The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c10.s8.2

c10.s8.2

The Hīnayānists, even in their earlier stages, recognised twenty-four bygone Buddhas, each having a peculiar Bodhi tree. The Mahāyānists also give several lists, though not systematically and thirty-two different names have been recovered. The last seven Tathāgatas are well known, and are designated by the Mahāyānists as Manuṣi or Mortal Buddhas. These are, Vipaśyin, Śikhī, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, Kaśyapa and Śākyasiṃha. The historicity of these Buddhas is still uncertain excepting of course that of the last, but there are good grounds for thinking that Kanakamuni and Krakucchanda really were historical personages.