The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sadhanamala and Other Cognate Tantric Texts of Rituals c22.s10: 10. Twenty-Eight Constellations
The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Mainly Based on the Sādhanamālā and Other Cognate Tāntric Texts of Rituals c22.s10
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10. Twenty-Eight Constellations
c22.s10.1
The Zodiac is divided into 27 or 28 constellations or Nakṣatras. These are called the Lunar Mansions. These Lunar Mansions are believed to exercise great influence on human beings and their affairs. They are constantly bringing good or bad effects and are supposed to be great store-houses of power. It is no wonder, therefore, that in Buddhism these Nakṣatras should be deified with colour, faces and hands. The Nakṣatras are described collectively in the Dharmadhātu-vāgīśvara Maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī. In this Maṇḍala the Nakṣatras are given one face and two arms, which are clasped against the chest in the Añjali mudrā. In colour, however, they differ.
c22.s10.2
The Nakṣatras have the following features in common :
c22.s10.3
“Aśvinyādayo devyaśca ratnakañcukiparidhānāḥ kṛtāñjalayaḥ”. NSP, p. 65
c22.s10.4
“The deities beginning with Aśvinī are decked in bejewelled jackets and they all show the Añjali mudrā”.
c22.s10.5
They differ in colour. Their distinctive colour is given below in the order in which it is found in the Maṇḍala :
c22.s10.6
1. Aśvinī—White
2. Bharaṇī—Green
3. Kṛttikā—Green
4. Rohiṇī—Reddish White
5. Mṛgaśirā—Blue
6. Ārdrā—Yellow
7. Punarvasu—Yellow
8. Puṣyā—Green
9. Āśleṣā—White
10. Maghā—Yellow 11. Pūrvāphālgunī—Green as Priyaṅgu
12. Uttarāphālgunī—Green
13. Hastā—White
14. Citrā—Green
15. Svātī—Yellow
16. Viśākhā—Blue
17. Anurādhā—Green
18. Jyeṣṭhā—Yellow
19. Mūlā—Yellow
20. Pūrvāṣāḍhā—Blue
21. Uttarāṣāḍhā—White
22. Śravaṇa—White
23. Dhaniṣṭhā—Blue
24. Śatabhiṣā—Yellow
25. Pūrvabhādrapadā—Green
26. Uttarābhādrapadā—Yellow
27. Revatī—White
28. Abhijit—Green
Cites (1)
- Niṣpannayogāvalī — Abhayākaragupta, Sanskrit