The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c19.t1.1

c19.t1.1

Several of Jambhala’s forms are noticed in the Sādhanamālā, which states that the god may emanate either from Akṣobhya, or from Ratnasambhava. The form that emanates from Akṣobhya has already been described. The characteristic feature of Jambhala emanating from Ratnasambhava is that he carries the mongoose in his right hand and the citron in the left. The mongoose is supposed to be the receptacle of all gems and jewels, and when Jambhala presses the two sides of the mongoose it vomits the treasures within. It is this mongoose which makes it easy to identify Jambhala images. As an emanation of Ratnasambhava he may either be represented alone, or in the embrace of his Śakti in yab-yum. In the Sādhanamālā only three Dhyānas describe him as single.