptures, paintings and drawings of this description are found in all Buddhist countries including India, Tibet and China. One miniature painting of the Dhyāni Buddha is reproduced in Fig. 19. Besides the two-armed form various other forms are known of this and other Dhyāni Buddhas. It may be remembered here that all the five miniatures reproduced here belong to the collection of Dr. Evans-Wentz.
c10.s2.8
Amitābha images are found in abundance in Tibet¹ and in China².
c10.s2.9
¹ Gordon: ITL p. 27. Getty—GNB. pp. 38, 39.
c10.s2.10
² Clark: TLP, II, pp. 32, 57, 142.
Pāṇḍarā
c10.s2.t1.1
Colour—Red Symbol—Lotus
c10.s2.t1.2
Pāṇḍarā is also called Pāṇḍaravāsinī. According to a Dhyāna in the Advayavajrasaṅgraha she belongs to the Lotus family which is also the family of the Dhyāni Buddha Amitābha. Pāṇḍarā thus is the spiritual consort of Amitābha. Her form and nature are described as under:—
c10.s2.t1.3
“Vāyavyāṃ candramaṇḍalopari Pāṃkārabījasambhūtā Pāṇḍaravāsinī raktā raktavarṇā padmacihnā tejodhātusvarupā padmakulā rāgaraktā.” ADV. p. 43.
c10.s2.t1.4
“In the Vāyu corner on the orb of the moon there is Pāṇḍaravāsinī originating from the (red) germ syllable Pāṃ. She is red in colour and has the Padma (lotus) as her recognition symbol. She is the embodiment of the element of Fire. She belongs to the Lotus family and is full of attachment.”
c10.s2.t1.5
Images and paintings of this goddess are rare. She is however known in Nepal in paintings, and some of her statuettes are found in China. Fig 20 illustrates a Nepalese drawing of the goddess.
c10.s2.t1.6
Pāṇḍarā is represented in Tibet³ and China⁴. The illustrations of drawings of all the five Buddhaśaktis, Pāṇḍarā and others are reproduced from Wright's History of Nepal, Plate VI. These drawings are made by Nepalese painters.
c10.s2.t1.7
³ Getty: GNB p. 139.
c10.s2.t1.8
⁴ Clark: TLP, II, under the name of Pāṇḍaravāsinī, pp. 61, 106, 152, 164.
Padmapāṇi
c10.s2.t2.1
Colour—Red Symbol—Lotus
c10.s2.t2.2
Padmapāṇi is the Bodhisattva attached to the Padma ( lotus ) family which is presided over by the Dhyāni Buddha Amitābha whose spiritual consort is Pāṇḍarā or Pāṇḍaravāsinī. The Lotus is the symbol of this family and the colour assigned to this family is red. The Bodhisattva Padmapāṇi begets the red colour and a full-blown lotus as his symbol. Padmapāṇi is fairly well represented in the Buddhist countries of the North including Tibet ¹ and China. One of his images is illustrated in Fig. 21 ².
c10.s2.t2.3
¹ Getty : GNB. pp. 61, 62
c10.s2.t2.4
² This and other illustrations of the five Dhyāni Bodhisattvas are in full-size bronzes. All these are to be found in the U Vahal in Nepal.
Linked texts (1)
- Advayavajrasaṃgraha — Maitrīpa, Sanskrit