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The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c12: Chapter III

The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c12

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English

Contents

Chapter III

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There is no doubt that the place assigned to Mañjuśrī in the Buddhist pantheon is one of the very highest. The Mahāyānists consider him to be one of the greatest Bodhisattvas. They believe that the worship of Mañjuśrī can confer upon them wisdom, retentive memory, intelligence and eloquence, and enables them to master many sacred scriptures. It is no wonder, therefore, that his worship became widely prevalent amongst the Buddhists of the North. They conceived him in various forms and worshipped him with various mantras. Those who could not form any conception of him according to Tāntric rites, attained perfection only by muttering his numerous mantras.

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It is difficult to fix the exact time when Mañjuśrī entered the pantheon of the Northern Buddhists. His images are not found in the Gandhara and Mathura schools of sculpture, and Aśvaghośa, Nāgārjuna, Āryadeva do not mention him in their works. His name occurs for the first time in the Āryamañjuśrīmūlakalpa which is obviously a pre-Guhyasamāja work, and then in the Guhyasamāja Tantra which is dated circa 300 A.D. In this work there are at least four¹ references to Mañjuśrī and three² to Mañjuvajra. His name also occurs in the Sukhāvatī Vyūha or the Amitāyus Sūtra in its smaller recension³ which was translated into Chinese between A.D. 384 and 417. Subsequent Buddhist works however give many references to Mañjuśrī, and in the accounts of foreign travellers like Fa-hien⁴, Hiuen-Thsang, I-Tsing, Mañjuśrī also finds mention. His images are to be found in the sculptures of Sarnath, Magadha, Bengal, Nepal and other places.

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¹ Guhyasamāja Tantra, G. O. S. pp. 46, 69, 93, 133.

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² Ibid, pp. 51, 87, 121.

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³ Sukhāvatīvyūha, p. 92. App. II.

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⁴ There is a considerable difference of opinion with regard to the divinity of Mañjuśrī mentioned by Fa-Hien. Legge : Travels of Fa-Hien, p. 46

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Many details about Mañjuśrī are to be found in the Svayambhū Purāṇa, dealing with the glories of the Svayambhūkṣettra in Nepal. The Ādibuddha manifested himself here in the shape of a flame of fire, and so it is called the Svayambhūkṣettra ( place of the Self-Born ). This place is consecrated with a temple of Ādibuddha, and close to it is the Mañjuśrī Hill now known as the Sarasvatīsthāna. The information about Mañjuśrī as gleaned from the Svayambhū Purāṇa is given below in brief.

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It is said therein that Mañjuśrī hailed from China, where he was living on mount Pañcaśīrṣa (the Hill of Five Peaks). He was a great saint with many disciples and followers, including Dharmakara, the king of the country. Receiving divine intimation one day that the self-born Lord Ādibuddha, has manifested himself as a flame of fire on a lotus on the waters of Lake Kālīhrada in Nepal, he forthwith set out for that country along with a large number of his disciples, his two wives and king Dharmakara, with the intention of paying homage to the deity. When he came to the lake, however, he found a great expanse of water surrounding the god rendering him quite inaccessible, and it was with immense difficulty that he could approach the flame and offer his obeisance. Having at last succeeded in doing so, however, he cast about in his mind for some means of making the god accessible to all and he began a circuit of the lake. When he reached the southern barrier of hills, he lifted his sword and clove it asunder. The hill was split into two, and the water rushed through that opening, leaving behind a vast strench of dry land, which is now known as the as the Nepal Valley. The waters of the Bāghmatī flow down even to this day through that opening, which is still called "Koṭ-bār" or "sword-cut".

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Mañjuśrī lost no time in erecting a temple over the flame of fire and on a hillock nearby he made his own abode, and also a Vihāra (or monastery) still known as the Mañjupattana, for his disciples. Lastly, he made Dharmakara the King of Nepal. These and many other pious deeds are ascribed to Mañjuśrī in the Svayambhū Purāṇa. Putting everything in proper order, Mañjuśrī returned home and soon attained the divine form of a Bodhisattva, leaving his mundane body behind ¹.

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¹ An account of the story recorded in the Svayambhū Purāṇa with many details will be found in R. Mitra : *Sanskrit Buddhist Literature*, pp. 249–258 ; in Hodgson's *Essays*, p. 115 ff. and in Oldfield : *Sketches from Nipal*, Vol. II, p. 185 ff.

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From above it appears that Mañjuśrī was a great man who brought civilization to Nepal from China. He had apparently extraordinary engineering skill, and was a great architect. It is not definitely known when he came down to Nepal from China, but there is no doubt that in 300 A. D. he was well-known as a Bodhisattva. He wielded great influence on the minds of the Buddhists, and the Mahāyānists worshipped him in various forms and in various ways. He is known in almost all the countries in the continent of Asia where Buddhism had its sway. Various countries conceived various forms of Mañjuśrī, but there was a definite Indian tradition with regard to the conception of Mañjuśrī and it is the purpose of this section to deal with the images that are purely Indian or are influenced largely by the Indian tradition.

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It has been made abundantly clear that the Buddhists believe that their gods and goddesses affiliate themselves to the families of the five Dhyāni Buddhas, and as such, various attempts were made to assign Mañjuśrī to a particular Dhyāni Buddha. Sometimes in the Sādhanas he is made an offspring of Amitābha of red colour, and sometimes of Akṣobhya with the blue colour. Mañjuśrī also shows several colours showing his allegiance to several Kulas or families. The human origin of Mañjuśrī seems to be responsible for this kind of confusion. Mañjuśrī seems to have been deified in the same manner as Aśvaghoṣa, Nāgārjuna, Āryadeva, Asaṅga and many others were regarded as Bodhisattvas in the time of Hiuen Tsang.

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Forty-one Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā are devoted to the worship of Mañjuśrī, and in them are described several distinct forms of the Bodhisattva. In finding out the names of the different varieties of Mañjuśrī special stress has been laid on the mantras rather than on the colophons of the Sādhanas. It should always be noted that in determining the names of gods the mantras are the safest guides, especially when one deity has several divergent forms. The different forms of Mañjuśrī are described in the following pages one by one having distinct iconographic peculiarities.

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In his simplest form Mañjuśrī carries the sword in his right hand and the Prajñāpāramitā manuscript in his left. In representations sometimes the two symbols are placed on lotuses. Sometimes he is accompanied only by Yamāri, sometimes only by his Sakti or female counterpart, sometimes by Sudhanakumāra and Yamāri and sometimes again by the four divinities, Jālinīprabha (also called Sūryyaprabha), Candraprabha, Keśinī and Upakeśinī. Though the last four are required to be present with Arapacana, they are nevertheless found in others also.

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Under the general name of Mañjuśrī several of his Chinese images are noticed by Clark in his *Two Lamaistic Pantheons* ¹. A remarkable specimen showing Mañjuśrī in the company of two principal Hindu gods, Gaṇapati and Viṣṇu is found in the Baroda Museum (Fig. 74).

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¹ Clark : TLP, II, pp.7, 11, 53, 198.

1. Vajrarāga

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Colour—White Mudrā—Samādhi Āsana—Vajraparyaṅka

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Vajrarāga Mañjuśrī is also known by the two names of Vāk and Amitābha Mañjuśrī showing his allegiance to the Dhyāni Buddha Amitābha of red colour. Vajrarāga is one-faced and two-armed. His two hands are joined on his lap forming what is called the Samādhi or the Dhyāna mudrā. In this respect he is identical with the Dhyāni Buddha Amitābha whose effigy he bears on his tongue. He differs from the Dhyāni Buddha in respect of his ornaments and dress. Images of this form of Mañjuśrī are not altogether rare in India or in the Buddhist countries of the North. The Sādhanamālā describes his form in the following Dhyāna :—

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Dvibhujaikamukhaṃ sitaṃ vajraparyaṅkopari samādhimudrāhastaṃ aśeṣakumārābharaṇabhūṣitaṃ pañcacīrakaṃ Mañjuśrībhaṭṭārakaṃ... niṣpādya . vajrajihvopari Buddhaṃ Amitābhaṃ vicintya.. Oṃ Vākyedaṃ namaḥ iti japamantraḥ''. Sādhanamālā, p. 129

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“The worshipper should think himself as Mañjuśrī Bhaṭṭāraka who is two-armed and one-faced and has white colour. His two hands are joined in forming the Samādhi mudrā. He is decked in all princely ornaments, wears the five pieces of monkish garments...thus meditating ...he should think of the figure of Buddha Amitābha on the adamantine tongue...‘Oṃ Vakyedaṃ namaḥ’ is the Mantra for muttering”.

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Fig. 75 illustrates a metal statuette of the god in the Baroda Museum. Fig. 76 illustrates a Nepalese drawing. Vajrarāga is known in Tibet¹ and China ².

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¹ Gordon : ITL, p. 66 illustrates his statue under the general title of Mañjuśrī.

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² Clark : TLP, II, pp. 120, 227.

2. Dharmadhātu Vāgīśvara

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| Colour—Reddish White | Face—Four |
| Āsana—Lalita | Arms—Eight |

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Stone or bronze images of Dharmadhātu Vāgīśvara are by no means common, but paintings are still made of him by the Citrakāras in Nepal. When represented he is white in colour with four faces, and eight arms, and he bears five jewels on his diadern. He is clad in celestial garments and the leading sentiment displayed by him is one of Śṛṅgāra (amour). The two principal hands carry the bow and the arrow, the second pair has the noose and the goad, the third the book and the sword, and the fourth the Ghaṇṭā and the Vajra. He may also have another form, exhibiting the Dharmacakra mudrā in the first pair of hands instead of the bow and the arrow, and in the second pair the arrow and the vessel instead of the noose and the goad. The Dhyāna describing the former is given below :—

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“...Aṣṭabhujaṃ caturmukhaṃ mūlamukhaṃ raktagauraṃ dakṣiṇaṃ kumkumāruṇaṃ paścimaṃ padmaraktaṃ, uttaraṃ pītaraktaṃ, dvābhyāṃ hastābhyāṃ dhanurbāṇandharaṃ, aparābhyāṃ pāsāṅkuśadharaṃ, punaraparābhyāṁ Prajñāpāramitāpustakakhaḍgadharam, tathāparābhyāṁ ghaṇṭāvajradharam mahārāgaśṛṅgārarasojjvalaṁ lalitāsanasthaṁ viśvapadmacandre divyavastrābharaṇaṁ Amitābhajaṭāmukuṭinaṁ...

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"The worshipper should think himself as the god Dharmadhātu-Vāgīśvara who is eight-armed, four-faced and of reddish-white colour. His right face is red, the face behind is of lotus-red colour, and the left is of yellowish-red colour. He holds the bow and the arrow in one pair of hands, the noose and the goad in another pair, the Prajñāpāramitā manuscript and the sword in the third and the Ghaṇṭā and the Vajra in the fourth. He displays the sentiment of Śṛṅgāra (amour), and sits on the moon on a double lotus in the Lalita attitude. He is decked in celestial garments and ornaments and bears on his Jaṭāmukuṭa (crown of matted hair) the effigy of Amitābha".

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( ii ) Colour—Golden Yellow Faces—Four Arms—Eight

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Manjughoṣa is the principal deity in the Dharamadhātuvāgīśvara Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī. His form may be given briefly as follows :

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"Mañjughoṣo Vajraparyaṅkī...suvarṇavarṇaḥ......pīta-nīla-rakta-sitamūla-savyapaścimavāmamukho aṣṭabhujo dvābhyāṁ Dharmacakramudraḥ savyaiḥ kṛpāṇa-bāṇa-vajrāṇi vāmaiḥ prajñāpāramitāpustakacāpavajra-ghaṇṭā vibhrāṇaḥ". NSP. p. 54.

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"Mañjughoṣa sits in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude... ...is of golden colour......His four faces show the yellow colour in the first, blue in the right, red behind, and white left. He is eight-armed. With the two pricipal hands he exhibits the Dharmacakra Mudrā. The remaining right hands show the sword, the arrow and the Vajra, while the remaining left carry the Prajñāpāramitā manuscript the bow and the bell".

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Three of his images are known to the Chinese collection of Peiping.¹ He is also found in Tibet ²

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¹ TLP, II p. 115, 124, 241, 262.

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² Getty : GNB, PL. XXXV, 6 is a good illustration of this form.

3. Mañjughoṣa

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Colour—Golden Yellow. Mudrā—Vyākhyāna Vahana—Lion Symbol—Lotus in the left.

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Four Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā describe this variety of Mañjuśrī, which is known by the name of Mañjughoṣa. When represented, he closely resembles Mañjuvara, with the difference that the lotus here does not bear the book. It may also be pointed out that Mañjughoṣa should have the lotus only in his left, but Mañjuvara may have it on either side bearing the book. His complexion is golden yellow, he rides a lion, and is decked in all sorts of ornaments. He is two-armed and displays the Vyākhyāna mudrā, and in his left there is the lotus. He is sometimes accompanied by Yamāri in the left and Sudhanakumāra in the right. The Dhyāna as found in one of the Sādhanas is given below :—

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Fig. 59 Candraprabha

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Fig. 60 Jālinīprabha

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Fig. 61 Amitaprabha

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Fig. 62 Pratibhānakūṭa

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Fig. 63 Sarvaśokatamonirghātamatı

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Fig. 64 Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhi

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Fig. 65 Maitreya

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Fig. 66 Mañjuśrī

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Fig. 67 Gandhahasti

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Fig. 68 Jñānaketu

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Fig. 69 Bhadrapāla

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Fig. 70 Sarvāpāyañjaha

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Fig. 71 Sarvapāyañjaha

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Fig. 72 Amoghadarśin

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Fig. 73 Suraṅgama

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Fig. 74 Mañjuśrī with Gaṇapati and Viṣṇu (Baroda Museum)

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Fig. 75 Vajrarāga (Baroda Museum)

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Fig. 76 Vajrarāga

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Fig. 77 Siddhaikavīra (Sarnath)

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Fig. 78 Vajrānaṅga

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Fig. 79 Nāmasaṅgīti Mañjuśrī

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Fig. 80 Nāmasaṅgīti Mañjuśrī (Peiping)

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Fig. 81 Vāgīśvara (Indian Museum)

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Fig. 82 Vāgīśvara (Nepal)

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“Mañjughoṣarūpam-ātmānaṃ paśyet siṃhasthaṃ kanakagauravarṇaṃ sarvālaṅkārabhūṣitaṃ Vyākhyānamudrāvyagrakaraṃ vāmapārśve utpaladharam Akṣobhyamukuṭinam. Dakṣiṇe Sudhanakumāraṃ vāme Yamāntakaṃ paśyet...mantraṃ japet Oṃ Vāgīśvara Mūḥ” Sādhanamālā p. 109

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The worshipper should meditate himself as the deity Mañjughoṣa who rides a lion, and is of golden yellow colour. He is decked in all ornaments, and his hands are engaged in forming the Vyākhyāna (teaching) mudrā. He displays the night lotus in his left, and bears the image of Akṣobhya on his crown. On his right there is Sudhanakumāra and on the left Yamāntaka ... The Mantra Oṃ Vāgīśvara Mūḥ should be muttered”.

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Some of the Sādhanas mention that he should sit in Lalitāsana on the back of a lion while others are silent about the attitude or Āsana. It is thus possible to conclude that he may sit in other attitudes also, such as the Vajraparyaṅka or the Ardhaparyaṅka. His colour is generally yellow, but he may have the colour of Kuṅkuma as well.

4. Siddhaikavīra

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Colour—White Mudrā—Varada Symbol—Lotus.

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Four Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā describe the form of Siddhaikavīra and in one of these he is said to bear the image of the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya on his crown (Mauli) thus showing the family connection with Akṣobhya the progenitor of the Vajra family. When represented, his left hand holds the blue lotus while the right displays the Varada mudrā. The Dhyāna in the Sādhanamālā describes his form in the following words :

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“Siddhaikavīro Bhagavān candramaṇḍalasthaḥ candropāśrayaḥ jagadudyotakārī dvibhuja ekamukhaḥ śuklaḥ vajraparyaṅkī divyālaṅkārabhūṣitaḥ pañcavīrakaśekharaḥ.. vāme nīlotpaladharaḥ dakṣiṇe varadaḥ...tato Bhagavato maulau Akṣobhyaṃ devatyāḥ pūjāṃ kurvanti”. Sādhanamālā, p. 140.

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“God Siddhaikavīra sits on the orb of the moon, is supported by the moon, and illumines the world. He is two-armed, one-faced and of white colour. He sits in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude, and is decked in celestial ornaments. His head is decorated with the effigies of the five Dhyāni Buddhas....He carries the Utpala in the left hand and exhibits the Varada mudrā in the right. The goddesses pay homage to Akṣobhya who is on the crown of the God”.

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In another Sādhana the description of the Maṇḍala for Mañjuśrī is given. The god in the form of Siddhaikavīra is painted red and is placed in the centre. He is accompanied by four deities, Jālinīprabha, Candraprabha, Kaśinī and Upakśinī. These four deities more often accompany Arapacana, another from of Mañjuśrī which will be described later. The Sādhanas are not generally explicit as to the Āsana of the god. In Sarnath his image is shown in a standing attitude (Fig. 77).

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A confusion is likely to arise between the forms of Loknanātha and Siddhaikavīra if they are both represented without companions and without the figure of the parental Dhyāni Buddha on their crown, for both these deities have the same symbol, the lotus and the same mudrā, the Varada pose. In that case the image would most likely be identified as that of Lokanātha, who happens to be widely represented. Images of Siddhaikavīra, it may be added, are extremely rare.

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5. VAJRĀNAṄGA. Colour—Yellow Āsana—Pratyālīḍha. Hands—Six or Four.

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This form of Mañjuśrī bearing the image of Akṣobhya on the crown is known as Vajrānaṅga, who is worshipped in the Tāntric rite of Vaśīkaraṇa, or bewitching men and women. His complexion is yellow, he is in the prime of youth, and bears the image of Akṣobhya on his crown. The two principal hands hold the fully expanded bow of flowers charged with the arrow of a lotus bud. The four remaining hands carry the sword and the looking-glass in the two right hands, while the two left carry the lotus and the Aśoka bough with red flowers. In another Sādhana the Aśoka bough is replaced by Kaṅkelli flowers. He may have an alternative form with four hands, in which case the hands carrying the mirror and the Aśoka bough are dropped. The Dhyāna describing the six-armed variety of Vajrānaṅga is given below:

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Vajrānaṅganāma Ārya-Mañjughoṣaṃ pītavarṇaṃ ṣaḍbhujaṃ mūlabhujābhyāṃ ākarṇapūritaraktotpalakalikāśarayukta-kusumadhanurdharaṃ; dakṣiṇadvayena khaḍgadarpaṇabhṛtaṃ vāmayugalenendīvararaktāśokapallavadharaṃ; Akṣobhyādhiṣṭhita-jaṭāmukuṭinaṃ pratyālīḍhapadaṃ ṣoḍaśavarṣākāraṃ mahāśṛṅgāramūrtiṃ paśyet”.

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“The worshipper should think himself as Ārya-Mañjughoṣa in the form of Vajrānaṅga with yellow complexion, and six arms. With the two principal hands he draws to the ear the bow of flowers charged with an arrow of a red lotus bud; the two remaining right hands carry the sword and the mirror, while the two left hold the lotus and the Aśoka bough with red flowers. He bears the image of Akṣobhya on his Jaṭāmukuṭa, stands in the Pratyālīḍha attitude, appears a youth of sixteen years and displays the intense Śṛṅgāra Rasa.”

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Vajrānaṅga as the name implies, is the Buddhist God of Love,—the prototype of the Hindu God Madana—in the Buddhist Pantheon. The flowery bow and the arrow of flowers are strikingly common to both. Unlike the Hindu Anaṅga, however, several other weapons besides these are also attributed to the Buddhist God of Love, and an account is given below of how he makes use of them.

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It is said in the Sādhanamālā that in the act of bewitching a woman, the worshipper should imagine himself as piercing her bosom with the arrow of the lotus bud. The woman falls flat on the ground in a swoon, whereupon the worshipper should visualise her legs as being tied by the chain which is the bow. Then he should imagine that the noose of the lotus stalk is flung round her neck, and she is drawn to his side. Thereupon, he should think that he is striking her with the Aśoka bough, is frightening her with the sword, and subsequently he has only to confront her with the mirror by which she is completely subjugated¹. Fig. 78 illustrates a Nepalese drawings of the deity.

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¹ Sādhanamālā, p. 123

6. Nāmasaṅgīti Mañjuśrī

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| Colour—Reddish white | Āsana—Vajraparyaṅka |
| Faces—Three | Arms—Four |

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This form of Mañjuśrī with the effigy of the Dhyāni Buddha Akṣobhya on the crown is known as Nāmasaṅgīti Mañjuśrī, to whom only one Sādhana in the Sādhanamālā is assigned In this Sādhana he is described as three-faced and four-armed, and as bearing the image of Akṣobhya on the crown. The first or the principal face is red, the second blue and the third white. Of his four hands, the first pair holds the bow and the arrow and the second the book and the sword. He sits in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude on the lotus. The Dhyāna describes him in the following terms :

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“…Raktagauram padmacandropari vajraparyaṅkaniṣaṇṇaḥ ; prathamamukhaṃ raktaṃ, dakṣiṇaṃ nīlaṃ, vāme śuklaṃ iti trimukhaṃ, hastacatuṣṭayena yathāyogaṃ Prajñākhaḍgadhanurbāṇayoginaṃ ratna-

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kiriṭinaṃ dvātriṃśallakṣaṇanuvyañjanavirājitaṃ kumārābharaṇabhūṣitaṃ ātmānaṃ vibhāvya tadanu sarva-Tathāgatābhiṣekapūrvakaṃ Akṣobhyamaulinaṃ ātmānaṃ vicintya . . . Sādhanamālā p. 159-160

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“The worshipper should meditate himself as Āryanāmasaṅgīti, who is reddish white in colour and sits in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude on the orb of the moon on a lotus. His principal face is red, the right blue and the left white and thus he is three-faced In his four hands he carries the Prajñā(pāramitā), the sword, the bow and the arrow according to custom. He wears a bejewelled crown and is endowed with the thirty-two major and eighty minor auspicious marks. He appears a prince with princely ornaments... .. Then the worshipper after offering Abhiṣeka to all the Tathāgatas, should further meditate himself as bearing the effigy of Akṣobhya on the crown.”

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Rare are the images of this form of Mañjuśrī Fig. 79 illustrates a Nepalese drawing of the deity.

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Nāmasaṅgīti Mañjuśrī is known in China¹. Fig. 80 illustrates his statuette in China.

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¹ Clark : TLP, II, p. 263.

7. Vāgīśvara

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| Colour—Red of Yellow | Āsana—Ardhaparyaṅka |
| Vāhana—Lion | Symbol—Utpala |

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Vāgīśvara is the tutelary deity of the Nepalese Buddhists and is widely worshipped in Nepal. The fact that innumerable prayer-wheels in Nepalese temples bear, in monumental Newari characters, the mantra “Oṃ Vāgīśvara Mūḥ” stands witness to his popularity.

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One of the Sādhanas describes him as red in colour with all princely ornaments, and as seated on a lion in the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude. He carries the Utpala in his left hand, and the right is disposed in a graceful attitude. He may have a yellow variety, which is known as the Mahārājalīla Mañjuśrī, and the Dhyāna describing that form has already been quoted and translated by Professor Foucher. The red variety of Vāgīśvara is described in the Dhyāna thus :

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“Pañcavīrakaśekharaṃ kumāraṃ sarvābharaṇabhūṣitaṃ kuṅkumāruṇaṃ vāmenotpalaṃ dakṣiṇena līlayā sthitaṃ siṃhāsanasthaṃ ātmānaṃ kumārārūpeṇa cintayet...Oṃ Vāgīśvara Mūḥ”. Sādhanamālā, p. 105

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“The worshipper should think himself as Vāgīśvara whose head is beautified by the images of the five Dhyāni Buddhas. He looks a prince, is decked in all ornaments, and has the complexion of Kuṅkuma. He carries the night lotus in his left hand while the right is displayed artistically. He rides a lion and possesses princely grace......Oṃ Vāgīśvara Mūḥ.

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The Indian Museum image (Fig. 81) of this divinity carries a bell in the right hand, and sits on a lion throne instead of a lion. The other image in bronze (Fig. 82) is a recent one, and represents the god somewhat differently. Vāgīśvara statuettes are found in Tibet¹.

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¹ Gordon : ITL, p. 68 under the title of Mahārājalīlā Mañjuśrī.

8. Mañjuvara

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Colour—Golden Yellow Mudrā—Dharmacakra Āsana—Lalita or Ardhaparyaṅka Symbol—Prajñāpāramitā on lotus

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Two Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā are devoted to the worship of Mañjuvara who is widely represented. He is yellow in colour, sits on the back of a lion, in the Lalita or the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude, and displays the sentiment of Śṛṅgāra (amour) lavishly. His two hands are joined against the chest in forming the Dharmacakra mudrā which is the eternal symbol of instruction on the secrets of Dharma. He holds the stalk of one or two lotuses on which appears the Prajñāpāramitā manuscript. The text of the Dhyāna in one of the Sādhanas is givea below :

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"Taptakāñcanābhaṃ pañcavīrakakumāraṃ Dharmacakramudrā-saṃyuktaṃ Prajñāpāramitānvitotpaladhāriṇaṃ siṃhasthaṃ lalitākṣepaṃ sarvālaṅkārabhūṣitaṃ...Oṃ Mañjuvara Hūṃ". Sādhanamālā, p. 111.

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"The worshipper should think himself as god Mañjuvara of golden yellow colour with head decorated with the images of the five Dhyāni Buddhas. His hands display the Dharmacakra mudrā and he shows the blue lotus bearing the Prajñāpāramitā manuscript. He rides a lion, sits thereon in the Lalita attitude and is decked in all ornaments...Oṃ Mañjuvara Hūṃ".

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According to a second Sādhana Mañjuvara should have the lotus in his left hand with the Prajñāpāramitā on it. He may sit in the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude and may be accompanied with the fierce god Yamāntaka of blue colour, whose face distorted with bare fangs is terrible to behold. Yamāntaka carries the staff in one of his hands and touches the feet of Mañjuvara with the other.

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The image (Fig. 83) discovered at Bara in the district of Birbhum in Bengal² probably represents this form of Mañjuśrī, with the miniature figures of the five Dhyāni Buddhas over the head, and of the two divinities to the right and left of him. The figure to the right probably represents Sudhanakumāra and the figure to the left is Yamāntaka. The principal god here displays the Dharmacakra mudrā and from under his left armpit rises a lotus which bears the Prajñāpāramitā manuscript as required by the Sādhana. The lotus to the right is added in order to maintain the balance with the lotus to the left.

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² This image was first identified as that of the Hindu goddess, Bhuvaneśvarī in the Birbhum Bibaraṇa ( in Bengali ), then as that of Siṃhanāda Lokeśvara in A. S. I. Eastern Circle, Annual Report. 1920—21, p. 27 and later on as that of Mañjuśrī in Ibid, Plate 1, Fig. 2

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The lion vehicle of Mañjuvara is sometimes absent, and in later images he may be found sitting in the Paryaṅka or any other attitude (Fig. 84). The lotus to the right which is not expressly required by the Sādhana sometimes bears the book (Fig. 85), and sometimes the sword in order to preserve the balance in a better way (Fig. 86). One of the two Indian Museum images of Mañjuvara is on either side of the god two feminine figures which no doubt represent the two wives of Mañjuśrī, Keśinī and Upakeśinī. Mañjuvara is well known in Tibet ¹

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¹ Gordon : ITL, p. 68 under the title of Dharmacakra Mañjuśrī, Getty : GNB, pl. XXXV.

9. Mañjuvajra

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( i )

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| Colour—Red | Faces—Three |
| Arms—Six | Variety—Yab-yum |

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The form of Mañjuśrī called by the name of Mañjuvajra is somewhat popular amongst the Tāntric Buddhists. Several of his forms are described both in the Sādhanamālā and the Niṣpannayogāvalī of Abhayākara Gupta. In the Sādhanamālā the colour of his body including the principal face is red like Kuṅkuma, the right face is blue and the left white. He has six arms of which the principal pair is engaged in embracing his female counterpart. The remaining four hands carry the sword, the arrow, the bow and the night lotus. He sits in Vajrāsana or in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude on the orb of the moon supported by a lotus. The Dhyāna is in verse and may be quoted as follows :—

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Kuṅkumāruṇasanmūrtir-nīlasitatrayānanaḥ I
Bhujadvayasamāśliṣṭa-svābhavidyādharāsyadhṛk II
Khaḍgaśarathujañcāpa-nīlotpalaparigrahaḥ I
Viśvadalābjacandrasthaḥ vajrāsanaśaśiprabhaḥ II

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Sādhanamālā, p. 163.

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“...His handsome body is red like Kuṅkuma and he is endowed with three faces of (Kuṅkuma) blue and white colour. He embraces his Svābhā Prajñā with two arms, of which one touches her face. He carries the Khaḍga, the arrow, the bow, and the blue Utpala, sits on the moon on a double lotus in Vajrāsana, and is radiant like the moon.”

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Mañjuvajra is represented in Tibet ¹

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¹ Gordon : ITL, p. 66 with the Śakti under the title of Mañjunātha.

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( i i ) Colour—Golden Yellow. Faces—Three Arms—Six.

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Mañjuvajra is the principal deity of the Mañjuvajra Maṇḍala in the Niṣpannayogāvalī. His form has been described thus :

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“Siṃhopari sattvaparyaṅkaṣaṇṇo Bhagavān Vairocanasvabhāvo Mañjuvajraḥ kamanīyakanakakāntiḥ... pīta-nīla-śukla-savyetaravaktraḥ ṣaḍbhujo dakṣiṇaiḥ khaḍgavaradabāṇān vāmaiḥ Prajñāpāramitāpustaka-nīlābjadhanuṃṣi vibhrāṇaḥ.” NSP, p. 48.

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“God Mañjuvajra is seated on the back of a lion, is of beautiful golden colour and resembles Vairocana. His three faces have yellow blue and white colour. He is six-armed. In the three right hands he holds the sword, the Varada mudrā and the arrow. In the three left likewise he carries the Prajñāpāramitā manuscript, the blue lotus and the bow.”

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( i i i ) Colour—Red Arms—Six

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Mañjuvajra is the principal deity in a second Maṇḍala dedicated to Mañjuvajra in the Niṣpannayogāvalī. Here he is identified with the Sixth Dhyāni Buddha Vajrasattva. The Kuleśa of this god is Akṣobhya according to a definite statement in the Maṇḍala. He is described thus :

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“Bhagavān Vajrasattvo Mañjuvajra-rūpaḥ kuṅkumāruṇaḥ kṛṣṇa-sitasavyetaravadanaḥ pradhānabhujābhyāṃ svābha-prajñāliṅgitosīa-rendīvaracāpadharo”... NSP, p. 2.

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“The god Vajrasattva in the form of Mañjuvajra is red like vermillion. His right face is blue and the left white. With the two principal hands he embraces his Prajñā ; in the others he carries the sword, the arrow the lotus and the bow.”

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Under the name of Mañjuśrī his different forms are to be found in the Chinese collection ². Fig. 87 illustrates an eight-armed Mañjuvajra with the Śakti in the Baroda Museum. It is both remarkable and beautiful.

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² Clark : TLP, II, pp. 11, 53, 198, 199.

10. Mañjukumāra

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Colour—Red Vāhana—Animal Faces—Three Arms—Six

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Only one Sādhana is assigned to this form of Mañjuśrī in the Sādhanamālā, which depicts him as three-faced and six- armed, riding on an animal. In his three left hands he carries the Prajñāpāramitā, the Utpala and the bow while the three right show the sword, the arrow, and the Varada pose. The extract is given below :

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“Mañjukumāraṃ trimukhaṃ ṣaḍbhujaṃ kuṅkumāruṇaṃ nīlasitadakṣiṇetaravadanaṃ sattvaparyaṅkinaṃ Khaḍgabāṇavaradaṃ dakṣiṇakatrayaṃ, Prajñāpāramitāpustakanīlotpalacāpavad-vāmakaratrayaṃ saśṛṅgārakumārābharaṇanivasanādikaṃ nānāpuṣpamahāśobhācīratrayavirājitaṃ Tathāgataparamāṇu-parighaṭitaṃ ātmānaṃ dhyātvā...”
Sādhanamālā, p 151

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“The worshipper should think himself as god Mañjukumāra, who is three-faced and six-armed, of red Kuṅkuma, colour. His right and left faces have (respectively) the blue and white colour. He is seated on an animal. His three right hands hold the sword, the arrow and the Varada pose, while the three left carry the Prajñāpāramitā, blue Utpala and the bow. He is decked in princely ornaments and dress as befitting the Śṛṅgāra (amour) sentiment he displays. He wears the three rags of a mendicant, which are richly decorated with various kinds of flowers. His body is composed of the particles of the Tathāgatas......Thus meditating...”

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Mañjukumāra is not known either in sculptures or in ancient paintings. Fig. 88 illustrates a drawing from Nepal.

11. Arapacana

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| Colour—White or red | Āsana—Vajraparyaṅka |
| Companions—Four | Symbols—Book and Sword |

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Eight Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā describe the form of this divinity, which is sometimes white and sometimes red. He sits always in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude, but when he sits on an animal he is called Prajñācakra. He is accompanied by the four divinities, Keśinī, Upakeśinī, Candraprabha and Sūryaprabha, and as the group of five originates from the five syllables, ‘A’, ‘R’, ‘P’, ‘C’ and ‘N’, the principal god is called Arapacana. When represented, the four companions of Arapacana resemble the principal god in all respects.

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None of the forms of Mañjuśrī is so widely represented both in stone and in bronze as Arapacana. He is accompanied by his four attendants, but in some instances the companions are entirely absent. In one of the sculptures (Fig. 89) preserved in the Dacca Museum¹ the four Dhyāni Buddhas, Vairocana, Ratnasambhava, Amitābha and Amoghasiddhi (besides the usual four companions), are pictured on the aureole behind, the centre at the top being occupied by one of the companion deities resembling the principal god. The Java figure (Fig. 90) belongs to this class and shows the four companions as required by the Sādhana¹.

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¹ Bhattasali : IBBS, p. 28f, Pl. VII, b.

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¹ First published and identified as Mañjuśrī in Grunwedel : Buadhist Art in India, p. 199.

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The Nepal bronze (Fig 91) does not carry the book against the chest, but holds the stem of a lotus, which bears the book. The Baroda bronze (Fig. 92) also does likewise. Both these are without companions.

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Arapacana is also called Sadyonubhava-Arapacana, or Sadyonubhava-Mañjuśrī. He is resplendent like the full moon, has a smiling face, is decked in all sorts of princely ornaments, and sits on a double lotus in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude. He brandishes the sword in his right hand, while his left holds the Prajñāpāramitā book against his chest. Jālinīkumāra (or Sūryaprabha) is in front of him, Candraprabha behind, Keśinī to the right and Upakeśinī to the left. All these four divinities are replicas of the principal god. The Dhyāna in one of the Sādhanas describes the principal god in the following terms :

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“...Khaḍgapustakadhāriṇaṃ ākuñcitapañcacīraṃ, raktavastrayugayutaṃ śṛṅgāraveśadhāriṇaṃ smitavikasitavadanaṃ śaśāṅkakāntitulyaśobhaṃ viśvadalakamalasthabaddhaparyaṅkaṃ Sadyonubhavārapacanarūpām ātmānaṃ-īkṣeta”. Sādhanamālā, p. 121.

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“The worshipper should think himself as Sadyonubhava-Arapacana, who carries the Khaḍga and the book, and wears the five cīrakas(rags) which are slightly folded. His garments are of red colour, which befits the Śṛṅgāra Rasa he displays. His face is radiant with a smile, and is resplendent like the moon. He sits on a double lotus in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude...”

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This Sādhana further adds that the principal god should originate from the first syllable “A”, Jālinīkumāra from the syllable “R”, Candraprabha from “P”, Keśinī from “C” and Upakeśinī from “N”. Mañjuśrī should be in the middle, Jālinīkumāra in front, Candraprabha behind, Keśinī to the right and Upakeśinī to the left. All of them should have white colour and should be identical with the principal god in appearance.

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Arapacana is popular in Tibet ² and China ³. In Tibet his sword in the right hand is replaced by the bell in a remarkable statuette.

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² Gordon : ITL, p. 68. Getty : GNB, pl. XXXV illustrates a unique image with the Ghaṇṭā in the right hand instead of the sword. By the sound of the holy gong ignorance seems to disappear.

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³ Clark : TLP, II, p. 199 illustrates an image of Arapacana under the title of Mañjuśrī.

12. Sthiracakra

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Symbol—Sword Mudrā—Varada Companion—Śakti

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The Sādhana for the worship of Sthiracakra has one remarkable feature which distinguishes it from the other Sādhanas in the Sādhanamālā, namely, that it does not give the Dhyāna at a stretch, but the information about his form is scattered throughout the Sādhana, which again, is in verse. From the information gleaned from the Sādhana about his form it appears that in one of his hands he carries the sword, which by radiating light destroys the darkness of ignorance, while the other is engaged in bestowing boons of all kinds, or in other words, displays the Varda pose. His colour is white and he is decked in garments of the colour of the bee; he sits on the moon, supported by a lotus, and wears the Cīrakas which makes his body resplendent. He wears princely ornaments and displays the sentiment of passionate love. He is accompanied by a Prajñā, who is beautiful, displays the sentiment of passionate love and laughs profusely.

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Images of this form of Mañjuśrī are rarely met with. The Vaṅgīya Sāhitya Parisad (Calcutta) image No. C(d) 8/16 has a feint resemblance with the description given above, and may quite conceivably represent Sthiracakra. The special feature of this image is that the sword appears on a lotus, the stem of which is held in the left hand of the god, while the right hand exhibits the Varada pose. He sits in the Lalitāsana on the moon over a lotus, and is accompanied by his Śakti who according to Indian custom occupies a position to the left of her consort (Fig. 93) ¹.

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¹ This image is described in the Hand book to the Scluptures in the Museum of the Vangiya Sahitya Parishad, p. 33.

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Sthiracakra is represented in the Chinese Collection ².

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² Clark : TLP, II, p. 261.

13. Vādirāṭ

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Āsana—Ardhaparyaṅka Vāhana—Tiger Mudrā—Vyākhyāna

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This form of Mañjuśrī is rarely to be met with either in stone or in bronze. One Sādhana only is devoted to the worship of this divinity which shows that this form was not very popular amongst the Vajrayānists. Vādirāṭ is of medium height, neither very short nor very tall, and appears a youth of sixteen years. He sits on the back of a tiger in the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude with his left leg slightly raised. He wears all sorts of ornaments, and exhibits the Vyākhyāna mudrā. The Dhyāna which is in verse, describes the form of Vādirāt in the following terms :

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Svacchaṁ ṣoḍaśavatsarākṛtidharaṁ śārddūlapṛṣṭhasthitaṁ
Vyākhyāvyākulapāṇipadmayugalaṁ vāmārdhaparyaṅkinaṁ I
Dīrghaṁ nāpi na cāpi kharvamasamaṁ saundaryarāśyāśrayaṁ
Ratnasvarṇamaṇiprakāravividhālaṅkāramālākulāṁ II

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Śrīmad-Vādirāt-Sādhanam samāptam. Kṛtiriyam Paṇḍitaśrī Ciṅtāmaṇi-Dattasya ”. Sādhanamālā, p. 98.

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“The worshipper should think himself as (Vādirāt), who is handsome in appearance (lit. pure or transparent), and appears a youth of sixteen years. He sits on the back of a tiger. His lotus-like hands are eagerly engaged in displaying the Vyākhyāna mudrā. His left leg is slightly raised in the Ardhaparyaṅka attitude. He is neither tall, nor very short, is unparalled by any, is the receptacle of all beauties in the world, and is decked in various ornaments consisting of jewels, gold, gems and other valuables.

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Here ends the Sādhana for Vādirāt written by the author Śrī Ciṅtāmaṇi Datta.”

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Vādirāt is represented in the Chinese Collection ¹.

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¹ Clark : TLP, II, p. 262.

Linked texts (6)