The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c17.1

c17.1

According to the Sādhanamālā all the deities that emanate from the the Dhyāni Buddha Vairocana have generally the white colour or the colour assigned to Vairocana. Several goddesses have the images of Vairocana on their crowns, thus showing that they are all emanations of this particular Dhyāni Buddha. Some of the deities are expressly stated in the Sādhanas to be "Vairocanakulodbhavā" or "born of the family of Vairocana" The deities emanating from this Dhyāni Buddha are said to reside in the interior of the Caitya, since Vairocana, it may be remembered, is the lord of the sanctum of the temple or the Stūpa. Among the deities emanating from Vairocana Mārīcī seems to the first in importance and popularity. She is even regarded as the consort of Vairocana. Vairocana is distinguished from the other Dhyāni Buddhas by his white complexion and the Dharmacakra mudrā he dis plays in his two hands.