Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c11.s16: 16. Sarvanivaraṇaviṣkambhin

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c11.s16

Language
English

16. Sarvanivaraṇaviṣkambhin

c11.s16.1

Colour—White or Blue Symbol—Sword and Book

c11.s16.2

Sarvanivaraṇaviṣkambhin is the Bodhisattva who is the effacer of all sins. Two independent forms of this Bodhisattva are described in the Niṣpannayogāvalī. His colour is either blue or white and thus he is the spiritual son of Akṣobhya in one psychic school and of Vairocana in another.

c11.s16.3

The Mañjuvajra Maṇḍala describes him as : Sarvanivaraṇaviṣkambhī nīlaḥ śuklo vā vāmena bhūsparśī dakṣiṇe muṣṭitarjanyaṅguṣṭhau sammīlya praśamābhinayī. NSP. p. 50. “Sarvanivaraṇaviṣkambhī is of either blue or white colour. With the left hand he displays the Bhūsparśa (earth-touching) mudrā; with the thumb and the index finger joined together in the clenched right hand he displays the act of pacification.”

c11.s16.4

In the Dharmadhātuvāgīśvara Maṇḍala he is described in the following words : Sarvanivaraṇaviṣkambhī nīlaḥ kṛpāṇabhṛtsavyapāṇiḥ vāmena viśvavajrāṅkapatākādharaḥ. NSP. p. 59. “Sarvanivaraṇaviṣkambhī is blue in colour. With his right hand he holds the sword and with the left the banner marked with a double thunderbolt.”

c11.s16.5

This Bodhisattva is also known by his shorter name of Viṣkambhin, and his statuettes occur at least four times in the Chinese collection¹. He is popular also in Tibet². Fig. 64 is a Nepalese drawing of the Bodhisattva.

c11.s16.6

¹ Clark : TLP, II, pp. 7, 11, 52, 274

c11.s16.7

² Gordon : ITL, p. 104 ; Getty : GNB, p. 107.

c11.s16.8

This Bodhisattva under his shorter name Viṣkambhin appears also in the Sādhanamālā. In the Lokanāthasādhana his description is as under : Viṣkambhī tu kṣāravarṇo ratnottamavarapradaḥ Sādhanamālā, p. 50. “Viṣkambhin is of the colour of ash, and holds the excellent jewel and the Varada mudrā in his two hands.”

Cites (2)