The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c10.s3: 2. Akṣobhya

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c10.s3

Language: English

c10.s3.t1 Vajrapāṇi — 5 parts

2. Akṣobhya

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Colour—Blue Mudrā—Bhūsparśa Vehicle—Elephant Symbol—Vajra

Next in importance and antiquity is the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya who is mentioned as a Tathāgata in the smaller recension of the Amitāyus Sūtra which was translated into Chinese between A. D. 384 and 417. Akṣobhya is regarded as the Second Dhyāni Buddha by the Nepalese Buddhists. His description appears almost everywhere in Tāntric literature. The Pañcākāra section of the Advayavajrasaṅgraha perhaps gives the best description thus :

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“Sūryamaṇḍalastha-nīla-Hūṃkāraṇispanno dvibhuja ekamukho Bhūsparśamudrādharo vajraparyaṅkī...... ..vijñānaskandhasabhāvaḥ...... vajrakulī...... śīśiramadhyāhnakaṭuśruti-ākāśaśabda-cavargo Akṣobhyaviśuddhaḥ”. ADV. p. 40-41.

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Akṣobhya originates from the blue syllable Hūṃ which is placed on the orb of the sun. He is two-armed and one-faced, exhibits the Bhūsparśa (earth-touching) mudrā and sits in the Vajraparyaṅka (adamantine seat) pose. He represents the primordial cosmic element of Vijñāna ( consciousness ). He is the embodiment of the Vajra family and represents the winter season, noon-time, pungent taste, faculty of hearing, the element of Ether and Sound and the Ca (palatal) group of letters”.

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Images, sculptures, statuettes and paintings of Akṣobhya of this description are to be met with everywhere in Buddhist countries especially of the North. When represented in the Stūpa he always faces the East. His left hand rests on the lap while the right rests on the right knee with the tips of the fingers touching the ground with palm drawn inwardly. His Vāhana is a pair of elephants and his recognition symbol is the Vajra or the thunderbolt.

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Various other forms of Akṣobhya are found in Tāntric works, some four-armed, some six-armed, some standing and some sitting, some single and some in Yab-yum. Some two-armed specimens are reproduced here (Figs. 22, 23).

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He is popular in Tibet¹ and China²

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¹ Gordon : ITL, p. 104; Getty : GNB, pp. 36, 37.

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² Clark : TLP, II, pp. 126, 129, 138, 244.

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( ii )

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Colour—Blue Arms—Eight

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Akṣobhya is the principal deity in the Akṣobhya Maṇḍala according to Piṇḍīkrama in the Niṣpannayogāvalī. He is described thus :

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“Akṣobhyaḥ kṛṣṇo raudraḥ sitaraktasavyetaramukhaḥ savyakaraiḥ kulacakrapadmāni vāmair-ghaṇṭā-Cintāmaṇi-khaḍgān vibhrāṇaḥ svābha-Śparśavajrāliṅgitaḥ”. NSP. p. 5.

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“Akṣobhya is blue in colour and is angry-looking. The colour of his right face is white and that of the left is red. He holds in his right hands the Vajra (family symbol), the discus and the lotus. In the three left hands he carries the bell, the Cintāmaṇi jewel and the sword. With the two principal hands he embraces the Prajñā Sparśavajrā by name”.

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MĀMAKĪ Colour—Blue Symbol—Vajra

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According to a Dhyāna in the Advayavajrasaṅgraha, Māmakī belongs to the Vajra family and thus she is the spiritual consort of the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya, the embodiment of the Vajrakula. The description is given below :

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‘Nairṛtyāṃ candramaṇḍalopari kṛṣṇa-Mām-kārābījasambhūtā Māmakī kṛṣṇavarṇā kṛṣṇavajracihnā abdhātusvabhāvā Vajrakulā dve-sarakta”. ADV. p. 43.

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“On the orb of the Moon in the Nairṛta corner there is Māmakī originating from the blue germ syllable Mām. She is blue in colour and has the blue Vajra as her recogntion symbol. She is the embodiment of the element of Water and she belongs to the Vajra family. She is full of enmity”.

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Māmakī is very rarely represented. There are Nepalese drawings of this goddess of which one specimen is reproduced here (Fig 24). She is known in Tibet and China.

Vajrapāṇi

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Colour—Blue Symbol—Vajra

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The Bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi with the Vajra symbol is the spiritual son of the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya who is the progenitor of the Vajra family. His spiritual mother is Māmakī. Vajrapāṇi, when represented, either stands or sits and carries usually a lotus on which is placed the family symbol of Vajra. Sometimes he holds the Vajra against the chest in one of his hands. Some images of his are illustrated here (Figs. 25, 26, 27).

Cites (2)

Advayavajrasaṃgraha — Maitrīpa, Sanskrit
Niṣpannayogāvalī — Abhayākaragupta, Sanskrit