The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c11.s19: 19. Gandhahasti
The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c11.s19
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19. Gandhahasti
c11.s19.1
Colour—Green or Whitish Green
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Symbol—Elephant’s Trunk or Conch
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The Bodhisattva Gandhahasti is mentioned in the Niṣpannayogāvalī as belonging to the group of sixteen Bodhisattvas headed by Maitreya and is described in two independent forms. In one prominence is given to the word ‘Hasti’ and in the other to ‘Gandha’.
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In the Mañjuvajra Maṇḍala he is described as follows:
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Gandhastiḥ śyāmo vāmena kamalasthahastikaradhārī savye varadaḥ. NSP. p. 50.
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“Gandhahasti is green in colour and holds in the left hand the trunk of an elephant on a lotus. The right hand exhibits the Varada mudrā.”
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In the Durgatipariśodhana Maṇḍala on the other hand the Bodhisattva is described somewhat differently as
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Gandhahastiḥ sitaśyāmaḥ savyena gandhaśaṅkhadharaḥ kaṭisthavāmamuṣṭiḥ. NSP. p. 66.
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“Gandhahasti is whitish green in colour. He holds in his right hand the conch containing sandal paste. The clenched left is placed on the hip.”
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This Bodhisattva is represented only once in the Chinese collection.¹ His images are very rare. Fig. 67 illustrates a Nepalese drawing of the Bodhisattva.
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¹ Clark : TLP, II, p. 135.
Linked texts (1)
- Niṣpannayogāvalī — Abhayākaragupta, Sanskrit